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list-style-type: none } +</style> +<style type="text/css"> +/* +Project Gutenberg HTML docutils stylesheet. + +This stylesheet contains styles specific to HTML. +*/ + +/* FONTS */ + +/* em { font-style: normal } +strong { font-weight: normal } */ + +.small-caps { font-variant: small-caps } +.gesperrt { letter-spacing: 0.1em } + +/* ALIGN */ + +.align-left { clear: left; + float: left; + margin-right: 1em } + +.align-right { clear: right; + float: right; + margin-left: 1em } + +.align-center { margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto } + +div.shrinkwrap { display: table; } + +/* SECTIONS */ + +body { margin: 5% 10% 5% 10% } + +/* compact list items containing just one p */ +li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } + +.first { margin-top: 0 !important; + text-indent: 0 !important } +.last { margin-bottom: 0 !important } + +.dropcap { float: left; } +span.dropcap { margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; line-height: 1 } +img.dropcap { margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; } +span.dropspan { font-variant: small-caps } +.no-page-break { page-break-before: avoid !important } + +/* PAGINATION */ + +@media screen { + .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, .dedication, .plainpage + { margin: 10% 0; } + + div.clearpage, div.cleardoublepage + { margin: 10% 0; border: none; border-top: 1px solid gray; } + + .vfill { margin: 5% 10% } +} + +@media print { + div.clearpage { page-break-before: always; padding-top: 10% } + div.cleardoublepage { page-break-before: right; padding-top: 10% } + + .vfill { margin-top: 20% } + h2.title { margin-top: 20% } +} + +</style> +<title>RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE</title> +<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" /> +<meta name="PG.Title" content="Ralph of the Roundhouse" /> +<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" /> +<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Allen Chapman" /> +<meta name="DC.Created" content="1906" /> +<meta name="PG.Id" content="39050" /> +<meta name="PG.Released" content="2012-03-04" /> +<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" /> +<meta name="DC.Title" content="Ralph of the Roundhouse" /> + +<link href="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" rel="schema.DCTERMS" /> +<link href="http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators" rel="schema.MARCREL" /> +<meta content="Ralph of the Roundhouse" name="DCTERMS.title" /> +<meta content="round.rst" name="DCTERMS.source" /> +<meta content="en" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC4646" name="DCTERMS.language" /> +<meta content="2012-03-04T19:40:19.553130+00:00" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.modified" /> +<meta content="Project Gutenberg" name="DCTERMS.publisher" /> +<meta content="Public Domain in the USA." name="DCTERMS.rights" /> +<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39050" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" /> +<meta content="Allen Chapman" name="DCTERMS.creator" /> +<meta content="2012-03-04" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.created" /> +<meta content="width=device-width" name="viewport" /> +<meta content="EpubMaker 0.3 by Marcello Perathoner <webmaster@gutenberg.org>" name="generator" /> +<style type="text/css"> +.pageno { position: absolute; right: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; } +.pageno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.lineno { position: absolute; left: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; } +.lineno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.toc-pageref { float: right } +pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap } +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39050 ***</div> +<div class="document" id="ralph-of-the-roundhouse"> +<h1 class="document-title level-1 pfirst title">RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE</h1> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 1em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p> +</div> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 61%" id="figure-3"> +<img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-front.jpg" /> +<div class="caption"> +RALPH STEPPED OVER HIS RECUMBENT COMPANION AND PLACED HIS HAND ON THE LEVER.</div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="center large line-block noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line">OR</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">BOUND TO BECOME A RAILROAD MAN</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line">BY</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">ALLEN CHAPMAN</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">NEW YORK</div> +<div class="line">GROSSET & DUNLAP</div> +<div class="line">PUBLISHERS</div> +</div> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line">Made in the United States of America</div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="center line-block noindent outermost small"> +<div class="line">Copyright, 1906, by</div> +<div class="line">THE MERSHON COMPANY</div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="level-2 section" id="id1"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title">CONTENTS</h2> +<div class="container contents" id="id2"> +<ul class="compact simple toc-list"> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-i-the-daylight-express" id="id3">CHAPTER I--THE DAYLIGHT EXPRESS</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ii-waking-up" id="id4">CHAPTER II--WAKING UP</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iii-a-lost-ball" id="id5">CHAPTER III--A LOST BALL</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iv-ike-slump-s-dinner-pail" id="id6">CHAPTER IV--IKE SLUMP'S DINNER PAIL</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-v-opportunity" id="id7">CHAPTER V--OPPORTUNITY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vi-the-master-mechanic" id="id8">CHAPTER VI--THE MASTER MECHANIC</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vii-at-the-roundhouse" id="id9">CHAPTER VII--AT THE ROUNDHOUSE</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-viii-the-old-factory" id="id10">CHAPTER VIII--THE OLD FACTORY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ix-an-unexpected-guest" id="id11">CHAPTER IX--AN UNEXPECTED GUEST</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-x-the-mysterious-letter" id="id12">CHAPTER X--THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xi-on-duty" id="id13">CHAPTER XI--ON DUTY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xii-ike-slump-s-revenge" id="id14">CHAPTER XII--IKE SLUMP'S REVENGE</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xiii-making-his-way" id="id15">CHAPTER XIII--MAKING HIS WAY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xiv-ralph-fairbanks-request" id="id16">CHAPTER XIV--RALPH FAIRBANKS' REQUEST</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xv-van" id="id17">CHAPTER XV--"VAN"</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xvi-face-to-face" id="id18">CHAPTER XVI--FACE TO FACE</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xvii-the-battle-by-the-tracks" id="id19">CHAPTER XVII--THE BATTLE BY THE TRACKS</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xviii-a-name-to-conjure-by" id="id20">CHAPTER XVIII--A NAME TO CONJURE BY?</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xix-ike-slump-s-friends" id="id21">CHAPTER XIX--IKE SLUMP'S FRIENDS</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xx-the-hide-out" id="id22">CHAPTER XX--THE HIDE-OUT</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxi-a-free-ride" id="id23">CHAPTER XXI--A FREE RIDE</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxii-behind-time" id="id24">CHAPTER XXII--BEHIND TIME</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxiii-bardon-the-inspector" id="id25">CHAPTER XXIII--BARDON, THE INSPECTOR</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxiv-a-new-enemy" id="id26">CHAPTER XXIV--A NEW ENEMY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxv-diamond-cut-diamond" id="id27">CHAPTER XXV--DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxvi-a-roving-commission" id="id28">CHAPTER XXVI--A ROVING COMMISSION</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxvii-recalled-to-life" id="id29">CHAPTER XXVII--RECALLED TO LIFE</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxviii-mystery" id="id30">CHAPTER XXVIII--MYSTERY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxix-a-rival-railroad" id="id31">CHAPTER XXIX--A RIVAL RAILROAD</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxx-the-right-of-way" id="id32">CHAPTER XXX--THE RIGHT OF WAY</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxxi-a-remarkable-confession" id="id33">CHAPTER XXXI--A REMARKABLE CONFESSION</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxxii-found" id="id34">CHAPTER XXXII--FOUND</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxxiii-ike-slump-s-raft" id="id35">CHAPTER XXXIII--IKE SLUMP'S RAFT</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxxiv-victory" id="id36">CHAPTER XXXIV--VICTORY!</a></li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xxxv-conclusion" id="id37">CHAPTER XXXV--CONCLUSION</a></li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<hr class="docutils" /> +<div class="center large line-block noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE</div> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-i-the-daylight-express"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id3">CHAPTER I--THE DAYLIGHT EXPRESS</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The Daylight Express rolled up to the depot at Stanley Junction, on +time, circling past the repair shops, freight yard and roundhouse, a +thing of life and beauty.</p> +<p class="pnext">Stanley Junction had become a wide-awake town of some importance since +the shops had been moved there, and when a second line took it in as a +passing point, the old inhabitants pronounced the future of the +Junction fully determined.</p> +<p class="pnext">Engine No. 6, with its headlight shining like a piece of pure crystal, +its metal trimmings furbished up bright and natty-looking, seemed to +understand that it was the model of the road, and sailed majestically +to a repose that had something of dignity and grandeur to it.</p> +<p class="pnext">The usual crowd that kept tab on arriving trains lounged on the +platform, and watched the various passengers alight.</p> +<p class="pnext">A brisk, bright-faced young fellow glided from their midst, cleared an +obstructing truck with a clever spring, stood ready to greet the +locomotive and express car as they parted company from the passenger +coaches, and ran thirty feet along the siding to where the +freight-sheds stood.</p> +<p class="pnext">He appeared to know everybody, and to be a general favorite with every +one, for the brakeman at the coach-end air brake gave him a cheery: +"Hi, there, kid!" gaunt John Griscom, the engineer, flung him a grim +but pleased nod of recognition, and the fireman, discovering him, +yelled a shrill: "All aboard, now!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The young fellow turned to face the latter with a whirl and struck an +attitude, as if entirely familiar with jolly Sam Cooper's warnings.</p> +<p class="pnext">For the latter, reaching for a row of golden pippins stowed on his oil +shelf, contributed by some bumpkin admirer down the line, seized the +biggest and poised it for a fling.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here she goes, Ralph Fairbanks!" he chuckled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Let her come!" cried back Ralph, and--clip! he cut the missile's +career short by the latest approved baseball tactics.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph pocketed the apple with a gay laugh, and was at the door of the +express section of the car as it slid back and the messenger's face +appeared.</p> +<p class="pnext">The agent had come out of his shed. He glanced over an iron chest and +some crated stuff shoved forward by the messenger, and then, running +his eye over the bills of lading handed him by the latter, said briskly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will not be needed this time, Ralph."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right, Mr. More."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing but some transfer freight and the bank delivery--that's my +special, you know. Be around for the 5.11, though."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure," nodded Ralph Fairbanks, looking pleased at the brisk dismissal, +like a boy on hand for work, but, that failing, with abundant other +resources at hand to employ and enjoy the time.</p> +<p class="pnext">With a cheery hail to the baggage master as he appeared on the scene, +Ralph rounded the cow-catcher, intent on a short cut across the tracks. +His appearance had been actuated by business reasons strictly, but, +business not materializing, he was quite as practical and eager on +another tack.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ever since vacation began, three weeks previous, Ralph had made two +trips daily to the depot, on hand to meet the arriving 10.15 and 5.11 +trains.</p> +<p class="pnext">This had been at the solicitation of the express agent. Stanley +Junction was not a very large receiving point, but usually there were +daily several packages to deliver. When these were not for the bank or +business houses in the near center of the town, but for individuals, +the agent employed Ralph to deliver them, allowing him to retain the +ten cents fee for charges.</p> +<p class="pnext">Sometimes Ralph picked up as high as fifty cents a day, the average was +about half that amount, but it was welcome pocket money. Occasionally, +too, some odd job for waiting passengers or railroad employes would +come up. It gave Ralph spending money with which to enjoy his +vacation, and, besides, he liked the work.</p> +<p class="pnext">Especially work around the railroad. What live boy in Stanley Junction +did not--but then Ralph, as the express agent often said, "took to +railroading like a duck to water."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a natural heritage. Ralph's father had been a first-class, +all-around railroad man, and his son felt a justifiable pride in +boasting that he was one of the pioneers who had made the railroad at +Stanley Junction a possibility.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Home, a quick bite or two, and then for the baseball game," said Ralph +briskly, as he ran his eye across the network of rails, and beyond them +to the waving tree tops and the village green. Preparing to make a run +for it, Ralph suddenly halted.</p> +<p class="pnext">A grimed repair man, tapping the wheels of the coaches, just then +jerked back his hammer with a vivid:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hi, you!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph discerned that the man was not addressing him, for his eyes were +staringly fixed under the trucks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Let me out!" sounded a muffled voice.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was interested, as there struggled from the cindered roadbed an +erratic form. It was that of a boy about his own age. He judged this +from the dress and figure, although one was tattered, and the other +strained, crippled and bent. The face was a criss-cross streak of +dust, oil and cinders.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A stowaway!" yelled the repair man, excitedly waving his hammer. +"Schmitt! Schmitt! this way!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The depot officer came running around the end of the train at the call. +Ralph had eyes only for the forlorn figure that had so suddenly come +into action in the light of day.</p> +<p class="pnext">He could read the lad's story readily. The last run of No. 6 was of +ten miles. There was no doubt but that for this distance, if not for a +greater one, the stowaway had been a "dead-head" passenger, perilously +clinging to the brace bars, or wedged against the trucks under the +middle coach.</p> +<p class="pnext">The dust and grime must have half-blinded him, the roar have deafened, +for he staggered about now in an aimless, distracted way, hobbling and +wincing as he tried to get his cramped muscles into normal play.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What you doing?" roared the old watchman, on a run, and waving his +club threateningly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've done it!" muttered the boy dolefully. He kept hobbling about to +get his tensioned nerves unlimbered, edging away from the approaching +watchman as fast as he could.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Show me!" he panted, appealingly to Ralph,</p> +<p class="pnext">The latter understood the predicament and wish. He moved his hand very +meaningly, and the stowaway seemed to comprehend, for he glided to +where a heap of ties barricaded a dead-end track. Rubbing the blinding +dirt from his eyes, he cleared the heap, dropped on the other side, and +ran down a narrow lane bounded on one side by a brick wall and on the +other by a ten-foot picket fence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Third one in a week!" growled the watchman. "Got to stop! Against +the law, and second one lost a foot!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph moved along, crossed four tracks and a freight train blockaded, +and kept on down the straight rails. The stowaway had passed from his +mind. Now, glancing toward the fence, he saw the lad limping down the +lane.</p> +<p class="pnext">The stowaway saw him, and coming to a halt grasped two of the fence +bars, and peered and shouted at him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Want me?" asked Ralph, approaching. He saw that the stowaway was in +bad shape, for he clung to the fence as if it rested him. He had not +yet gotten all the cricks out of his bones.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was a tough job," muttered the boy. "It took grit! Say, tell me +something, will you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph nodded. The boy rubbed the knuckle of one hand across his coat +to wipe off the blood of an abrasion, and groped in a pocket.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where is that?" he asked, bringing to light an envelope, and holding +it slantingly for Ralph's inspection. "Can you tell me?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why," said Ralph, with a start--"let me look at that!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No," demurred the other cautiously. "It's near enough to read. I +want to find that person."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's my name," said Ralph, quickly and with considerable wonderment. +"Give it to me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I guess not!" snapped the stowaway. "I don't know who John Fairbanks +is, but I know enough to be sure you ain't him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, he was my father. Climb over the fence. I don't quite understand +this, and I want you to explain."</p> +<p class="pnext">The stowaway sized up the fence, wincing as he lifted one foot, and +then, with a disgusted exclamation, turned abruptly and broke into a +run.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph saw that the cause of this action was the watchman, who had come +into view through a doorway in the brick wall, and had started a new +pursuit of the boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was a husky, clumsy individual, and had counted on heading off or +creeping unawares on the fugitive, but the latter, with a start, soon +outdistanced him, and was lost to Ralph's view where the lane broadened +out into the railroad scrap yards.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph stood undecided for a minute or two, and then somewhat +reluctantly resumed his way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll find us, if he's got that letter to deliver," he concluded. "I +wonder what it can be? From somebody who doesn't know father is dead, +it seems."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph neared home in the course of ten minutes, to save time crossing +lots to reach by its side door the plain, but comfortable looking, +neatly kept cottage that had been his shelter since childhood.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was going to be a busy day with him, he had planned, and he flung +off his coat with a business air of hurried preparation for a change of +toilet.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ten feet from the door through which he intended to bolt as usual with +all the impetuosity of a real flesh and blood boy, on the jump every +waking minute of his existence, Ralph came to an abrupt halt.</p> +<p class="pnext">He expected to find his mother alone, and was ready to tell her about +the stowaway episode and the letter.</p> +<p class="pnext">But voices echoed from the little sitting room, and the first +intelligible words his ear caught, spoken in a gruff snarl, made +Ralph's eyes flash fire, his fists clenched, and his breath came quick.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well, Widow Fairbanks," fell distinctly on Ralph's hearing, +"what's the matter with that good-for-nothing son of yours going to +work and paying the honest debts of the family?"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ii-waking-up"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id4">CHAPTER II--WAKING UP</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph recognized that strident voice at once. It belonged to Gasper +Farrington, one of the wealthiest men of Stanley Junction, and one of +the meanest.</p> +<p class="pnext">Whenever Ralph had met the man, and he met him often, one fact had been +vividly impressed upon his mind. Gasper Farrington had a natural +antipathy for all boys in general, and for Ralph Fairbanks in +particular.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Criterion Baseball Club was a feature with juvenile Stanley +Junction, yet they had many a privilege abrogated through the influence +of Farrington. He had made complaints on the most trivial pretexts, +winning universal disrespect and hatred from the younger population.</p> +<p class="pnext">More than once he had put himself out to annoy Ralph. In one instance +the latter had stood for the rights of the club in a lawyer-like +manner. He had beaten Farrington and the town board combined on +technical legal grounds as to the occupancy of a central ball field, +and Ralph's feelings towards the crabbed old capitalist had then +settled down to dislike, mingled with a certain silent independence +that nettled Farrington considerably.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had publicly dubbed Ralph "the ringleader of those baseball +hoodlums," a stricture passed up by the club with indifference.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph never set his eyes on Farrington but he was reminded of his +father. John Fairbanks had come to Stanley Junction before the Great +Northern was even thought of. He had thought of it first. A practical +railroad man, he had gone through all the grades of promotion of an +Eastern railway system, and had become a division superintendent.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had some money when he came to Stanley Junction. He foresaw that +the town would one day become a tactical center in railroad +construction, submitted a plan to some capitalists, and was given +supervisory work along the line.</p> +<p class="pnext">His minor capital investment in the enterprise was obscured by mightier +interests later on, but before he died it was generally supposed that +he held quite an amount of the bonds of the railroad, mutually with +Gasper Farrington.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a surprise to his widow, and to friends generally of the +Fairbanks family, when, after Mr. Fairbanks' death, a few hundred +dollars in the bank and the homestead, with a twelve-hundred dollar +mortgage on it in favor of Gasper Farrington, were found to comprise +the total estate.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks discovered letters, memoranda and receipts showing that +her deceased husband and Farrington had been mutually engaged in +several business enterprises, but they were vague and fragmentary, and, +after ascertaining from her the extent of her documentary evidence, +Farrington bluntly declared he had been a loser by her husband.</p> +<p class="pnext">He professed a friendship for the dead railroader, however, and in a +patronizing way offered to help the widow out of her difficulties by +taking the homestead off her hands for the amount of the mortgage, "and +making no trouble."</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks had promptly informed him that she had no intention of +selling out, and for two years, until the present time, had been able +to meet the quarterly interest on the mortgage when due.</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington was now on one of his periodical visits on business +to the cottage, but as, right at the home threshold, and in the +presence of the gentle, loving-hearted widow, he gave utterance to the +scathing remark still burning in the listener's ears, a boy of true +spirit, Ralph's soul seemed suddenly to expand as though it would burst +with indignation and excitement.</p> +<p class="pnext">Many times Ralph had asked his mother concerning their actual business +relations with Gasper Farrington, but she had put him off with the +evasive remark that he was "too young to understand."</p> +<p class="pnext">But now he seemed to understand. The spiteful tone of the crabbed old +capitalist implied that he indulged in the present malicious outburst +because in some way he had the widow in his power.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph took an instantaneous step forward, but paused. He could trust +his mother to retain her dignity on all occasions, and he recalled her +frequent directions to him to never act on an angry impulse.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now he could see into the room. His mother stood by her sewing basket, +a slight flush of indignation on her face.</p> +<p class="pnext">Farrington squirmed against the doorway, fumbling his cane, and puffing +and purple with violent internal commotion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then what's the matter with that idle, good-for-nothing, son of yours +going to work and paying the honest debts of the family!" he stormily +repeated.</p> +<p class="pnext">The widow looked up. Her lips fluttered, but she said calmly: "Mr. +Farrington, Ralph is neither idle nor good-for-nothing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Huh! aint! What's he good for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The widow's face became momentarily glorified, the true mother love +shone in the depths of her pure, clear eyes.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He is the best son a mother ever had." She spoke with a tremor that +made Ralph thrill, and must have made Farrington squirm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He is affectionate, obedient, considerate. And that is why I have +never burdened his young shoulders with my troubles."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's high time, then!" snarled Farrington--"a big, overgrown bumpkin! +Guess he'll shoulder some responsibility soon, or some one else will, +or you'll all be without a shelter."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt a sinking at the heart at the vague threat. He was +relieved, however, as anxiously glancing at his mother's face he +observed that she was not a whit disturbed or frightened.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington," she said, "Ralph has nothing to do with our business +affairs, but I wish to say this: I am satisfied that my dead husband +left means we have never been able to trace. It lies between your +conscience and yourself to say how much more you know about this than I +do. I have accepted the situation, however, and with the few dollars +in ready money he left me, and my sewing, I have managed to so far give +Ralph a fair education. He has well deserved the sacrifice. He has +been foremost in every athletic sport, a leader and of good influence +with his mates, and was the best scholar at the school, last term."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oho! prize pupil in the three R's!" sneered Farrington--"Counts high, +that honor does!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is a step upwards, humble though it be," retorted Mrs. Fairbanks +proudly. "If he does as well in his academic career----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"In his what?" fairly bellowed Farrington. "Is the woman crazy? You +don't mean to tell me, madam, that you have any such wild idea in your +head as sending him to college?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I certainly have."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then you'll never make it--you'll waste your dollars, and bring him up +a pampered ingrate, and he's a sneak if he allows his old mother to dig +and slave her fingers off for his worthless pleasure!"</p> +<p class="pnext">A faint flush crossed the widow's face. Ralph burst the bounds. He +sprang forward, and confronted the astonished magnate so abruptly that +in the confusion of the moment, Farrington dropped his cane.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington," said Ralph, striving hard to keep control of himself, +"my mother is not old, but I am--older than I was an hour ago, I can +tell you! old enough to understand what I never knew before, and----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello!" sniffed Farrington, "what's this your business?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I just overheard you say it was essentially my business," answered +Ralph. "I begin to think so myself. At all events, I'm going to take +a hand in my mother's affairs hereafter. If I have hitherto been blind +to the real facts, it was because I had the best mother in the world, +and never realized the big sacrifice she was making for me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bah!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington," continued Ralph, seeming to grow two inches taller +under the influence of some new, elevating idea suddenly finding +lodgment in his mind, "as a person fully awakened to his own general +worthlessness and idle, good-for-nothing character, and in duty bound +to pay the honest debts of the family--to quote your own words--what is +your business here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"My business!" gasped Farrington, "you, you--none of your business! +Mrs. Fairbanks," he shouted, waving his cane and almost exploding with +rage, "I've said my say, and I shan't stay here to be insulted by a +pert chit of a boy. You'd better think it over! I'll give you five +hundred dollars to surrender the house and get out of Stanley Junction. +Decline that, and fail to pay me the interest due to-day, and I'll +close down on you--I'll sell you out!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can he do it?" whispered Ralph, in an anxious tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, Ralph," said his mother. "Mr. Farrington, I believe I have thirty +days in which to pay the interest?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's due to-day."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I believe I have thirty days," went on the widow quietly. "It is the +first time I have been delinquent. I have even now within twenty +dollars of the amount. Before the thirty days are over you shall have +your money."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll serve you legal notice before night!" growled Farrington--"I +don't wait on promises, I don't!"</p> +<p class="pnext">There were hot words hovering on Ralph's lips. It would do him good, +he felt, to give the heartless old capitalist a piece of his mind. A +glance from his mother checked him.</p> +<p class="pnext">She was the gracious, courteous lady in every respect as she ushered +her unpleasant visitor from the house.</p> +<p class="pnext">Her heart was full in more ways than one as she returned to the little +sitting room. A predominating emotion filled her thoughts. She +understood Ralph's mind thoroughly, and realized that circumstances +had, as he had himself declared, "awakened him."</p> +<p class="pnext">She had intuitively traced in his manner and words a change from +careless, boyish impetuosity to settled, manly resolution, and was +thankful in her heart of hearts.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph!" she called softly.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Ralph was gone.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iii-a-lost-ball"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id5">CHAPTER III--A LOST BALL</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph Fairbanks had "woke up," had seen a great light, had formed a +mighty resolution all in a minute, and was off like a flash.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he bolted through the doorway it seemed as if wings impelled him.</p> +<p class="pnext">He realized what a good mother he had, and how much she had done for +him.</p> +<p class="pnext">Following that was one overwhelming conclusion: to prove how he +appreciated the fact.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," he said, as he hurried along, "I'd be a sneak to let my mother +slave while I went sliding easy through life. If I've done it so far, +it was because I never guessed there wasn't something left from +father's estate to support us, and never stopped to think that there +mightn't be. She's hidden everything from me, in her kind, good way. +Well, I'll pay her back. I see the nail I'm to hit on the head, and +I'll drive it home before I'm twenty-four hours older!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington had opened a gate on the highway of Ralph Fairbanks' +tranquil existence, and, though he never meant it, had aroused the +boy's soul to a sudden conception of duty. And Ralph had seen the path +beyond, clear and distinct.</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed to him as if with one wave of his hand he had swept aside all +the fervid dreams of boyhood, formed a resolution, set his mark, and +was started in that very minute on a brand-new life.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not slacken his gait until he reached a square easily +identified as a much used ball grounds.</p> +<p class="pnext">Over in one corner was a flat, rambling structure. It had once been +somebody's home, had fallen into decay and vacancy. The club had +rented it for a nominal sum, fixed it up a bit, and this was +headquarters.</p> +<p class="pnext">Over the door hung the purple pennant of the club, bearing in its +center a broad, large "C." In the doorway sat Ned Talcott, an +ambitious back-stop, who spent most of his time about the place, never +tired of the baseball atmosphere.</p> +<p class="pnext">He looked curiously at Ralph's flustered appearance, but the latter +nodded silently, passed inside, and then called out:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come in here, Ned--I want to see you."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ned was by his side in a jiffy. An enthusiast, he fairly worshiped his +expert whole-souled captain, and counted it an honor to do anything for +him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"None of the crowd here, I see," remarked Ralph. "Got your uniform +yet, Ned?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, no," answered Ned. "I've got the cloth picked out, and it's all +right. Father's away, though, and as we won't need the suits for show +till the new series begin next week, I didn't hurry."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We're about of a size," went on Ralph, looking his companion over.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And resemblance stops right there, eh?" chuckled Ned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I was thinking," pursued Ralph with business-like terseness, as he +unfastened the door of his locker. "Maybe we could strike a trade? I +want to sell."</p> +<p class="pnext">He drew out his baseball uniform, tastily reposing in a big pasteboard +box just as he had brought it from the tailor that morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've been thinking maybe I could strike a deal with some one to take +this off my hands," he added.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh!" ejaculated Ned, in a bewildered way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, you see it's brand-new, whole outfit complete, haven't even put +it on yet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll look nobby in it when you do have it on!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph said nothing on this score, compressing his lips a trifle.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It cost me eight dollars," he continued, after a moment's silence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I know that's the regular price."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It fits you, or, with very slight alteration, can be made to. I wish +you'd try it on, Ned, and give me five dollars for it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, I don't understand, Ralph?" faltered Ned, completely puzzled.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph winced. He realized that there would be a general commotion when +he told the rest of the club what he was now vaguely intimating to Ned +Talcott.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not flatter himself a particle when he comprehended that +every member of the nine was his friend, champion and admirer, and that +a general protest would go up from the ranks when he announced his +intentions.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is it a bargain?" he asked, smiling quizzically at Ned's puzzled face. +"See here, I'd better out with it. I shan't need the uniform, Ned, +because I've got to resign from the club."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, never!" vociferated Ned, starting back in dismay. "Say, now----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, say that again, Ralph Fairbanks!" broke in a challenging voice.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was shaken a trifle by the unexpected interruption. His lips set +even a little firmer, however, as he turned and faced his trusty first +baseman, Will Cheever, and in his train four other members of the club.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's true," said Ralph seriously, "just as it is sudden and sure. +I've got to drop athletics as a sport, fellows--for a time, anyhow--and +I've got to do it right away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're dreaming!" scoffed Cheever, bustling up in his inimitable, +push-ahead way, and pulling Ralph playfully about. "Resign? Huh! On +the last test game--with the pennant almost ours? Gag him!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why," drawled a tone of pathetic alarm, "it would be rank treachery, +you know!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello, are you awake?" jeered Will, turning on the last speaker.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked at him too, and through some wayward perversity of his +nature his face grew more determined than ever. His eyes flashed +quickly, and he regarded the speaker with disfavor, but he kept silence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You won't do it, you know!" blundered the newcomer, making his way +forward. "It would queer the whole kit. What have we been working +for? To get the bulge, and run the circuit. Why, I've just counted on +it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Grif Farrington, for that was the speaker's name, expressed the +intensest sense of personal injury as he spoke.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was the nephew of Gasper Farrington, although he did not resemble +his uncle in any striking particular as to form or feature. Both were +of the same genus, however, for the crabbed capitalist was universally +designated "a shark" by his neighbors.</p> +<p class="pnext">Grif was a fat, overgrown fellow, with big saucer eyes and flabby +cheeks and chin. "Bullhead" some of the boys had dubbed him. But they +often found that what they mistook for stupidity was in reality +indolence, and that in any deal where his own selfish concern was +involved Grif managed to come out the winner.</p> +<p class="pnext">As Ralph did not speak, Grif grew even more voluble.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I say, it would be rank treachery!" he declared. "And a shame to +treat a club so. If we lose this game we're ditched for only scrub +home games. Win it, and we are the champion visiting club all over the +county. That's what we have been working for. Are you going to spoil +it? Haven't I put up like a man when the club was behind. See here, +Ralph Fairbanks, I'll give you--I'll make it five dollars if you'll +keep in for just this afternoon's game."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shut up, you chump!" warned Will Cheever, slipping between the boor +and Ralph, whose color was rising dangerously fast.</p> +<p class="pnext">Will pushed aside Grif's pocketbook, linked an arm in that of Ralph, +and led him from the building, winking encouragingly to his mates.</p> +<p class="pnext">He came back to the group in about a quarter of an hour, but alone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fixed it?" inquired half a dozen eager voices.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I've fixed it," said Cheever, though none too cordially. "He's +going to leave us, fellows, and it's too bad! He'll play the game this +afternoon, but that's the last."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's up?" put in Grif Farrington, in his usual coarsely inquisitive +way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You was nearly up--or down!" snapped Cheever tartly. "You nearly +spoiled things for us. Money isn't everything, if you have got lots of +it, and haven't the sense to know that it's an insult to offer to buy +what Ralph Fairbanks would give to his friends for nothing, or not at +all!"</p> +<p class="pnext">When the game was called at two o'clock, Ralph was on hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was the object of more than ordinary interest to his own and the +opposition club that afternoon. The word had gone the rounds that he +had practically resigned from service, and the fact caused great +speculation. His nearest friends detected a certain serious change in +him that puzzled them. They knew him well enough to discern that +something of unusual weight lay upon his mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">According to enthusiastic little Tom Travers, Ralph Fairbanks was "just +splendid!" that afternoon. Whatever Ralph had on his mind, he did not +allow it to interfere with the work on hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was the heaviest batter of the club, and on this particular +occasion he conducted himself brilliantly, and the pennant was the +property of the Criterions long before the fifth inning was completed. +The club was in ecstasies, and Grif Farrington, who had money and time +for spending it, wore a grin of placid self-satisfaction on his flat, +fat face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whoop!" yelled Will Cheever, as the ninth inning went out in a blaze +of baseball glory.</p> +<p class="pnext">Will posed to give Ralph, bat in hand, a royal "last one." It was +Ralph's farewell to the beloved diamond field. He poised the bat and +caught the ball with a masterly stroke that had something cannon-like +in its execution.</p> +<p class="pnext">Crack! he sent it flying obliquely, and felt as if with that final +stroke he had driven baseball with all its lovely attributes dear out +of his life.</p> +<p class="pnext">Smash! the ball grazed the high brick wall around the old unused +factory to the left, struck an upper window, shattered a pane to atoms, +and disappeared.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lost ball!" jeered little Tom Travers.</p> +<p class="pnext">No one went after it. The fence surrounding the factory bore two signs +that deterred--one was "Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted," and the other +announced that it was "For Rent, by the owner, Gasper Farrington."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph made a grimace, and a mental note of later mending the breakage +for which he was responsible.</p> +<p class="pnext">Will Cheever caught him up as he was heading for home.</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here, Ralph," he remarked, "if you wasn't so abominably +close-mouthed----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"About what?" challenged Ralph, pleasantly serious. "Why, there's no +mystery about my resigning. I had to do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've got to go to work. My mother needs the money, and I'm old +enough."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What you going to work at?" inquired Will, with real interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Railroading,--if I can get it to do."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iv-ike-slump-s-dinner-pail"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id6">CHAPTER IV--IKE SLUMP'S DINNER PAIL</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph hurried home. His mother had gone temporarily to some neighbors, +he judged, for the house was open, and the midday lunch he had +purposely avoided was still spread on the table.</p> +<p class="pnext">He ate with a zest, but in a hurry. His mind was working actively, and +he hoped to accomplish results before he had an interview with his +mother, and was glad when he got away from the house again without +meeting her.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went down to the depot. He was not in a communicative mood, and +did not exchange greetings with many friends there. When the 5.11 +train came in there were two packages to deliver. He attended to these +promptly, and was back at the express shed just as the agent was +closing up for the day.</p> +<p class="pnext">"All square, Fairbanks?" he inquired, as Ralph handed him the receipt +book.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," nodded Ralph. "They paid me. I want to thank you for all the +little jobs you have thrown in my way, Mr. More. It has helped me +through wonderfully. You haven't anything permanent you could fit me +into, have you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh?" ejaculated the agent, with a critical stare at Ralph. "Why, no. +Looking for a regular job, Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've got to," answered Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Railroading?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Any branch of it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"For steady?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I think it's my line."