Of late, however, certain booted and bearded men wandered afoot over the mountain sides, doing strange things with strange instruments.

A railroad was about to cross the country somewhere.

Grave and moody, Heart's Desire sat in the sun, and for two months did not mention the subject which weighed upon its mind.
Curly broke the silence one morning at a plebiscite of four men who gathered to bask near Whiteman's corral.
"I hit the trail of them surveyors," said he, "other side of Lone Mountain, day before yestiday.

They've got a line of pegs drove in the ground.

Looks like they was afraid their old railroad was goin' to git lost from 'em, unless they picketed it out right strong." Reproachful eyes were turned on Curly, but he went on.
"It's goin' to run right between Carrizoso ranch and the mouth of our canon," said he.