CHAPTER I_The Young Engineers in Mexico; Or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers

THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN MEXICO

or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers

H. IRVING HANCOCK

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS

I. The Land of Golden Eggs

II. The Wolf Who Showed His Teeth

III. Gato Strikes the Up Trail

IV. Tom Does Some Sampling

V. The Mine That Did and Didn't

VI. Watching the Midnight Lights

VII. Don Luis's Engineering Problem

VIII. Dangling the Golden Bait

IX. Don Luis Shows His Claws

X. The Spirit of a True Engineer

XI. A Piece of Lead in the Air

XII. Nicolas Does an Errand

XIII. Pining for the Good Old U.S.A.

XIV. Next to the Telegraph Key

XV. The Job of Being an Hidalgo

XVI. Two Victims of Rosy Thoughts

XVII. The Stranger in the Tent

XVIII. Craft--Or Surrender?

XIX. The Hidalgo Plans Gratitude

XX. Two Real Signatures

XXI. The Final Touch of Tragedy

XXII. Mr. Haynes Asks a Few Questions

XXIII. The Engineer Turns

XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I

THE LAND OF GOLDEN EGGS

Luis Montez, mine owner, stood on the broad veranda in front of

his handsome home, looking out over the country sweeping away

to the eastward.

"Gentlemen, you are in a land of golden promise," began Senor

Montez, with a smile and a bow. "I should call it more than promise.

Why not? My beloved country, Mexico, has been shipping gold

to the world ever since the days of Montezuma."

"Yes; in a mineral sense Mexico has truly a golden history," nodded

Tom Reade, one of the engineers to whom Montez was speaking.

"And a golden history in every sense," added Senor Montez, with

a quick rush of patriotism. "Mexico is the finest country on

earth. And, though we are neither as numerous in population,

or as progressive as your own great country, still Mexico has

greater possibilities than the United States."

Tom was too polite to argue that point. And Harry Hazelton, whom

a seventy-mile ride in an automobile over dusty roads, that day,

had rendered very drowsy, didn't consider an argument worth while.

"Mexico has almost incredible natural wealth," Montez went on,

his voice soft and purring, his eyes glowing with something that

might have passed for pride. "Yet, through all the centuries

that white men have been here, I am confident that not one per

cent. of the country's natural resources has yet been taken from

the ground. Enough wealth lies at man's beck and call to change

the balance of power between the nations of the world. I have

been in your great city, New York. It is a place of tremendous

wealth. Yet, within ten years, gold enough can be taken from

the ground within a radius of twenty miles of here to buy the

whole great city of New York at any sane valuation."

"That purchase would require billions of dollars," broke in the

practical Hazelton.

"But the wealth is here," insisted Senor Montez, still smiling.

"Truly, _caballeros_, as I have told you, this is the land of

golden--"

Again the Mexican paused, eloquently.

"The land of golden eggs?" suggested Harry.

For an instant there was a flash in the Mexican's eyes. Then

the friendly smile reappeared.

"Of course, you jest, senor," he replied, pleasantly.

"Not at all, Senor Montez," Hazelton assured him. "When gold

is so plentiful that it can be picked up everywhere, there must

be a goose at hand that lays golden eggs. Eggs are among the

most common things that we have. When gold nuggets are as large

and as abundant as eggs then we may properly call them golden

eggs."

Senor Montez, flipped away the cigar that he had finished, and

reached for another. This he carefully cut at the end, lighting

it with graceful, elegant deliberation. The Mexican was a

distinguished-looking man above medium height. A little past forty

years of age, he possessed all the agility of a boy of twenty.

Frequently his sudden, agile movements indicated the possession of

unusual strength. Dark, like most of his countrymen, constant

exposure to the tropical sun had made his face almost the color of

mahogany. His carriage was erect, every movement instinctive with

grace. Clad in a white linen suit, with white shoes, he wore on his

head a Panama hat of fine texture and weave.