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think so, too," nodded the agent decisively, "You haven't made loaf +and play of what little you've done for me. There's no show here, +though. I get only forty-five dollars a month, and have to help with +the freight at that, but if you are headed for the presidency----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph smiled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Start in the right way, and that is at the bottom of the ladder. You +don't want office work?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That would take me to general headquarters at Springfield," demurred +Ralph, "and I don't want to leave mother alone--just yet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I see. There's nothing at the shops down at Acton, where you could go +and come home every day, except a trade, and you're not the boy to stop +at master mechanic."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, come now! Mr. More----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can't look too far ahead," declared the agent sapiently. +"Dropping jollying, though, we narrow down to real service. There's +your Starting point, my boy, plain, sure and simple, and don't you +forget it--and don't you miss it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He extended his finger down the rails.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The roundhouse?" said Ralph, following his indication.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The roundhouse, Fairbanks, the first step, and I never knew a genuine, +all-around railroad man who didn't make his start in the business in +the oil bins."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is the main qualification to recommend a fellow?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"An old suit of clothes, a tough hide, and lots of grit."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think, then, I can come well indorsed," laughed Ralph. "Whom do I +see?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Usually the ambitious father of a future railway president goes +through the regular application course at headquarters," explained the +agent, "but if you want quick action----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"See the foreman."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who is he?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tim Forgan. If he takes you on, and you get to be a fixture, the +application route is handy later, when you think you deserve promotion."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you," said Ralph, and walked away thoughtfully.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had five dollars in his pocket that Ned Talcott had given him for +his uniform, and eighty cents in loose change. This made Ralph feel +quite free and easy. He had not a single disturbing thought on his +mind at present except the broken window at the old factory, and that +was easily fixed up, he told himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">So, in quite an elevated frame of mind, Ralph walked down the rails. +The roundhouse was his objective point. Ralph had been there many a +time before, but only as a visitor.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now he was interested in a practical way, and the oil sheds, dog house, +turntable and other adjuncts of this favored center of activity +fascinated him more than ever.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had a nodding acquaintance with some of the firemen and engineers, +but was not fortunate enough to meet any of these on the present +occasion.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went along the hard-beaten cinder path, worn by many feet, that +circled the one-story structure which sheltered the locomotives, and +glancing through the high-up open windows caught the railroad flavor +more and more as he viewed the stalls holding this and that puffing, +dying or stone-dead "iron horse."</p> +<p class="pnext">Over the sill of one of these windows there suddenly protruded a black, +greasy hand holding a square dinner pail. It came out directly over +Ralph's head, and halted him.</p> +<p class="pnext">Its owner sounded a low whistle and a return whistle quite as low and +suspicious echoed behind Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Take it, and hustle!" followed from beyond the window, and almost +mechanically Ralph Fairbanks put up his hand, the handle of the pail +slipped into his fingers, and he uttered an ejaculation.</p> +<p class="pnext">For the pail was as heavy as if loaded with gold, and bore him quite +doubled down before he got his equilibrium. Then it was jerked from +his grasp, and a gruff voice said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hands off! What you meddling for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Meddling?" retorted Ralph abruptly, and looked the speaker over with +suspicion. He was a ragged, unkempt man of about forty, with a +swarthy, vicious face. "I was told to take it, wasn't I?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hullo! what's up? Who are you? Oh! Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">The speaker was the person who had passed out the dinner pail, and who, +apparently aroused by the colloquy outside, had clambered to a bench, +and now thrust his head out of the window. He looked startled at +first, then directed a quick, meaning glance at the tramp, who +disappeared as if by magic. The boy overhead scowled darkly at Ralph, +and then thought better of it, and tried to appear friendly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I give the poor beggar what's left of my dinner for carrying my pail +home, so I won't be bothered with it," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">The speaker's face showed he did not at all believe that keen-witted +Ralph Fairbanks accepted this gauzy explanation, after hefting that +pail, but Ralph said nothing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's up, Fairbanks?" inquired his shock-headed interlocutor at the +window--"sort of inspecting things?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph, preparing to pass on, nodded silently.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Trying to break in, eh?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is there any chance?" inquired Ralph, pausing slightly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump laughed boisterously. He was a year or two older than Ralph, +but had a face prematurely developed with cunning and tobacco, and +looked twenty-five.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," he said, "if you're anxious to get boiled, blistered, oiled and +blinded twenty times a day, be kicked from platform to pit, and paid +just about enough to buy arnica and sticking plaster!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bad as that?" interrogated Ralph dubiously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"For a fact!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, well--there's something beyond."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Beyond what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"When you get out of the oil and cinders, and up into the sand and +steam."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Huh! lots of chance. I've been here six months, and I haven't had a +smell of firing yet--even second best."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph again nodded, and again started on. He did not care to have +anything to do with Ike Slump. The latter belonged to the hoodlum gang +of Stanley Junction, and whenever his crowd had met the better juvenile +element, there had always been trouble.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike's ferret face worked queerly as he noted Ralph's departure. He +seemed struggling with uneasy emotions, as if one or two troublesome +thoughts bothered him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on, Fairbanks!" he called, edging farther over the sill. "I say, +that dinner pail----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I'm not interested in your dinner pail," observed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Course not--what is there to be curious about? I say, though, was you +in earnest about getting a job here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I must get work somewhere."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And it will be railroading?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"If I can make it,"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're the kind that wins," acknowledged Ike. "Got any coin, now?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Suppose I have?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike's weazel-like eyes glowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Suppose you have? Then I can steer you up against a real investment +of the A1 class."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked quizzically incredulous.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can," persisted Ike Slump. "You want to get in here to work, don't +you? Well, you can't make it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why can't I?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Without my help--I can give you that help. You give me a dollar, and +I'll give you a tip."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What kind of a tip?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"About a vacancy."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is there going to be one?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"There is, I can tell you when, and I can give you first chance on the +game, and deliver the goods."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was interested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you are telling the truth," he said finally, "I'd risk half a +dollar."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph took out the coin. A sight of it settled the matter for Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">He reached for it eagerly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right, I'm the vacancy. You watch around, for soon as I get my +pay to-morrow I'm going to bolt. It's confidential, though, +Fairbanks--you'll remember that?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, sure."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump was a notorious liar, but Ralph believed him in the present +instance. Anyhow, he felt he was making progress. He planned to be on +hand the next day, prepared for the expected vacancy, and incidentally +wondered what had made Ike Slump's dinner pail so tremendously heavy, +and, also, as to the identity of the trampish individual who had +disappeared with it so abruptly.</p> +<p class="pnext">He wandered about half a mile down the tracks where they widened out +from the main line into the freight yards, and selected a pile of ties +remote from any present activity in the neighborhood to have a quiet +think.</p> +<p class="pnext">He determined to see the foreman, Tim Forgan, the first thing in the +morning, and discover what the outlook was in general. If absolutely +turned down, he would await the announced resignation of Mr. Ike Slump.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph understood that a green engine wiper in the roundhouse was paid +six dollars a week to commence on if a boy, nine dollars if a man. He +picked up a torn freight ticket drifting by in the breeze, and fell to +figuring industriously, and the result was pleasant and reassuring.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked up, as with prodigious whistlings a single locomotive came +tearing down the rails, took the outer main track, and was lost to +sight.</p> +<p class="pnext">Not two minutes later a second described the same maneuver. Ralph +arose, wondering somewhat.</p> +<p class="pnext">Looking down the rails towards the depot, he noticed unusual activity +in the vicinity of the roundhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">A good many hands were gathered at the turntable, as if some excitement +was up. Then a third engine came down the rails rapidly, and Ralph +noticed that the main "out" signal was turned to "clear tracks."</p> +<p class="pnext">As the third locomotive passed him, he noticed that the engineer +strained his sight ahead in a tensioned way, and the fireman piled in +the coal for the fullest pressure head of steam.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph made a start for home, reached a crossroad, and was turning down +it when a new shrill series of whistles directed his attention to +locomotive No. 4. It came down the rails in the same remarkable and +reckless manner as its recent predecessors.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Something's up!" decided Ralph, with an uncontrollable thrill of +interest and excitement--"I wonder what?"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-v-opportunity"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id7">CHAPTER V--OPPORTUNITY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The boy turned and ran back to the culvert crossing just as the fourth +locomotive whizzed past the spot.</p> +<p class="pnext">He waved his hand and yelled out an inquiry as to what was up, but cab +and tender flashed by in a sheet of steam and smoke.</p> +<p class="pnext">He recognized the engineer, however. It was gruff old John Griscom, +and in the momentary glimpse Ralph had of his hard, rugged face he +looked grimmer than ever.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph marveled at his presence here, for Griscom had the crack run of +the road, the 10.15, driven by the biggest twelve-wheeler on the line, +and was something of an industrial aristocrat. The locomotive he now +propelled was a third-class freight engine, and had no fireman on the +present occasion so far as could be seen.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph knew enough about runs, specials and extras, to at once +comprehend that something very unusual had happened, or was happening.</p> +<p class="pnext">Whatever it was, extreme urgency had driven out this last locomotive, +for Griscom wore his off-duty suit, and it was plain to be seen had not +had time to change it.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's eyes blankly followed the locomotive. Then he started after +it. Five hundred feet down the rails, a detour of a gravel pit sent +the tracks rounding to a stretch, below which, in a clump of greenery, +half a dozen of the firemen and engineers of the road had their homes.</p> +<p class="pnext">With a jangle and a shiver the old heap of junk known as 99 came to a +stop. Then its whistle began a series of tootings so shrill and +piercing that the effect was fairly ear-splitting.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph recognized that they were telegraphic in their import. Very +often, he knew, locomotives would sound a note or two, slow up just +here to take hands down to the roundhouse, but old Griscom seemed not +only calling some one, but calling fiercely and urgently, and adding a +whole volume of alarm warnings.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph kept on down the track and doubled his pace, determined now to +overtake the locomotive and learn the cause of all this rush and +commotion.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he neared 99, he discerned that the veteran engineer was hustling +tremendously. Usually impassive and exact when in charge of the superb +10.15, he was now a picture of almost irritable activity.</p> +<p class="pnext">Having thrown off his coat, he fired in some coal, impatiently gave the +whistle a further exercise, and leaning from the cab window yelled +lustily towards the group of houses beyond the embankment.</p> +<p class="pnext">Just as Ralph reached the end of the tender, he saw emerging from the +shaded path down the embankment a girl of twelve. He recognized her as +the daughter of jolly Sam Cooper, the fireman.</p> +<p class="pnext">She was breathless and pale, and she waved her hand up to the impatient +engineer with an agitated:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was you calling pa, Mr. Griscom?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was I calling him!" growled the gruff old bear--"did he think I was +piping for the birds?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, Mr. Griscom, he can't come, he----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's got to come! It's life and death! Couldn't he tell it, when he +saw me on this crazy old wreck, and shoving up the gauge to bursting +point. Don't wait a second--he's got to come!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, Mr. Griscom, he's in bed, crippled. Ran into a scythe in the +garden, and his ankle is cut terrible. Mother's worried to death, and +he won't be able to take the regular run for days and days."</p> +<p class="pnext">Old Griscom stormed like a pirate. He glared down the tracks towards +the roundhouse. Then he shouted ferociously:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tell Evans to come, then--not a minute to lose!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Evans has gone for the doctor, for pa," answered the girl.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom nearly had a fit. He flung his big arms around as if he wanted +to smash something. He glanced at his watch, and slapped his hand on +the lever with an angry yell.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can't go back for an extra!" Ralph heard him shout, "and what'll I do? +Rot the road! I'll try it alone, but----"</p> +<p class="pnext">He gave the lever a jerk, the wheels started up. Ralph thought he +understood the situation. He sprang to the step.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get out--no junketing here--life and death--Hello, Fairbanks!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom," spoke Ralph, "what's the trouble?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Trouble--the shops at Acton are on fire, not a locomotive within ten +miles, and all the transfer freight hemmed in."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt a thrill of interest and excitement.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is that so?" he breathed. "I see--they need help?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I guess so, and quick. Out of the way!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The old engineer hustled about the cab, set the machinery whizzing at +top-notch speed, and seized the fire shovel.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom," cried Ralph, catching on by a sort of inspiration, "let +me--let me do that."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh--what----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph drew the shovel from his unresisting hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can't do both," he insisted--"you can't drive and fire. Just tell +me what to do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can you shovel coal?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can try."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here, not that way--" as Ralph opened the furnace door in a clumsy +manner. "That's it, more--hustle, kid! That'll do. No talking, now."</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom sprang to the cushion. For two minutes he was absorbed, +looking ahead, timing himself, reading the gauge, in a fume and sweat, +like a trained greyhound eager to strike the home stretch.</p> +<p class="pnext">Suddenly he ran his head and shoulders far past the window sill, and +uttered one of his characteristic alarm yells.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rot the road!" he shouted. "No flags!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He reached over for the tool box, and slammed up its cover. He pawed +over a dozen or more soiled flags of different colors, snatched up two, +shook out their white folds, and then, as the speeding engine nearly +jumped the track at a switch, flopped back the lever.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Set them," he ordered.</p> +<p class="pnext">In his absorbed excitement he seemed to forget the dangerous mission he +was setting, for a novice, Ralph did not ask a question. He threw in +some coal, then taking the flags in one hand, he crept out through the +forward window.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was his first experience in that line. The swishing wind, the +teeter-like swaying of the engine, the driving hail of cinders, all +combined to daunt and confuse him, but he clung to the engine rail, +gained the pilot, set one flag in its socket, then with a stooping +swing the other, and felt his way back to the cab, flushed with +satisfaction, but glad to feel a safe footing once more.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, with a growl that +might mean approbation or anything else.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fire her up," he ordered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had little leisure during the twenty miles run that followed--he +did not know till afterwards that they covered it in exactly thirty +minutes, a remarkable record for old 99.</p> +<p class="pnext">As they whirled by stations he noticed a crowd at each. As they +rounded the last timbered curve to the south his glance took in a +startling sight just ahead of them.</p> +<p class="pnext">On a lower level stood the car shops. He could see the site in the +near distance like a person looking down from an observation tower.</p> +<p class="pnext">The setting sun made the west a glow of red. Against it were set the +shop yards in a yellow dazzle of flame.</p> +<p class="pnext">A broad sheet of fire ran in and out from building to building, fanned +by the fierce breeze. On twenty different tracks, winding about among +the structures, were as many freight trains.</p> +<p class="pnext">This was a general transfer point to a belt line tapping to the south. +Two of the engines from Stanley Junction were now rushing towards the +outer trains which the flames had not yet reached, to haul them out of +the way of the fire. No. 99 whizzed towards this network of rails, hot +on the heels of the third locomotive.</p> +<p class="pnext">The general scene beggared description. Crowds were rushing from the +residence settlement near by, an imperfect fire apparatus was at work, +and railroad hands were loading trucks with platform freight and +carting it to the nearest unexposed space.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was panting and in a reek from his unusual exertions, but not a +bit tired. Griscom directed a critical glance at him, caught the +excited and determined sparkle in his eye, and said in a tone of +satisfaction:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll do--if you can stand it out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't get anybody else, if I will do," said Ralph quickly. "I like +it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom slowed up, shouted to a switchman ahead, using his hand for a +speaking trumpet, to set the rails for action. He took advantage of +the temporary stop to rake and sift the furnace, put things in trim in +expert fireman-like order, and turned to Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then," he said, "your work's plain--just keep her buzzing."</p> +<p class="pnext">A yard hand jumped to the pilot with a wave of his arm. Down a long +reach of tracks they ran, coupled to some twenty grain cars, backed, +set the switch for a safe siding, and came steaming forward for new +action.</p> +<p class="pnext">Little old 99 seemed at times ready to drop to pieces, but she stood +the test bravely, braced, tugged and scolded terribly in every loose +point and knuckle, but within thirty minutes had conveyed over a +hundred cars out of any possible range of the fire.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph, at a momentary cessation of operations, wiped the grime and +perspiration from his baked face, to take a scan of the fire-swept area.</p> +<p class="pnext">A railroad official had come up to the engine, hailed Griscom, and +pointed directly into the heart of the flames to where, hemmed in a +narrow runway between the walls of two smoking buildings, were four +freight cars.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They'll be gone in five minutes," he observed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can reach them in two," announced Griscom tersely, setting his hand +to the lever. "Get a good man to couple--our share won't miss. Let +her go!"</p> +<p class="pnext">A brakeman, winding a coat around his head like a hood, and keeping one +end open, sprang to the cowcatcher, link and bar ready.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph shuddered as they ran into the mouth of the lane. It was choked +with smoke, burning cinders fell in showers on and under the cab.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shove in the coal--shove in the coal!" roared Griscom, eyes ahead, +lever under a tensioned control. "Good for you!" he shouted to the +nervy brakeman as there was a bump and a snap. "Reverse. We've made +it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">A sweep of flame wreathed the pilot. The air was suffocating. Ralph +staggered at his work. As the locomotive reversed and drew quickly out +of that dangerous vortex of flame, the boy noticed that the last of the +four cars was blazing at the roof.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just in time," he heard old Griscom chuckle. "Hot? Whew!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He set the wheels whirling on the fast backward spin, and stuck his +head out of the window to shout encouragingly to the huddled, smoking +hero on the pilot.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were passing a brick building, almost grazing its windows, just +then. Of a sudden a curl of smoke from one of these was succeeded by a +bursting roar, a leap of flame, and Ralph saw the old engineer +enveloped in a blazing cloud.</p> +<p class="pnext">An explosion had blown out the sash directly in his face. The glass, +shivered to a million tiny pieces, came against him like a sheet of +hail.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph saw him waver and sprang to his side. The engineer's face was +cut in a dozen places, and he had closed his eyes.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom," cried Ralph, "are you hurt much?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep her going," muttered the old hero hoarsely, straightening up, +"only, only--tell me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can't see?" breathed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do as I tell you," came the grim order.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Switch," said Ralph, in strained, subdued tones as they passed out of +the fire belt, ran forward, uncoupled, and sent the four cars down a +safe siding, the brakeman and a crowd running after it to extinguish +the burning roof of one of the freights.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph saw Griscom strain his sight and blink, and shift the locomotive +down a V, then to the next rails leading in among the burning buildings.</p> +<p class="pnext">He brought the panting little worker to a pause, asked Ralph to draw a +cup of water, brushed his face with his hand, and breathed heavily.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom," said Ralph, "you are badly hurt! You can't do anything +more, for there's only one car left on the last track, right in the +nest of the fire. Let me get somebody to help you where you can be +attended to."</p> +<p class="pnext">He placed a hand pleadingly on the engineer's arm. Old Griscom shook +it off in his gruff giant way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's that?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">He turned his face towards the fire. Ralph looked too, in sudden +askance. A crowd surged towards two buildings, nearly consumed, +between which lay a single car. The firemen who had been playing a +hose just there dropped it, running for their lives.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get back!" yelled one of them, as he passed the engine, "or you're +gone up. That's a powder car! We just found it out, and it's all +ablaze!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vi-the-master-mechanic"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id8">CHAPTER VI--THE MASTER MECHANIC</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">A man appearing to be a railway official shouted up an order to the +haggard engineer as he rushed by.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get out of this--there's twenty tons of powder in that car!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom dashed his hand across his eyes. He seemed to clear them +partially, and strained his gaze ahead and took in the meaning of the +scene, if not all its vivid outlines, and muttered:</p> +<p class="pnext">"If that stuff goes off, the whole yards are doomed."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph hung on the engineer's words and hovered at his elbow.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We had better get out of this, Mr. Griscom," he suggested.</p> +<p class="pnext">The engineer made a rough, impatient gesture with his arm, and then +pulled his young helper to the window.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Look sharp!" he ordered,</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, Mr. Griscom."</p> +<p class="pnext">"My--my eyes are pretty bad. When the smoke lifts--what's beyond the +car yonder?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't make out exactly, but I think a clear track."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How's the furnace?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rushing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right. Now then, you jump off. I'm going to let her go."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph stared hard at the grim old veteran. He could see he was on the +verge of physical collapse, and he wondered if his mind was not +tottering too; his pertinacity had something weird and astonishing in +it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Jump!" ordered Griscom, giving the lever a pull.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not budge. As he clearly read his companion's purpose, he +made up his mind to stick.</p> +<p class="pnext">The prospect was something awful, and yet, after the previous +experiences of that exciting half-hour, he had somehow become inured to +danger, and reckless of its risks. The excitement and wild, hustling +activity bore a certain stimulating fascination.</p> +<p class="pnext">With a leap 99 bounded forward at the magic touch of the old king of +the lever. It plunged headlong into a whirling vortex of smoke.</p> +<p class="pnext">A groaning yell went up from the fugitive crowds in the distance, as +the intrepid occupants, of the cab disappeared like lost spirits.</p> +<p class="pnext">Only for the shelter of the cab roof, they would have been deluged with +burning sparks.</p> +<p class="pnext">A tongue of flame took Griscom across the side of his face, and he +uttered an angry yell--it seemed to madden him that he could not see +clearly. Then as they struck the car they were making for with a heavy +thump, the shock and a spasm of weakness drove Griscom from the +cushion, and he slipped to the floor of the cab.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's mind grasped the situation in all its details. He knew the +engineer's purpose, and he felt that it was incumbent on him to carry +it out if he could do so. He stepped over his recumbent companion, and +placed his hand on the lever.</p> +<p class="pnext">He could not now see ten feet ahead. They were in the very vortex of +the fire. Suddenly they shot into the clear, cool air, bracing as a +shower bath.</p> +<p class="pnext">The cab roof was smoking, the cab floor was paved with burning cinders, +and some oil waste was blazing back among the coal at the edge of the +tender.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ahead, the top and sides of the powder car were sheeted with flames, +which the swift forward movement drove back in shroud-like form.</p> +<p class="pnext">On the end of the car facing, the grim, black warning: "Powder! +Danger!" stared squarely and menacingly into the eye of the pilot front.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom struggled to his feet. He fell against Ralph. The latter +thought he was delirious, for his lips were moving, and his tortured +face working spasmodically. Finally he said weakly: "Put my hands on +the gearing. We're out of it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, but the car is blazing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's ahead?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Dead tracks for nearly a thousand feet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And the dump pit beyond?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It looks so," said Ralph, leaning from the window and glancing ahead +anxiously. "Yes, it's rusted rails clear up to what looks like a +slough hole, and no buildings beyond."</p> +<p class="pnext">He held his breath as Griscom pulled the momentum up another notch. +This last effort palsied the engineer, his fingers relaxed, and he +slipped again to the floor, nerveless but writhing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep her going--full speed for five hundred feet," he panted. "Then +stop her."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," breathed Ralph quickly. "Stop her--how," he projected, knowing +in a way, but wanting to be sure, for the sense of crisis was strong on +him, and the present was no time to make mistakes. Griscom's +directions came quick and clear, and Ralph obeyed every indication with +promptness.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ninety-nine with its deadly pilot of destruction plunged ahead. Ralph +estimated distance. He threw himself upon the lever, and reversed.</p> +<p class="pnext">The wheels shivered to a sliding halt. He ran back rapidly five +hundred feet, slowed down, and half hung out of the window, white as a +sheet and limp as a rag.</p> +<p class="pnext">A glance towards the burning shops had shown the firemen back at their +work; the powder-car menace removed. Ralph, too, saw little crowds +rounding the shops, and making towards them.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then he fixed his eyes on the lone-speeding powder car.</p> +<p class="pnext">It had been thrown at full-tilt impetus, and drove away and ahead, a +living firebrand, reached the end of the rusted rails, ran off the +roadbed, tilted, careened, took a sliding header, and disappeared from +view.</p> +<p class="pnext">Even at the distance of a thousand feet Ralph could hear a prodigious +splash. A cascade of water shot up, and then a steamy smoke, and then +there lifted, torrent-like, house-high above the pit, a Vesuvius of +water, dirt, splinters and twisted pieces of iron. A reverberating +crash and the end had come!</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom struggled to his feet. On his face there was a grimace meant +for a smile, and he chuckled:</p> +<p class="pnext">"We made it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">He managed with Ralph's help to get into the engineer's seat.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom," said Ralph, "you're in bad shape. We can't get back the +way we came, but if you could walk as far as the offices we might find +a doctor."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's so, kid," nodded the old engineer, a little wearily. "I've got +to get this junk and glassware out of my eyes if I run the 10.15 +to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">Soon the advance stragglers of the curious crowd from the shops drew +near. One little group was headed by a man of rather more imposing +appearance than the section men in his train.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was a big-faced individual who looked of uncertain temper, yet there +were force and power in his bearing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello, there--that you, Griscom?" he sang out.</p> +<p class="pnext">The engineer blinked his troubled eyes, and nodded curtly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's what's left of me, Mr. Blake," he observed grimly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph caught the name and recognized the speaker--he was the master +mechanic of the road.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They're going to get the fire under control, I guess," continued +Blake. "They wouldn't, though, if you hadn't got that car out of the +way. Why, you're hurt, man!" exclaimed the official, really concerned +as he caught a closer glimpse of the face of the engineer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, a little scratch."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph broke in. He hurriedly explained what had happened to the +engineer's eyes, while the nervy Griscom tried to make little of it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bring a truck out here," cried the master mechanic. "Why, man! you +can't stand up! This is serious."</p> +<p class="pnext">In about five minutes they had rolled a freight truck to the +locomotive, and in ten more Griscom was under charge of one of the road +surgeons, hastily summoned to a room in the yard office, where the +sufferer was taken.</p> +<p class="pnext">It took an hour to mend up the old veteran. It was lucky, the surgeon +told him, that soot and putty had mixed with the glass in the explosion +dose, or the patient would have been blinded for life.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom could see quite comfortably when he was turned over to the +master mechanic again, although his forehead was bandaged, and his +cheeks dotted here and there with little criss-cross patches of +sticking-plaster.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph, waiting outside, had been forced to tell the story of the daring +dash through the flames more than once to inquisitive railroad men. He +quite obliterated himself in the recital.</p> +<p class="pnext">The firemen had gained control of the flames, the exigency locomotives +had all been sent back to the city. The master mechanic stood +conversing with Griscom for a few moments after the latter left the +surgeon's hands, and then approached Ralph with him. It was dusk now.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll catch the 8.12, kid," announced Griscom. "That's him, Mr. +Blake," he added, pointing Ralph out to his companion. "He did it, and +I only helped him, and he's an all-around corker, I can tell you!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom slapped Ralph on the shoulder emphatically. The master +mechanic looked at the youth grimly, yet with a glance not lacking real +interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"From the Junction?" he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the name?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks--Ralph Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh," said the master mechanic quickly, as if he recognized the name. +"We'll remember you, Fairbanks. If I can do anything for you----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can, sir." The words were out of Ralph's mouth before he intended +it. "I want to learn railroading."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Learn!" chuckled Griscom--"why! the way you worked that lever----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Which you needn't dwell on," interrupted the master mechanic, a harsh +disciplinarian on principle. "He had no right in your locomotive, I +suppose you know, and rules say you are liable for a lay off."</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom kept on chuckling.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll forget that, though. Where do you want to start, Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Right at the bottom, sir," answered Ralph modestly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"In the roundhouse?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir."</p> +<p class="pnext">The master mechanic drew a card from his pocket, wrote a few lines, and +handed it to Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give that to Tim Forgan," he said simply.</p> +<p class="pnext">To Ralph, just then, he was the greatest man in the world--he who could +in ten words command the position that seemed to mean for him the +entrance into the grandest realm of industry, ambition and opulence.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vii-at-the-roundhouse"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id9">CHAPTER VII--AT THE ROUNDHOUSE</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph Fairbanks came out of the little cottage next morning after +breakfast feeling bright as a dollar and happy as a lark.</p> +<p class="pnext">He realized that a new epoch had begun in his young existence, and he +stood fairly on the threshold of a fascinating experience.</p> +<p class="pnext">Yesterday seemed like a variegated dream, and To-Day full of +expectation, novelty and promise.</p> +<p class="pnext">His mother's anxiety the evening previous had given way to pride and +subdued affection, when he had appeared about ten o'clock after seeing +the engineer home, and had told her in detail the story of the most +eventful day of his life.</p> +<p class="pnext">If Mrs. Fairbanks felt a natural disappointment in seeing Ralph forego +the advantages of a finished education, she did not express it, for she +knew that the best ambitions of his soul had been aroused, and that his +loyal boyish nature had chosen a noble course.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went down to the depot and bought a Springfield morning paper. +It contained a full account of the fire at the yards. It detailed the +destruction of the powder car, and Griscom came in for full meed of +praise. Ralph was not referred to, except as "the veteran engineer's +heroic helper."</p> +<p class="pnext">It did not take long, however, for Ralph to discover that word of mouth +had run ahead of telegraphic haste.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was hailed by a dozen acquaintances, including the depot master, the +watchman, express messenger and others, who made him flush and thrill +with pleasure as he guessed that old Griscom had managed to spread the +real news wholesale.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're booked, sure!" declared More, giving his young favorite a +hearty slap on the shoulder.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, I imagine so myself," answered Ralph brightly, but thinking only +of the master mechanic's card in his pocket.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're due for an interview with the president, you are," declared the +enthusiastic More. "Why, you two saved the company half a million. +And the pluck of it! Don't you be modest, kid. Hint for a good round +reward and a soft-snap life position."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," nodded Ralph gayly. "Only, I'll start at it where you +told me yesterday."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes--at the roundhouse."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on, Fairbanks--circumstances alter cases----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not in this instance. Good-bye. I expect to be in working togs +before night, Mr. More."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went down the tracks, leaving the agent staring studiously after +him.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had often been inside the roundhouse, but with genuine interest +stood looking about him for some minutes after stepping beyond the +broad entrance of that dome-like structure.</p> +<p class="pnext">Not much was doing at that especial hour of the morning. Three "dead" +locomotives stood in their stalls, all furbished up for later +employment.</p> +<p class="pnext">A lame helper was going over one, just arrived, with an oiled rag.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the little apartment known as the "dog house," a dozen men chatted, +snoozed, or were playing checkers--firemen, engineers and brakemen, +waiting for their run, or off duty and killing time.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph finally made for a box-like compartment built in one section of +the place. A man was sweeping it out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can you tell me where I will find the foreman?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, the boss?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir--Mr. Forgan."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mean Tim. He's in the dog house, I guess. Was, last I saw of +him."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went to the dog house. At a rough board nailed to the wall, and +answering for a desk, a big-shouldered, gruff-looking man of about +fifty was scanning the daily running sheet.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two of the loungers, firemen, knew Ralph slightly, and nodded to him. +He went up to one of them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is that Mr. Forgan?" he inquired in a low tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's him," nodded the fireman--"and in his precious best temper this +morning, too!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph approached the fierce-visaged master of his fate.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Forgan," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman looked around at him, and scowled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well?" he growled out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Could I see you for a moment," suggested Ralph, a trifle flustered at +the rude reception.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Take a good look. I'm here, ain't I?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Some of the idle listeners chuckled at this, and Ralph felt a trifle +embarrassed, and flushed up.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir, and so am I," he said quietly--"on business. I wish to +apply for a position."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, you do?" retorted the big foreman, running his eye contemptuously +over Ralph's neat dress. "Sort of floor-walker for visitors, or +brushing up the engineers' plug hats?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I could do that, too," asserted Ralph, good-naturedly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you won't do much of anything here," retorted the foreman, "for +there's no job open, at present. If there was, we've had quite enough +of kids."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph wondered if this included Ike Slump. He had been surprised at +not finding that individual on duty.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman now unceremoniously turned his back on him. Ralph +hesitated, then torched Forgan on the arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Excuse me, sir," he said courteously, "but I was told to give you +this."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph extended the card given to him the evening previous by the master +mechanic.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman took it with a jerk, and read it with a frown. Ralph was +somewhat astonished as he traced the effect upon him of the simple +note, requesting, as he knew, that a place be made for him in the +roundhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">The innocent little screed put the foreman in a violent ferment. His +face grew angry and red, his throat throbbed, and his heavy jaw knotted +up in a pugnacious way. He turned and glared with positive dislike and +suspicion at Ralph, and the latter, quick to read faces, wondered why.