Mr. Newnham took a quick look, readjusted his spectacles, and looked once more. Tom bore the scrutiny calmly.
“I expected to find a very young man here, Mr. Reade, but you’re considerably younger than I had expected. Yet Howe, in charge of the construction corps, tells me that you’ve been hustling matters at this field survey end. How are you, Reade?”
Mr. Newnham descended from the wagon, at once holding out his hand.
“I’m very comfortable, thank you, sir,” Tom smiled.
“You’re dreadfully busy, I’m sure,” continued the president of the S.B. & L. “In fact, Reade, I feel almost guilty in coming here and taking up your time when you’ve such a drive on. Don’t let me detain you. I can go right on into the field and talk with you there.”
“It won’t be necessary, sir,” Tom answered, with another smile. “I’m not doing anything in particular.”
“Nothing in particular? Why, I thought——-”
“I don’t do any tearing around myself,” laughed Reade. “Since you were kind enough to make me acting chief engineer here I’ve kept the other fellows driving pretty hard, and I have every bit of work done right up to the minute. Yet, as for myself, I have little to do, most of the day, except to sit in a camp easy chair, or else I ride a bit over the ground and see just where the fellows are working.”
“You take it mighty easily,” murmured President Newnham.
“A chief may, if he has the sense to know how to work his subordinates,” Tom continued. “I don’t believe, sir, that you’ll find any fault with the way matters have gone forward.”