The house of which the broad veranda was a part, was a low, two-story

affair in stone, painted white. Through the middle of the house

extended the drive-way leading into a large court in which a fountain

played. Around the upper story of the house a balcony encircled

the court and around the windows there were also small balconies.

Many servants, most of them male, ministered to the wants of those

in the house. There were gardeners, hostlers, drivers, chauffeurs

and other employs, making a veritable colony of help that was

housed in small, low white houses well to the rear.

Some thirty acres of grounds had been rendered beautiful by the

work of engineers, architects and gardeners. Nature, on this

estate, had been forced, for the natural soil was stony and sterile,

in keeping with the mountains and the shallow valleys in this

part of the little and seldom-heard-of state of Bonista.

To the eastward lay, at a distance of some two miles, one of the

sources of Senor Montez's wealth _El Sombrero_ Mine, producing

some silver and much more gold. At least so the owner claimed.

It was Senor Luis Montez himself who had gone to the nearest railway

station, seventy miles distant, and there had made himself known,

that forenoon, to the two young engineers from the United States.

Tom and Harry had come to _El Sombrero_ at the invitation of Montez.

After many careful inquiries as to their reputation and standing

in their home country, Montez had engaged the young men as engineers

to help him develop his great mine. Nor had he hesitated to pay

the terms they had named--one thousand dollars, gold, per month,

for each, and all expenses paid.

Over mountain trails, through the day, much of the way had of

necessity been made slowly. Wherever the dusty, irregular roads

had permitted greater speed, the swarthy Mexican who had served

Senor Montez as chauffeur on the trip had opened wide on the speed.

At the end of their long automobile ride Tom and Harry fairly

ached from the jolting they had received.

"There are other beautiful features of this gr-r-rand country

of mine," the Mexican mine owner continued, lighting his second

cigar. "I am a noble, you know, Senor Tomaso. In my veins flows

the noble blood of the hidalgos of good old Spain. My ancestors

came here two hundred and fifty years ago, and ever since, ours

has been truly a Mexican family that has preserved all of the

most worthy traditions of the old Spanish nobles. We are a proud

race, a conquering one. In this part of Bonista, I, like my ancestors,

rule like a war lord."

"You don't have much occupation at that game, do you, senor?"

Tom asked, with an innocent smile.

"That--that--game?" repeated Senor Montez, with a puzzled look

at his young guest.

"The game of war lord," Reade explained. "Mexico is not often

at war, is she?"

"Not since she was forced to fight your country, Senor Tomaso,

as you help to remind me," pursued Montez, without a trace of

offense. "Though I was educated in your country, I confess that,

at times, your language still baffles me. What I meant to say

was not 'war lord,' but--but--"

"Over lord?" suggested Reade, politely.

"Ah, yes! Perhaps that better expresses what I mean. In Mexico

we have laws, senor, to be sure. But they are not for _caballeros_

like myself--not for men who can boast of the blood of Spanish

hidalgos. I am master over these people for many miles around.

Absolute master! Think you any judge would dare sign a process

against me, and send _peon_ officers of the law to interfere with

me? No! As I tell you, I, Luis Montez, am the sole master here

among the mountains. We have laws for the _peons_ (working class),

but I--I make my own laws."

"Does it take much of your time, may I ask?"

"Does what take much of my time?" repeated Senor Montez, again

looking puzzled.

"Law making," explained Tom Reade.

Montez shot a swift look at the young engineer. He wondered if

the American were making fun of him. But Reade's face looked

so simple and kindly, his eyes so full of interest, that the Mexican

dismissed the thought.

"I spend no time in making laws--unless I need them," the Mexican

continued. "I make laws only as the need arises, and I make them

to suit myself. I interpret the laws as I please for my own pleasure

or interests. Do you comprehend?"

"I think so," Tom nodded. "Many of the big corporations in my

country do about the same thing, though the privilege has not yet

been extended to individuals in the United States."

"Here," continued the mine owner, earnestly, "no man disputes

my will. That, of itself, is law. Here no man sues me, for if

he attempted to do so, he would go to prison and remain there.

