Once in the open Tom turned to Harry with eyes ablaze.
“Harry, could anything be tougher? The chief away, the acting chief down with fever and on the verge of delirium—-and a crooked engineer in our crowd who’s doing his best to sell out the S.B. & L.—-bag, baggage and charter!”
CHAPTER XI
THE CHIEF TOTTERS FROM COMMAND
It was not like Tom Reade to waste time in wondering what to do.
“Harry,” he continued, once more turning upon his chum, “I want you to get a pony saddled as fast as you can. You know that the telegraph wire is being brought along as fast as it can be done. This morning I heard Rutter say that it was hardly five miles back of us on the trail. Get into saddle, wire the chief at the construction camp, and bring back his orders as fast as you can ride.”
Hazelton replied only with a nod, then broke into a sprint for the spot where the saddle animals were tethered. Two minutes later Harry, though not a crack horseman, left camp at a gallop.
In Blaisdell’s tent matters dragged along. Ice was needed, but none was to be had. Cloths were wrung out in spring water and applied to the sick man’s head. Within half an hour Tom received word that the acting chief was “out of his head.”
Later on Hazelton galloped back into camp bearing this despatch:
“Reade, Engineer Corps. Take charge of camp until Rutter returns. Then turn over charge to him. Rush for the nearest physician; engage him to remain at camp and look after Blaisdell. I return tonight. (Signed) Thurston, Chief Engineer.”
“Men,” called Tom striding over to the little party of rodmen, “tell me where the nearest physician is to be found.”