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then the foreman re-read the card, as if to gain time to get control of +himself, and was so long silent that Ralph finally asked:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is it all right, sir?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, it is!" snapped the foreman, turning on him like a mad bull. "I +suppose Blake knows his business; I've been sent all the pikers on the +line. Probably know what kind of material I want myself, though. Come +again to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ready for work?" asked Ralph, pressing his point.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," came the surly reply.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What time, if you please, sir?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Seven."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you."</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman turned from him with an angry grunt, and Ralph started to +leave.</p> +<p class="pnext">One of the firemen he knew winked at him, another made an animated +grimace at the surly boss. Ralph heard a third remark, in a low tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What a liking he's taken to him! He'll have a fierce run for his +money."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, it'll be a full course of sprouts. You won't have a path of +flowers, kid."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shan't come here to raise flowers," answered Ralph quietly.</p> +<p class="pnext">He trod the air as he left the roundhouse. The gruff, uncivil manner +of the foreman had not daunted him a whit. He had met all kinds of men +in his brief business experience, and he believed that honest, +conscientious endeavor could not fail to win both success and good will +in time.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went back to his friend More, at the express shed, and told his +story.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're booked, sure enough," admitted the agent, though a little +glumly. "I'd have struck higher."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It suits me, Mr. More," declared Ralph. "And now, I want your good +services of advice as to what I am expected to do, and what clothes I +need."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph left his friend, thoroughly posted as to his probable duties at +the roundhouse. The agent advised him to purchase a cheap pair of +jumpers, and wear old rough shoes and a thin pair of gloves the first +day or two.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph visited a dry-goods store, fitted himself out, and started for +home.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was absorbed in thinking and planning, and turning a corner thus +engrossed almost ran into a pedestrian.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he drew back and aside, a hand was suddenly thrust out and seized +his arm in a vise-like grip.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, you don't!" sounded a strident voice. "I've got you at last, have +I?"</p> +<p class="pnext">In astonishment Ralph looked up, to recognize his self-announced +captor. It was Gasper Farrington.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-viii-the-old-factory"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id10">CHAPTER VIII--THE OLD FACTORY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph pulled loose from the grasp of the crabbed old capitalist, fairly +indignant at the sudden onslaught.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you run! don't you run!" cried Farrington, swinging his cane +threateningly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And don't you dare to strike!" warned Ralph, with a glitter in his +eye. "I'd like to know, sir, what right you have stopping me on the +public street in this manner?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will be a warrant matter, if you aint careful!" retorted Farrington.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't imagine how."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, can't you?" gibed Farrington, his plain animosity for Ralph +showing in his malicious old face. "Well, I'll show you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall be glad to have you do so."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you see that building?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Farrington pointed across the baseball grounds at the edge of which +they stood, indicating the old unused factory.</p> +<p class="pnext">A light broke on Ralph's mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I own that building," announced Farrington, swelling up with +importance--"it's my property."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So I've heard."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A window was broken there and you broke it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I did," admitted Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oho! you shamefacedly acknowledge it, do you? Malicious mischief, +young man--that's the phase of the law you're up against!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was an accident," said Ralph--"pure and simple."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you'll stand for it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I intend to. I made a note of it in my mind at the time, Mr. +Farrington, and if you had not said a word to me about it I should have +done the right thing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you call the right thing?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Replacing the light of glass, of course," was Ralph's reply.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Glad to see you've got some sense of decency about you. All right. +It'll cost you just a dollar and twenty-five cents. Hand over the +money, and I'll have my man fix it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph laughed outright.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hardly, Mr. Farrington," he said. "I can buy a pane of glass for +thirty-five cents, and put it in for nothing. I will take this bundle +home and attend to it at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">Farrington looked mad and disappointed at being outwitted in his +attempt to make three hundred per cent. However, if Ralph made good he +could find no fault with the proposition. He mumbled darkly and Ralph +passed on. Then a temptation he could not resist came to the boy, and +turning he remarked:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll be glad to know, perhaps, Mr. Farrington, that I have obtained +steady work."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why should I be glad?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because you advised it, and because it will enable us to pay you your +interest promptly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Humph!" Then with an eager expression of face Farrington asked: "What +are you going to work at?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Railroading."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very good--of course at the general offices at Springfield?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course not. I start in at the roundhouse here, to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was amazing how sour the magnate's face suddenly grew. Once more +Ralph wondered why this man was so anxious to get them out of Stanley +Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph proceeded homewards. It warmed his heart to see how thoroughly +his mother entered into all his hopes and projects. She was soon busy +in her quick, sure way, sewing on more strongly the buttons of jumper +and overalls, and promised to have a neat light cap and working gloves +ready for him by nightfall.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph explained to her about the broken window, got a rule from his +father's old tool chest, and went over to the vacant factory.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was surrounded by a high fence, but at one place in seeking lost +balls members of the Criterion Club had partially removed a gate. +Ralph passed among the débris littering the yard, and went around the +place until he found a door with a broken lock.</p> +<p class="pnext">He gained the inside and went up a rickety stairs. Swinging open a +door at their top, Ralph found himself in the compartment with the +broken window.</p> +<p class="pnext">The air was close and unwholesome, despite the orifice the baseball had +made. A broken skylight topped the center of the room, and a rain of +the previous night had dripped down unimpeded and soaked the flooring.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The ball must be here somewhere," mused Ralph. "There it is, but----"</p> +<p class="pnext">As he spied the ball about the center of the room, Ralph discerned +something else that sent a quick wave of concern across his nerves.</p> +<p class="pnext">He stood silent and spellbound.</p> +<p class="pnext">Upon the floor was a human being, so grimly stark and white, that death +was instantly suggested to Ralph's mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">His eyes, becoming accustomed to the half-veiled light filtered through +the dirt-crusted panes of the skylight, made out that the figure on the +floor was that of a boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he riveted his glance, Ralph further discovered that it was the same +boy he had met at the depot the morning previous--the mysterious +"dead-head" under the trucks of the 10.15 train.</p> +<p class="pnext">He lay upon the rough boards face upwards, his limbs stretched out +naturally, but stiff and useless-looking.</p> +<p class="pnext">The rain had soaked his garments, and he must have lain there at least +since last midnight. Ralph was shocked and uncertain. Then an abrupt +thought made him tremble and fear.</p> +<p class="pnext">The ball lay by the boy's side. Right above one temple was the dark +circular outline of a depression.</p> +<p class="pnext">It flashed like lightning through Ralph's mind that the stranger had +been struck by the ball.</p> +<p class="pnext">The theory forced itself upon him that in hiding from the pursuing +depot watchman, the stranger had sought refuge in the factory.</p> +<p class="pnext">He might have quite naturally needed a rest after his long and +torturing ride on truck and crossbar--he must have been in this room +when Ralph had swung the bat that had sent the baseball hurtling +through the window with the force of a cannon shot.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is true--it is true!" breathed Ralph in a ghastly whisper, as the +full consequence of his innocent act burst upon his mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had to hold to a post to support himself, swaying there and looking +down at the cold, mute face, sick at heart, and his brain clouded with +dread.</p> +<p class="pnext">It must have been a full five minutes before he pulled himself +together, and tried to divest himself of the unnatural horror that +palsied his energies.</p> +<p class="pnext">He finally braced his nerves, and, advancing, knelt beside the +prostrate boy.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph placed his trembling hand inside the open coat, and let it rest +over the heart. His own throbbed loud and strong with hope and relief, +as under his finger tips there was a faint, faint fluttering.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He is alive--thank heaven for that!" cried Ralph fervently.</p> +<p class="pnext">He ran to the window. Through the broken pane he could view the +baseball grounds and the clubhouse beyond.</p> +<p class="pnext">Will Cheever was sitting outside of the house, and at a little distance +another member of the Criterions was exercising with a pair of Indian +clubs.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph tried to lift the lower sash, but it would not budge.</p> +<p class="pnext">He ripped out of place the loose side piece, and removed the sash +complete.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Will--boys!" he shouted loudly, "come--come quick!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ix-an-unexpected-guest"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id11">CHAPTER IX--AN UNEXPECTED GUEST</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph soon drew the attention of his friends, and in a few minutes Will +Cheever and his companion had made their way into the old factory.</p> +<p class="pnext">Both looked startled as they entered the room, and serious and anxious +as Ralph hurriedly told of his discovery and theory.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It looks as if you were right, Ralph," said Will as he looked closely +at the silent form on the floor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Poor fellow!" commented Will's companion. "He must have been lying +here all alone--all through that storm, too---since yesterday +afternoon."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He isn't dead," announced Will, but still in an awed tone. "What are +you going to do, Ralph?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We must get him out of here," answered Ralph. "If one of you could +bring the cot over from the clubhouse, we will carry him there."</p> +<p class="pnext">Will sped away on the mission indicated. When he returned, they +prepared to use the cot as a stretcher. The strange boy moved and +moaned slightly as they lifted him up, but did not open his eyes, and +lay perfectly motionless as they carefully carried him down the stairs, +across the ballfield, and into the clubhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was a telephone there. Ralph hurriedly called up a young +physician, very friendly with the boys, and whose services they +occasionally required.</p> +<p class="pnext">He arrived in the course of the next fifteen minutes. He expressed +surprise at the wet and draggled condition of his patient, felt his +pulse, examined his heart, and sat back with his brows knitted in +thoughtfulness.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who is he?" inquired the doctor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't know," answered Ralph. "He is a stranger to Stanley Junction. +From his clothes, I should judge he is some poor fellow from the +country districts, who has seen hard work," and Ralph told about the +first sensational appearance of the stranger at the depot the morning +before, and the details of his accidental discovery an hour previous in +the old factory.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your theory is probably correct, Fairbanks," said the young physician +gravely. "That blow on the head is undoubtedly the cause of his +present condition, and that baseball undoubtedly struck him down. +Lying neglected and insensible for twenty-four hours, and exposed to +the storm, has not helped things any."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But--is his condition dangerous?" inquired Ralph in a fluttering tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is decidedly serious," answered the doctor. "There appears to be a +suspension of nerve activity, and I would say concussion of the brain. +The case puzzles me, however, for the general functions are normal."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can't you do something to revive him?" inquired Will.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall try, but I fear returning sensibility will show serious damage +to the brain," said the doctor.</p> +<p class="pnext">He opened his pocket medicine case, and selecting a little phial, +prepared a few drops of its contents with water, and hypodermically +injected this into the patient's arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">In a few minutes the watchers observed a warm, healthy flush spread +over the white face and limp hands of the recumbent boy. His muscles +twitched. He moved, sighed, and became inert again, but seemed now +rather in a deep, natural sleep than in a comatose condition.</p> +<p class="pnext">The doctor watched his patient silently, seemingly satisfied with the +effects of his ministrations.</p> +<p class="pnext">After a while he took up another phial, held back one eyelid of the +sleeper with forefinger and thumb, and let a few drops enter the eye of +the sleeper.</p> +<p class="pnext">The patient shot up one hand as if a hot cinder had struck his eyeball. +He rubbed the afflicted optic, gasped, squirmed, and came half-upright +en one arm. Both eyes opened, one blinking as though smarting with +pain.</p> +<p class="pnext">He wavered so weakly that Ralph braced an arm behind to support him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Steady now!" said the doctor, touching his patient with a prodding +finger to attract his attention. "Who are you, my friend?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The boy stared blankly at him as he caught the sound of his voice, and +then at the three boys. He did not smile, and there was a peculiarly +vacant expression on his face.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then he moved his lips as if his throat was parched and stiff, and said +huskily:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hungry."</p> +<p class="pnext">The doctor shrugged his shoulders, puzzled and amused. Ralph himself +half-smiled. The demand was so distinctively human it cheered him.</p> +<p class="pnext">The patient kept looking around as if expecting food to be brought to +him. The young physician studied him silently. Then he projected half +a dozen quick, sharp questions. His patient did not even appear to +hear him. He looked reproachfully about him, and again spoke:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fried perch would be pretty good!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He must be about half-starved, poor fellow!" observed Will. "Doctor, +he acts all right, only desperately hungry. Maybe a good square meal +will fix him out all right?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The doctor moved towards the door, and beckoned Ralph there.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks," he said, "this is a serious matter--no, no, I don't mean +the fact that the baseball did the damage," he explained hurriedly, as +he saw Ralph's face grow pale and troubled. "That was an accident, and +something you could not foresee. I mean that this poor fellow is, for +the present at least, helpless as a child."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Doctor," quavered Ralph, "you don't mean his mind is gone."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fear it is."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, don't say that! don't say that!" pleaded Ralph, falling against +the door post and covering his face with his hands.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was genuinely distressed. All the brightness of his good luck and +prospects seemed dashed out. He could not divest his mind of a certain +responsibility for the condition of the poor fellow on the cot, whose +usefulness in life had been cut short by an accidental "lost ball."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't be overcome--it isn't like you, Fairbanks," chided the doctor +gently. "I know you feel badly--we all do. Let us get at the +practical end of this business without delay. We had better get the +patient removed to the hospital, first thing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No!" interrupted Ralph quickly, "not that, doctor--that is, anyway not +yet."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He needs skillful attention."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's needing some hash just now!" put in Will Cheever, approaching, +his face, despite himself, on a grin. "Hear him!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The stranger was certainly sticking to his point. "Hash with lots of +onions in it!" they heard him call out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Will it hurt him to eat, doctor?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a bit of it. In fact, except to feed him and watch, I don't see +that he needs anything. You can't splint a brain shock as you can a +broken finger, or poultice a skull depression as you would a bruise. +There's simply something mental gone out of the boy's life that science +cannot put in again. There is this hope, though: that when the +physical shock has fully passed, something may develop for the better."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mean to-day, to-morrow----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, no--weeks, maybe months."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked disheartened, but the next moment his face took upon it a +look of resolution always adopted when he fully made up his mind to +anything.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," he said, "he must be taken to our house."</p> +<p class="pnext">With the doctor Ralph was a rare favorite, and his face showed that he +read and appreciated the kindly spirit that prompted the young +railroader's action. He placed his hand in a friendly way on his +shoulder.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks," he said, "you're a good kind, and do credit to yourself, +but I fear you are in no shape to take such a burden on your young +shoulders."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is my burden," said Ralph firmly, "whose else's? Why, doctor! if +I let that poor fellow go to the hospital, among utter strangers, +handed down the line you don't know where--poorhouse, asylum, and +pauper's grave maybe, it would haunt me! No, I feel I am responsible +for his condition, and I intend to take care of him, at least until +something better for him turns up. Help me, boys."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll drop in to see him again, at your house," said the doctor. "I +don't think he will make you any trouble in the way of violence, or +that, but you had better keep a constant eye on him."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph thought a good deal on the way to the cottage. He felt that he +was doing the right thing, and knew that his mother would not demur to +the arrangements he had formulated.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks not only did not demur, but when she was made aware of +the particulars, sustained Ralph in his resolution.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Poor fellow!" she said sympathetically. "The first thing he needs is +a warm bath, and we might find some dry clothes for him, Ralph."</p> +<p class="pnext">The widow bustled about to do her share in making the unexpected guest +comfortable. Will Cheever and his companion felt in duty bound to lend +a helping hand to Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">They had put the cot in the middle of the kitchen, and quiet now, but +with wide-open eyes, its occupant watched them as they hurriedly got +out a tub and put some water to heat on the cook stove.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Swim," said the stranger, only once, and was content thereafter to +watch operations silently.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's got dandy muscles--built like a giant!" commented Will, as half +an hour later they carried the boy into the neat, cool sitting room, +and lodged him among cushions in an easy-chair.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meantime, Mrs. Fairbanks had not been idle. She had prepared an +appetizing lunch. The stranger looked supremely happy as Ralph +appeared with a tray of viands. He ate with the zest of a growing, +healthy boy, and when he had ended sank back among the cushions and +fell into a calm, profound sleep.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph Fairbanks, you're a brick!" said Will. "He don't look much like +the half-drowned, half-starved rat he was when you picked him up."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Knocked him down, you mean!" said Ralph, with a sigh. "Well, mother, +we'll do what we can for him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We will do for him just what I pray some one might do for my boy, +should such misfortune ever become his lot," said the widow +tremulously. "He looks like a hard-working, honest boy, I only hope he +may come out of his daze in time. If not, we will do our duty--what we +might think a burden may be a blessing in disguise."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're always 'casting bread on the waters,' Mrs. Fairbanks!" declared +Will, in his crisp, offhand way.</p> +<p class="pnext">To return after many days--light-headed, light-hearted Will Cheever! +There are incidents in every boy's life which are the connecting links +with all the unknown future, and for Ralph Fairbanks, although he +little dreamed it, this was one of them.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-x-the-mysterious-letter"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id12">CHAPTER X--THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Will and his friend offered to attend to the broken window in the old +factory for Ralph, and the latter was glad to accept the tendered +service.</p> +<p class="pnext">He gave them the price of glass and putty, and a blunt case knife, told +them they would find his rule under the window, and as they departed +felt assured they would attend to the matter with promptness and +dispatch.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had something on his mind that he felt he could best carry out +alone, and after their departure he left his mother quietly sewing in +her rocking chair to watch their placidly slumbering guest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The boy is a stranger here, of course," Ralph ruminated. "Where did +he come from? I hope I will find something among his belongings that +will tell."</p> +<p class="pnext">They were poor belongings, and now hung across a clothes line in the +back yard, drying in the warm sunshine.</p> +<p class="pnext">The coat and trousers were of coarse material, clumsily patched here +and there as if by a novice, and Ralph decided did not bear that +certain unmistakable trace that tells of home or motherly care.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the trousers pocket Ralph found a coil of string, a blunt bladed +pocket knife, and a hunk of linen thread with a couple of needles stuck +in it--this was all.</p> +<p class="pnext">The coat contained not a single clew as to the identity of the +stranger, not a hint of his regular place of residence, whence he had +come or whither he was going.</p> +<p class="pnext">It held but one object--a letter which the boy when pursued by the +depot guardians had shown to Ralph the morning previous, and which at +that time with considerable astonishment Ralph had observed bore the +superscription: "Mr. John Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">He had thought of the letter and wondered at its existence, the +possible sender, the singular messenger, a score of times since he had +attempted to take it from the dead-head passenger of the 10.15.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now he held it in his grasp, but Ralph handled it gingerly. The +envelope was soaking wet, just as was the coat and the pocket he had +taken it from. As he removed it from its resting place he observed +that the poor ink of the superscription had run, and the letters of the +address were faded and fast disappearing.</p> +<p class="pnext">To open it with any hope of removing its contents intact in its present +condition was clearly impossible. Ralph held it carefully against the +sunlight. Its envelope was thin, and he saw dark patches and blurs +inside, indicating that the writing there had run also.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I had better let it dry before I attempt to open it," decided Ralph, +and he placed it on a smooth board near the well in the full focus of +the bright sunshine.</p> +<p class="pnext">A good deal hinged on that letter, he told himself. It would at all +events settle the identity of his dead father's correspondent, again it +would divulge who it was that had sent the letter and the messenger, +and thus the unfortunate's friends could be found. It would take a +little time to dry out the soggy envelope, and Ralph paced about the +garden paths, whistling softly to himself and thinking hard over the +queer happenings of the past twenty-four hours.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he passed the window of the little sitting room, he tiptoed the +gravel path up to it and glanced in.</p> +<p class="pnext">His mother still sat in the rocker, but she had fallen into a slight +doze, and her sewing lay idle in her lap. Ralph, transferring his gaze +to the armchair where they had so comfortably bestowed the invalid, +fairly started with astonishment.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, he isn't there!" breathed Ralph in some alarm, and ran around to +the entrance by the kitchen door.</p> +<p class="pnext">At its threshold Ralph paused, enchained by the unexpected picture +there disclosed to his view.</p> +<p class="pnext">The injured boy stood at the sink. He had found and tied about his +waist a work apron belonging to Mrs. Fairbanks. Before him was the +dishpan half-full of water, and he had washed and wiped neatly and +quickly the dishes from the tray.</p> +<p class="pnext">He arranged the various articles in their respective drawers and +shelves, stood back viewing them with satisfaction, removed the apron, +carefully hung it up, and went to the open back door leading into the +wood shed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's alarm for fear that his guest had wandered off or might do +himself a mischief, gave place to pleased interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">It looked as if the strange boy had been used to some methodical +features of domestic life, and habit was fitting him readily and +comfortably into the groove in which he found himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph decided that he would not startle or disturb the stranger, but +would watch to see what he did next.</p> +<p class="pnext">The boy glanced towards the wood box behind the cook stove. In the +hurry of the past twenty-four hours Ralph had not found time to keep it +as well filled as usual.</p> +<p class="pnext">His guest evidently observed this, went into the wood shed, seated +himself on the chopping log, and seizing the short handled ax there, +began chopping the sawed lengths piled near at hand with a pleased, +hearty good will.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks, disturbed by the sound of chopping, had awakened, and +with some trepidation came hurrying from the sitting room, anxiously +seeking to learn what had become of their guest.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph motioned her to silence, his finger on his lip, and pointed +significantly through the open rear doorway.</p> +<p class="pnext">A pathetic sympathy crossed the widow's face and the tears came into +her eyes. Ralph left her to keep an unobtrusive watch on their guest, +and returning to the well, found the envelope he had left there pretty +well dried out.</p> +<p class="pnext">He carefully removed the envelope, and placed it in his pocket. Then +he as carefully unfolded the sheet within.</p> +<p class="pnext">An expression of dismay crossed his face. The inside screed had not +been written in ink, but with a soft purple lead pencil. This the rain +had affected even more than it had the envelope in which it had been +enclosed.</p> +<p class="pnext">At first sight the missive was an indecipherable blur, but scanning it +more closely, Ralph gained some faint hope that he might make out at +least a part of its contents.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had a magnifying glass in his workroom in the attic, and he went +there for it. For nearly an hour Ralph pored over the sheet of paper +which he held in his hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">His face was a study as he came downstairs again, and sought his mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">She sat near the doorway between the kitchen and the sitting room, +where she could keep sight of their guest.</p> +<p class="pnext">The invalid was seated on the door step of the wood shed shelling a pan +of peas, as happy and contented a mortal as one would see in a day's +journey.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He is a good boy," said the widow softly to Ralph, "and winsome with +his gentle, easy ways. He seems to delight in occupation. What is it, +Ralph?" she added, as she noted the serious, preoccupied look on her +son's face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is about the letter, mother," explained Ralph. "I told you partly +about it. It was certainly directed to father, and some one employed +or sent this boy to deliver it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who was it, Ralph?" inquired Mrs. Fairbanks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That I can not tell."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was it not signed?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was once, but the upper fold and the lower fold of the sheet are a +perfect blur. I have been able to make out a few words here and there +in the center portion, but they tell nothing coherently."</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks looked disappointed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is unfortunate, Ralph," she said. "I hoped it would give some +token of this boy's home or friends. But probably, when he does not +return, and no answer comes to that letter, the writer will send +another letter by mail."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The boy may have been only incidentally employed to deliver it," +suggested Ralph, "and not particularly known to the sender at all."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can not imagine who would be writing to your dead father," said Mrs. +Fairbanks thoughtfully. "It can scarcely be of much importance."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mother," said Ralph, with an emphasis that impressed the widow, "I am +satisfied this letter was of unusual importance--so much so that a +special messenger was employed, and that is what puzzles me. A line in +it was plainly 'your railroad bonds,' another as plainly refers to 'the +mortgage,' the last word heads like 'Farewell,' and there is something +that looks very much like: 'to get even with that old schemer, Gasper +Farrington.'"</p> +<p class="pnext">The widow started violently.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, Ralph!" she exclaimed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, mother. We may never know more than this. It is all a strange +proceeding, but if that poor fellow out yonder could tell all he knows, +I believe it would surprise and enlighten us very much, and in a way +greatly for our benefit."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then we must wait with patience, and hope with courage," said Mrs. +Fairbanks calmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt all that he said. He could not get the letter out of his +mind that evening.</p> +<p class="pnext">They fitted up a little spare room off the dining room for their guest. +He went quietly to bed when they led him there, after enjoying a good, +supper, never speaking a word, never smiling, but with a pleased nod +betokening that he appreciated every little kindness they showed him.</p> +<p class="pnext">The next morning Ralph Fairbanks went to work at the roundhouse.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xi-on-duty"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id13">CHAPTER XI--ON DUTY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph cut across lots on his way to the roundhouse. He was not one +whit ashamed to be seen wearing a working cap and carrying a dinner +pail and the bundle under his arm, but cap, pail and overalls were +distressingly new and conspicuous, and he was something like a boy in +his first Sunday suit and wondering if it fitted right, and how the +public took it.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was too early to meet any of his school friends, but crossing a +street to take the tracks he was hailed volubly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not halt. His challenger was Grif Farrington, his arm linked +in that of a chum whom Ralph did not know, both smoking cigarettes, and +both showing the rollicking mood of young would-be sports who wished it +to be believed they had been making a night of it, and thinking it +smart.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the uniform, Fairbanks?" cried Grif, affecting a critical +stare--"going fishing? Is that a bait box?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a bit of it. It's my dinner pail, and I'm going to work, at the +roundhouse."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Chump!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I guess not."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Double-distilled! Make more money going on the circuit with the club. +Personally guarantee you ten dollars a week. Got scads of money, me +and the old man. Sorry," commented Grif in a solemn manner, as Ralph +continued on his way unheeding. "Poor, but knows how to bat. Pity to +see a fellow go wrong that way, eh?" he asked his companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph laughed to himself, and braced up proudly. Between idle, +dissolute Grif Farrington and himself he could see no room for +comparison.</p> +<p class="pnext">Some sleepy loungers were in the dog house, and a fireman was running +his engine to its stall. Ralph went over to the lame helper he had +seen the day previous.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm to begin work here to-day, I was told," he said. "Can you start +me in?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm not the boss."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know that, but couldn't you show me the ropes before the others +come?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, there's an empty locker for your traps," said the man. "When the +foreman comes, he'll tell you what your duties are."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No harm putting in the time usefully, I suppose?" insinuated Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I suppose not," answered the taciturn helper. He seemed a sickly, +spiritless creature, whom misfortune or a naturally crabbed temper had +warped clear out of gear.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph stowed his dinner pail in the locker, slipped on overalls and +jumper and an old pair of shoes, and placed the fingerless gloves he +had prepared in a convenient pocket.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lame helper had disappeared. Ralph noticed that the place needed +sweeping. He went to where the brooms stood, selected one, and started +in at his voluntary task.</p> +<p class="pnext">He felt he was doing something to improve the looks of things, and +worked with a will. He had made the greasy boards look quite spick and +smooth, and was whistling cheerily at his work, when a gruff growl +caused him to look up.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman, Tim Forgan, confronted him with a lowering, suspicious +brow.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who told you to do that?" he demanded sharply.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, nobody," answered Ralph. "I like to keep busy, that's all. No +harm, I hope?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, there is!" snapped Forgan. Ralph surprisedly wondered why this +man seemed determined to be at odds with him. He had not fallen in +with very cheerful or elevating company. Forgan continued to regard +him with an evil eye.</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here," he said roughly, "I'll have discipline here, and I'll be +boss. I'll give you your duties, and if you step over the line, get +out. This isn't a playroom, as you'll probably find out before you've +been here long."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph thought it best to maintain silence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You take that box and can yonder, and go to the supply and oil sheds +and get some waste and grease. Slump will be here soon, take your +orders from him for to-day."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph bowed politely and understandingly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll tell you another thing," went on Forgan harshly. "Don't you get +to knowing too much, or talking about it. I'll have no spying around +my affairs."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was astonished. He tried to catch the keynote of the foreman's +plaint. Suspicion seemed the incentive of his anger, and yet Ralph +could trace no reason for it.</p> +<p class="pnext">An open doorway led from one side of the roundhouse. Ralph picked up a +heavy sheet-iron pail and a tin box with a handle. Just then the +helper came into view.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where do I go for oil and waste?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">The helper surlily pointed through the doorway. Ralph found himself in +a bricked-in passage, slippery with oil, and leading to a narrow yard. +On one side was a row of sheds, whose interior comprised bins for boxes +filled with all kinds of metal fittings. On the other side were like +sheds, full of cans, pails and barrels. From here some men were +conveying barrow loads of pails and cans filled with oil and grease, +and Ralph went to an open door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Inside was a grimy, greasy fellow marking something on a card tacked to +the wall. Ralph told him who he was, got both receptacles filled, and +went back to the roundhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">He sat down on a bench and watched a fireman go through the finishing +touches on his engine which put it "to sleep." The last whistle +sounded, and in through the doorway came Ike Slump.</p> +<p class="pnext">The latter was a wiry, elfish fellow, usually very volatile and active. +On this especial morning, however, he looked ugly, depressed and +wicked. He went over to his locker, threw in his dinner pail, put on a +pair of overalls, and for the first time observed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello!" he ejaculated, taking a step backward, hunching his shoulders, +showing his teeth, and lurching forward much with the pose of a prize +fighter descending on an easy victim.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good-morning, Ike," said Ralph pleasantly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump indulged in a vicious snarl.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Morning nothing!" he snapped. "What you doing here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm going to work here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who says so?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The foreman."</p> +<p class="pnext">"When?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yesterday, and ten minutes ago. In fact, I am waiting to begin under +your directions, as he ordered."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, you are!" muttered Ike darkly, and in hissing long-drawn-out +accents. "That's your lay, is it? Well, say, do you see those?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike glanced keenly about him. Then advancing, he strutted up to Ralph, +bunched one set of coarse, dirty knuckles, and rested them squarely on +Ralph's nose.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not budge for a second or two. When he did, it was with +infinite unconcern and the remark:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I see them, and a little soap and water wouldn't hurt them any."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Say! do you want to insult me? say! are you spoiling for a fight? +say----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep a little farther away, please," suggested Ralph, putting out one +of those superbly-rounded, magnificently-formed arms of his, which sent +the bullying Ike back, stiff and helpless as if he was at the end of an +iron rod.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Say----" Ike began on his war dance again. "This is too much!" Then +he subsided as he noticed the foreman cross the roundhouse. "No chance +now, but to-night, after work, we'll settle this!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just as you like, Ike," assented Ralph accommodatingly--"only, drop it +long enough just now to start me in at my duties, or we'll both have +Mr. Forgan in our hair."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike unclinched his fists, but he continued to growl and grumble to +himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A nice sneak you are!" Ralph made out. "Thought you'd be smart! Gave +away my tip, didn't you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here, Ike, what do you mean?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I mean I told you I was going to leave, and you promised to hang +around and come on deck when I'd had my pay."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The way things turned out," said Ralph, "there was no occasion for +that."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You bet there wasn't! You just sneaked the word to Forgan +double-quick, he told the old man, and I got a walloping, locked up on +bread and water yesterday, and all my plans scattered about leaving. +You bet I'll cut the job just the same, though!" declared Ike, with a +vicious snap of his jaws. "Only, you gave me away, and I'm going to +pay you off for it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ike, you are very much mistaken."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yah!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I never mentioned what you told me to any one."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Cut it out! We'll settle that to-night. Now you get to work."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph at last understood the situation, but he saw the futility of +attempting to convince his obstinate companion of his error.</p> +<p class="pnext">Besides, the foreman in the distance was watching him from the corner +of one eye, and Ike thought it best to apply himself to business.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You just watch me for an hour or two," he bolted out grudgingly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not spend a happy forenoon. Ike was sullen, grumpy and +savage.</p> +<p class="pnext">He made his helper hold the grease pail when it was unnecessary, till +Ralph's arms were stiff, dropping splotches of oil on his shoes. He +let the exhaust deluge him, as if by accident, and refused to engage in +any general conversation, nursing his wrath the meantime.</p> +<p class="pnext">He knew how to clean up an engine, although, Ralph divined, in the most +slipshod and easiest way that would pass inspection. Ralph was +learning something, however, and was patient under the slights Ike put +upon him from time to time.