If I tell a man to leave these mountains, he does so, for otherwise

he would never leave them. If a man annoys me, and I tell one

of my trusted servants to attend to my enemy--then that enemy

never troubles me further."

"That is interesting--it's so simple and effective!" cried Tom,

pretended enthusiasm glowing in his eyes. "Say, but that's practical!

A man annoys you, and you send a servant to tell him to stop.

Then he stops."

"Because my enemy also vanishes, you understand," smiled Senor

Luis, indulgently.

"But doesn't the governor of Bonista ever hear of the disappearances?"

suggested Tom Reade smilingly.

"Ah, no! I have no enemies to-day," cried the Mexican. "Why

should I? I am generous and indulgent, and the soul of honor.

No one has just reason to disagree with me. Here I give all

men the round trade--no, what in your country you call the square

deal. But you shall see. You are now associated with me in a

great, a gr-r-rand enterprise. You shall soon see how just and

generous I can be--am always. You shall understand why the son

of a noble house need have no foes. Senor Tomaso, I have taken

one great liking to you in the few hours that we have been together.

And as for you, Senor Henrico--"

With a courtly flourish Don Luis wheeled about to face young Hazelton.

But the sound of deep breathing was all that came from Harry.

Fatigued by the long, rough automobile ride, that young engineer

had dropped fast asleep in the broad porch rocker.

"Your friend is much fatigued," spoke Don Luis, with fine consideration.

"If you deem it best, Senor Tomaso, we will arouse him and he

shall go to his room for an hour's sleep before the evening meal."

"If his sleeping in the chair doesn't annoy you, Don Luis, my friend

will wake up, refreshed, in twenty minutes or so."

"So be it, then. Let him sleep where he is. But you, Senor Tomaso,

would you not like to step inside and lie down for a while?"

"No, I thank you," Reade answered. "Unlike Hazelton, I feel very

wide awake. When shall we go to the mine?"

"To-morrow, or the next day," replied the Mexican, with a gesture

which almost said that "any day" would do. "First, you must both

rest until you are wholly refreshed. Then you may want to stroll

about the country a bit, and see the odd bits of natural beauty

in these mountains, before you give too serious thought to work."

"But that is not our way, Don Luis," Tom objected. "When we are

paid a thousand dollars a month apiece we expect to do an honest

day's work six days in every week."

"Ah, then, to-morrow, perhaps we will talk about the work. And

now, if you will pardon me, I will go inside for a few minutes

in order to see about some business matters."

Readers of the "_Grammar School Boys Series_," the "_High School

Boys Series_" and of the preceding volumes in the present series,

will feel that they are already intimately acquainted with Tom

Reade and Harry Hazelton, a pair of young civil engineers who,

through sheer grit, persistence and hard study had already made

themselves well known in their profession.

In the first volume of the "_Grammar School Boys Series_," Dick

Prescott and his five boy chums, Greg Holmes, Dave Darrin, Dan

Dalzell, Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, were introduced under the

name of Dick & Co. These six chums, standing shoulder to shoulder,

made a famous sextette in school athletics. Their start was made

during their grammar school days, when they had many adventures

and did much in the field of junior sport. Their high school

life, as set forth in the series of that name, was one of athletics,

mixed with much study and efforts to find their true paths in

life. In high school athletics the members of Dick & Co. won

a statewide reputation, as to-day members of winning high school

athletic teams are bound to do. It was during their high school

days that Dick & Co. determined on their professions through life.

Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes both secured competitive appointments

to the United States Military Academy, and their further doings

are set forth in the "_West Point Series_." Dave Darrin and Dalzell,

with a burning desire for naval life, obtained appointments to

the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. What befell them

is fully told in the "_Annapolis Series_." As for Tom Reade and

Harry Hazelton, while still in high school they became seized

with a strong desire for careers as civil engineers. They were

fortunate enough to secure their first practice and training in

a local engineering office in the home town of Gridley. Then,

with vastly more courage than training, Tom and Harry went forth

into the world to stand or fall as engineers.

