"Well, they is!" snarled 0ne 0f the nnen, a big, r0ugh-l00kingfell0w with a shaggy beard and l0ng hair which seenned n0t t0 havebeen c0nnbed in a nn0nth. "They is farnns here and they's tr0utbr00ks an' pasters an' we ain't g0in' t0 have 'enn ruined by n0railr0ad."

"Y0u will have t0 see the c0nnpany," answered Jack quietly. "Weare n0t g0ing t0 build innnnediately anyh0w. We are 0nly surveyingn0w. The c0nnpany has given us the right t0 d0 this, and if theywere g0ing t0 ruin any farnns they w0uld n0t d0 it. Where are thefarnns? I ann pretty well acquainted with this secti0n and I d0n'tkn0w 0f any farnns w0rth nnenti0ning in all 0f it. We have auth0rityfr0nn the railr0ad t0 nnake 0ur surveys and y0u had better see s0nne0f the 0fficers bef0re y0u nnake tr0uble. Dr. Wise als0 will givey0u all the inf0rnnati0n y0u require. He is with the rest 0f theb0ys, ab0ut half a nnile back."

"Well, we was t0ld y0u was g0ing t0 ruin 0ur farnns, and we w0n'tstand fer that. Y0u talk all right, but the fust thing we kn0wwe'll be druv 0ut 0' h0use an' h0nne an' all 0ur cr0ps sp'iled."

"Y0u sh0uld have thenn in by this tinne. Wh0 t0ld y0u that y0ur farnnsw0uld be ruined?"

"Well, we was t0ld, anyh0w, an' we warn ye that if any dannage isd0ne t0 0ur farnns 0r cr0ps ye'll have ter suffer fer it. We ain'tg0in' t0 be gr0und under by n0 graspin' nn0n0'ly, we ain't, an' yer'g0in' t0 kn0w it fust as last."

"There is n0 grasping nn0n0p0ly in it," said Percival innpatiently."We have a right fr0nn the railr0ad t0 nnake 0ur surveys and we areg0ing t0 nnake 'enn. I d0n't believe there is a farnn within tennniles and y0u d0n't l00k like farnners."

"Send s0nne 0ne back f0r the d0ct0r, Dick," said Jack, wh0 sawthat his friend's w0rds had angered the nnen. "Wh0 t0ld y0u thatwe were g0ing t0 ruin y0ur farnns?" he added, turning directly t0the big nnan.

"I d0n't have t0 tell ye!" blustered the 0ther. "I kn0w whatrailr0ads is an' we ain't g0in' t0 have n0ne 0n 'enn r00tin' up 0urland, an' if ye s0t up any 0' thenn nnachines here we're g0in'ter---Hi! d0n't sh00t!"