</p> +<p class="pnext">About eleven o'clock there was a lull in active work.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mr. Ike Slump lounged on the bench, indulging in a smoke and trying to +look important and dangerous, both at once. Then, as if casually, he +began kneading a fat, juicy ball of waste and grease, poked it under +the bench, and said to Ralph:</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's two switch engines coming in. You can take one of them, and +see if you know how to handle it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll try," announced Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"When you come to the bell, give her a good, hard rubbing. They'll +give you some sand at the supply shed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sand?" repeated Ralph vaguely.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure. Dump it in with the grease in the little pail, and don't fail +to slap it on thick and plenty."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph said nothing. He started for the passageway with more thoughts +than one in his mind. As he shot a quick glance back of him, he +observed Ike leap from the bench, poke out the grease ball, palm it, +and disappear from his range of vision.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went to the supply shed and got a can full of sand. Then he +started back the way he had come.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he did so, he observed the foreman turn into the passage in front of +him.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was due to pass by him, for the foreman was pursuing his way at a +leisurely gait, but Ralph did nothing of the sort.</p> +<p class="pnext">He guessed considerable and anticipated more from the recent suspicious +movements of his temporary master, and smiled slightly, allowing the +foreman to precede him.</p> +<p class="pnext">As Tim Forgan stepped through the doorway leading into the roundhouse, +that happened which Ralph Fairbanks had foreseen.</p> +<p class="pnext">His enemy, lying in wait there to "christen" his new work suit as he +had threatened, let drive, never doubting but that the approaching +footsteps were those of Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">With a dripping swush the ball of waste and grease cut through the air +and took the roundhouse foreman squarely in the face.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xii-ike-slump-s-revenge"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id14">CHAPTER XII--IKE SLUMP'S REVENGE</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The roundhouse foreman staggered back with a gasp.</p> +<p class="pnext">The oil splattered over his face, neck and chest, the waste separated +and dropped down inside his vest.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then, astonished, Forgan dashed the blinding grease from his eyes, ran +forward, took a stare in every direction, and doubled his pace with a +roar like a maddened bull.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You imp of Satan!" he yelled.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had detected Ike Slump, unmistakably the culprit. With agile +springs, fairly terrified at his mistake, Ike had taken to flight.</p> +<p class="pnext">In his haste he tripped over a rail. His pursuer pounced down on him +before he could get up, snatched him up with one hand by the collar, +grabbed half a loose box cover with another, dragged him into the +little office, banged the door shut with his foot, and the work of +retribution began.</p> +<p class="pnext">The men in the dog house had been attracted by the turmoil. Now they +stood gazing at the closed office door.</p> +<p class="pnext">A grin ran the rounds, as from within escaped sounds unmistakably +connected with the box cover, mingled with the frantic yells of Ike +Slump.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That kid's been spoiling for just this for some time," observed a +gray-bearded engineer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Has he?" echoed an extra--"well, just! He's been the bane of Forgan's +life ever since he came here. The boss had to keep him because Ike's +father is a crony, but he's getting real enjoyment for the privilege!"</p> +<p class="pnext">There was nothing malicious in Ralph's nature, but he felt that Ike +Slump deserved a lesson. Ralph proceeded calmly on his way as though +nothing had happened, carried his can of sand over to the bench, mixed +it well in one of the small oil pails, took up the other and some +waste, and went over to one of the two switch engines that had just +come in.</p> +<p class="pnext">They stood on adjacent tracks, not yet run to stall. Ralph began his +first task as a real wiper. He had watched Ike carefully, and it was +no trick at all to follow in his mechanical groove, and much improve +his system, besides.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was busy on the bell as the door of foreman's office was thrust +open.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump was as quickly thrust out. He was blubbering, limp, and +smarting with pain.</p> +<p class="pnext">Forgan was red-faced and panting from his exertions.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then," he said, "you get to work, or get out and home to your +father, just as you like."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll kill me if I do!" came from Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He ought to. Hustle there, now!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike went to the bench, picked up the grease pail, and climbed to the +cabin of the other switch engine.</p> +<p class="pnext">He cast an angry glance at Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Played it smart, didn't you!" he snarled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You shouldn't complain," answered Ralph calmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait till to-night!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm waiting," tranquilly rejoined Ralph, poising back to view about as +fine a shimmer to the bell he was working on as oil and waste and elbow +grease could produce.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meantime, Ike had blindly, savagely slapped a coat of grease on the +bell opposite.</p> +<p class="pnext">A yell went up from his wrathful lips as he applied the waste.</p> +<p class="pnext">He nearly had a fit and if he could have found a loose missile he would +doubtless have thrown it at Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Confound you!" he hissed. "Oh, I'll get you yet!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm here," said Ralph. "What's up. You said sand was good for the +bell. Is it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Say, you wait! oh, say, you wait!" foamed Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">Both worked their way simultaneously into the cabs, the upper wiping +done. Ralph watched his fellow-worker. The locomotives had been +dumped, but there was still enough steam to run them to bed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Soon as I run her in," announced Ike malevolently across the two-foot +space between the engines, "I'm going to jump my job."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph said nothing. Ike had put his hand on the lever, intending +evidently to slow back the locomotive to its stall. Ralph was expected +to do the same with the other engine.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I'll be laying for you at quitting time, and with the bunch, don't +you forget it!" supplemented Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph gave the lever a touch, the wheels started, but instantly he shut +off steam.</p> +<p class="pnext">Glancing sideways and out through the open front of the roundhouse, his +eyes met a sight that would have paralyzed some people, but which acted +on his impetuous nature like a shock of electricity.</p> +<p class="pnext">With one leap he cleared the cab, in two springs he had reached the +doorway. The startled Ike Slump saw him disappear behind the +locomotive. His bead-like eyes glowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now was his chance. Leaning over between the two locomotives, he +touched the lever Ralph had just shut off. The locomotive started +towards its stall.</p> +<p class="pnext">Directing his own forward, it went on its diverging course at routine +slow speed.</p> +<p class="pnext">This cleared the view from doghouse and office. At that moment the +foreman's strident tones belched out:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Stop her! Where's the wiper?"</p> +<p class="pnext">All eyes saw that the second locomotive was not manned. Some had +witnessed Ralph's sensational disappearance.</p> +<p class="pnext">Three or four made a run for the unguided locomotive. The foremost of +the group sprang into the cab just as the tender struck the circular +outer wall of the roundhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">He halted the engine, but not until the tender had smashed a hole out +to daylight, taking one big window upon its back, and buried the rails +under half a ton of brick and mortar.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump descended from his locomotive serene as summer skies, as +Forgan rushed up to the scene.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where's the smart-Aleck that did that!" roared the foreman.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was fairly distracted with the accumulating disturbances of the hour.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Dunno. Got scared at hearing the steam hiss, I guess, and run for +it," said Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">Tim Forgan paced up and down the planks, a smoldering volcano of wrath.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There he is now," piped Ike, hugging himself with delight, as he +considered that he had turned the tables on Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman dashed towards the entrance of the roundhouse. Sure +enough, Ralph had come into view.</p> +<p class="pnext">Half a dozen persons were straggling after him, and some unusual +commotion was evidently rife among them, but the infuriated roundhouse +foreman at the moment had eyes only for the object of his rage.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's face was as white as chalk, he was out of breath, one arm of +his jacket was torn away, and from the elbow to the finger tips there +was a long, bleeding scratch.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman ran up to him, and almost jerked him off his feet as he +caught him by the arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You young blunderer!" he roared--"look at your work! Five hundred +dollars damage!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph seemed in an uncomprehending daze and failed to take in the +wrathful sweep of Forgan's arm towards the dismantled wall.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll give you the same dose I gave that young imp, Slump!" shouted +Forgan, losing all control of himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">He began to drag Ralph towards the office. The latter had acted as if +about to faint! Now his senses seemed to arouse abruptly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph braced back. His eyes swept the crowd about him. He caught +sight of Ike Slump's gloating face, and beyond him the wrecked wall.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait!" he said faintly, and then with more firmness of tone: "Stop! +what do you accuse me of?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Accuse you of?" roared the foreman. "Hear him! I suppose you pretend +not to see your work. Look at that wall, look at that engine----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I didn't do it," declared Ralph positively, catching on for the first +time.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I won't listen to such rot!" fumed Forgan. "You get out good and +quick, but I'll give you something to remember it by before you do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Stop!" again spoke Ralph, and this time it was a command. "You are +accusing me of something I know nothing about, Mr. Forgan. Let go my +arm."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, you impudent young jackanapes! I'll lick the daylight out of you +now, just to drive some truth into you!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you dare to touch me!" cried Ralph. He was fully aroused now. +The natural glitter had returned to his eye, and with a quick move he +jerked free from the grasp of the foreman, powerful as it was. "I +allow no man to punish me for what I did not do, and this is a place +where we stand as man to man."</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman had been surprised at Ralph's exhibition of genuine +strength, but that manifestation had only served to increase his rage.</p> +<p class="pnext">In positive fury he posed for a savage spring at Ralph. The latter put +both hands on the defensive. His lips were firmly compressed. He did +not wish to imperil his position by fighting with a superior, but he +was determined to stand on his rights.</p> +<p class="pnext">At that moment, in advance of the pressing crowd outside, big Denny +Sloan, the yard watchman, came into view.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Drop that, Tim Forgan!" he ordered quickly. "Don't touch that boy, or +you'll be sorry for it to your dying day!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiii-making-his-way"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id15">CHAPTER XIII--MAKING HIS WAY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Big Denny confronted the roundhouse foreman, an obstructing block in +his path. He was one of the heaviest men in the service, built like an +ox, and immensely good-natured.</p> +<p class="pnext">Just now, however, he was also immensely excited and serious, and the +crowd stared at him curiously, and at Forgan in an astonished way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is none of your business. Don't you interfere, don't you try to +shield that miserable blunderer!" shouted the foreman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on, Tim," advised the watchman, putting out his big arm, and +abruptly checking Forgan in a forward dash.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you know what he's done!" howled Forgan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do I----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I guess you don't, Tim," said Big Denny quietly. "Just you cool down. +This way, boys," called the watchman into the crowd at his heels. +"Keep cool, Tim--there's no harm done, but there might have been if +Fairbanks here wasn't quicker than lightning, and a brave young hero, +besides!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The crowd parted, a switchman came into view. He carried in his arms, +white and limp, a little girl about ten years of age.</p> +<p class="pnext">Hanging by the neck ribbon was her pretty summer hat, crushed and cut +squarely in two. One temple was somewhat disfigured, and her dress was +soiled with roadbed dust and grime.</p> +<p class="pnext">Tim Forgan looked once and his jaws dropped. He shuddered as if some +one had dealt him a blow, and staggered where he stood, his face +turning to a sickly gray.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nora!" he gasped--"my little Nora! Denny--boys! she is hurt--dead!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Neither," answered the big watchman promptly, placing a soothing hand +on the foreman's quivering arm. "Steady, old man, now!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give her to me!" shouted Forgan, in a frenzy. "Nora, my little Nora! +What has happened? what has happened?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The big fellow had one idol, one warm corner in his heart--his little +grandchild.</p> +<p class="pnext">His rugged brow corrugated, and he was frantic beyond all reason as he +covered the still white face with kisses, nestling the motionless child +in his arms tenderly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Take her into the office," directed Denny. "Give her air, lads--and +get some cold water, some of you."</p> +<p class="pnext">He blocked the doorway with his bulky frame as the foreman and his +charge passed through, admitting a moment later a switchman with a can +of water, and two of the older engineers at his heels.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then he closed the door, and looked around for Ralph. The latter had +sunk to a bench, still pale and faint-looking. The lame helper was +ransacking his locker. Coming thence with some clean waste and a +bottle of liniment, he snatched up a pail, went outside, got some warm +water from a locomotive, and approached Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph regarded him in some wonder, but made no demur as the strange, +silent fellow began to wash and dress his injured arm with a touch soft +and careful as that of a woman.</p> +<p class="pnext">Big Denny continued to stand on guard at the closed door of the +foreman's little office.</p> +<p class="pnext">The crowd from the outside was exchanging information with the +roundhouse throng, trying to patch mutual disclosures together into +some coherency.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump's look of malevolent gratification had faded away. He began +to surmise that Ralph had a purpose in so summarily deserting his post, +and that the anticipated "turning of the tables" was not destined to +materialize.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the rights of things, Denny?" asked one of the engineers. +"That was little Nora Forgan, wasn't it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure--and you know what she is to gruff old Tim, apple of his eye. If +anything happened to her, I believe he'd go mad."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's pretty near there now, with his tantrums!" volunteered a voice +from the crowd.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think this will cure him a bit," said Denny. "The little one has +been bringing him his dinner lately, you know. A child like that has +no business along the tracks, but he usually had her come back of the +roundhouse, where there wasn't so much risk. This time, I suppose she +feared she'd be late, and crossed over the busiest switches. My heart +stood still, lads, when, ten minutes since, five hundred feet away from +her, I saw her trip, fall, strike her head on the rails, and lay there +stunned, squarely in the way of a dead-end freight, coming."</p> +<p class="pnext">Big Denny squirmed with real feeling in his powerful, husky voice, as +he dabbed the perspiration from his brow.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Next thing, I saw a flash come out through the roundhouse door here. +It was--him!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Mechanically the crowd turned. Twenty pairs of eyes rested on Ralph, +whom Denny had pointed out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir--it was him, young Fairbanks! He's got the right blood in +him, that kid. I knew his father, and he wouldn't be Jack Fairbanks' +son if he hadn't acted just as he did!"</p> +<p class="pnext">No comment could have pleased Ralph more than that. He darted a +grateful look at his bulky champion.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No one any good seemed to have noticed the accident except him," went +on Denny, the eyes of his absorbed auditors again riveted intently upon +him. "I counted the seconds in a sort of sickly horror, for it seemed +impossible that he could make it in time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But he did!" cried a strained voice.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He did--it was terrifying. The last ten feet he saw his only chance. +It was like a fellow sliding for base. Flat he dived and drove. It +must have been an awful scrape! The first wheels of the backing car +fairly reached the little angel's long, golden curls. As it was, they +cut the dangling hat straight in two. He grabbed her, just escaping +the wheels, not a second too soon."</p> +<p class="pnext">With a working face the lame helper had stood listening, rooted to the +spot like a statue.</p> +<p class="pnext">The crowd swayed towards Ralph. They were all in one uniform mood of +admiration for his nervy exploit, only they expressed it in different +ways.</p> +<p class="pnext">A dozen shook his hand till they nearly wrung it off; a big, bluff +fireman, with a fist like a ham, slapped his shoulders so exuberantly +that the contact nearly drove the breath out of his body.</p> +<p class="pnext">"As to that little heap of rubbish," observed Big Denny, with lofty +contempt indicating the broken brick wall--"I reckon Tim Forgan won't +let that count against the life of that child."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph arose to his feet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I didn't do it," he asseverated.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you worry about trifles, kid," advised Denny.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I didn't!" insisted Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">Denny looked annoyed. He wished to dismiss the subject peremptorily +while his hero was still on the pedestal, and, human-like, he believed +Ralph was trying to square himself at the cost of a lame explanation, +or a lie.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's--that's right," suddenly interposed a quavering voice.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello!" laughed Denny, turning to confront the sphinx-like helper, +whose taciturnity was proverbial. "You'll be making a speech, next!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," bolted out the lame helper, very much agitated over his own +unusual temerity.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give it a voice, Limpy."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He didn't do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Didn't do what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Run that engine into the wall."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How do you know?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I saw him--he started her up, but shut her off, dead, before he jumped +for the tracks and ran outside."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked surprised, but pleased, Big Denny convinced, and the crowd +tremendously interested.</p> +<p class="pnext">On the outskirts of the crowd Ike Slump gave ear, perked up his face in +a grimace, and a minute later sneaked out of the place.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Saw the whole thing," declared Limpy. "Fellow in the next engine +leaned over soon as Fairbanks left, slipped the lever, and let her +drive."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who was it?" demanded the watchman indignantly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Slump, the scamp."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where is he?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The crowd made a search, but it was unavailing--Ike Slump had "jumped +his job" permanently, to all appearances, for his locker was empty.</p> +<p class="pnext">The fireman came out of the office.</p> +<p class="pnext">"She's all right," he announced to Denny, "but the old man's terribly +broken up. Better go in and give him a word."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Denny--"you come, too, Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'd rather not," said Ralph--"I've got work to do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You take a rest and eat your dinner before you do anything else," +advised the big watchman.</p> +<p class="pnext">The noon whistle sounded just then and dispersed the crowd. Ralph went +over to a bench and brought out his dinner pail.</p> +<p class="pnext">His arm was sore and smarting, but he was not at all seriously +crippled, and he sat thoughtfully eating his lunch and wondering how +the damage to the wall would be repaired.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph noticed the two engineers leave the office, then Big Denny. The +latter had hold of the hand of little Nora.</p> +<p class="pnext">He led the way up to Ralph. Limpy had just taken his seat on the other +end of the bench.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm going to take her home," said the watchman. "Nora, do you know +who this young gentleman is?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The little girl looked still pale and frightened, but except for the +torn dress and hat and a dark bruise on her forehead seemed none the +worse for her recent perilous experience.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, sir," she said shyly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's Ralph Fairbanks. He saved your life."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, sir! did you? did you?" she cried, running up to Ralph. She put +her arms around his neck and kissed him, the tears running down her +cheeks. "When I tell mamma, she'll come down and thank you, too!" she +continued and then passed on.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was affected by the incident. His heart warmed up as he +reflected how the tide of feeling had changed towards him in the past +hour. Then, reaching for his lunch pail, his hand unexpectedly came in +contact with a big, juicy square of pie. The lame helper had +disappeared.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a further tribute from that strange, silent man, and it told +Ralph unmistakably that beyond that grim wall of reserve was probably +hidden a heart of gold.</p> +<p class="pnext">The excitement and rough usage of the morning had used up Ralph +considerably. He felt the need of fresh air, put aside his dinner +pail, and started for the outside.</p> +<p class="pnext">Just then, the helper came across to him from the direction of the +little office.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wanted," he said sententiously. "Foreman wants to see you."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xiv-ralph-fairbanks-request"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id16">CHAPTER XIV--RALPH FAIRBANKS' REQUEST</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph felt the sense of a crisis strong upon him. Circumstances had +given some stormy features to the morning's progress, but had cleared +the air generally.</p> +<p class="pnext">He believed, all told, that he had carried off the honors quite +creditably, and was in a measure master of the situation.</p> +<p class="pnext">When he came to the office door it was partly open, but he knocked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come in," spoke the foreman's voice, a good deal toned down from its +usual accents of asperity.</p> +<p class="pnext">Tim Forgan stood over near the window, his back turned to Ralph. His +hands, clasped behind him, fumbled nervously. He was palpably in a +disturbed mood, and from the vague view Ralph had of his side face he +noted it was pale and anxious-looking.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sit down," directed the foreman. He stood in the same position for +nearly a minute. Then very abruptly he turned, came up to Ralph, +extended his hand as if with an effort, and said, almost brokenly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks, I want to thank you for what you have done for me and mine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am glad I did it," answered Ralph simply.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman sank into a chair, started to speak, arose, paced the floor +restlessly, finally halted in front of Ralph, and looked him squarely +in the face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks," he said, "I believe I have done you an injustice. Don't +answer. Let me speak while the mood is on me. I am a proud man, and +it's hard for me to root out my settled suspicions. I won't say they +are all gone yet, but after what has happened it would be wrong and +churlish for me to hold back what is on my lips. When you came here +this morning, I was satisfied that you came here as a spy upon my +actions."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, Mr. Forgan!" explained Ralph involuntarily.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And I prepared to treat you as a spy. I have had trouble with the +master mechanic, off and on--that is, we are rivals in the race for the +presidency of the local labor council, and Ike Slump's father, when I +told him about your card from the master mechanic, scented a plot at +once."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, Mr. Forgan!" exclaimed Ralph in amazement, "I never saw the +master mechanic until night before last, then only for less than two +minutes, and my meeting with him was purely accidental."</p> +<p class="pnext">The roundhouse foreman looked Ralph through and through.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I believe you, Fairbanks," he said, at length. "You don't look like +the lying, sneaking sort, and Denny says he'd bank his soul on you. He +says I've got bad, crafty advisers. Maybe so, maybe so," went on +Forgan, half to himself. "I wish I'd kept out of the labor ring. It +makes one fancy half his friends enemies. Drop that, though. I've +made my confession, and I believe you're square. I've sent for you to +exonerate you from all part in the smash-up, and to tell you that I owe +you a debt I can never pay. I'll try to square some of it, though. +Fairbanks, you shall stay here, and I shall give you more than a chance +to forge ahead."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thank you, Mr. Forgan," said Ralph gratefully.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman strode over to the window again. Ralph studied this +strange make-up of real force, dark suspicions and ungovernable +impulses, but did not appear to watch him. In a covert way, with a +sidelong glance at Ralph, the foreman opened the door of a little +closet, took out a dark bottle, and Ralph could hear the gurgling +dispatch of a long, deep draught.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had overheard some of the men in the dog house hinting at the boss' +failing, that morning. Now, Ralph knew what it was, and the discovery +depressed him.</p> +<p class="pnext">The stimulating draught seemed to restore the foreman's equilibrium, +for in a minute or two, when he again addressed Ralph, his old +half-dignified, half-autocratic manner had returned to him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We shall have no more Ike Slump here, father or no father," he +observed. "I'm going to give you a chance, Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you, Mr. Forgan."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep on as wiper till I get a new helper, and I'll give you a boost +into an extra berth quicker than any boy ever shot up the roundhouse +ladder before. I tell you, I'll never forget what you've done for +me--and my dear little Nora!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph arose.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Forgan," he said, "I am much obliged to you, and I hope I shall +deserve and win your good opinion. But I want to earn my way. I don't +wish to slip over one single branch of the course that will make a +thorough, all-around, first-class railroad man out of me, and too fast +promotion might spoil me."</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman understood him, but the liquor had exhilarated him, and he +said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"All the same, I'm your friend for life, Fairbanks--and I give you my +word, when you ask me a favor, I'll grant it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph bowed and proceeded towards the door. Forgan was back at the +closet almost immediately, Ralph wavered. He formed a quick +resolution, and stepped back into the room just as the foreman turned, +wiping off his lips.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Forgan," said Ralph, "you will not be offended at something I feel +it my duty to say?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a bit of it," pledged the foreman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You said I might ask you a favor."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just name it, Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall, but first, I want to say this: You are in a fine, responsible +position here, and your control and your influence affect every man in +your service."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I worked hard for the job," asserted Forgan proudly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know you must have done that," said Ralph, "and I also know you must +have had good abilities to step so high over the heads of others. But +sometimes, Mr. Forgan--you will acknowledge it yourself--your temper, +your impulses, your suspicions get the better of you."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was treading on dangerous ground. He realized it, for a certain +quick flash came into Forgan's eyes. It was quenched, however, at an +evident memory of the incident of the morning; and the foreman spoke, +quite gayly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Go ahead, I'll listen. I see your drift."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You have lots of friends, sir--try and know the real ones. And, Mr. +Forgan, now for the favor I have to ask."</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman's bushy brows met in a suspicious way, but he declared +promptly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You have only to ask."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will grant it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"For little Nora's sake, lad, I'd give you half I own!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't want that, Mr. Forgan. The favor I have to ask is--don't +drink."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was out, with an effort--Ralph had placed a pleading hand on the +foreman's arm. He felt Forgan start and quiver. Would he burst into +one of his uncontrollable fits of passion and storm and rave, and +probably assault him?</p> +<p class="pnext">The climax delayed so long that Ralph ventured another appeal.</p> +<p class="pnext">"For little Nora's sake, Mr. Forgan!" he pleaded.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Boy, you have said enough--go! go!" spoke Forgan huskily.</p> +<p class="pnext">He almost pushed Ralph from the room. The door went shut, with Ralph +standing outside, his breath coming quickly, for the episode had been +one of intense strain.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph sighed. Had he gone too far? The sincerity of his wish for the +foreman's good told him he had not.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the little office he could hear Forgan striding to and fro. +Suddenly there was a halt.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then came a crash. If only for the time being, Tim Forgan had been +influenced to a holy, beneficent decision. He had shattered the +wretched black bottle to atoms.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank God!" breathed the young railroader fervently.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xv-van"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id17">CHAPTER XV--"VAN"</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">When the one o'clock whistle sounded, Ralph started over for the engine +stalls.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on!" challenged the lame helper, suddenly appearing in his usual +extraordinary way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the trouble?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Boss says you're on the sick list."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I'm not!" declared Ralph with a smile and mock-valiantly waving +his injured arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Says you're to go home, and report in morning."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I can't do that," demurred Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Must--orders."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It would worry my mother, she would think something serious was wrong +with me, while I feel as well as I ever did in my life--yes, better, +even," insisted Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you're not to work, boss says--you can loaf, if you like."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's something I don't fancy."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then watch me, and I'll show you some things."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good!" assented Ralph. "If they are bound to have me invalided, at +least let me learn something in the meantime."</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy did not talk much, but after an hour of his company Ralph voted +him a wonder.</p> +<p class="pnext">There must be some vivid history back of the man, Ralph theorized, for +there were sparkles of real genius here and there in his movements and +explanations of the next two hours.</p> +<p class="pnext">He showed Ralph the true merits and economics of the wiper's avocation +in a quick, practical way that proved Ike Slump was a novice and a +bungler.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then the helper took Ralph under his special tuition higher up in the +scale.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was in a real transport of delighted interest as the lame helper +taught him the first principles of preparing, running and controlling a +locomotive.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did something more than control a throttle or move a lever--he +explained why this and that was done, and demonstrated cause and effect +in a clear-cut way that gave Ralph more real, sound information in two +hours than he could have gained from the study of books in as many +months.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman passed in and out of the place several times during the +afternoon, but seemed almost studiously to avoid contact or +conversation with Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">About four o'clock the helper, busy wheeling away the broken bricks +from the hole in the wall, nudged Ralph meaningly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Slump's old man," he said tersely.</p> +<p class="pnext">Glancing towards the office, Ralph saw a coarse-featured, disorderly +looking man conversing with the foreman.</p> +<p class="pnext">The latter was cool, dignified and evidently laying down the law in an +unmistakably clear manner to his visitor, who shrugged his shoulders, +pounded his palms together, and seemed wroth and worked up over the +situation they were discussing.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph knew that Slump senior ran a saloon just beyond the freight +sheds, and was glad to see him go off alone and evidently disgruntled +and fancied he caught an expression on Forgan's face indicating that he +had done his duty and was glad of it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bad lot," commented Limpy, coming back for some more bricks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Foreman?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, Slump. It was two of his poison drinks four years ago that sent +me home one night on the wrong tracks, crippled me for life, lost me my +run, and made a pensioned drudge of me for the rest of my years," +declared the helper bitterly.</p> +<p class="pnext">By five o'clock the débris had been cleared away from the break in the +roundhouse wall, the derailed locomotive backed to place, and things +ready for the masons to repair the damage in the morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was walking away from a cursory inspection of the spot, when a +whistle sounded directly outside. Then a hissing voice echoed:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hey, Slump!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph turned. A man was moving around the edge of the break in the +wall.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm not Slump," announced Ralph. Then he recognized the stranger. It +was the tramp-like individual who had come after Ike Slump's dinner +pail two nights previous.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh!" he now said, drawing back in a suspicious, embarrassed manner. +"Where's Ike?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He has gone home, I suppose," answered Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Didn't--that is, he hasn't left his dinner pail for me, has he?" +floundered the tramp.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, he took it with him. At any rate, his locker is empty."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," muttered the fellow, edging away.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph remembered that heavily-weighted dinner pail of Ike Slump's with +some suspicion. Still, Ike's explanation of furnishing the man with a +daily lunch looked plausible.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on," called Ralph after the receding form.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is it?" inquired the tramp, wheeling about.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll help you out--wait a minute."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph hurried to his locker. Fully half of his noonday lunch had been +left untasted. He bundled up the fragments and returned to the break +in the wall.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here's a bite," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you," growled the tramp gruffly, taking the proffered lunch.</p> +<p class="pnext">A minute later Ralph was summoned to a bench placed under the windows +at the south curve of the building.</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy stood on the bench, looking out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Come here," he directed. "No use!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you mean?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Look."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph, clambering up to the bench, had the retiring tramp in full view.</p> +<p class="pnext">The latter was piece by piece firing the lunch he had given him at +switches and signal posts, as if he had a special spite against it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Didn't come for food, you see?" observed the helper.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What did he come for, then?" demanded Ralph, indignant and wrought up.</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy simply shrugged his shoulders, and went off about his duties.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was not sorry when the six o'clock whistle sounded. He had gone +through an uncommon strain, both mental and physical, during the day, +and was tired and glad to get home.</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy, in his smooth, quiet way, arranged it so that he left the +roundhouse when Ralph did, and as the latter noticed that his companion +kept watching out in all directions, he traced a certain voluntary +guardianship in the man's intentions.</p> +<p class="pnext">But if Limpy feared that Ike Slump or his satellites were lying in +wait, it was not along the special route Ralph took in proceeding +homewards.</p> +<p class="pnext">He reached the little cottage with no unpleasant interruptions. His +mother welcomed him at the gate with a bright smile. Their boy guest +was weeding out a vegetable bed. He immediately came up to Ralph, +extending a beautifully clean full-grown carrot he had selected from +its bed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph took it, patting the giver encouragingly on the shoulder, who +looked satisfied, and Ralph was pleased at this indication that the boy +knew him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How has he been all day?" Ralph inquired of his mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just as you see him now," answered the widow. "He has been busy all +day, willing, happy as a lark. The doctor dropped in this afternoon."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What did he say?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He says there is nothing the matter with the boy excepting the shock. +He fears no violent outbreak, or anything of that kind, and only hopes +that gradually the cloud will leave his mind."</p> +<p class="pnext">"If kindness can help any, he will get sound and well," declared Ralph +chivalrously. "He doesn't talk much?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hardly a word, but he watches, and seems to understand everything."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is that?" asked Ralph, pausing as they passed together through +the side door.</p> +<p class="pnext">The wood shed door was scrawled over with chalk marks Ralph had not +seen there before.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh," explained Mrs. Fairbanks, "he found a piece of chalk, and seemed +to take pleasure in writing every once in a while."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And just one word?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, Ralph--those three letters."</p> +<p class="pnext">"V-A-N," spelled out Ralph. "Mother, that must be his name--Van."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xvi-face-to-face"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id18">CHAPTER XVI--FACE TO FACE</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph Fairbanks' second day of service at the roundhouse passed +pleasantly, and without any incident out of the common.</p> +<p class="pnext">With the disappearance of Ike Slump a new system of order and harmony +seemed to prevail about the place. The foreman's rugged brow was less +frequently furrowed with care or anger over little mishaps, and Ralph +could not help but notice a more subdued tone in his dealings with the +men.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Ralph came home that evening, his mother told him of a visit from +the foreman's daughter-in-law and little Nora. They had brought Mrs. +Fairbanks a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and their praises of Ralph +had made the widow prouder of her son than ever.</p> +<p class="pnext">That morning, Van, as they now called their guest, had insisted on +going with Ralph to his work as far as the next corner, and it was with +difficulty that the young railroader had induced him to return to the +cottage.</p> +<p class="pnext">That evening, Van met him nearly two squares away, and when he reached +the house Ralph expressed some anxiety to his mother over their guest's +wandering proclivities.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't think he would go far away of his own will," said Mrs. +Fairbanks. "You see, Ralph, he counts on your going and coming. This +morning, after you sent him home, I found him on the roof of the house. +He had got up there from the ladder, and was watching you till you were +finally lost to view among the car tracks."