"We'll be our own fools, then," smiled Harry.
"I beg your pardon for getting out of patience," spoke Mr. Dunlop, more gently. "I'm disappointed in you. All the way here I have been planning to get you both at work early. The stockholders in the Bright Hope are all looking for early results."
"Couldn't you get hold of an engineer at Dugout?" Tom inquired.
"Not one."
"Then you'll have to go farther—-Carson City," Reade suggested. "There must be plenty of mining engineers in Nevada, where their services are so much in demand."
"A lot of new claims are being filed these days," explained Mr. Dunlop. "The best I could learn in Dugout was that I'd have to wait until some other mine could spare its man."
"I'm sorry we can't help you, sir," Tom went on thoughtfully.
"I shall feel it a personal grievance, if you don't," snapped the mine promoter.
"We can't do anything for you, Mr. Dunlop," spoke Reade decisively.
"Just as soon as Ferrers returns, so that our camp can be taken
care of, we three partners are going to hustle out on the prospect.
Will you have breakfast with us, sir?"
Mr. Dunlop assented, but his mind was plainly on his disappointment all through the meal.