"I won't die easily, and I'll take a few men along with me when I go.

Now, stand out of the way! I shall consider any man an enemy who blocks my path!" Tom hit resolutely out, at first.

Soon the men crowding about him began to realize that they had taken a large contract on their hands in attempting to cow this young engineer.
Then, too, another element entered into the fight.

While there were some wild and troublesome men in camp, there were also many straightforward, excellent fellows among them.

There were church-going negroes there, Italians who were thrifty and law-abiding, and Portuguese who loved nothing better than law and order.
The better element among the men came thronging forward, willing and ready to fight under such excellent generalship as they knew they would find with Tom Reade.
Other men, of both stripes, came pouring forth from shanties and tents.
The yells and the shot had alarmed the foremen, who now came along on the run.
"Dill, Johnson!" Tom called, as he saw some of the foremen trying to push or punch their way through the throng.