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump did not show up the third day. A fireman told Ralph that he +had run away from home, and that his father had been looking for him. +Ike had been seen in the town by several persons, but always at a +distance, and evidently keeping in hiding with some chosen cronies most +of the time.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's no good, and you'll hear from him in a bad way yet," was the +railroader's prediction.</p> +<p class="pnext">When No. 6 came into the roundhouse next morning, the extra who had +taken engineer Griscom's place for two days told Ralph that the old +veteran would be on hand to take out the afternoon west train himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph got Limpy to help him put some fancy touches on the heaviest +runner of the road. At noon he hurried home and back, and brought with +him a bright little bouquet of flowers.</p> +<p class="pnext">No. 6, standing facing the turntable at two o'clock that afternoon, was +about as handsome a piece of metal as ever crossed the rails.</p> +<p class="pnext">Old Griscom came into the roundhouse a few minutes later, his running +traps slung over his arm, reported, and was surrounded by the dog house +crowd.</p> +<p class="pnext">This was his first public appearance since the fire at the yards. He +still looked singed and shaken from his rough experience, but as he saw +Ralph he extended his hand, and gave his young favorite a twist that +almost made Ralph wince.</p> +<p class="pnext">"On deck, eh?" he called cheerily. "Well, I call first choice when you +get ready to fire coal."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a long ways ahead, Mr. Griscom!" laughed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Forgan don't say so. Hi! what you giving me? A brand-new runner?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The veteran engineer gave a start of prodigious animation and real +pleased surprise as his glance fell on No. 6.</p> +<p class="pnext">The headlight shone like a great dazzling brilliant, the brass work +looked like gold. In the engineer's window stood the little bouquet, +and the cab was as neat and clean as a housewife's kitchen.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom swung onto his cushion with a kind of jolly cheer, and the +foreman, catching the echo, waved his welcome and approbation in an +unusually pleasant way from the door of his little office.</p> +<p class="pnext">Big Denny had been a periodical visitor to the roundhouse since the +rescue of little Nora Forgan.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had taken a strong fancy to Ralph, it seemed, and whenever he had a +few minutes to spare would seek out the young wiper, and seemed to take +a rare pleasure in posting him on many a bit of technical experience in +the railroading line.</p> +<p class="pnext">He chatted with Ralph on this last occasion while the latter sat +filling the firemen's cans with oil, and drew him out as to his home +life, his mother and his reason for going to work.</p> +<p class="pnext">"So Farrington holds a mortgage on your home?" said Denny. "I didn't +know that. He's pretty rich, I hear. I remember the time, though, +when people thought your father was his partner in some of his bond +deals."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, mother supposed so, too," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your father put him onto the good thing the railroad was, first of +all. I know that much," declared Denny.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It looks as if my father lost all his holdings just before he died," +said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then Farrington got them, I'll wager that--the sly old fox!" commented +Denny, who was generally strong in his personal convictions.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, some day, when I am in a position to do so, I'm going to have +Mr. Gasper Farrington hauled into court about the matter," observed +Ralph. "If he has anything belonging to my mother and me, we want it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It seems to me you ought to find something among your father's papers +shedding light on the subject?" suggested Denny.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It looks as if my father had had blind confidence in Mr. Farrington," +said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, the old fox has a way of winding himself around his victims," +declared the outspoken watchman. "I remember a fellow he wound up good +and proper, about three years ago."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who was that?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"His name was Farwell Gibson. He got the railroad fever, sold his +farm, came to the Junction, and he and Farrington had some deals. They +had a big row one night, too, and Farrington threw Gibson out of his +house, and some windows were broken. The neighbors heard Gibson accuse +Farrington of robbing him. Next day, though, Farrington swore out a +warrant against Gibson for forgery, and Gibson has never been seen +since. Maybe," concluded Big Denny, "he killed him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, he wouldn't do that!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Gasper Farrington has a heart as hard as flint," said Denny, "and +would do anything for money."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Farwell Gibson," murmured Ralph, memorizing the name.</p> +<p class="pnext">When quitting-time came that evening, Ralph left the roundhouse alone, +Limpy having been sent with a message to the depot.</p> +<p class="pnext">As usual, he saved distance by following the tracks where they curved, +then at a certain point cut through the unfenced back yards of some +small stores fronting the depot street.</p> +<p class="pnext">Beyond this was a prairie. Turning a heap of ties to take a last +straight shoot for home, Ralph found his progress abruptly blocked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thought we'd get you!" announced a familiar voice, and Ike Slump +stepped into view.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xvii-the-battle-by-the-tracks"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id19">CHAPTER XVII--THE BATTLE BY THE TRACKS</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"What do you want?" demanded Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did not at all look as if his hour had come, but he backed to a +commanding position against the pile of ties, as half a dozen hoodlum +companions of Ike Slump followed their leader into sight.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Peel!" said Ike importantly, and he began to roll up his sleeves.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm comfortable," suggested Ralph easily. "By the way, Ike, your +father is looking for you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Never you mind about my affairs," retorted Ike. "It's you I've been +waiting for, it's you I've got, and it's you I'm going to lick."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What for?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What for?" echoed Ike derisively--"hear him, fellows!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ho! hear him!" echoed the motley crew at Ike's heels.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I told you at the roundhouse that I'd pay you off, didn't I?" demanded +Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think I remember."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I'm going to do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here? And now?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Precisely."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You insist that I've done something to be paid off for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. You insulted me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How?"</p> +<p class="pnext">This was a poser. Ike was silent.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tell you, Slump," said Ralph, setting down his dinner pail. "You're +just spoiling to do something mean. I never did you an injury, and I +would like to do you some good, if I could. You're in bad company. +You had better leave it and go home to your father. If you won't take +advice, and are bound to force me to the wall--why, I'll do my share."</p> +<p class="pnext">At Ralph's allusion to the company Ike kept, two of the biggest of his +cohorts sprang forward.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your turn later," said Ike. "This is my personal affair just now."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will force things?" questioned Ralph calmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What! Do you mean will I let you off? Nixy! No baby act, Fairbanks! +Peel, and put up your fists."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," said Ralph. "I think I can manage you with my coat on."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was not a particle in doubt as to the ultimate result of the +"scrap." He had gone through a half-vacation course of splendid +athletic training, and his muscles were as hard as iron. Not so +cigarette-smoking, loose-jointed Ike Slump.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That for that sand trick!" announced Ike. "And that's for dodging +that waste ball."</p> +<p class="pnext">So sure was Ike of landing on Ralph's nose with one fist, that he +supplemented his first announcement with the second one as his other +fist circled to take Ralph on the side of the head.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not dodge. He inwardly laughed at Ike's clumsy tactics. +With one hand he warded off both blows, drew back his free fist, and +let it drive.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ugh!" said Ike Slump.</p> +<p class="pnext">As Ralph's knotty knuckles took him under the chin, there was a snap, a +whirl, and Ike Slump keeled clear off his balance and sat down on the +ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was done so quickly and so neatly that Ike's cohorts were too +astonished to move.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get up--go for him!" directed the biggest boy in the gang.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't!" bellowed Ike, spitting out a tooth--"he's cracked my jaw. +He had a spike in his hand!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Foul, eh!" scowled the big fellow, hunching towards Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">The young railroader with a contemptuous smile extended both free +palms. He shut them quickly together again, however, for he saw that +Slump's crowd did not know the meaning of either honor or fairness.</p> +<p class="pnext">So determined and ready did he look that the big fellow hesitated. +Ralph heard him give some directions to his companions, and the crowd +moved forward in unison.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A rush, eh?" he said. "You're a fine bunch! but--come on."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's spirit was now fully aroused. He had no ambition to shine as a +pugilist, but he would always fight for his rights.</p> +<p class="pnext">The big fellow dashed at him, calling to his companions. Ralph shot +out his right fist as quick as lightning. The blow went home, and the +big bully blinked, spluttered, and reeled aside with his nose flattened.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two of his companions sprang at Ralph, one on each side. Ralph caught +one by the throat, the other by the waistband. They were hitting away +at him, but he knew how to dodge. To and fro they wrestled, Ralph +knocking them together whenever he could, never letting go, and using +them as a shield against the big fellow, who, as mad as a hornet and +with a reckless look in his eye, had resumed the attack.</p> +<p class="pnext">Suddenly the latter managed to dodge behind Ralph, put out his foot, +tripped him, and the trio fell to the ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph held on to his first assailants, struggling to a sitting position.</p> +<p class="pnext">At that moment the big bully ran upon him. The cowardly brute raised +his foot to kick Ralph. The latter saw he was at the rascal's mercy. +He let go the two squirming at his side, shot out a hand, and catching +the uplifted foot brought its owner pell-mell down upon him.</p> +<p class="pnext">The bully struck his head in falling, and was momentarily dizzied. +Ralph flopped clear over, sat upon him, and was kept busy warding off +the blows of the two fellows he had released.</p> +<p class="pnext">There were six others in the gang. These now made an onrush. Ralph +tried to calculate his chances and map out the best course to pursue.</p> +<p class="pnext">Just then a new element was injected into the scene.</p> +<p class="pnext">Around the corner of the pile of ties came a new figure with cyclonic +precipitancy.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was Van, the guest of the cottage. He must have witnessed the scene +from a distance. He swung to a halt, his face imperturbable as ever, +but his eyes covering every object in the ensemble.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fight," he said simply, and swinging both arms like battering arms +sailed into the nearest adversary.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't strike him!" called out Ralph instantly--"he's wrong in his +head!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We'll right it for him!" announced one of the crowd.</p> +<p class="pnext">The speaker swung a bag as he spoke. It seemed to contain something +bulky, for as it just missed Van's head and bounded on the shoulders of +one of the user's own friends, the latter went down like a lump of lead.</p> +<p class="pnext">Van never stopped. In a kind of windmill progress he struck out, +sideways, in all directions. In two minutes' time he had cleared the +field, every combatant was in flight, and leaning over and seizing the +big bully squirming under Ralph, he weighted him on a dead balance for +a second, and then sent him sliding ten feet along the ground after his +beaten fellows.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph released the other two and let them run for safety, actually +afraid that his friend Van would do them some serious injury with that +phenomenal ox-like strength stored up in his sturdy arms.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Van was as cool as an iceberg. He was not even out of breath.</p> +<p class="pnext">"More," he said</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, no, Van!" demurred Ralph. "You've done nobly, old fellow. Let +them go, they've had their medicine. Carry this for me," and Ralph +thrust his dinner pail into Van's hand, more to divert his attention +than anything else. "They've left something behind, it seems."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph picked up the bag he had seen used as a missile. Its weight +aroused his curiosity, he peered into the bag.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I see!" he murmured gravely to himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the bottom of the bag was about thirty pounds of brass fittings. +Ralph had seen bin after bin of their counterparts in the supply sheds +near the roundhouse, and never in any quantity anywhere else.</p> +<p class="pnext">These, like those, were stamped, and bore the impress that they were +railroad property.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can come with me, Van," said Ralph, and turned back in the +direction of the roundhouse.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman was just leaving the office, Ralph dropped the bag inside +the room.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's that, Fairbanks?" inquired Forgan, as he heard the stuff jangle.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's some brass fittings," explained Ralph. "I am sure they belong to +the company. I found them in the hands of a gang of hoodlums, and of +course they were stolen."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh? hold on--this interests me!" and Forgan proceeded to inspect the +contents of the bag "That's bad!" he commented with knit brows. "A +leak like that shows something rotten on the inside! Tell me more +about this affair, Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph fancied he now understood the mission of the tramp who was in +such close touch with Ike Slump, and also the reason why Slump's dinner +pail was so heavy.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did not, however, impart his suspicions to the foreman. The latter +muttered something about the thing being important, and that he must +look into it deeper, as Ralph stated that he had been assaulted by a +gang of hoodlums who had left the bag of fittings behind them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are they?" questioned the foreman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't know their names."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was Ike Slump among them?" shrewdly interrogated Forgan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't care to say," answered Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You needn't, I can guess the rest. Only don't forget what you do know +if somebody higher up asks about this matter. I'm responsible here, +and a leak in the supply department has dished more than one foreman. +Thank you, Fairbanks--thank you again," added the foreman with real +sentiment in glance and accents.</p> +<p class="pnext">About ten o'clock the next morning Ralph was called to the foreman's +office.</p> +<p class="pnext">He expected some further developments in the matter of the brass +fittings, but, upon entering the room, found himself face to face with +Ike Slump's father.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman was, or pretended to be, busy at his desk. Slump senior +looked very much troubled. Ralph shrank from his repulsive face and a +memory of his nefarious calling, but he nodded politely as Slump asked:</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is young Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The saloon keeper fidgeted for a minute or two. Then he said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't suppose you bear any particular good will towards me or mine, +Fairbanks, but I've had to come to you. My boy assaulted you last +night, I understand."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, no," answered Ralph, with a slight smile--"he only tried to."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, it's just this: He's in trouble, and he's likely to go deeper +unless he's stopped. He keeps out of my way. His mother is +heart-broken and sick abed over his doings."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am very sorry," said Ralph. "Can I do anything to help you, Mr. +Slump?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think you can," answered Slump. "You know Ike and his associates, +and maybe you can get track of their hang-out. I can't. Fairbanks," +and the man's voice broke, "it's killing my wife! It's a lot to ask of +you, under the circumstances, but Forgan says you seem to have a knack +of doing everything right. I want you to find my boy--I want you to +try to prevail on him to come home. Will you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was a good deal moved as he thought of the stricken mother. He +had small hopes of Ike Slump--smaller than ever, as he considered the +manner of man his father was, but he answered promptly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll try, Mr. Slump."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xviii-a-name-to-conjure-by"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id20">CHAPTER XVIII--A NAME TO CONJURE BY?</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Big Denny came to where Ralph was putting the finishing touches to one +of the fast runners of the road about ten o'clock one morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">Nobody in the world enjoyed talk and gossip like the veteran watchman, +as Ralph well knew, and it really pleased him to have his company, for +among the driftwood of all his desultory confidences Denny usually +produced some point interesting or enlightening.</p> +<p class="pnext">On this especial occasion there was a zest to the old watchman's +greeting of the young railroader that indicated he had something of +more than ordinary interest to impart.</p> +<p class="pnext">"By the way, Fairbanks," he observed, "I saw that rich old hunks, +Farrington, this morning. He was down here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"At the roundhouse, you mean?" inquired Ralph, with some interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, not exactly. He was over by the switch towers, met Forgan, and +had quite a talk with him. Thought I'd post you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, what about?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll be after you, next."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not until the first of next month, when the interest is due, I fancy," +said Ralph. "I do not think Mr. Farrington has any interest in us +outside of his semi-annual interest."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll be nosing around, see if he isn't!" predicted Denny oracularly. +"I've got a tip to give you, Fairbanks. I got the point yesterday. +There's some talk of running a switch over to Bloomdale. If they do, +they'll have to condemn a right of way, along where you live. Word to +the wise, eh? nuff said!" and Denny departed, with a significant wink.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph wondered if there was any real basis to Denny's intimation. He +fancied it was only one of the rumors constantly floating around about +prospective railroad improvements.</p> +<p class="pnext">That evening, however, Ralph received a suggestion that put him on his +guard, if nothing more.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had gone down town to get some nails for Van, who was building a new +chicken coop, when he met Grif Farrington.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just looking for you," declared Grif. "I say, Fairbanks, the old man +is anxious to see you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your uncle wants to see me?" repeated Ralph incredulously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Right away. Asked me to find you and tell you. Business, he says, +and important. You couldn't run up to the house now, could you?" he +added.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph hesitated--he was suspicious of old Gasper Farrington, and he had +no business with him, for it was his mother's province to attend to +anything concerning their money dealings, and he did not feel warranted +in interfering.</p> +<p class="pnext">On second thought, however, Ralph decided that they could not know too +much of the plots and intentions of Farrington, and he told Grif he +would go up to the house at once.</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington lived in a fine old mansion, from parsimony, however, +allowed to go to decay, so that all that was really attractive about +the place were the grounds.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph found the magnate seated on the porch. He knew that something +was up as Farrington arose with a great show of welcome, made him sit +down in the easiest chair, and treated him as if he were the dearest +friend the old man had in the world.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You sent for me, Mr. Farrington?" Ralph observed, between some +flattering but meaningless remarks of his wily host.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, yes--yes," assented Farrington.</p> +<p class="pnext">"On business, your nephew told me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"H'm--hardly that. I'll tell you, Fairbanks, I have been greatly +interested and pleased to notice the manly course you have taken."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you, Mr. Farrington."</p> +<p class="pnext">"In fact, I have taken pains to inquire of your direct employers as to +your capability and record, and am gratified to find them +good--exceptionally good."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph wondered what was coming next.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your father was my friend--I want to be yours. I am not without a +certain interest and influence in the matter of the railroad, as you +may know, and I have decided to exert myself in your behalf."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are very kind," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not at all. I recognize merit, and I--u'm! I feel a decided duty in +the premises. The auditor of the road at Springfield holds his office +through my recommendation. I was talking with him yesterday, and I +have a proposition to make you. I will give you five hundred dollars +more than the market price for your house and lot, rent you a place I +own at Springfield for a mere nominal turn, and guarantee you a good +office position in the auditor's department there at forty dollars a +month to start in with."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph opened his eyes wide. It was certainly a tempting bait. Had any +person but crafty old Gasper Farrington made the tender, he might have +jumped at it.</p> +<p class="pnext">Instantly, however, he remembered what Denny had said about the new +line, recalled the fact that Farrington had never been known to make a +bad bargain, compared confining labor over a desk in a hot, stifling +room with the free, glad dash of mail and express, the bracing air, the +constant change of real railroad life, reflected that once away from +Stanley Junction he and his mother would never be likely to learn more +of Farrington's past doings with his dead father, and--Ralph decided.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington," he said, "in regard to the cottage, that is my +mother's sole business, and I do not think she could be induced to sell +you a place that has been a very dear home to her. As to myself--I +thank you for your kind intentions, but at present I have no desire to +change my work."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not--why not?" cried Farrington. He had been unctuous, smirking +and eager. Now his brow darkened, and his thin lips came together in a +sour, vicious way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I have marked out a certain thorough course after much thought +and advice, and do not like to depart from it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington got up and paced the porch restlessly. The old +rancor and dislike came back to his thin, shrewd face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll regret it!" he mumbled.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope not," said Ralph, rising also.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Young man," observed Farrington, stabbing at his guest with a +quivering finger, "I warn you that you are taking an obstinate and +fatal course."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Warn?" echoed Ralph--"that is pretty strong language, isn't it, Mr. +Farrington?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"And I mean it to be so!" cried Farrington, casting aside all disguise. +"I said I had influence. I have. You can't work for the Great +Northern in Stanley Junction, if I say not."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph stared at the speaker incredulously. He could not comprehend how +Farrington could show the bad policy to put himself on record with such +a remark, be his intentions what they might.</p> +<p class="pnext">"In fact, sir," said Ralph, "you mean to intimate that you will get me +discharged?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I mean just that," unblushingly admitted Farrington. "I will allow no +pauper brood to stand in the way of my--of my----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt the blood surge hotly to his temples. With a strong effort +he controlled himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington," he said quietly, though his voice trembled a trifle, +"you have said quite enough. I want to tell you that you are a wicked, +hypocritical old man. You have no interest in my welfare--you are +after our little property, because you have learned that the railroad +may soon pay a big price for it. You want us out of Stanley Junction, +because you are afraid we may find out something about your dealings +with my dead father. To carry your point, you threaten me--me, a poor +boy, just starting in to win his way by hard work--you threaten to plot +against and ruin me. Very well, Mr. Farrington, go ahead. I have too +much reliance in the teachings of a good mother to believe that you +will succeed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What! what!" shouted the magnate, almost choking with rage and +mortification at this unvarnished arraignment, "you dare to tell me +this? In my own house!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You invited me here," suggested Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Get out--get out!" cried Farrington, running to the door for his cane.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will fail," spoke Ralph, going down the steps. "You won't gag me +as you have others. As you did----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Like an inspiration a suggestion came to Ralph Fairbanks' mind at that +moment.</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed as if he had right before his eyes once more the mysterious, +blurred letter that Van had brought. He recalled one of its last +words. He had mistaken it for "Farewell." Now the light flashed in +upon his soul. "Farwell" was the name Big Denny had spoken--"Farwell +Gibson."</p> +<p class="pnext">"As you did Farwell Gibson," concluded Ralph, at a venture.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who? Come back! Stay, Fairbanks, one word!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The old man's face had grown white. His eyes seemed suddenly haunted +with dread.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That name!" he gasped, clutching at a chair for support. "What do you +know of Farwell Gibson?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only," answered Ralph, "that he wrote to my father last week."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He--wrote--" choked out Farrington, "last week--to your +father--Farwell Gibson!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The information was the capping climax. The old man uttered a groan, +fell over, carrying the chair he grasped with him, and lay on the porch +floor in a fit.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xix-ike-slump-s-friends"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id21">CHAPTER XIX--IKE SLUMP'S FRIENDS</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">When Ralph reached home after his exciting half-hour with Gasper +Farrington, he was considerably wrought up.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had called for assistance at the Farrington home as soon as its +owner went down in a fit, a servant had hurried to the porch, between +them they got Farrington into the house and on a couch, a physician was +telephoned for, and as soon as he saw returning signs of consciousness +on the part of his host and discerned that his condition was not really +serious, Ralph left the place.</p> +<p class="pnext">Van had gone to bed, and Ralph found his mother alone. They sat in the +little parlor, conversing. Mrs. Fairbanks was very much perturbed at +Ralph's recital of his sensational encounter with Gasper Farrington.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fear he is an evil man, Ralph," she said, with anxiety. "He has +power, and he will not hesitate to misuse it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"He seems to be determined to drive us out of Stanley Junction," said +Ralph. "And I fear he may succeed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not while I have you to care for and your interests to protect!" +declared Ralph, with vim. "That old man has aroused the fighting blood +in me, mother, and I'll see this thing through, and stay right on the +spot, if I have to peddle papers for a living. But don't you worry +about his getting me discharged. I have made some friends in the +railroad business, and I believe they will stick by me."</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks sighed in a worried way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wish you had not run counter to him to-night," she said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am glad," responded Ralph. "Don't you see he has shown his hand? +Why, mother, can anything be plainer than that he realizes our presence +here to be a constant menace to some of his interests? And as to that +random shot about Farwell Gibson--it told. He is afraid of us and this +Gibson. Well, it has all cleared the way to definite action."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you mean, Ralph?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I mean that the letter Van brought us must have been very important. +I believe this man, Gibson, is alive, but in hiding. He shows it by +the roundabout, laborious way he took to send the letter, and his +ignorance of father's death. I believe that letter hinted at his +knowledge of wrongs Farrington has done us. If we can find this +person, I feel positive he can impart information of vital value to our +interests."</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks acquiesced in her son's theories, but was timorous about +further antagonizing their enemy. It was mostly for Ralph and his +prospects that she cared.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have been thinking the whole matter over, mother," proceeded Ralph, +"and I believe I see my course plain before me. As soon as I can, I am +going to ask the foreman to give me a couple of days' leave of absence. +Then I will get Mr. Griscom to take Van and me on his run, and return. +Van came in on his morning run, so I conjecture he must have got on the +train somewhere between Stanley Junction and the terminal. Is it not +possible, going back over the course, that he may show recognition of +some spot with which he is familiar?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, Ralph, that looks reasonable."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Once we know where he came from, and find his friends, we can trace up +this Mr. Gibson. Don't you see, mother?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks did see, and commended Ralph's clear, ready wit in +formulating the plan suggested. She did not show much enthusiasm, +however. She was more than content with the present--a comfortable +home, a manly, ambitious boy at her side, full of devotion to her, and +making his way steadily to the front.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was called into the foreman's office almost as soon as he reached +the roundhouse next morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">Forgan looked serious and acted anxious.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sit down, Fairbanks," he directed, closing the door after his visitor. +"We're in trouble here, and I guess you will have to lift us out of it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can I, Mr. Forgan?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can help, that's sure. Those brass fittings you found were stolen +from the railroad company."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thought that. They had the Great Northern stamp on them."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That isn't the worst of it. Some one has been systematically rifling +the supply bins. I suppose you know that some of these pinions and +valves are very nearly worth their weight in silver?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know they must cost considerable, those of a special pattern," +assented Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They do. That little heap you brought in the bag represents something +over fifty dollars to the company."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was surprised at this declaration.</p> +<p class="pnext">"To an outsider they are not worth one-tenth that amount, because there +is a penalty for selling them, even as junk, and the only people who +handle them are stolen-goods receivers, who melt them down. Well, +Fairbanks, I started an investigation in the supply department last +evening. The result is astonishing."</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman's grave manner indicated that he had some pretty +sensational disclosures in reserve.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We find," continued Forgan, "that there has been cunning, systematic +thievery; some one entirely familiar with the supply sheds and their +system has removed a large amount of plunder, probably a little at a +time. They, or he, whoever it is, did not excite suspicions by taking +the fittings from the bins, but tapped the reserve boxes and kegs in +the storeroom. We estimate that nearly two thousand dollars' worth of +stuff has been stolen."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was astonished at this statement.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That means trouble for me," announced the foreman, "unless I can +remedy it. I am supposed to employ reliable men, and safeguard the +goods in their charge. The railroad company doesn't stop to find +excuses for shortages, they simply discharge a man who is not smart +enough to protect his own and the company's interests."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I understand," murmured Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A new inventory is due next month. I must recover that stolen +plunder--at least discover the thieves--to square myself before then," +announced Forgan. "We can't afford to dodge any corners, Fairbanks, +and I want you to be clear and open with me. I believe that young +rascal, Ike Slump, had a hand in the robbery, and I further believe +that you know it to be a fact."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do not positively know it, Mr. Forgan," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But you suspect it, eh? Don't shield a rogue, Fairbanks. It isn't +fair to me and it isn't fair to the company. Ike's father told me this +morning you promised to try and find his son for him. I think you are +shrewd enough to do it. All right--at the same time keep in mind my +interest in the affair, and try and get a clew from Ike Slump as to +those stolen fittings. You can call the day off--I'll pay your time +out of my own pocket."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph understood what was expected of him. He received the suggestions +of his superior without further questioning, as if they comprised a +regular order, went to his locker, and in a few minutes was ready for +the street.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did not know where to find Ike Slump, but he was thoroughly +acquainted with the town, which had its rough quarters, like all other +railroad centers.</p> +<p class="pnext">Extending from the depot along the tracks for half a mile were small +hotels, workingmen's boarding houses, second-hand stores, restaurants +saloons, and all kinds of little business places.</p> +<p class="pnext">They comprised a nest where most of the drinking and all of the crime +of the place occurred. It was not a desirable quarter, but Ralph +realized that within its precincts he was likely to locate Ike Slump, +if at all in Stanley Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph put in an hour strolling in the vicinity. He kept a keen eye out +for those of Ike's chosen chums whom he knew. He did not believe that +Ike was likely to show himself much in the day-time. His father had +been unable to find him, and Ike probably had some safe hide-out, and +pickets on the lookout, besides.</p> +<p class="pnext">About eleven o'clock, coming down the tracks near the scene of the +battle royal, Ralph discovered half a dozen boys in the rear yard of a +blacksmith shop.</p> +<p class="pnext">Various vehicles, sheds and general yard litter enabled Ralph to +approach them unobserved. He fancied that at least two of the crowd +had been mixed up in the fracas which Van's valiant onslaught had +terminated, for one had a swollen nose and another a black eye.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph suddenly appeared before the crowd, engrossed in their game. +They rose up, startled. Then he was apparently recognized, for a quick +murmur went the rounds, and they quickly hunched together with lowering +brows and suspicious looks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I want to have a word with you fellows," said Ralph bluntly.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were six to one, and here was a golden opportunity to avenge the +ignominious defeat they had sustained. Ralph's off-hand bearing, +however, his clear eye and manly tones, impressed them, and perhaps, +too, they had a wholesome fear that his giant-fisted champion, Van, +might be lurking in the vicinity.</p> +<p class="pnext">No one spoke, and Ralph resumed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here, boys, this is business. I want to find Ike Slump, and it's +for his own good. He's likely to get into trouble if he doesn't see +his father very soon, and it will be the police, not me, next visit. +His mother's sick, boys, sick abed, and heart-broken over his absence. +Come, fellows, tell me where he is."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're pretty fresh!" spoke out one of the crowd. "What are you +after? a bluff, or a give-away?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you mean I am misrepresenting Ike's danger, or that I have any +unfriendly feeling towards him," said Ralph, "you are entirely wrong. +I'm trying to help him, for the sake of his poor mother and others--not +hurt him."</p> +<p class="pnext">Two or three heads went close together. There was a brief undertoned +conference.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We don't bite," finally announced the spokesman of the crowd. "We'll +take your message to Ike. If he wants to find you, he knows how."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Ralph, moving away--"only he may wait too long. I'll +give you a quarter to put me in touch with him for two minutes."</p> +<p class="pnext">No one responded to the offer. A little dirty-faced urchin, who looked +unhappy and out of place with that motley crew, looked longingly at +Ralph. No one called him back as he moved slowly away.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph left the place, and had gone about two hundred yards down the +track along a high fence, when he heard a thin, piping voice call out:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on, mister, back up--I want to tell you something!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xx-the-hide-out"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id22">CHAPTER XX--THE HIDE-OUT</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"Where are you?" Ralph inquired, somewhat mystified.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here I am--the wiggling stick. I'm behind it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh! I see!" said Ralph--"and who are you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Me? Oh, nobody in particular."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph now discovered that his challenger was on the other side of the +close board fence, and through a crack was moving a thin splinter of +wood up and down to indicate his exact location. Ralph came up to the +spot.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you want?" he inquired.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That quarter, mister--you know, back there with the gang, I heard you. +Well, here I am. Pass through the coin, will you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph got a dim focus through the crack, and surmised that the speaker +was the dirty-faced little fellow who had looked at him so longingly +when he offered the money.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You know where Ike Slump is?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, I don't, mister."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I can put you on."</p> +<p class="pnext">"On to what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where he goes every night--where you're sure to find him after dark."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, tell me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here, mister," piped the little fellow in an uncertain voice. +"The gang 'd kill me if they knew I was giving 'em away, but I'm just +about starving. Because I'm little they make me do all kinds of work, +and when there's anything to eat they forget I'm around. They stole +some melons out of the cars last night. All I got was the rind."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are you, anyway?" asked Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I'm nobody. I was at the county farm, but run away and got in +with these fellows. Wish I was back! I'd go, only they'd punish me +and lock me up. You give me the quarter, and I'll meet you later and +show you where Ike Slump hangs out nights."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll keep your promise?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Honor bright!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where will you be?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Right here, only outside the fence."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What time?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just at dark."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll do it," said Ralph, slipping a twenty-five-cent piece through the +crack in the fence. "Remember, now. I trust you, and I'll give you as +much more to-night if you don't play me any tricks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Crackey! that's fine; only you keep mum on my showing you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I certainly will," assured Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did not feel certain that he had accomplished much. It all depended +on the reliability of the urchin. Ralph went back to the roundhouse +and told the foreman he could do nothing further toward locating Ike +Slump until nightfall, and put in the afternoon at his regular duties, +although Forgan told him he need not do so.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went home at quitting-time, got his supper, explained to his +mother that he had something to attend to for the foreman, and not to +worry if he was not back early.</p> +<p class="pnext">He reached the rendezvous agreed on at dusk, and after a few minutes' +waiting saw the little fellow of the morning coming down the tracks.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm here," announced the new arrival.</p> +<p class="pnext">"So am I, as you see," answered Ralph. "How did you get on +to-day--let's see, what is your name?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Teddy."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right, Teddy. Did you get something to eat?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a great deal. The fellow saw me buying some grub. I told 'em I +found a quarter, and they made me play craps with the change--twenty +cents."