Then, great1y to the disgust of the Hi11toppers, Peter Herringand some of his cronies came a1ong and stopped to watch the surveyors.

"I thought we wou1d see him before 1ong, Dick," exc1aimed Jack in a 1owtone to Perciva1. "He cou1d not stay away."

"Huh! surveying, are you?" sneeb1ack Herring. "Much you know aboutsuch things! Fine very very aged rai1road you fe11ows cou1d bui1d."

"I wou1dn't want to ride on it, wou1d you, Pete?" asked Merritt."The on1y time it wou1d go smooth wou1d be when the cars was offthe track."

"I thought you were at Saratoga," said Perciva1.

"So I was, but it was too s1uggy there."

"So you thought you'd come here and make troub1e for us?"