"
"Sure," said Tim.
Whereupon Scattergood elevated himself to the seat beside Tim, and was
driven to the spot he had selected for the Coldriver terminal of his
railroad.
"I want about a hunderd feet graded along here," he said, "to lay rails
on."
"Rails!... Gosh! Scattergood, you hain't thinkin' of buildin' a
railroad, be you?"
"Shucks!" said Scattergood. "I jest got a half dozen rails comin', and I
figgered I'd like to see how they'd look all laid down on the spot. Give
folks an idee how a railroad 'u'd look if there was one."
In which manner Scattergood collected a doubtful bill, obtained a
quantity of labor at what might be called wholesale rates--and actually
started work on his railroad. Actual, patent for the world to see. The
railroad was begun. Not Crane & Keith, not President Castle, not a court
in the world could deny that actual construction had begun. Scattergood
was insuring himself against possible steps by the enemy to nullify his
charter.
"What's this here _eminent domain_?" Scattergood asked Johnnie Bones.
"It's a legal thing that allows railroads to take land necessary to its
operation--paying for it, of course.
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