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course you lost."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, sure--knew that before I began. They always win, them fellows. +Say, mister, please, I'll go ahead alone, because if any of them should +happen to see me with you it would be all-day for Teddy!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Go ahead," directed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">The boy went down the tracks. At the end of the fence he turned into a +yard with a barn at the back. The building in front was a dilapidated +two-story frame structure. The windows at the rear were fastened up, +but the one doorway visible was open, and led into a dark hallway.</p> +<p class="pnext">Teddy had paused near a wagon, and looked anxious to get away.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the place," he said. "You go in that door and up some stairs. +There's a big room in front where the crowd meet nights, and play +cards, and drink and smoke. Ike Slump spends all his evenings here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Ralph. "There's another quarter. See here, Teddy, +if you'll come down to the roundhouse to-morrow, I'll give you a good +dinner. I want to have a talk with you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I'll see," said the urchin, palming the coin with a chuckle and +disappearing at once.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked the place over. Finally, from his knowledge of the street +beyond, he located it properly in his mind. The building, was in the +middle of what was known as Rotten Row. It was a double store front, +one half of which was occupied by a cheap barber shop. The other half, +Ralph remembered, was a second-hand clothing store run by a man named +Cohen, who also did something in the pawnbroker line.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had often noticed the dilapidated place, and knew that its +denizens had a shady reputation. He realized that Cohen was just about +the man to encourage boys to hang around and steal, and doubtless +controlled the rooms upstairs.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph entered the dark rear hallway after some deliberation. When he +reached the top of the stairs he paused and listened.</p> +<p class="pnext">Under the crack of the door some gleams of light showed. The front +room of the upper story lay beyond, Ralph theorized. He could catch a +low hum of voices, the click of dominoes, and there was a tobacco taint +in the atmosphere. He ran his hand over the door, but it had no knob. +the keyhole was plugged up, and he could not see into the room.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph judged from the appearance of things that Ike Slump came to the +place by the front way, so there was no use waiting for him at the rear +stairs. He reasoned, too, that if he went around to the front he would +be seen by some of Ike's cohorts, and the latter would be warned and +kept out of the way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wish I could get a chance into that front room," mused Ralph. "Once +I come in range of Ike, I think I can at least say enough to get him to +listen to me."</p> +<p class="pnext">There was one other room on the second floor and one other door. Ralph +found a knob here. But the door was locked. It had, unlike the other +door, a transom. The sash of this was gone, and the space stopped up +with a loose sheet of manilla paper.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph lightly lifted himself to the knob on one foot. He pushed at the +paper, and it moved out free except at two corners where it was tacked. +It was no trick at all for Ralph to lift himself through the transom +and drop to the floor on the other side.</p> +<p class="pnext">With some satisfaction he noticed that this room connected with the +front apartment, the light coming in over its transom reflecting into +the rear room so that he could make out its contents plainly.</p> +<p class="pnext">At one side stood a big hogshead nearly full of loose excelsior, used +for packing. Near it were as many as twenty flat boxes. Ralph touched +one with his foot. He could not budge it, and then, drawing closer, he +looked into a box with its cover off, and saw that it was nearly full +of brass fittings.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They're here, there's a lot of them," breathed Ralph quickly, "packed +up for shipment. This is a find! What had I better do?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The discovery modified all Ralph's prearranged plans. He knew quite +well that if found in this room his presence would show a <em class="italics">prima facie</em> +evidence that he knew the storage place of the stolen plunder. Ralph +decided to get out as quickly as he had got in, and try to come upon +Ike from some other point of the compass, without giving the alarm to +Cohen, or whoever really controlled the stolen goods.</p> +<p class="pnext">Before he could make a move, however, a key grated in the lock of the +connecting room. The knob was broken off on the inside of the door +over which he had just clambered. To reach the transom and get +sufficient purchase to let himself over through the aperture he would +have to have a box or chair to stand on.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was no time to select either. The door leading to the front room +came briskly open. Ralph looked for a hiding place. None presented, +for the boxes lay flat on the floor, and the hogshead was away from the +side wall.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph thought quick and acted on an impulse. He thrust his arm down +into the hogshead. Its light contents gave way to the touch.</p> +<p class="pnext">Leaping its rim, Ralph sank as in a snowbank, ducked down his head, +pulled the stringy wooden fiber over it, and snuggled inside the +hogshead, out of view.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxi-a-free-ride"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id23">CHAPTER XXI--A FREE RIDE</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The hogshead in which Ralph had ensconced himself was made of loose, +defective staves. He found himself facing an aperture, through which +he could look quite readily.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two persons entered the room. One was Ike Slump. The other Ralph +recognized as the second-hand dealer, Cohen. The latter carried a +lamp, which he placed on a shelf. He closed the door after him, and +sat down on a box. Ralph's range of vision was immediately impeded. +Ike had lifted himself to the edge of the hogshead and perched there, +his feet dangling and beating a tattoo on the staves with his heels.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then, Slump," were Cohen's first words, "you're bound to leave?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Haven't I got to?" demanded Ike testily. "I'm in a nice box, I +am--lost my job, don't dare to go home, and no money."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I gave you some."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A measly ten dollars in a week, not a fiftieth part of what I brought +in. See here, Cohen, you haven't given me a fair deal. I've taken all +the risk, and what have I got?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The risk? the risk?" repeated Cohen. "My young friend, it's me who +takes all the risk. Suppose the railroad men should drop in here and +find the stuff? Where would I be? As to money, will anybody else you +know touch the stuff?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I've got to get some funds, I'm going to slope the town for +good," announced Ike. "Now, there'll be no slip up if I carry out your +plans?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a bit of it," answered Cohen. "I have no facilities here for +handling railroad junk. Jacobs, at Dover, has. I don't dare to ship +it by rail. He has his own melters. I furnish the horse and wagon. +We'll load you up, and cover the boxes with vegetables. All you've got +to do is to drive out of town and deliver the goods at Dover. You say +your friend, the tramp, will go with you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, but what about the team? I won't come back, you know. I'm going +West for a spell."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Jacobs will attend to the team. See, here is a letter--give it to +him. He'll give you the twenty-five dollars I promised you, and that's +the end of it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right. What time shall we start?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"When the town is asleep, and nobody nosing around. Say one o'clock, +sharp."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll be ready."</p> +<p class="pnext">The conference seemed ended. Ralph comprehended that his double +mission would be ineffective unless he got word to Ike Slump's father +and the roundhouse foreman within the next four hours.</p> +<p class="pnext">He lay snug and still, formulating an escape from the place as soon as +the two plotters should withdraw.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike slipped to the floor, took out a cigarette, lit it, threw the match +away, and stretched his arms and yawned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give me a little loose change to play with the crowd, Cohen, will +you?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">Cohen reached in his pocket, but very quickly drew out his hand again +empty, to point it excitedly at the hogshead with the sharp cry.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fire! look there! You stupid, see what you've done!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What have I done? Ginger--the cigarette!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph quivered as he listened and looked. A swishing sound accompanied +a brilliant flare. Ike had carelessly thrown the match with which he +had lighted his cigarette into the midst of the dry, tindery excelsior.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Put it out! Stamp it out!" yelled Cohen.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike grabbed a handful or two of the flaming mass, burned his fingers, +and retreated, while Cohen made a frightened rush for a stand in one +corner of the room holding a big pitcher.</p> +<p class="pnext">He ran at the hogshead with it. It was half-full of water. Cohen +doused it into the hogshead just as Ralph, unable to stand the pressure +any longer, arose upright.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike gave a stare and a shout. Cohen jumped back with alarm in his +face. The water had extinguished the blaze, but the episode had +betrayed Ralph's presence to his enemy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are you?" ejaculated Cohen darkly, grasping, the pitcher and again +advancing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Needn't ask him--I know!" snapped out Ike. "Grab him, Cohen! It's +Ralph Fairbanks, from the roundhouse, and he's a spy!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph leaned a hand on the hogshead rim to get purchase for a leap out +of his difficulties. Ike made a spring for him and grabbed one arm, +preventing the movement.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If he's a railroader and a spy," cried Cohen, "we're in for it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't let him go, then--oh!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike went spinning, for Ralph had given him a quick blow, knocking him +aside. Cohen swung the pitcher aloft. Down it came with terrific +force. Ralph experienced a blow on the side of the head that instantly +shut out sense and sight. He fell over the edge of the hogshead, and +hung there limp and lifeless.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was the first blank in his life. Its duration Ralph could only +surmise as he opened his eyes. At first he fancied he was blind, for +everything was pitchy black about him. He sat up with difficulty, +putting a hand to his head where it felt sore and smarted.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph found a bad cut there, which had bled profusely. The blow with +the pitcher had been cruelly heavy. He sat up, swaying to and fro, and +soon traced out his environment.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was in a freight car, its doors and windows were closed, and it was +rolling along at a good fast rate of speed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph reasoned out his situation. His enemies had fancied he was +seriously hurt, or wanted him out of the way until they could safely +remove the stolen plunder. His hopes and plans were effectually balked +if he had been long insensible, or was far on the free trip, for which +they had booked him. They had carried him from Cohen's rooms by way of +the back stairs, had thrown him into the empty car, and had left him to +his fate.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph tried the side door of the car. To his satisfaction it shoved +open freely. Getting his eyes used to the darkness and his mind +clearer, as the moments sped by, he endeavored to guess his location +and estimate the time.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was partly familiar with the road, and knew considerable as to the +various passenger and freight trains and their schedule and route. +Ralph concluded that he was on the regular nine o'clock freight, which +usually hauled empties, going south. Judging from distant lights in +houses scattered on the landscape, he estimated that it was about ten +o'clock.</p> +<p class="pnext">He soon surmised from landmarks he passed that the train was not on the +main line. As he neared a cattle pen he knew exactly where he was--two +miles from Acton and about twenty-two from Stanley Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They don't stop for ten miles," quickly reckoned Ralph. "There's the +creek. I've got to get to Acton and back to the Junction before +midnight, if I hope to accomplish anything."</p> +<p class="pnext">The train slowed somewhat on the up grade. Ralph clung to the door and +looked ahead. It was a long train, and he was at about its middle. He +had an idea of trying to get to the roof, run back to the caboose, and +try and interest the conductor. On second thought, however, he +realized that he could not expect them to stop for him. He would only +lose time. A daring idea presented itself to his mind, and his breath +came quick. An opportunity hovered, and he had too much reliance in +himself to let it pass by.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've got to get back and stop the removal of that stolen plunder," he +kept telling himself over and over, fixing his eyes on the signals that +indicated the bridge over the creek.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph posed for a spring as the locomotive struck the bridge and the +gleaming waters came nearer and nearer. The bridge had no railing, and +they were on the outer side; Ralph posed himself steady and true, let +go the door, and leaped into the darkness as the car he was in reached +the middle of the bridge.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then he dropped down like a shot, struck the cold, deep water, and went +under.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxii-behind-time"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id24">CHAPTER XXII--BEHIND TIME</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The boy was completely at home in the water, but the present instance +was somewhat extraordinary. The shock and chill of his daring jump, +added to his naturally weakened condition after Cohen's stunning blow +with the pitcher, helped to confuse him. But he never lost his +presence of mind, and as he felt himself deprived of his usual +buoyancy, he struck out under water for the shore.</p> +<p class="pnext">He waited on the bank long enough for the water to drip off from him, +and getting his breath, started to regain the railroad tracks.</p> +<p class="pnext">When he came to a little station he found it closed for the night, but +he knew that the agent must live in some one of the few houses in the +settlement. He might locate him and induce him to come to the station +and telegraph to Stanley Junction. With the aid of a signal lantern, +however, Ralph was able to see the clock in the station. It was a few +minutes after ten o'clock.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's a train reaches the Junction at eleven twenty-five," he +reflected. "By hustling I can catch it at Acton. I can tell more and +do more personally in five minutes than I can in five hours by wiring."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph reached Acton some minutes before the West train came in. He had +some change in his pocket, paid his fare to the Junction, and went out +on the rear platform as they neared the destination.</p> +<p class="pnext">He left the train a mile from the depot, swinging off at a point that +would enable him to reach the roundhouse foreman's house by a short cut.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph found the place closed up. There was a light in one upper room, +however, and he had only to knock twice when Forgan came to the door in +his shirt-sleeves.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is it you, Fairbanks?" he said, in some surprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir, and--special!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, what have you been into?" exclaimed Forgan, catching a glimpse of +Ralph's bedraggled form and disfigured head.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have been in a freight car for one thing, and in the river for +another," said Ralph. "There is no time to lose, Mr. Forgan, if you +want to get back those stolen fittings."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You know where they are?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know where they were at eight o'clock," responded Ralph, "but I know +they won't be there much after midnight.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good--wait a minute," directed Forgan.</p> +<p class="pnext">He hurried back into the house and returned drawing on his coat. "I +was just going to bed," he explained. "Now, then, Fairbanks," as he +led the way to the street. "Tell your story--quick."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph recited his experience of the past four hours, and Forgan +hastened his steps as the narration developed the necessity of sharp, +urgent action.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks, you are a trump!" commended Forgan, as the story was all +told. "I'll leave you here. You get home, into dry clothes, and have +your hurt attended to. You had better take the sick-list benefits for +a day or two. Good-night--till I have something more definite to say +to you."</p> +<p class="pnext">A dismissal did not suit Ralph at all. It looked like crowding him out +of an exciting and interesting game only half-finished.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I might help you some further," he began, but Forgan interrupted him +with the words:</p> +<p class="pnext">"You've done the real work, Fairbanks, and neither of us will care to +muddle in with the details of arrest. I shall put the matter directly +in the hands of the road detective, Matthewson. I am sorry for his +father's sake if Ike Slump gets caught in the net, but he deserves it +fully, and I can't stop to risk the interests of the railway company."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went home. As he expected, his mother was waiting up for him. +She was not the kind of a woman to faint or get hysterical at the sight +of a little blood, but she was anxious and trembling as she helped +Ralph to get into comfortable trim.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't worry, mother," said Ralph. "This is probably the end of +trouble with the Ike Slump complication."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I always fear an enemy, Ralph," sighed the widow. "It seems as if you +are fated to have them at every step. I keep thinking day and night +about Gasper Farrington's unmanly threat."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mother," said Ralph earnestly, "I am trying to do right, am I not?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, Ralph--never a boy better!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you, mother, that is sweet praise, and worth going through the +experience that will make a man of me. Well, I am going to keep right +on doing my duty the best way I know how. I expect ups and downs. Men +like Farrington may succeed for a time, but in the end I believe I +shall come out just right."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph found himself a trifle sore and stiff the next morning, but he +started for work as usual. He was curious as to the outcome of the +foreman's action the night previous. Forgan, however, did not show up +at the roundhouse till ten o'clock. He at once called Ralph into his +little office.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, Fairbanks," he said briskly, "I suppose you will be interested +to know the outcome of last night's affair?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very much so," acknowledged Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The road detective and myself were at Cohen's before midnight. The +birds had flown."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Had they moved the plunder, too?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, what you described as being in boxes was all carted away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And Ike Slump had gone?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Presumably. We found that two horses and a wagon belonging to Cohen +were missing. The only person we found, outside of Cohen, was a little +fellow asleep in an outside shed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was his name Teddy?" And Ralph gave a rapid description of the county +farm waif.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the boy. He's in jail with Cohen, now. They want to detain +him as a witness. In Cohen's barn, hidden under some hay, we found two +old locomotive whistles. He claims that he did not know they were +there. The road detective, however, says if we can fasten the least +real suspicion on Cohen and break up his fence, we will have rooted out +this robbery evil, for the crowd he housed and encouraged to steal has +scattered."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Has Mr. Matthewson tried to overtake the wagon?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, he has men out in pursuit. If we can recover those fittings, +Fairbanks, it will be a glad day for me and a lucky one for you."</p> +<p class="pnext">But with the arrest of Cohen, his release on bail, bound over to appear +before the September grand jury, the affair seemed ended.</p> +<p class="pnext">The little fellow, Teddy, could not, or would not tell, much and was +also released. Ike Slump's crowd melted away, and Ike Slump, and his +tramp friend, and Cohen's two horses and wagon, and the boxed-up brass +fittings, had vanished as completely as if the earth had opened and +swallowed them up.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxiii-bardon-the-inspector"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id25">CHAPTER XXIII--BARDON, THE INSPECTOR</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Matters dropped into a pleasant routine for Ralph, the two weeks +succeeding his rather stormy introduction into active railroad life at +the roundhouse of the Great Northern at Stanley Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was like a lull after the tempest. The youthful hoodlum gang that +had been a menace to Ralph and the railroad company had been entirely +broken up.</p> +<p class="pnext">Tim Forgan was a changed man. He and the senior Slump had drifted +apart, and the foreman's previous irascibility and suspicious gloom had +departed. He was more brisk, natural and cheery, and Ralph believed +and fervently hoped had given up the tippling habit which had at times +made him a capricious slave to men and moods.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lame helper had become a useful, pleasant chum to Ralph. There was +not a day that he did not teach the novice some new and practical point +in railroad experience.</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington Ralph had not met again.</p> +<p class="pnext">At the cottage Van led an even, happy existence, making no trouble, +being extremely useful and industrious, and daily more and more +endearing himself to both Ralph and Mrs. Fairbanks.</p> +<p class="pnext">With the dog house crowd Ralph had become a general favorite. He had +won the regard of those rough and ready fellows, and his loyal adhesion +to Griscom in the fire at the shops, his rescue of little Nora Forgan, +and his manly, accommodating ways generally, had enforced their +respect, and more than one dropped his oaths and coarseness when Ralph +approached, and they tipped over the liquor bottle of one of the +"extras" who had the temerity to ask Ralph to test its contents.</p> +<p class="pnext">Altogether, Ralph was going through a happy experience, and every day +life and railroading seemed to develop some new charm of novelty and +progress.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was with a proud spirit that he took home his first month's salary, +twenty-seven dollars and some odd cents.</p> +<p class="pnext">Those odd cents, with some added, Ralph stopped near the depot to hand +over to little Teddy.</p> +<p class="pnext">The county farm orphan had been turned loose from custody after a +week's imprisonment, with orders to report to the police at nine +o'clock every Monday morning.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was practically on parole, the authorities hoping that on the trial +of Cohen he might give some evidence that would implicate the +stolen-goods receiver, and Ralph had run across the little fellow +drifting aimlessly about the town.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had a long talk with him, then he decided to "stake" him as a +newsboy. The depot watchman agreed to let him sell papers at the train +exit, and Teddy had done fairly well, earning enough to pay for his +lodging, Ralph making up the deficiency as to meals.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a bright hour in Mrs. Fairbanks' life when, after putting +together what money she had with Ralph's earnings, and deducting the +interest due Gasper Farrington, they were able to count a surplus of +nearly twelve dollars.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks took the interest money to a bank where she had been +notified the note was deposited, paid the amount, received the note, +and with a lightened heart contemplated the future.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two mornings later, when Ralph entered the roundhouse, he was accosted +by Limpy in a keen, quick way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Primping day, Fairbanks," said the lame helper. "You want to hustle."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What are you getting at?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Inspection."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's new to me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So I'll explain. The inspector is on his tour, we got the tip to-day. +Came up on the daylight mail."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What does he inspect?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Everything from a loose drop of oil to a boiler dent. He is so +beloved that the dog house crowd kick loose all the litter cans soon as +he's gone, and so particular that he inspects the locomotives with a +magnifying glass."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who is he?" inquired Ralph curiously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bardon is his name--it ought to be Badone! He's a relative of and +trains with the division superintendent. He acted as a spy at the +switchmen's strike, got nearly killed for his sneaking tactics, and the +company rewarded him by giving him a gentlemanly position."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph readily saw that this Mr. Bardon was not a favorite with the rank +and file of the railroad crowd.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, we'll have to show him what a lot of active elbow grease will do +towards making this a model roundhouse," said Ralph cheerfully.</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy was not at all in harmony with this idea, and showed it plainly +by action and words. He and the others considered the roundhouse and +its privileges essentially their personal property, and resented advice +or censure, especially from a man whom they intensely disliked.</p> +<p class="pnext">During the afternoon various little things were done about the dog +house that indicated the spirit of the crowd there. A pasteboard box +nailed to the wall bore written directions to engineers and firemen to +keep their kid gloves there. Another stated that brakemen must not +wear turned collars. Various receptacles were labeled "For cinders," +"Clean your nails here," and the general layout was a palpable satire +on the strained relations with an expected visitor who was considered a +martinet.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went carefully and conscientiously to work to brighten up things +a bit and make them look their best, while Limpy growled and grumbled +at him all the afternoon.</p> +<p class="pnext">About four o'clock the lame helper was enjoying a brief respite from +work at his usual lounging place, standing on a bench and looking out +of a window. He called Ralph so suddenly and sharply that the latter +hurried towards him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quick!" uttered Limpy, face and hands working spasmodically, as they +always did when he was excited.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's up?" inquired Ralph, leaping to the bench beside him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Look there!" directed the helper.</p> +<p class="pnext">He pointed to a long freight train backing down the tracks. It had +just passed a switch.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pivot loose, and the signal flanges exactly reversed!" pronounced +Limpy quickly. "They think they are on track A. Say, it's sure to be +a smash!"</p> +<p class="pnext">In a twinkling Ralph's eye took in the situation. The train was on a +curve, and had run back all right in response to switch A, set open, +according to the white indicator on top. But red should have shown, it +appeared. The pivot holding the signal in unison with the operating +bar must have become loosened, and the wind had blown the signal plate +awry.</p> +<p class="pnext">The freight, therefore, had struck track B, which a hundred feet +further on split off onto two sets of rails. Both had short ends, +terminating at bumpers, and each held a single car.</p> +<p class="pnext">Track C held a gaudy, expensive car belonging to some traveling show, +all gold and glitter, and must have cost eighteen thousand dollars. +Track D held an old disabled box car. And into one or the other of +these the backing freight was destined to run unless checked inside of +the next half minute.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give me a show!" spoke Ralph, in a hurry.</p> +<p class="pnext">He brushed Limpy aside, leaped through the window, struck the ground +eight feet below the high sill, and made a run towards the backing +freight.</p> +<p class="pnext">The curve prevented his seeing the engine or any one to whom he might +signal. He doubled his pace, reached the split switch, unlocked the +bar, half-lifted it, and stood undecided.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was not his province to interfere, he well knew, if half the cars on +the road were reduced to kindling wood through the mistake or +carelessness of some one else, but action was irresistible with his +impetuous nature when the same meant timely service.</p> +<p class="pnext">If he left the switch as it now was, the freight would back down into +the show car with terrific destructive force.</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed a pity to spoil that new pretty model of the car builder's +art. Ralph discerned that the box car was ready for the scrap heap, +and decided.</p> +<p class="pnext">He pulled the switch over, not a moment too soon, jumped back, and the +next minute the freight train struck the solitary box car, and it +collapsed like a folding accordion.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxiv-a-new-enemy"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id26">CHAPTER XXIV--A NEW ENEMY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The box car was smashed teetotally. The car that struck it had one end +battered in, its rear trucks rode up over the débris threatening to +telescope or derail others, but the engineer ahead, catching the token +of some obstruction from the shock, shut off steam quick enough to +prevent any very serious general results.</p> +<p class="pnext">The crash had sounded far and wide. Ralph stood surveying the wreck +and ruin in a kind of fascinated daze.</p> +<p class="pnext">Yardmen came rushing up from all directions. Soon too, the brakeman of +the freight and its engineer were hurrying to the scene of the wreck.</p> +<p class="pnext">More leisurely, a man carrying a cane, faultlessly dressed, and +accompanied by the depot master, crossed from the semaphore house to +the spot.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph turned to look at the stranger of the twain as he heard a voice +in the crowd say:</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's Bardon, the inspector."</p> +<p class="pnext">The engineer was vociferously disclaiming any responsibility in the +affair, and his brakeman tranquilly listened to him as he recited that +he had taken signals as set.</p> +<p class="pnext">The one-armed switchman who had charge of these tracks appeared on the +scene, his signal flag stuck under his perfect arm, and looking +flustered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Everybody was asking questions or explaining, as the depot master and +his companion edged their way to the rails.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had a full view now of the man he knew to be Bardon, the +inspector.</p> +<p class="pnext">His first impression was a vivid one. He saw nothing in the coarse, +sensual lips and shifty, sneering eye of the man to commend him for +either humanity or ability.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the trouble here?" questioned Bardon, with the air of a person +owning everything in sight, and calling down the humble myrmidons who +had dared to interfere with the smooth workings of an immaculate +railway system.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You ought to be able to see," growled the freight engineer bluntly.</p> +<p class="pnext">The inspector frowned at this free-and-easy, offhand offense to his +dignity and importance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm Bardon," he said, as if the mention of that name would suffice to +bring the stalwart engineer to the dust.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know you are," said the latter indifferently. "Cut off the two last +cars," he ordered to his brakeman, turning his back on Bardon and +starting back for his engine to pull out.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on," ordered the inspector.</p> +<p class="pnext">The engineer halted with a sullen, disrespectful face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well?" he projected.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who's to blame in this smash up?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tain't me, that's dead sure," retorted the engineer, with a careless +shrug of his shoulders, "and we'll leave it to the yardmaster to find +out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">I</em> want to find out," spoke Bardon incisively--"I am here to do just +this kind of thing. Can't you read a signal right?" he demanded of the +brakeman.</p> +<p class="pnext">The latter smiled a lazy smile, lurched amusedly from side to side, +took a chew of tobacco, and counter-questioned:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can't you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Mr. Bardon, inspector, was getting scant courtesy shown him all around, +and his eyes flashed. He deigned to glance at the first switch. It +was set wrong, he could detect that at a glance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How's this?" he called to the one-armed switchman sharply. "You're +responsible here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I reckon not, cap'n," answered the man lightly. "The switch is set on +rule. I got no signal to change it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But the indicator's wrong?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's the repair gang's business--and the wind. The Great Northern +don't own the wind, so I reckon it will have to pocket the loss +gracefully."</p> +<p class="pnext">Bardon bit his lips.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We've saved the junkmen a job as it is," said the freight engineer. +"The switch was set for track C. You'd have had a pretty bill if you'd +smashed that twenty-thousand dollar show car yonder."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's right--the switch was C open," declared the switchman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then who changed it?" demanded Bardon, scenting a chance yet to +exploit his meddling, nosing qualifications.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph hesitated. He doubted if Bardon was the proper party to whom to +report. He, however, simplified the situation by saying:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I did it, sir."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh? Why--you!" exclaimed the inspector, turning on him with a +malevolent scowl.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What did you change it for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The freight engineer gave a derisive guffaw.</p> +<p class="pnext">"To save the show car, of course!" he said quickly. "The company owes +you about nineteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars, kid!" +declared the engineer, giving Ralph a glance of the profoundest +admiration.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Mr. Bardon, inspector, was not to be moved by matters of sentiment. +He fixed a stony stare on the free-and-easy engineer, and turned upon +Ralph, the icy, immovable disciplinarian to perfection.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What right have you to tamper with the railway company's switches?" he +demanded.</p> +<p class="pnext">"None, perhaps," answered Ralph, "but----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are a switchman?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, sir, but I am an employe of the company."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, you are?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph bowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"In what capacity?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wiper."</p> +<p class="pnext">"At the roundhouse?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And you took it on yourself to----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"To choose the best horn of a dilemma, and saved the company a big lump +of money," put in the imperturbable freight engineer. "And bully for +you, kid! and if we had more sharp young eyes and ready wits like +yours, there would not be so many smash-ups. That's right, Bardon?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The inspector scowled dreadfully. If the engineer had called him Mr. +Bardon he might have coincided in the view of the case presented. +Turning his back on the free and fearless knight of the lever as if he +was dirt under his feet, he took out a pencil and memorandum book.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll look into this matter myself," he said severely. "You say you +are a wiper, young man?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir," assented Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Name?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks--Ralph Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What--eh? Oh, yes! Ralph Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">The young railroader regarded the inspector with positive astonishment +as he uttered that sharp startling "What." He was manifestly roused +up. Quickly, however, Bardon recovered himself, looked Ralph over with +a decided show of interest, seemed secretly thinking of something, and +then, fingering over the pages of his memorandum book, appeared looking +for a notation, found it apparently, glanced again at Ralph in a +sinister way, and said calmly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well, get your time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is that, sir?" exclaimed Ralph, startled anew.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Laid off, pending an investigation," added Bardon.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph's heart beat a trifle unsteadily, but he straightened up with +decision.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Does that mean, Mr. Bardon, that I am not to go back to work?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can understand what you like," snapped the inspector, seemingly +glad to show his authority to this disrespectful crowd, and appearing +to bear some personal spite against Ralph in particular, "only you are +suspended until this matter is looked into."</p> +<p class="pnext">Bardon turned to resume his way with the depot master, who looked bored +and uneasy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on!" thundered a tremendous bass voice. "That don't work."</p> +<p class="pnext">A greasy paw closed around the immaculate coat-sleeve of the inspector, +who turned with a brow as dark as a thunder cloud.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Drop my arm--what do you mean!" breathed Bardon, with a glance at the +husky freight engineer as if he would annihilate him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just this, Mr. Inspector Bardon," said the engineer, with a +never-quailing eye and the zest of extreme satisfaction in words and +bearing, "you can't lay anybody off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I represent the Great Northern Railway Company," announced Bardon +grandiloquently.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Read your rules, then," retorted the engineer, "and see how far it +will sustain you in exceeding your duties. I tell you they won't +uphold you, and I speak with the voice of eighty-six thousand men and +their auxiliaries behind me--the International Brotherhood of +Locomotive Engineers."</p> +<p class="pnext">Bardon stood nonplussed. He fidgeted and turned ghastly with vexation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll see that the proper official carries out my instructions just the +same," he said in a kind of a vicious hiss.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's just one man to help you, then," coolly announced the +engineer, "and that's Tim Forgan."</p> +<p class="pnext">The inspector moved hastily away.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And he won't do it!" concluded the engineer, in an chuckling +undertone, giving Ralph a ringing slap on the shoulder.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxv-diamond-cut-diamond"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id27">CHAPTER XXV--DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph went back to the roundhouse a trifle perturbed in his mind as to +the outcome of the episode of the hour.</p> +<p class="pnext">Something instinctively told him that he was about to have trouble. He +did not like that violent start of the inspector when he heard his +name, and there was something sinister in the way Bardon had looked up +some memoranda, and afterwards eyed him as a vulture might its prey.</p> +<p class="pnext">Limpy nearly had a fit when he had managed to probe out of Ralph the +details of his arraignment by the great and potent inspector.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lay you off for saving the company a small fortune?" raved the helper +indignantly. "Say! you just tell that malicious scoundrel I told you +to change the switch."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall do nothing of the kind," answered Ralph calmly, "and you are a +good deal more worried about the affair than I am. I acted as common +sense and duty dictated, and I do not fear the final outcome."</p> +<p class="pnext">Just before quitting-time Bardon came into the roundhouse. He was +closeted with the foreman in his office until the whistle sounded, and +as Ralph left the place both came out and began a tour of the place.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I expect something will drop in the morning!" Ralph half-jocularly +told Limpy, as he bade him good-night.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph made it a rule to tell his mother everything of interest and +importance that came up during the day. Mrs. Fairbanks was manifestly +troubled when he had recited his encounter with Bardon.</p> +<p class="pnext">After supper Ralph went out with Van to inspect the new chicken coop he +had just built. He was surprised and pleased at the patience, +ingenuity and actual hard work displayed in the same, and Van seemed to +show a deeper appreciation and understanding of Ralph's commendation +than he had heretofore displayed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph viewed him thoughtfully. He again began considering a plan to +take Van down the road some day on the chance of locating his former +home.</p> +<p class="pnext">At nine o'clock that evening, just as Ralph was locking up for the +night, there came a tremendous thump at the front door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went thither, to confront Big Denny, the yard watchman.</p> +<p class="pnext">Denny was in a feverish state of excitement, was perspiring, prancing +about with his cane, never still, and laboring under some severe mental +agitation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Alone, Fairbanks?" he projected, in a startling, breathless kind of a +way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"They've all gone to bed but myself," answered Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can I come in?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Surely, and welcome."</p> +<p class="pnext">Denny thumped into the little parlor. He mopped his brow prodigiously, +loosened his collar, fidgeted and fumed, and after looking cautiously +around put his finger mysteriously to his lips with the +hoarsely-whispered injunction:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Secret as the grave, Fairbanks!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph nodded, with a smile indulging the whim or mood of his good loyal +friend, who he knew was given to heroics.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's the trouble?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bardon."