“It has,” nodded the superintendent. “However, I haven't your gift with the tongue, Mr. Reade, and I've never been able to lead men into the right path as you did yesterday.”
Over in the little village of tents where the idle workmen sat through the forenoon there was some restlessness. These men knew that there was nothing for them to do until the construction material arrived, and that they were required only to report in order to keep themselves on the time sheets. Having reported to their foremen and the checkers, they were quite at liberty to go over into Paloma or elsewhere. A few of them had gone. Some others had an uneasy feeling that they wouldn't like to face the contempt in the eyes of the young chief engineer if he happened to see them going away from camp.
“It's none of the business of that chap Reade,” growled one of the workmen.
“Of course it isn't,” spoke up another. “He talked to us straight yesterday, however, and showed us that it was our own business to keep out of the tough places in Paloma. I've worked under these engineers for years, and I never before knew one of them to care whether I had a hundred dollars or an empty stomach. Boys, I tell you, Reade, has the right stuff in him, if he is only a youngster. He knows the enemies he has made over in Paloma, and he understands the risks be has been taking in making such enemies. He proved to us that he can stand that sort of thing and be our friend. Look at this thing, will you?”
With something of a look of wonder the speaker drew out the bankbook that he had acquired the afternoon before.
“I've got forty dollars in bank,” he continued, in something of a tone of awe. “Forty friends of mine that I've put away to work and do good things for me! If I don't touch this money for some years then I'll find that this money has grown to be a lot more than forty dollars!”
“Or else you'll find that some bank clerk is up in Canada spending it,” jeered a companion.
“I don't care what the clerk does. The bank will be still good for the money. Joe, you read the papers as often as any come into camp.”
“Yes.”
“All right. The next time you find anything about a savings bank that has failed and left the people in the lurch for their money, you show it to me. Savings banks don't fail nowadays! No, Sir!”