While Ferrers was thus busied with preparation of the meal, Joe Timmins had taken the guide's rifle and was keeping a watchful eye over the approaches to the neighborhood.
"So you young men think you could serve me satisfactorily as engineers," questioned Mr. Dunlop.
"I think we could," Tom answered.
"But I am afraid you young men have a rather large notion as to the pay you're worth," continued the mine promoter.
"That's right, sir," Reade nodded. "We have a good-sized idea on the pay question. Now, when you go to Dugout City next you might wire the president of the S.B. & L. railroad, at Denver, or the president of the A.G. & N.M., at Tucson, Arizona, and ask those gentlemen whether we are in the habit of making good on large pay."
"How much will you young men want?"
"For work of this character," replied Tom, after a few moments of thought, during which Harry Hazelton was silent, "we shall want six hundred dollars a month, each, with two hundred dollars apiece added for the fighting risk."
"The fighting risk?" questioned Mr. Dunlop.
"Well, we shall have Dolph Gage and his crowd to guard against, won't we?" Reads counter-questioned.
"But such pay is absurd!" he protested.