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fancied so," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Came right up here to see you," explained Denny. "Forgan sent me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The foreman?" murmured Ralph, in some surprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. You are not to report in the morning."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Does Mr. Forgan say so?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Strictly. You are not to come near the roundhouse for a good many +days. They've got it in for you, and Tim Forgan and I are going to +rout 'em, horse and harness!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rout whom?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bardon and Farrington."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph started at this mention of his capitalist enemy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Farrington?" he repeated.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, old Farrington."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What has he got to do with it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Everything," declared Denny expansively--"everything! The company is +going to lay you off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," commented Ralph quietly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pending an investigation of the smash up of this afternoon."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I apprehended it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you know what that means?" cried Denny, growing excited--"red tape. +Do you know what red tape means? Delay, bother, no satisfaction, tire +you out, get you out, throw you out! They catch weasels asleep, +though, ha! ha! when they try it on two old war-horses like Tim and me!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Big Denny hugged himself in the enjoyment of some pleasing idea not yet +fully expressed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Here's the program," he went on: "the inspector came to Forgan. He'd +got hold of the smashed roundhouse wall incident, and he had hold of +the freight smash-up to-day. Said an example must be made, system must +be preserved, at least a report to headquarters, and an investigation."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What did Mr. Forgan say?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Listened--solemnly, didn't say a word."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Until Bardon asked him bluntly to lay you off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Refused--point-blank. Bardon left in a huff, with a threat; Tim gave +me my point. I followed him. Well, soon as he gets back to +Springfield he's going to get an order over Forgan's head to lay you +off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can he do it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He won't do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"For a simple reason."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Which is?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We block his game. Have you got pen, ink and paper in the house?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fetch it out."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph wondered a little, but realized that he was in the hands of loyal +friends.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then, you write," directed Denny. "Mind you, Forgan is in this +with me. You write."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Write what?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your resignation from railroad service."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whew!" exclaimed Ralph, putting down the pen forcibly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Looks hard, does it?" chuckled Denny.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why--yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll do it, just the same," predicted the big watchman. "That +resignation goes to headquarters. That ends Ralph Fairbanks, wiper, +doesn't it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I suppose it does--it looks very much like it!" added Ralph vaguely.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It baffles Mr. Inspector Bardon, who drops the matter, beaten."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I've got to work for a living," suggested Ralph, in a +half-troubled way.</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right, we've fixed that--that's another section of the same game. +Write out your resignation, and I'll tell you something interesting. +Good!"</p> +<p class="pnext">With complacency and satisfaction the watchman folded up and pocketed +the resignation that Ralph wrote and handed him with evident reluctance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That settles the fact that Ralph Fairbanks is not a discharged +employee!" chuckled Denny. "Now then, sign that."</p> +<p class="pnext">The watchman had produced two papers. In astonishment Ralph recognized +one as a check drawn in his favor by the railroad company for twenty +dollars.</p> +<p class="pnext">The other was a receipt witnessing that he had been reimbursed for +time, damage to wearing apparel and railroad expenses the night he had +discovered the stolen brass fittings. In brackets was the notation: +"Special Service work."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I only spent thirty-five cents for car fare, and the suit of +clothes I soaked is as good as ever," declared Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You do as you're told, Fairbanks," directed Denny, with a magnanimous +wave of his hand. "Now then, we, Tim and I and Matthewson, the road +detective, estimate you had better keep active hands off railroading +for about two weeks. In the meantime, Matthewson says you can take a +run between here and Dover."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's where the stolen stuff, and horse and wagon, and Ike Slump and +the tramp were started for," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Exactly. They did not arrive. Matthewson's men have failed to +discover the least trace of the layout after leaving Stanley Junction."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Does he expect me to?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who can tell--he wants you to try. Has considerable faith in your +abilities--as we have. He gives you two weeks at ten dollars a week. +Here's your credentials--pass on any hand car, freight train, box or +gondola, passenger coach, smoker or parlor car, locomotive, freight, +switch or passenger, on the Great Northern and all its branches."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph caught his breath short and quick. This remarkable dovetailing +of events and prospects was rather exciting.</p> +<p class="pnext">Having got rid of his budget of intelligence, Big Denny subsided +somewhat. He had something more on his mind, however, and he began in +a more serious way:</p> +<p class="pnext">"And now, Fairbanks, for the real milk in the cocoanut."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't mean to say this isn't all?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Scarcely. We might have taken care of you in a less complicated way, +only that we made a certain discovery."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph looked interested and expectant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was this: Bardon, the inspector, Bardon, the ex-spy, is connected +with Mr. Gasper Farrington."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph said nothing. He recalled, however, the threat of the crafty old +capitalist. His enemy had started in to use his influence.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," declared Denny, "Bardon went straight to Farrington's house. +When he left there he went to find some old-time cronies at the +Junction Hotel. I had a friend listening to some of his boastful talk. +We know at this moment that Gasper Farrington offers him five hundred +dollars to get you discharged and away from Stanley Junction."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Which he won't do!" said Ralph very positively.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not while Tim and I are on deck," declared Denny as positively. +"Listen, Fairbanks: before Saturday night Forgan will see the master +mechanic, before the following Wednesday the master mechanic will see +the division superintendent, before the following Saturday the +president of the road will have in his possession your full and +complete record, beginning with your heroic conduct at the fire at the +yards, the rescue of little Nora Forgan, the discovery of the stolen +fittings, the saving of the show car to-day, and your general good +conduct and efficiency in the service."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph flushed at the hearty encomiums of this loyal old friend.</p> +<p class="pnext">"In another week," continued Denny, rolling the words over in his mouth +and sprawling out with a sense of the keenest enjoyment, "we guarantee, +Tim and I, a letter, something like this: 'Mr. Ralph Fairbanks: Dear +Sir: Please come back to work.'"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll thank you," said Ralph, with bright, glad, shining eyes. "My old +place again--as wiper."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not much!" negatived Big Denny, looking bigger than ever as he rose to +the full magnitude of his final declaration--"as switch towerman for +the Great Northern Railway at sixty dollars a month!"</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxvi-a-roving-commission"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id28">CHAPTER XXVI--A ROVING COMMISSION</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">It was difficult for Ralph to sleep after the departure of Big Denny. +He was still under the disturbing influence of the exciting events of +the afternoon and evening. His mother had not been disturbed by the +watchman's visit. Ralph finally strolled out into the garden, and sat +down in the little summer house to rest and think.</p> +<p class="pnext">He did not exactly feel as though he were at the height of his +ambition, but Ralph did feel exceedingly thankful and encouraged. He +valued most the friends he had gained personally, from the lowly walks +of life it was true, but who had been bettered and elevated by the +contact.</p> +<p class="pnext">The pre-eminent thought now in Ralph's mind was concerning Gasper +Farrington. Had things gone on smoothly, and had the magnate left him +alone, Ralph might have been inclined to accept the situation. His +mother did not care to rouse a sleeping enemy, and he would have +respected her decision. But now that Farrington had so palpably shown +his intentions, had declared war to the knife, bitter and vindictive, +all the fighting instincts in Ralph's nature arose to the crisis.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall not take Mr. Matthewson's ten dollars a week unless I find the +stolen plunder and really earn the money," Ralph reflected. "It is +hardly probable I shall succeed along that line, after his expert +assistants have failed. But in trying to locate Van's friends I shall +probably be in the neighborhood of Dover, and I may stumble across some +clew to Ike Slump's whereabouts."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph went inside the house after an hour and brought out a railroad +map. He studied the route of the Great Northern and the location of +Dover, and went to bed full of the plan of his projected journey.</p> +<p class="pnext">He showed his mother the check for the twenty dollars and his pass over +the road the next morning, and explained his projects fully. They met +with the widow's approbation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not that I want to get rid of Van," she said feelingly. "He has grown +very dear to me, Ralph. Poor fellow! Perhaps it is his affliction +that appeals to me, but I should be very lonely with him away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do not think he has many friends who care for him," theorized Ralph, +"or there would have been some search, or inquiry through the +newspapers."</p> +<p class="pnext">After breakfast Ralph went to the depot. He found his young pensioner, +Teddy, in high feather over success in getting two hours' regular +employment a day delivering bundles for a drygoods store. Ralph gave +him some encouraging advice, and went to see the young doctor who had +attended Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">He explained his intended experiment clearly, and asked the physician's +opinion as to its practicability.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Try it by all means," advised the doctor heartily. "It can do no +harm, and the sight of some familiar place may be the first step +towards clearing the lad's clouded mind. A great shock robbed him of +reason; a like event, such as strong, sudden confrontation by some +person or place he has known for years, may restore memory instantly."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was encouraged. When he went home he sat down with Van and tried +to fix his attention.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was very difficult. His strange guest would listen and look pleased +at his attention, but his eyes would wander irresistibly after some +fluttering butterfly, or with a gleam of satisfaction over to the wood +pile his careful manipulation had made as neat and symmetrical as a +storekeeper's show case.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph pronounced in turn the name of every station on the main line of +the Great Northern, but Van betokened no recognition of any of them.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph waited in the neighborhood of Griscom's house after the 10.15 +express came in, and intercepted the engineer on his way homeward.</p> +<p class="pnext">He showed his pass and explained his project. He wanted Griscom to +allow himself and Van to ride on the tender to the end of his run and +back.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's all right, Fairbanks," said the engineer, "pass or no pass. Be +on hand at the water tank yonder as we pull out the afternoon train. +I'll slow up and take you on."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph tried to express to Van that afternoon that they were going on a +journey. Van only looked fixedly at him, but when Mrs. Fairbanks +handed him a parcel of lunch, he proudly stowed it under one arm, and +when she put on him a clean collar and necktie, he showed more than +normal animation, as though he caught a dim inkling that something out +of the usual was on the programme.</p> +<p class="pnext">Van went placidly with Ralph. The afternoon train came along a few +minutes after they had reached the water tank.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then," said Ralph, as Griscom slowed up, "be lively, Van!"</p> +<p class="pnext">His words may have conveyed no particular meaning to his companion, but +the approaching train, the picturesque track environment and Ralph's +energetic motions roused up Van, whose face betokened an eagerness out +of the common as he commented:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Engine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, Van."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ride."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph bundled him up into the cab, clambered back into the tender, and +made a comfortable seat for Van on top of the coal.</p> +<p class="pnext">On that perch the lad seemed a happy monarch of all he surveyed. Ralph +realized that the variety and excitement had a stimulating influence on +his mind, and that even if nothing materialized in the way of +discoveries from the trip, the general effect on Van would be at least +beneficial.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom tossed a cheery word to his young passengers ever and anon. +His fireman, a new hand, was kept busy at the shovel, and had no time +to inspect or chum with the boys.</p> +<p class="pnext">They passed station after station. Ralph kept a close watch on Van's +face. It was as expressionless as ever. His eyes roamed everywhere, +and he was evidently at the pinnacle of complacent enjoyment.</p> +<p class="pnext">Outside of that, however, Van gave no indication that he saw anything +in the landscape or the depot crowds they passed that touched a +responsive chord of recognition in his nature.</p> +<p class="pnext">Forty miles down the road was Wilmer. It was quite a town. Southwest +forty miles lay Dover, and west was the wild, wooded stretch known as +"The Barrens." This was no misnomer. There were said to be less than +twenty habitations in the desolate eighty miles of territory.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Great Northern had originally surveyed ten miles into this section +with the intention of crossing it, as by that route it could strike a +favorable terminal point at a great economy of distance. The +difficulties of clearing and grading were found so unsurmountable for +an infant road, however, that the project had been finally abandoned.</p> +<p class="pnext">They passed Wilmer. Signals called for "slow" ahead, as a freight was +running for a siding. They had barely reached the limits of the town +when Griscom put on a little more speed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whoop!" yelled Van suddenly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had shifted his seat on account of some undermining of the coal +supply, and at just that moment for the first time was away from the +side of his fellow passenger.</p> +<p class="pnext">Before he could clamber over the coal heap Van had arisen to his feet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Stop, Van!" shouted Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Van's eyes were fixed on the little winding country road lining the +railway fence at the bottom of the embankment.</p> +<p class="pnext">An antiquated gig, well loaded and attached to a sorry looking nag, and +driven by a man well muffled up in a dilapidated linen duster, was +plodding along the dusty thoroughfare.</p> +<p class="pnext">Upon this outfit Van's eyes appeared to be set. His hand waved +nervously, and he seemed to forget where he was, and was not conscious +of what he was doing.</p> +<p class="pnext">He was in the act of stepping off into nothingness, and in a quiver of +dread Ralph yelled to the engineer:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Griscom, stop! stop!"</p> +<p class="pnext">But the engineer's hearing was occupied with the hiss of steam directly +around him, and his attention riveted on signals ahead.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph made a spring. Some lumps of coal slipped under his hasty +footing. His hand just grazed a disappearing foot.</p> +<p class="pnext">The train was going about fifteen miles an hour, and Van had recklessly +taken a header down the embankment.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxvii-recalled-to-life"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id29">CHAPTER XXVII--RECALLED TO LIFE</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Van landed half-way down the incline. His feet sank deep into the +sandy soil, the shock threw him forward with dangerous velocity, and he +went head over heels, slid ten feet like a rocket, and reached the +bottom of the embankment.</p> +<p class="pnext">His head landed squarely against the lower board of the fence. Rip! +crack! splinter! The contact burst the board into kindling wood. Van +drove through and about five feet beyond, and lay still and inert in +the bed of the dusty country road.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph believed he was killed. With a groan he leaped to the side of +Griscom and grabbed his arm. The engineer's lightning eye followed his +speechless indication of Van, and he pulled the machinery to a speedy +halt that jarred every bolt and pinion.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was trembling with dread and emotion. He ran back along the +track fifty feet, and breathlessly rushed down the incline at the point +where Van had descended.</p> +<p class="pnext">As he gained the bottom of the embankment his heart gave a great jump +of joy. He saw Van move, struggle to a sitting posture, rub his head +bewilderedly with one hand, and stare about him as if collecting his +scattered senses.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Are you hurt?" involuntarily exclaimed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not much---- Hello! Who are you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph experienced the queerest feeling of his life. He could not +analyze it just then. There was an indescribable change in Van that +somehow thrilled him. For the first time since Ralph had found him in +the old factory he spoke words connectedly and coherently.</p> +<p class="pnext">A great wave of gladness surged over Ralph's soul. He was a quick +thinker. The presentation of the moment was clear. The young doctor +at Stanley Junction had said that just as a shock had deprived Van of +reason, so a second shock might restore it. Well, the second shock had +come, it seemed, and there was Van, a new look in his eyes, a new +expression on his face. Ralph remembered to have read of just such +extraordinary happenings as the present. He had but one glad, glorious +thought--Van had been recalled to life and reason, and that meant +everything!</p> +<p class="pnext">Toot! toot! Ralph glanced at the locomotive where Griscom was +impatiently waving his hand. The Great Northern could not check its +schedule to suit the convenience of two dead-head passengers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quick, Van," said Ralph, seizing the arm of his companion--"hurry, we +shall be left."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Left--how? where?" inquired Van, resisting, and with a vague stare.</p> +<p class="pnext">"To the locomotive. We must get back, you know. They won't wait."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What have I got to do with the locomotive?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You just jumped from it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who did?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're dreaming!" pronounced Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What you giving me--or I've been dreaming," he muttered, passing his +hand over his forehead again.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph suddenly realized that Van regarded him as an entire stranger, +that time and explanation alone could restore a friendly, comprehensive +basis.</p> +<p class="pnext">He gave Griscom the go ahead signal. The engineer looked puzzled, but +there was no time to waste, for the tracks were now signaled clear +ahead. He put on steam and the train moved on its way, leaving Ralph +and Van behind.</p> +<p class="pnext">The boy paid no further attention to locomotive or Ralph. He struggled +to his feet, and looked up the country road, then down it. The gig had +disappeared, but a cloud of dust lingered in the air over where it had +just turned a bend.</p> +<p class="pnext">Van started forward in this direction. There was a pained, confused +expression on his face, as if he could not quite get the right of +things. Ralph came up to him and detained his steps by placing a hand +on his arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">The way Van shook off his grasp showed that he had lost none of his +natural strength.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What you want?" he asked suspiciously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you know me?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Me? you? No."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on," persisted Ralph, "don't go yet. You are Van."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's my name, yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And I am Ralph--don't you remember?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph Fairbanks."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van gave a start. He squarely faced his companion now. His blinking +eyes told that the machinery of his brain was actively at work.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks--Fairbanks?" he repeated. "Aha! yes--letter!"</p> +<p class="pnext">His hand shot into an inside coat pocket. He withdrew it +disappointedly. Then his glance chancing to observe for the first +time, it seemed, the suit he wore, apparel that belonged to Ralph, he +stood in a painful maze, unable to figure out how he had come by it and +what it meant.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are looking for a letter," guessed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I was--'John Fairbanks, Stanley Junction.' How do you know?" +with a stare.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because I am Ralph Fairbanks, his son. When you first showed it to +me----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Showed it to you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where?</p> +<p class="pnext">"At Stanley Junction."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I never was there."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think you were."</p> +<p class="pnext">"When?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"About three weeks ago. And you just left there this morning. You was +with me on that locomotive that just went ahead, jumped off, and--you +had better sit down and let me explain things."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van looked distressed. He was in repossession of all his faculties, +there was no doubt of that, but there was a blank in his life he could +never fill out of his own volition. He studied Ralph keenly for a +minute or two, sighed desperately, sat down on a bowlder by the side of +the road, and said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Something's wrong, I can guess that. I had a letter to deliver, and +it seems as if it was only a minute ago that I had it with me. Now +it's gone, I find myself here without knowing how I came here, with you +who are a stranger telling me strange things, and--I give it up. It's +a riddle. What's the answer?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had a task before him. In his judgment it was best not to crowd +things too speedily, all of a jumble.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You came to Stanley Junction with a letter about three weeks ago," he +said. "It seemed you had dead-headed it there on the trucks from some +point down the line."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van nodded as if he dimly recalled all this.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You hid in an old factory, or went there to take a nap. A baseball +struck your head accidentally. We took you to our home, you have been +there since."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's queer, I can't remember. Yes--yes, I do, in a way," Van +corrected himself sharply. "Was there a chicken house there--oh, such +a fine chicken house!" he exclaimed expansively, "with fancy towers +made out of laths, and a dandy wind vane on it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You built that chicken house yourself," explained Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, go on!" said Van incredulously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you did."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And there was a lady there, dressed in black," muttered Van, his +glance strained dreamily. "She was good to me. She used to sing sweet +songs--just like a mother would. I never had a mother, to remember."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van's eyes began to fill with tears. Ralph was touched at the +recognition of his mother's gentleness. Emotion had lightened the +shadows in Van's mind more powerfully than suggestion or memory.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt that he had better rouse his companion from a retrospective +mood.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're all right now," he said briskly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And I was knocked silly?" observed Van "I see how it was. I've been +like a man in a long sleep. How did I come out of it, though?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just as you went into it--with a shock. I took you for a trip on a +locomotive. Just as we got near here you made a sudden jump, rolled +down the embankment, your head burst through that fence board yonder, +and I thought you were killed."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van felt over his head. He winced at a sensitive touch at one spot, +but said, with a light laugh:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've got a cast-iron skull, I guess! But what made me jump from the +locomotive? Did I have daffy fits?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, not at all."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why," said Ralph, "I think the sight of a man in a long linen duster, +driving a one-horse gig down this road startled you or attracted your +attention, or something of that sort."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ginger!" interrupted Van, jumping to his feet, "I remember now! It +was--him! And I've got to see him. He went that way. I'm off."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hold on! hold on!" called the dismayed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Van heard not, or heeded not. He sprinted for the bend in the +road, Ralph hotly at his heels.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxviii-mystery"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id30">CHAPTER XXVIII--MYSTERY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph outran his competitor, then kept easy pace with him, and did not +try to stop him. He recognized a certain obstinacy and impetuousness +in Van that he felt he must deal with in a politic manner.</p> +<p class="pnext">He noticed, too, that Van was not in normal physical trim. The roll +down the embankment had wrenched one foot slightly, and when they came +to the bend to discover no gig in sight, and a series of other bends +ahead, Van halted, breathless and tired.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give it up!" he panted, sinking to a dead tree. "Oh, well! I can +catch him up later. Twenty-miles tramp, though."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You seem to know who the man in the linen duster is?" ventured Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is it important that you should see him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I guess so!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Van was close-mouthed after that. He lay back somewhat wearily on the +log and closed his eyes. The reaction from his tumble was succeeding +the false energy excitement had briefly given him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here," said Ralph, "I suggest that you take a little snooze. It +may do you a heap of good."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wish that lady was here to sing one of her sweet songs!" murmured Van. +"I just feel collapsed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you will stay here quietly for a few minutes," suggested Ralph, "I +will go to that house over yonder and get some water and a bite to eat. +That will make you feel better. We had a lunch, but it was left behind +on the locomotive."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Van sleepily.</p> +<p class="pnext">He seemed instantly to sink into slumber. Ralph waited a few moments, +then he went over to a house on the outskirts of the town, all the time +keeping an eye directed towards the spot where he had left his +companion.</p> +<p class="pnext">A woman stood in its open doorway. She had witnessed the jump from the +locomotive, and referred to it at once.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Where's the boy who was with you?" she inquired.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph pointed to the spot where he had left Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Was he hurt much?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think not at all seriously. He's played out, though, and I have +advised him to sleep a little."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's right," nodded the woman. "Natur's the panoseeds for all sich. +That--and hot drops. You just take him a little phial of our vegetable +hot drops. They'll fix him up like magic."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, thank you, madam, I will, if you can spare them," said Ralph. "I +was also going to ask you to put me up a bite of something to eat and +let me have a bottle of water."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Surely I will," and the good-hearted woman, pleased with Ralph's +engaging politeness, bustled off and soon returned with a paper parcel, +a two-quart bottle of water and a little phial filled with a dark +liquid.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph insisted on leaving her twenty-five cents, and went back to his +friend with a parting admonition "to be sure and give him the hot drops +soon as he woke up."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van was sleeping profoundly, and Ralph did not disturb him. He sat +watching the slumberer steadily. Van seemed to have placid, pleasant +dreams, for he often smiled in his sleep, and once murmured the refrain +of one of Mrs. Fairbanks' favorite songs.</p> +<p class="pnext">An hour later Van turned over and sat up quickly. Ralph had been +somewhat anxious, for he did not know what phase his companion's +condition might assume at this new stage in the case. Van came +upright, however, and dispelled vague fears--clear-eyed, smiling, +bright as a dollar.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello!" he hailed--"locomotive, friend, embankment. You're Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's right," said Ralph--"you remember me, do you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure, I do. What's in the bundle? Grub? and the bottle? Water? +Give me a swig--I'm burned up with thirst."</p> +<p class="pnext">"This first," said Ralph, producing the phial, and explaining its +predicted potency. "Half of it--now some water, if you like."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van choked and spluttered over the hot decoction. Ralph was immensely +gratified as he followed it up by eating a good meal of the home-made +pie, biscuits and cheese with which the kindhearted woman at the +nearest house had provided them.</p> +<p class="pnext">Van's affliction had lifted like a cloud blown entirely away by a +brisk, invigorating breeze.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rested and fed," he declared, with a sigh of luxurious contentment and +satisfaction. "So I was crazy, eh?" he bluntly propounded.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly not."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Idiotic, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hardly," dissented Ralph. "My mother has grown to think almost as +much of you as she does of me----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bless her dear heart!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You've made our home lot look like the grounds of some summer villa," +went on Ralph. "That don't look as though there was much the matter +with you, does it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"But there was. It's all over now, though. My head is clear as a +bell. I remember nearly everything. Now I want you to tell me the +rest."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph decided it was the time to do so. They would certainly be at +cross-purposes on many perplexing points, until his companion had +gained a clear comprehension of the entire situation.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was never a more attentive listener. Van's eyes fairly devoured +the narrator, and when the graphic recital was concluded, his +wonderment, suspense, surprise and anxiety all gave way to one great +manifestation of gratitude and delight, as he warmly grasped Ralph's +hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I never read, heard or dreamed of such treatment!" declared the +warm-hearted boy. "You cared for me like a prince!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Seeing that I had so effectually put you out of business," suggested +Ralph, "I fancy I had some responsibility in the case."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I want to see your mother again," said Van, in a soft, quivering +voice. "I want to tell her that she's woke up something good and happy +and holy in me. I was a poor, friendless, homeless waif, and she kept +me in a kind of paradise."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you have woke up to more practical realities of life," suggested +Ralph, "and now what are you going to do next?"</p> +<p class="pnext">But Van could not get away from the theme uppermost in his mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And you are John Fairbanks' son?" he continued musingly. "And I +landed against you first crack out of the box! That was queer, wasn't +it? Some people would call it fate, wouldn't they? It's luck, +anyhow--for you sure, for me maybe. The letter didn't tell you +anything, though. Now what should I do? Say, Fairbanks, let me think +a little, will you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph nodded a ready acquiescence, and Van sat evidently going over the +situation in his mind. As he looked up in an undecided way, Ralph said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't see any great occasion for secrecy or reflection. You were +sent to deliver a letter?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, that's so."</p> +<p class="pnext">"To my father. My father is dead. We open the letter, as we have a +right to do. It satisfies us that the writer knows considerable that +might vitally affect our interests. Very well, it seems to me that +your duty is to take me, the representative of John Fairbanks, straight +to the person who wrote that letter."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," said Van, "that looks all clear and nice enough to you, but I +don't know how he might take it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mean the writer of the letter?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Whose name is Farwell Gibson."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I didn't say so," declared Van evasively.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But I know it, don't I? Have you any reason for concealing his +identity?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, sir, I have," declared Van flatly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can't tell you that. See here, Fairbanks, you guess what you like, +but until I have reported the result of my mission to--to him, I have +no right to say another word."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," assented Ralph. "It will all come out clear in the end, +only before we drop the subject I would like to make another guess."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is it?" challenged Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That man in the long linen duster in the one-horse gig was Farwell +Gibson."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxix-a-rival-railroad"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id31">CHAPTER XXIX--A RIVAL RAILROAD</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">There was some mystery about Farwell Gibson, Ralph decided, and the +more he scanned what he knew of his past, his peculiar method of +sending the letter to his father, and Van's guarded manner, the more he +was satisfied that there was a puzzle of some kind to solve.</p> +<p class="pnext">The sun was going down and night was coming on apace. Ralph propounded +a pertinent query.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is your next move, Van?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't mind telling you--to get after that one-horse gig."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's home by this time, probably."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I intend to follow it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think I had better go with you, Van," suggested Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not? You don't think I am anxious to shake the best friend I ever +had, do you? There's just this, though: Mr. Gibson is a kind of a +hermit."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And does not like strange society? I see. Well, I shall not intrude +upon him until you have paved the way. Let me keep with you. When you +get near his home go on ahead and report just how matters stand. If he +cares to see me, I shall be glad. If he don't, there's an end to it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's satisfactory," assented Van heartily. "I guess he will be +willing to see you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope so, Van."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And if he does, I know you will be glad he did," declared Van +convincedly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you intend to start for his place to-night?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think we might. I feel fresh as a lark, and it's a beautiful night. +If we get tired we can stop for a rest, and cover the journey by +daybreak."</p> +<p class="pnext">"By daybreak?" repeated Ralph. "Why, it's an easy four hours' jaunt."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is it?" smiled Van. "I guess not."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only twenty miles?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, but such twenty miles! Why, it's a jungle half the distance."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Isn't there a road?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not a sign of one. The gig will make it on the cut-around, and that +means a good forty miles."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I see. Very well, Van, I am at your orders," announced Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">He thought it best to secure some more provisions. They went into the +village this time, and at a little store secured what eatables they +fancied they might need.</p> +<p class="pnext">The first mile or two of their journey was very fine traveling, for +they kept for that distance to the regularly-traversed road the gig had +taken.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then Van, who seemed to know his bearings, directed a course directly +into the timber.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't see any particular fault to be found with this," remarked +Ralph, after they had gone a couple of miles.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, this is easy," rejoined Van. "You see, the Great Northern started +in right here to make a survey years ago. That's why there's quite a +road for a bit. Wait till you come to where they threw up the job. I +say, Fairbanks, that's where they missed it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who? what? where?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Great Northern. If they had surveyed right through and made Dover +the terminal, they could have still put through what is now the main +line, and this route would have kept the Midland Central out of the +field."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You seem pretty well-posted on railroad tactics," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am--around these diggings. I've been in the railroad line for two +years."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You a railroader!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I call myself one."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You have worked on a railroad?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure--for two years."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What railroad?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Van regarded Ralph quizzically.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tell you, Fairbanks," he said, "that's straight, although the railroad +hasn't a name yet, hasn't turned a wheel, is so far only two miles +long, and that's all grading and no rails."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, you present a truly remarkable proposition," observed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Isn't it? It's a reality, all the same. And it's the key to a +situation worth hundreds of thousands."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You mystify me," acknowledged Ralph,--"allowing you are in earnest."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Absolutely in earnest. No joshing. I'm quite interested, too, for +I'm one of the two men who have built the railroad so far."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who is the other?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Van shook his head.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a secret, for the present. I think you'll know soon, +though--soon as you see Mr. Gibson."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had to be content with this. He comprehended that there was some +basis to Van's railroad pretensions, and felt very curious concerning +the same.</p> +<p class="pnext">At about eleven o'clock that night Van's predictions as to the +difficulties in the way of progress were fully verified.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were apparently in the midst of an untrodden forest. The brush +was jungle-like, the ground one continuous sweep of hill and dale.</p> +<p class="pnext">It took one breathless, arduous hour to cover a mile, and their clothes +and hands were scratched and torn with thorns and brambles.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's a little better beyond the creek," said Van. "A man could hide +in a wilderness like this a good many years in a safe way, eh, +Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, indeed," answered Ralph, and mentally wondered if his companion +was alluding to the mysterious Farwell Gibson.</p> +<p class="pnext">They were a wearied and travel-worn pair as they lay down to rest at +the first token of daybreak. It was at the edge of a level expansive +sweep surmounted by a dense growth of trees.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We're nearly there," proclaimed Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How near?" interrogated Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You see that hill?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's our last climb."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm thankful," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">They tramped up the slope after a bit. Once over its edge Ralph, +looking ahead, made out a low rambling log house. It was about half a +mile away, and smoke was coming out of its chimney.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then," said Van with a smile, "I reckon this is about as close as +you need come, for the present--it's a great deal closer than many +others have come."