Part 25 (2/2)
”Hurrah!” cried Dave, once more, and then could not resist the temptation to grab Jessie about the waist and start on a mad dance through the library, the hallway, the dining-room, and the living room of the mansion. Mrs. Wadsworth looked on and smiled indulgently.
”I suppose your heart is as light as a feather now, Dave,” she said, when the impromptu whirl came to an end.
”Indeed it is, Mrs. Wadsworth,” he answered. ”Pa.s.sing that examination has lifted a tremendous weight from my shoulders.”
Of course Mr. Ramsdell was greatly pleased to think that both of his pupils had pa.s.sed.
”Now I can write to my friends of the Mentor Construction Company and see if they can give Dave and Roger an opening,” he said. ”They promised it to me some time ago in case the boys pa.s.sed.” And he set about sending off a letter without delay.
CHAPTER XIX
OFF FOR TEXAS
”Glorious news!”
”Oh, Dave! have you heard from Mr. Ramsdell?” cried his sister Laura.
”Yes, here is a letter. And it enclosed another from the Mentor Construction Company. They are going to give me an opening with that portion of the concern that is now operating in Texas, building railroad bridges.”
”Oh, Dave! then you will really have to go away down there?” burst out Jessie, her face falling a trifle. ”It's a dreadfully long way off!”
”Well, it's what I expected,” he answered. ”A fellow can't expect to become a civil engineer and work in his own backyard,” and he grinned a trifle. ”This letter from Mr. Ramsdell states that Roger will be given an opening also.”
”With you, of course?” queried Laura.
”He doesn't state that. But he knew we wanted to stick together, so I suppose it's all right.”
”When do you have to start?” questioned Jessie.
”Just as soon as we can get ready--according to Mr. Ramsdell's letter.
He says he is also sending word to Roger.”
As was to be expected, the tidings quite excited our hero. Now that he had pa.s.sed the preliminary examination and was to go out for actual field practice, he felt that he was really and truly on his way to becoming a civil engineer. It was the first step towards the realization of a dream that had been his for some time.
Dave's father and his uncle, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth, were greatly interested in the news.
”There is one thing about it, Dave,” said his parent; ”I have made a number of inquiries, and have learned that the Mentor Construction Company is one of the largest and finest in this country. They employ a number of first-cla.s.s engineers; so it is likely that you will receive the very best of instruction, and I sincerely hope that you will make the best of your opportunities.”
”I am going to do my level best, Dad,” he returned earnestly. ”I think I'm a mighty lucky boy,” he added, with a smile.
”I think you owe Mr. Ramsdell a good deal,” said his Uncle Dunston.
”Of course, we have paid him for his services, but that isn't everything.”
”I know it,” Dave returned; ”and I'm either going to thank him in person or else send him the nicest letter that I can write.”
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