"Let "em try, then," grunted the foreman, giving the steering wheel a turn.
Though Reade remained up until broad daylight no further sign of the unknown enemies was seen. Through the night, had it not been for the patrols walking up and down the line of wall with lanterns, it would have been hard to realize that the big breakwater was haunted by any such desperately practical group of "ghosts."
"I guess we"ve heard the last of the rascals," suggested Harry Hazelton one night at supper. Messrs. Bas...o...b..and Prenter had returned to Mobile, so that the young engineers and their superintendent were the only men at table.
"My guess is about the same," drawled Mr. Renshaw.
"Yes?" queried Reade. "Guess again!"
"Oh, I believe they"ve quit," argued Mr. Renshaw. "For one thing, the scoundrels probably have discovered that detectives from Mobile are down here trying to run "em to earth. That has scared the rascals away."
"What are the detectives doing, anyway?" asked Harry.
"Blessed if I know," Tom yawned. "I believe there are three of them here or over in Blixton, but I wouldn"t know one of them, if I fell over him.
The detectives came, secured their orders from Mr. Prenter, and went to work---or pretended to go to work. I"m glad that I"m not responsible for the detectives."
Nicolas entered, an envelope in his hand.
"Par-rdon, Senor Reade," begged the Mexican. "I would not interrupt, but on the porch I found thees letter. It is address to you."
Tom took the envelope and scanned it, saying:
"The address is printed---probably because the writer didn"t want to run the risk of having his writing identified. Probably the letter, also, is printed. Pardon me, gentlemen, while I open this communication . . . Yes; the letter is printed, and unsigned---a further sign of cowardice on the part of the writer. And now let me see what it says."
Tom spent a few moments in going through the communication. A white line formed around his mouth as he read. Then he pa.s.sed the letter to Harry, who read it aloud, as follows:
_"You have had a week of peace. Is peace better than war? You may have all the peace you wish, and go on working and prospering if you will let others do the same. Stop interfering with the right of your men to amuse themselves and all will be well. Try any of your former tricks in the camp, and then you will have good cause to "Beware!""_
"Is that a declaration of war?" asked Harry, looking up.
"I think so," nodded Tom.
"Then how are you going to meet it?"
"There"s only one way," Tom returned. "A declaration of war must be met with a fight. Unless I"m very greatly in error the gamblers and bootleggers will try to start up matters again to-night in camp."
"And you"ll throw them down harder than before?" queried Mr. Renshaw, gazing keenly at the young chief.
"If it be possible," Tom declared. "Nicolas, be kind enough to go over and ask the foremen to report here at 8:20 promptly. At 8:30 we will enter camp and see what is going on."
"I miss my guess, then," chuckled Mr. Renshaw, quietly, "if our arrival isn"t followed by war in earnest."
"War is never so bad," retorted Tom Reade, his jaws setting, "as a disgraceful peace!"
CHAPTER XII
AN ENGINEER"S FIGHTING BLOOD
Just at half-past eight that evening Tom, Harry, the superintendent and the foremen entered camp.
They went, first, to a shack which they knew to be occupied by orderly, respectable blacks.
"Come, men," said Tom, halting in the doorway. "I"ve an idea we may need you."
Six negroes rose and came forward.
"There are gambling and bootlegging going on in this camp to-night, aren"t there?" Reade inquired.
"Ah doan" rightly know, boss," replied one of the negroes cautiously.
"But you suspect it, don"t you?" Tom pressed.
"Yes; Ah done "spec so, boss," grinned the negro.
"And I do, too," rejoined Tom. "Come along. We may need a little help."
With this reinforcement---the negroes were wanted for work rather than for fighting---Tom now stepped off briskly through the camp.
Nor did he have to guess in which way to go through the darkened streets of this little village of toilers. Shouts of laughter and the click of ivory dice and celluloid chips signaled the direction.
The largest shack in the village was closed tightly as to door and window, though light came out through the c.h.i.n.ks. Tom stepped over there boldly, not turning to see whether his following were close behind him.
Stepping up to the closed door the young chief engineer placed his shoulder against it. He gave a st.u.r.dy push, and the barrier flew open.
There were about fifty of his men crowded into one large room. A half dozen gambling games were in full blast. At two tables stood bootleggers, each with a bottle of liquor and gla.s.ses.
Tom stalked boldly in, still without turning to look at his own following.
Reade"s face bore such a mild look that the leader of the visiting gamblers was wholly deceived as he glanced up.
"The chief!" called one workman, in dismay, and a dozen men made a break for the door. But Harry and the others prevented their getting out.
"Oh, it"s all right," cheerily announced the leader of the gamblers. "Mr.
Reade has just come here to look on and make sure that everything is being conducted above board and on the square. Isn"t that so, Reade?"
"Yes," Tom a.s.sented, pausing near the central table at which gambling was going on.
At that a.s.surance the panic-stricken gamblers breathed more easily.
Several men who had jumped up from their seats went back to their chairs.
"Reade is a good friend of ours," called the leader of the gamblers, mockingly. "He isn"t going to interfere with any amus.e.m.e.nts that are properly carried on---eh, Reade?"
The fellow stared boldly into Tom"s eyes, a look of insolent mockery on his features.
"Certainly I"m not going to interfere with any proper amus.e.m.e.nts in this camp," Tom nodded, easily.