Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 272

This 1884 dime novel serial by Captain Fred Whittaker follows Seth Slocum, a Columbia mathematics graduate working as a railroad surveyor on the Northern Pacific Railroad expedition through the Yellowstone valley. The story opens with cavalry escort and a surveying party conducting leveling operations for the road when they encounter hostile Sioux warriors. During an intense firefight, the advance staffman is killed. Slocum volunteers to replace him, performing his duties under direct rifle fire with notable composure despite never having experienced combat. Engineer Graves, impressed by the young man's courage and discovering his college training, takes interest in developing him. The narrative emphasizes Slocum's courage and steady work ethic amid active warfare, contrasting civilian surveyors' determination with the cavalry's more cautious approach.