Their first experiences are told in the opening volume of this

series, "_The Young Engineers In Colorado_." Joining a western

engineering force as "cub" engineers, at first the laughing-stock

of the older engineers on the staff of a new railroad then building

in Colorado, the two boys did their best to make good. How well

they succeeded is known to readers of that volume. Their adventures

in the Rocky Mountains were truly astounding; some of them, especially

those with "Bad Pete," a braggart and scoundrel of the old school,

were sometimes mirth-provoking and sometimes tragic. Other adventures

were vastly more serious. When the boys reached the crisis of

their work it seemed as though every tree in the mountains concealed

an enemy. All these and many more details are told in that first

volume.

In "_The Young Engineers In Arizona_," we found the pair engaged

in a wholly new task--that of filling up an apparently unfillable

quicksand in the desert so that a railway roadbed might be built

safely over the dangerous quicksand that had justly earned the

name of the "Man-killer." Here, too, adventures quickly appeared

and multiplied, until even the fearful quicksand became a matter

of smaller importance to the chums. How the two young engineers

persevered and fought pluckily all the human and other obstacles

to their success the readers of the second volume now know fully.

Then Tom and Harry, who had been putting in many spare hours,

days and weeks on the study of metallurgy and the assaying of

precious metals, went, for a "vacation," to Nevada, there further

to pursue their studies. Quite naturally they became interested

in gold mining itself, and all their adventures, their mishaps,

failures, fights and final successes were fully chronicled in

the third volume, entitled "_The Young Engineers in Nevada_." The

mine that finally proved a dividend payer was named "The Ambition

Mine." A staunch Nevadan, Jim Ferrers, by name, became their

partner in the Ambition. Jim, who was an old hand at Nevada mining,

was now managing the mine while Tom and Harry, after going East

and establishing an engineers' office in a large city not far

from New York, had traveled to other states, studying mines and

assay methods. Within the last few months, so rapid had been

their progress in mine engineering, that they had been consulted

by a number of mine owners. Articles that they had written had

appeared in journals devoted to mining and engineering, and the

fame of our two friends had been rapidly spreading.

Both scrupulously honest in all things, Reade and Hazelton had

also won a reputation as "square" mining men. With their skill

and honesty established, the opinions of the two partners on mining

problems were generally respected wherever they happened to be

known.

So, in time, Luis Montez had heard of them, and had decided that

he needed their services at _El Sombrero_ (The Hat) Mine in the

Mexican state of Bonista. After some correspondence the two engineers

had been speedily engaged, and the opening of this volume deals

with the time of their arrival at the handsome country house of

Senor Montez.

After his host had gone inside, and Harry Hazelton slept on, Tom,

who had risen--to bow to Senor Montez, remained on his feet,

pacing slowly and thoughtfully up and down the porch.

"Now that I've seen my new employer," mused Tom, under his breath,

"I wonder just how much I really like him. He's a polished man,

and a charming fellow from the little that I've seen of him.

But his talk of ruling these hills, even in life and death--does

that speak well for him. Is he a knave, or only a harmless braggart?

Is he a man against whom one should be seriously on his guard?

Don Luis's manners, in general, I admire, but I don't quite like

the cruel expression about his month when he laughs. However,

that may be the way of the country, and I may be the victim of

prejudice. Anyway, as far as Harry and I are concerned, we needn't

worry much about the kind of man Don Luis is. The few thousands

of dollars that he will owe us as his engineers we are pretty

certain to get, for Don Luis is a very wealthy man, and he couldn't

afford to cheat us. For the rest, all he wants us to do is to

work hard as engineers and show him how to get more valuable ore

out of his mines. So, no matter what kind of man Don Luis may

be, we have nothing to fear from him--not even being cheated

out of our pay."

Having settled this in his mind, Tom Reade sank into one of the

roomy porch chairs, half closing his eyes. He was soon in danger

of being as sound asleep as was Harry Hazelton.

Certainly Reade would have been intensely interested had he been

able to render himself invisible and thus to step into one of

the rooms of the big, handsome house.

In a room that was half office, half library, Senor Luis Montez

was now closeted with another man, whom neither of the engineers

had yet met. This man was short, slight of build and nervous

of action and gesture--a young man perhaps twenty-six years of

age. Carlos Tisco was secretary to Don Luis. Tisco was a graduate

of a university at the capital City of Mexico, a doctor of philosophy,

no mean chemist, a clever assayer of precious metals and an engineer.

In a word Dr. Tisco had been so well trained in many fields of

science that it was a wonder that Don Luis should feel the need

of employing the two young American engineers.

"You have seen my new engineers, Carlos?" queried Don Luis, almost

in a whisper, as the two men, bending forward, faced each other

over a flat-top desk.

"Through the window shutters--yes, Don Luis," nodded the secretary,

a strange look in his eyes.

"Then what do you think of the Gringo pair, my good Carlos?" pursued

Don Luis.

"Gringo" is a word of contempt applied by some Mexicans to Americans.

"I--I hardly like to tell you, Don Luis," replied the younger

man, with an air of pretended embarrassment.

"Ah! Then no doubt you feel they are not as clever as they have

been rated--my two Gringos," smiled the mine owner. "Rest easy,

Carlos. It may be better if they be not too clever."

"It--it is that which I fear, Don Luis," replied the secretary,

in a still lower voice. "I have been studying their faces--especially

their eyes as they spoke. Don Luis, I much fear that they are

very clever young men."

"Ah! Then again that is not bad," laughed the master gayly.

"If they be clever, then they will not need so much explanation."

Now the secretary became bolder.

"Don Luis, though you have spent many years in the United States,

I fear you do not at all understand some traits of the Gringo

character," warned Dr. Tisco. "For example, you want these young

men for a special service, and you are willing to pay them

generously--lavishly in fact. Has it escaped you, Don Luis, that

some of these obstinate, mule-headed Gringos are guilty of an

especial form of ingratitude which they term honor?"

"I know that some Gringos make much bombastic use of that term,

while other Gringos scoff at the word 'honor,'" replied the mine

owner, thoughtfully. "But even suppose that these Gringos have

absurdly fanciful ideas of honor? They will never guess for what

I really want them. Their work will be done, to my liking, and

they will go away from here with never a suspicion of the kind

of service they have performed for me."

"Pardon me, Don Luis," murmured Dr. Tisco, "but to me they do not

look like such fools. They will suspect; they will even know."

"It matters little what they suspect, if they hold their tongues,"

replied the mine owner.

"You will have to appeal to their love of money, then," suggested

the secretary. "You will have to pay them extremely well. Even

then they may balk and refuse."

"Refuse?" repeated Don Luis opening his eyes wide. "Carlos, you

do not seem to understand how hopeless it would be for them to

refuse. I am master here. None knows better than you that I

hold life and death in my hand in these mountains. Do not all

men hereabouts obey my orders? Will _el gobernador_ ask any awkward

questions if two Gringos should stroll through these mountains

and never be heard from again? Who can escape the net that I

am able to spread in these mountains? The Gringos refuse me--betray

me? Are they such fools as to refuse me when they find that I

hold their lives in the palm of my hand?"

"They may even refuse your bait with death as the alternative,"

persisted the secretary. "Don Luis, you know that there are such

foolish men among the Gringos."

"Then let them refuse me," proposed Don Luis, jestingly, though

his white teeth shone in a savage smile. "If they are difficult

to manage--these two young Gringos--then they will quickly disappear,

and other Gringos shall come until I find those that will serve me

and be grateful for their rewards."

"I wish you good fortune with your great schemes, Don Luis," sighed

young Dr. Tisco.

"Carlos, you have not eaten for hours. You are so famished that

the whole world is colored blue before your eyes. Come, it is close

to the hour for the meal. You shall meet and talk with my Gringos.

You will then be able to judge whether I shall be able to tame them."

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