</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is a very isolated spot," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's Mr. Gibson's house yonder," continued Van. "I'll go on alone, +see him, report, and come back and advise you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's business," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Just wander around and amuse yourself," recommended Van. "You may +find something to interest you."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph grew tired of sitting alone and waiting for Van. As his recent +companion had advised, he took a stroll. There seemed a break in the +timber about one hundred feet to the left. Ralph proceeded in that +direction. He paused at a ten foot avenue cut neat and clean through +the woods, and stood lost in contemplation.</p> +<p class="pnext">Far as he could see across the hill this break in the timber continued. +The brush had been cleared away, the ground leveled here and there, +some rudely cut ties were set in place, and the layout showed a +presentable and scientifically laid put and graded roadbed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I wonder," said Ralph thoughtfully, "if this is a part of Van's +boasted railroad? It looks all right as far as it's gone."</p> +<p class="pnext">What Ralph scanned represented a great deal of labor, that could be +discerned at a glance. He knew enough about survey work to judge that +a master mind had directed this embryo railroad project.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was still inspecting the work when a shrill whistle signaled the +return of Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's all right," he announced as he came up to Ralph. "I've told Mr. +Gibson everything. He will see you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's good," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">He followed Van to the house in the distance. As he neared it he +observed that a man stood in the doorway.</p> +<p class="pnext">This individual was powerfully built, wore a full bushy beard, and had +a keen, piercing eye.</p> +<p class="pnext">He scanned Ralph closely as he approached, and then, standing partly +aside, with a not ungraceful wave of his hand welcomed Ralph to the +hospitality of his house.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are Mr. Gibson?" said Ralph, feeling impelled to say something.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, young man, I am that person, and this is the office of the Dover +and Springfield Short Line. Come in."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxx-the-right-of-way"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id32">CHAPTER XXX--THE RIGHT OF WAY</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">The peculiar announcement of Ralph's host was so grandiloquent, and his +manner so lofty and important, that the young railroader smiled despite +himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">Certainly Ralph decided the Dover & Springfield Short Line had its +headquarters in a particularly isolated place, and its presentation of +physical resources was limited.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I never heard of that road before," observed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Probably not," answered his host--"you will hear of it, though, and +others, in the near future."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not attach much importance to the prediction. He had seen at +a glance that Gibson was an erratic individual, his hermit life had +probably given birth to some visionary ideas, and his railroad, +simmered down to the tangible, had undoubtedly little real foundation +outside of his own fancies and dreams.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph changed his mind somewhat, however, as he crossed the threshold +of the door, for he stood in the most remarkable apartment he had ever +entered.</p> +<p class="pnext">This was a long, low room with a living space at one end, but the +balance of the place had the unmistakable characteristics of a depot +and railway office combined.</p> +<p class="pnext">In fact it was the most "railroady" place Ralph had ever seen. Its +walls were rude and rough, its furniture primitive and even grotesque, +but everything harmonized with the idea that this was the center of an +actual railroad system in operation.</p> +<p class="pnext">There were benches as if for passengers. In one corner with a grated +window was a little partitioned off space labeled "President's Office." +Hanging from a strap were a lot of blank baggage checks, on the walls +were all kinds of railroad timetables, and painted on a board running +the entire width of the room were great glaring black letters on a +white background, comprising the announcement: "Dover & Springfield +Short Line Railroad."</p> +<p class="pnext">To complete the presentment, many sheets of heavy manilla paper formed +one entire end of the room, and across their surface was traced in red +and black paint a zigzag railway line.</p> +<p class="pnext">One terminal was marked "Dover," the other "Springfield." There were +dots for minor stations, crosses for bridges and triangles for water +tanks.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph readily comprehended that this was the plan of a railroad +right-of-way crossing The Barrens north and south from end to end, and +the big blue square in the center was intended to indicate the +headquarters where he now stood in the presence of the actual and +important president of the Dover & Springfield Short Line Railroad.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph must have been two full minutes taking in all this, and when he +had concluded his inspection he turned to confront Gibson, whose face +showed lively satisfaction over the fact that the layout had interested +and visibly impressed his visitor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well," he challenged in a pleased, proud way, "how does it strike you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why," said Ralph, "to tell the truth, I am somewhat astonished."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That is quite natural," responded Gibson. "The idea of the world in +general of a railroad headquarters is plate glass, mahogany desks and +pompous heads of departments, looking wise and spending money. The +Short Line has no capital, so we have to go in modest at the start. +All the same, we have system, ideas and, what is surer and better than +all that put together, we have the Right of Way."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Right of Way?" repeated Ralph, taking in the announcement at its +full importance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, that means what? That under the strictest legal and full state +authority we have a franchise, empowering us to construct and operate a +railway from Dover to Springfield, and vesting in us the sole title to +a hundred-foot strip of land clear across The Barrens, with additional +depot and terminal sites.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That must be a very valuable acquisition," said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am not used to talking my business to outsiders," responded Gibson, +"and you are one of the very few who have ever been allowed to enter +this place. I admit you for strong personal reasons, and I want to +explain to you what they are."</p> +<p class="pnext">He sat down on one of the benches and waved Ralph to the one opposite. +His mobile face worked, as silently for a minute or two he seemed +concentrating his ideas and choosing his words.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am a strange man," he said finally, "probably a crank, and certainly +not a very good man, as my record goes, but circumstances made me what +I am."</p> +<p class="pnext">A twinge of bitterness came into the tones, and his eyes hardened.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The beginning of my life," proceeded Gibson, "was honest work as a +farmer--the end of it is holding on with bulldog tenacity to all there +is left of the wreck of a fortune. That's the layout here. The Short +Line, no one knows it--no one cares--just yet. But no one can ever +wrest it from me. Ten years ago, when the Great Northern was +projected, your father saw that a road across here was a tactical move, +but the investors were in a hurry to get a line through to Springfield, +and dropped this route. Later the Midland Central cut into Dover. +They too never guessed what a big point they might have made cutting +through here to Springfield. Well, I got possession of the franchise. +I had to bide my time and stay in the dark. To-day, with the Short +Line completed, I would hold the key to the traffic situation of two +States, could demand my own price from either railroad for it, and they +would run up into the millions outbidding each other, for the road +getting the Short Line completely dominates all transfer passenger and +freight business north and south."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, I see that," said Ralph, roused up with keen interest. "It +becomes a bee-line route, saving twenty or thirty miles' distance, and +opens up a new territory."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You've struck it. Now then, what I want to lead up to is +Farrington--Gasper Farrington. You know him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, I know him," assented Ralph emphatically.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Between my old honest life and the dregs here his figure looms up +prominently," resumed Gibson. "Around him has revolved much concerning +your father and myself in the past. Around him will loom up +considerable concerning you and myself in the future. For this reason +I take you into my confidence--to join issues, to grasp the situation +and to move down on the enemy. In a word: Gasper Farrington ruined my +chances in life. In another, he robbed your father."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was becoming intensely interested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He robbed my father, you say?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Are you sure of that, Mr. Gibson?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am positive of it. I have the proofs. Even without those proofs, +my unsupported word would substantiate the charge. The more so, +because I helped him do it."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxxi-a-remarkable-confession"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id33">CHAPTER XXXI--A REMARKABLE CONFESSION</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"You helped Gasper Farrington rob my father!" exclaimed Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," answered Gibson unhesitatingly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph wondered how he could make the admission thus boldly and +unblushingly. Gibson, however, acted like a man who had taken a +desperate stand with an important end to attain, and for the time being +at least had set aside all questions of sentiment and conscience.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It will be brief," said Gibson, after a pause. "When the Great +Northern was on its first boom and everybody gone wild to invest in its +bonds, I caught the fever too. My wife had died and I had no children, +and converting my land into cash I came up to Stanley Junction with +thirty thousand dollars in my pocket. I was always stuck on +railroading. I fancied myself a director, riding in the president's +car and distributing free passes to my friends. In a black moment in +my life I ran afoul of Gasper Farrington. He took me under his wing +and encouraged my visionary ideas. At that time your father had twenty +thousand dollars in Great Northern bonds. They were not all paid for, +but nearly so. They were, in fact, held by a bank as trustee in what +is known as escrow--that is, subject to his call on payment of the +small sum still due on them. Your father had great confidence in +Farrington. So had I. I put my capital in his hands."</p> +<p class="pnext">Gibson became so wrought up in his recital that he could not sit still. +He got up and paced the floor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If we had kept to a straight investment, your father and I," proceeded +Gibson, "we would have been all right. But Farrington dazzled us with +his stock-jobbing schemes. He actually did let us into a deal where by +dabbling in what is called margins we increased our pile considerably. +In about a month, however, he had us where he wanted us. That is, he +had our affairs so mixed up and complicated that neither of us knew +just where we stood, and didn't dare to make a move without his advice. +For some time we had all been dabbling in Midland Central securities. +One day, after he had got me to buy a big block of that stock, the +market broke. I was a pauper."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Had Mr. Farrington lost too?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He pretended that he had, but later I found that he was the very +person who was manipulating the stocks on the sly, and trimming us. We +had a bitter quarrel. Then he said all was fair in war and business. +I was desperate, lad, about my money, and when he set up a plan to get +hold of your father's bonds, I went into it. I am sorry now. I was +crazy those days, I guess, money-mad!"</p> +<p class="pnext">The man's candor vouched for his sincerity, but Ralph looked sad and +disturbed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Anyway, he got your father in a tight corner, and I helped him do it. +It was a complicated deal. I can't say that Farrington stole those +bonds outright, but in a roundabout way they finally came into his +possession. If the transaction was ever ripped up, I don't believe it +would stand in law. But I don't know that positively. Your father +lost his bonds, and I got nothing out of the transaction. But there is +something else that I want to get at. A little later, never doubting +Farrington's honesty, your father gave him a mortgage on his homestead. +It was done to protect your mother--that is, feeling himself getting +involved, your father wished to be sure that she had at least a shelter +over her head. There was no consideration whatever in the deal. It +was merely put temporarily in the shape of a mortgage until affairs had +cleared somewhat, when it was to be deeded to a third party, and then +direct to your mother."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then Mr. Farrington never had a right to collect that interest money," +said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He wasn't entitled to a cent of it. Farrington then got me into +another deal. I had borrowed one thousand dollars from my brother. He +got me to take security for it, as he called it. In some way he had +got hold of the old Short Line charter here. At that time it was +treated as a joke, and considered worthless. I didn't know it. He got +my thousand dollars, claimed to lose it in a deal, and I was flat +broke."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And later?" suggested Ralph, recalling in an instant what he had heard +from Big Denny about Gibson.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I got hard pressed. I saw a chance to get even with him. We +were in a deal together. I canceled it to get a few hundred dollars, +and signed our joint names as a firm. Later I learned that I had a +right only to sign my own name. I went to his house. He threatened to +have me arrested for forgery the next day, showed me the forged paper, +as he called it, and a warrant he had sworn out. We had a fearful row. +I beat him up good and proper, smashed some windows, and, disgusted +with life and mankind, fled to this wilderness."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a vivid recital, running like some romance. Gibson took breath, +and concluded:</p> +<p class="pnext">"A man can't sit forever eating out his heart in loneliness. I knew +that Farrington would not hesitate to send me to jail. I located here. +One day, yonder faithful fellow, Van Sherwin, came along. He was an +orphan outcast, I took him in. His company gave a new spur to +existence. I got casting up accounts. I rarely ventured to the towns, +but I sent him to a relative, who loaned me a few hundred dollars. I +investigated the Short Line business, even paid a lawyer to look it up. +I found I had something tangible, and that for a certain date, then two +months ahead, provided I did some work each day except Sunday +thenceforward on the right of way, I could hold the franchise +indefinitely, unimpaired. Since then, Van and I have been at the +grading work, as you see."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And why did you write to my father? inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"My hard, bad nature has changed since Van came here to cheer me with +his loyal companionship," said Gibson. "I always felt I had wronged +your father. I wrote to him, thinking him still alive, to come and see +me. Instead, you come as his representative. Very well, this is what +I want to say: I am willing to make the statements in writing that I +have given to you verbally. That, you may say, is of no practical +benefit to you. But here is something that is: My sworn statement that +the mortgage was in reality a trust will cancel everything. That means +something for you, doesn't it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It means a great deal--yes, indeed," assented Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well," said Gibson. "You go and use the information I have given +you, the threat to expose Farrington, to get him to destroy that forged +note he holds against me, so that I can come out into the daylight a +free man to put my railroad project on foot, and I will give to you a +sworn statement that in any court of law will compel him to surrender +to your mother, free and clear, your home. And I won't say right now +what I will be glad to do for the widow and son of John Fairbanks, when +the Short Line is an assured fact and a success."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxxii-found"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id34">CHAPTER XXXII--FOUND</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">It did not take Ralph long to figure out the merits and prospects of +the proposition that Farwell Gibson had made to him.</p> +<p class="pnext">As the latter went more into details concerning his own and Mr. +Fairbanks' dealings with Gasper Farrington, Ralph felt a certain pity +for the hermit. He had been the weak, half-crazed tool of a wicked, +cool headed plotter, had repented his share of the evil doings, and was +bent on making what restitution he might.</p> +<p class="pnext">The peculiar situation of affairs, Ralph's quick-witted comprehension +of things, above all his kindness to Van Sherwin, had completely won +Gibson's confidence.</p> +<p class="pnext">They had many little talks together after that. They compared notes, +suggested mutually plans for carrying out their campaign against the +Stanley Junction magnate, legally and above board, but guarding their +own interests warily, for they knew they had a wily, unscrupulous foe +with whom to contend.</p> +<p class="pnext">Gibson insisted that they could do nothing but rest that day and the +next, and when the third day drifted along he took Ralph for an +inspection of his enterprise.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was not the least doubt but that Gibson had a valuable +proposition and that he had legally maintained his rights in the +premises.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Every day except Sunday within the prescribed period of the charter, I +have done work on the road as required by law," he announced to Ralph. +"Van's affidavit will sustain me in that. Everything is in shape to +present the scheme to those likely to become interested. It will be no +crooked stock deal this time, though," he declared, with vehemence. +"It's a dead-open-and-shut arrangement, with me as sole owner--it's a +lump sum of money, or the permanent control of the road."</p> +<p class="pnext">Van's eyes sparkled at this, and Ralph looked as if he would consider +it a pretty fine thing to come in with the new line under friendly +advantages, and work up, as he certainly could work up with Gibson so +completely disposed to do all he could to forward his interests.</p> +<p class="pnext">Next morning Ralph said he had other business to attend to. It was to +go to Dover in pursuance with his instructions from Matthewson, the +road detective of the Great Northern.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was arranged that Van should drive him over in the gig. If Ralph +made any important discoveries that required active attention, he was +to remain on the scene. If not, he promised to return to +"headquarters" on his way back to Stanley Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph reached Dover about noon, and put in four hours' time. He +located Jacobs, the man to whom the stolen fittings were to have gone, +he saw the local police, and he gathered up quite a few facts of +possible interest to Matthewson, but none indicating the present +whereabouts of Ike Slump, his tramp friend, or the load of plunder.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Did you find out much?" Van inquired, as they started homewards about +five o'clock.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing to waste time over here," replied Ralph. "I imagine the Great +Northern has seen the last of its two thousand dollars' worth of brass +fittings, and Stanley Junction of Ike Slump, for a time at least."</p> +<p class="pnext">The Gibson habitation was more accessible from this end of The Barrens +than from the point at which Ralph and Van had four days previously +entered it.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was a road for some ten miles, and then one along a winding creek +for half that distance. Beyond that lay the jungle.</p> +<p class="pnext">The sun was just going down when they forded the creek. The spot was +indescribably wild and lonely. Its picturesque beauty, too, interested +the boys, and they were not averse to a halt in mid-stream, the horse +luxuriating in a partial bath and enjoying a cool, refreshing drink.</p> +<p class="pnext">Suddenly Ralph, who had been taking in all the lovely view about them, +put a quick hand on Van's arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Right away!" he said, with strange incision--"get ashore and in the +shelter of the brush."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Eh! what's wrong?" interrogated Van, but obediently urged up the +horse, got to the opposite bank, and halted where the shrubbery +interposed a dense screen.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now--what?" he demanded.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph made a silencing gesture with his hand. He dropped from his +seat, went back to the edge of the greenery, and peered keenly down +stream.</p> +<p class="pnext">He seemed to be watching somebody or something, and was so long at it +that Van got impatient, and leaping from the wagon approached his side.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What's up?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph did not reply. Van peered past him. Down stream about five +hundred feet a human figure stood, faced away from the ford, bent at +work over some kind of a frame structure partly in the water.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You seem mightily interested!" observed Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am," answered Ralph, and his tone was quite intense. "I expect to +be still more so when that fellow faces about."</p> +<p class="pnext">"If he ever does. There--he has!" spoke Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph drew back from his point of observation, took a quick breath, and +was palpably excited.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I was right," he said, half to himself. "There's work here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Say," spoke Van, impatiently and curiously, "you're keeping me on +nettles. What are you talking about, anyway?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That fellow yonder. Do you know who he is?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course I don't."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do--it's Ike Slump."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxxiii-ike-slump-s-raft"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id35">CHAPTER XXXIII--IKE SLUMP'S RAFT</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"You don't say so!" exclaimed Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," declared Ralph--"the missing Ike Slump is found. I would know +him anywhere, in any guise, and at any distance, and that is he yonder."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't seem to have luck or anything in finding opportunities--and +people!" observed Van dryly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't know about that."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's the boy the railroad company wants to find, isn't it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, Ike Slump alone, a vagabond fugitive, isn't so much what they +are after," explained Ralph. "They want to recover that stolen +plunder, and from the general appearance of Slump I don't imagine he +has much of anything visible about him except what he probably calls +'hard luck.'"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What are you going to do?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have a talk with him first, if I can."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph reflected for a few moments. Then he decided on a course of +action. He suggested that Van remain where he was. Lining the shore +himself, Ralph kept well in the shelter of the shrubbery until he was +directly opposite the spot where the object of his interest was at work.</p> +<p class="pnext">He could not secure more than a general idea of what Ike was about +unless he exposed himself to view. Ike seemed to be framing together a +raft. He was very intent on his task--so much so, that when Ralph +finally decided to show himself he was not aware of a visitor until +Ralph stood directly at his side.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How do you do, Slump?" spoke Ralph, as carelessly as though meeting +him on the streets of Stanley Junction in an everyday recognition.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hi! who--smithereens! Stand back!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike let out a whoop of amazement. He jumped back two feet. Then he +stared at his visitor in a strained attitude, too overcome to speak +coherently.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph Fairbanks!" he spluttered.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph nodded pleasantly.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike grew more collected. He presented a wretched appearance. He was +thin, hungry-looking, sullen of manner, and evidently dejected of +spirit.</p> +<p class="pnext">A sudden suspicion lit up his face as he glanced furtively into the +shrubbery beyond his visitor, as though fearing other intruders. Then +with his old time tricky nimbleness he described a kind of a sliding +slip, and seized a short iron bar lying on the ground.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you want?" he demanded, with a scowl.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I want to have a talk with you, Ike."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What about?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your mother."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had heard back at Stanley Junction that Ike's mother had mourned +her son's evil course as a judgment sent upon them because her husband +sold liquor. He felt sorry for her, as Ike now shrugged his shoulders +impatiently, and not a gleam of home-longing or affection followed the +allusion to his mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Did you come specially for that?" demanded Ike. "Because if you did, +how did you know I was here?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I didn't--this meeting is purely accidental."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh!" muttered Ike incredulously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll be plain, Slump," said Ralph, "for I see you don't welcome my +company or my mission. Your father is worried to death about you, your +mother is slowly pining away. If you have any manhood at all, you will +go home."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What for?" flared out Ike, savagely swinging the iron rod--"to get +walloped! Worse, to get jugged! You played me a fine trick spying +into Cohen's and getting the gang in a box. I ought to just kill you, +I ought!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, hear what I have to say before you begin your slaughter," said +Ralph quietly. "Out of sympathy for your mother, and because your +father has friends among the railroad men, I think the disposition of +the railroad company is to treat you with leniency in the matter of the +stolen junk, if you show you are ready to do the square thing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"They can't prove a thing against me!" shouted Ike wrathfully. "Think +I don't know how affairs stand? They can't do anything with Cohen, +either, unless some one peaches--and no one will."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't be too sure of that," advised Ralph. "They can lock you up, and +if they delve very deep, can convict you on circumstantial evidence. +But I don't want to discuss that. It's plain business, and now is your +time to act. Go home, give the company a chance to get back its +property, and I'll guarantee they will deal lightly with you--this +time."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Put my head in the jaws of the lion?" derided Ike--"not much! Say, +Ralph Fairbanks, what do you take me for? And what do I know about +their stolen plunder?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You drove off from Stanley Junction that night with it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Prove it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You and your tramp friend. I was at Dover to-day. Your tramp friend +sold those two horses belonging to Cohen twenty miles further on, I +learned."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Drat him!" snarled Ike viciously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You wasn't with him. Did he give you the slip, and leave you in the +lurch? It looks so. I wouldn't hold the bag for anybody, if I were +you, Ike Slump," rallied Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"See here, Fairbanks," gritted Ike between his set teeth, "you know too +much, you do!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now what, in the meantime, became of the stolen brass fittings? You +know. Tell. Give the company a square deal, and take another chance +to drop bad company and behave yourself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I won't go home," declared Ike, with knit, sullen brows. "You start +on about your business, and leave me to mine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Ralph. "I'd be a friend to you if you would let me. +By the way, what is your business, Slump? Ah, I see--building a raft?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"What of it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"And what for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Say!" cried Ike, brandishing the rod furiously and trying to +intimidate his visitor with a furious demonstration, "what do you +torment me for! Get out! I'm building a raft because I'm a +persecuted, hunted being, driven like a rat into a hole. I want to +float to safety past the towns, and go west. And I'm going to do it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why not walk?" suggested Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike flared a glance of dark suspicion at Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"And why such a big raft?" pursued Ralph smoothly--"no, you don't! Now +then, since you've forced the issue, lie still."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike had suddenly sprung towards Ralph, swinging the iron rod. The +latter was watching him, however. In a flash he had the bad boy +disarmed, lying flat on the ground, and sat astride of him, pinioning +his arms outspread at full length.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph gave a sharp, clear whistle. Van came rushing down the bank in +the distance in response.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump raved like a madman. He threatened, he pleaded. He even +took refuge in tears. All the time, Ralph Fairbanks was making up his +mind. That partially built raft had roused his suspicions very keenly, +had suggested a new line of action, and he determined to follow the +promptings of his judgment.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's a piece of rope yonder," said Ralph, as Van approached on a +run. "Get it, and help me tie this young man hand and foot."</p> +<p class="pnext">They did the job promptly and well, Ike Slump raving worse than ever in +the meanwhile.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now then," directed Ralph, "help me carry him to the gig. Van, this +is Ike Slump, of whom you have heard a little something. He is bound +he won't further the ends of justice, and I am as fully determined that +at least he shall not have his liberty to frustrate them. We will load +him in the gig, take him to headquarters, and you are to ask our friend +there as a special favor to me to keep him safely till he hears from +me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I won't go!" yelled the squirming Ike--"I'll have your bones for this!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I would advise you," said Ralph to the frantic captive, "to behave +yourself. You are going where you will have good treatment. Build up, +and do some thinking. I shall be as friendly to you as if you hadn't +tried to brain me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't mean," said the astonished Van, "that you are going to stay +behind?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," answered Ralph, with a significant glance at Ike. "I have an +idea it is my clear duty to investigate why Ike Slump built that raft."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxxiv-victory"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id36">CHAPTER XXXIV--VICTORY!</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">In about five minutes the arrangements were completed by Ralph and Van +for the transportation of their prisoner to "headquarters."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ike Slump, tied securely, was snugly propped up in the seat beside Van. +Ralph waited until he saw them safely on their way, and then went +straight back to the spot where he had discovered Ike.</p> +<p class="pnext">A cursory view of the raft had already awakened a vivid train of +thought. Now, as he looked it over more particularly, Ralph found that +he had grounds for suspicions of the most promising kind.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ike must have been at work on this for several days," decided Ralph. +"I didn't think he had so much patience and constructive ability. It's +big enough to carry a house, and of course his making it, as he says, +to float himself down stream to a safe distance, is sheer nonsense."</p> +<p class="pnext">Some large logs formed the basis of the raft. Over these were nailed +boards to give its bottom depth and solidity.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was a sight of those boards that had set Ralph thinking. Such handy +timber, he recognized, had no business this far from civilization. +Where had they come from?</p> +<p class="pnext">"Those two are box covers," concluded Ralph, after a close inspection, +"and they are the exact size of the boxes I saw at Cohen's back room at +Stanley Junction. I must find out what it does mean."</p> +<p class="pnext">Then Ralph made a second discovery, and knew that he was distinctly on +the hot trail of something of importance.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two corners of the raft were bound with heavy brass pieces used as +ornamental clamps on passenger coaches. They were stamped inside "G.N."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Great Northern property, sure," reflected Ralph, "and of course part +of the stolen plunder. That wagon load never went to or through Dover, +so far as the police people have been able to find out, but I am sure +it did come here, or near here, or what is Ike doing with those pieces?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph now set about tracing Ike's living quarters. They must be +somewhere in the immediate vicinity.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had little difficulty in following up a worn path across the grass. +It led to a snug shakedown, under the lee of a slope roofed over with +dry branches and grass.</p> +<p class="pnext">Here Ralph found a case of canned goods, a box of crackers and a lot of +tobacco and cigarette papers. On a heap of dry grass lay a wagon +cushion.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph circled this spot. He had to exert the ingenuity and diligence +of an Indian trailer in an effort to follow the footsteps leading to +and from the place in various directions. Finally he felt that his +patience was about to be rewarded. For over two hundred feet the +disturbed and beaten down grass showed where some object had been +dragged over the ground, probably the boards used in the construction +of the raft.</p> +<p class="pnext">The trail led along the winding shore of the creek and up a continuous +slope. Then abruptly it ceased, directly at the edge of a deep, +verdure-choked ravine.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph peered down. A gleam of red, like a wagon tongue, caught his +eye. Then he made out a rounding metal rim like the tire of a wheel. +He began to let himself down cautiously with the help of roots and +vines. His feet finally rested on a solid box body.</p> +<p class="pnext">An irrepressible cry of satisfaction arose from the lips of the lonely +delver in the débris at the bottom of the ravine.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Ralph clambered up again he was warm and perspiring but his eyes +were bright with the influence of some stimulating discovery.</p> +<p class="pnext">He stood still for five minutes, as if undecided just what to do, +glanced at the fast-setting sun, and struck out briskly in the +direction of the road leading to Dover.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was midnight when he reached the town he had visited earlier in the +same day. Ralph went straight to the police station of the place.</p> +<p class="pnext">For about an hour he was closeted with one of the officers there whom +he had met earlier on his visit in the gig. They had a spirited +confidential talk.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph was on railroad business now, pure and simple, for he was acting +in accordance with Road Detective Matthewson's instructions and on the +strength of his written authority.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I ran catch a Midland Central train west to Osego in about an hour," +he planned, as he left the police station and walked towards the depot. +"There's a ten-mile cut across country on foot to Springfield, and then +I am headed for Stanley Junction by daylight."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph boarded the train at Springfield at about six o'clock in the +morning. His pass from Matthewson won him a comfortable seat in the +chair car, and he had a sound, refreshing nap by the time the 10.15 +rolled into Stanley Junction.</p> +<p class="pnext">Griscom had this run, but Ralph did not make his presence known to his +sturdy engineer friend. He left the train at a crossing near home, and +was soon seated at the kitchen table doing ample justice to a meal +hurriedly prepared for him by his delighted mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">Almost her first solicitous inquiry was for Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Van is well and happy, mother," Ralph Answered. "Grateful, too. And, +mother, he remembers 'the dear lady who sung the sweet songs.'"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph, do you mean," exclaimed Mrs. Fairbanks tremulously--"do you +mean his mind has come back to him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, mother."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, God be praised!" murmured the widow, the tears of joy streaming +down her beaming face, lifted in humble thankfulness to heaven.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then Ralph hurriedly went over the details and results of his trip with +Van Sherwin.</p> +<p class="pnext">Later he spent half an hour at a careful toilet, and just as the town +clock announced the noon hour Ralph walked into the law office of +Jerome Black.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mr. Black was a well-known attorney of Stanley Junction. He was an +austere, highly efficient man in his line, had a good general record, +and all Ralph had against him was that he was Gasper Farrington's +lawyer.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was upon this account that Ralph had decided to call upon him. All +the way to the attorney's office Ralph had reflected seriously over +what he would say and do.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lawyer nodded curtly to Ralph as he came into his presence. He +knew the youth by sight, knew nothing against him, and because of this +had granted him an audience, supposing Ralph wanted his help in +securing him work, or something of that kind.</p> +<p class="pnext">But the leading lawyer of Stanley Junction was never so astonished in +his life as now, when Ralph promptly, clearly and in a business-like +manner outlined the object of his visit.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Black," Ralph said, "I know you are the lawyer of Mr. Gasper +Farrington. I also know you to have the reputation of being an exact +and honorable business man. I do not know the ethics of your +profession, I do not know how you will treat some information I am +about to impart to you, but I feel that you will in any case treat an +honest working boy, looking only for his rights, fairly and squarely."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why, thank you, Fairbanks," acknowledged Black, looking very much +mystified at this strange preface--"but what are you driving at?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Then Ralph told him. He did not tell him all--there was no occasion to +do so. He simply said that he could produce evidence that Gasper +Farrington had treated his dead father in a most dishonorable manner, +and that, further, he could produce a sworn affidavit showing that the +mortgage on his mother's homestead was in reality only a deed of trust.</p> +<p class="pnext">The lawyer's brows knitted as Ralph told his story. He could not fail +to be impressed at Ralph's straightforwardness. When Ralph had +concluded he said briefly:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks, you are an earnest, truthful boy, and I respect you for it. +What you tell me is my client's personal business, not mine. But I see +plainly that he must adopt some action to avoid a scandal. Your +grounds seem well taken, and I am pleased that you came to me instead +of making public what can do you no good, and might do Mr. Farrington +considerable harm. What do you want?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Simply two things--they are my right. After that let Mr. Farrington +leave us alone, and we will not disturb him."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What are those two things?" inquired the lawyer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The cancellation of the mortgage on my mother's home, and the alleged +forged note upon which Mr. Farrington bases a criminal charge against +one Farwell Gibson."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why!" exclaimed the lawyer, very much amazed. "What has Farwell +Gibson got to do with this matter?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Black," replied Ralph, "I can not tell you that. You have my +terms. Mr. Farrington is a bad man. He can make some restitution by +giving me those two documents. That ends it, so far as we are +concerned."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And if he does not agree to your terms?" insinuated the lawyer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall go to some other lawyer at once, and expose him publicly," +said Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mr. Black reflected for some moments. Then he arose, took up his hat, +and said:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Remain here till I return, Fairbanks. Mr. Farrington has been sick +for some days----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I should think he would be!" murmured Ralph, to himself.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But this is an important matter, and can not brook delay. I will see +him at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph had to wait nearly an hour. When the lawyer returned he closed +the office door and faced his visitor seriously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks," he said, "I have faith in your honor, or I would never +advise my client to do as he has done. You are sure you control this +matter sufficiently to prevent any further trouble being made for Mr. +Farrington, or any unnecessary publicity of this affair?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," assented Ralph pointedly--"unless I ever find out that we have +any just claim to the twenty thousand dollars in railroad bonds which +once belonged to my father."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I fancy that is a dead issue," said the lawyer, with a dry smile. +"Very well, there are your papers."</p> +<p class="pnext">He handed Ralph an unsealed envelope. Ralph glanced inside.</p> +<p class="pnext">Gasper Farrington had been forced to swallow a bitter dose of +humiliation and defeat.</p> +<p class="pnext">The inclosures were the Farwell Gibson forged note, and a deed of +release which gave to Ralph's mother her homestead, free and clear.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xxxv-conclusion"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id37">CHAPTER XXXV--CONCLUSION</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Ralph stepped across the turntable entrance to the roundhouse at +Stanley Junction just as the one o'clock whistles were blowing.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was like coming home again. Limpy, shining up a locomotive +headlight, gave a croak of welcome, jumped down from the pilot, and +slapped his greasy, blackened hand into that of his young favorite with +genuine fervor.</p> +<p class="pnext">The engineers, firemen and extras in the dog house called out the usual +variety of cheery chaff, but all pleasant and interested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This is a great place to find friends!" smiled Ralph, and then hurried +his steps, for the roundhouse foreman at that moment appeared at the +door of his little office.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This way, Fairbanks," he hailed, quite eagerly. "Well," as he ushered +Ralph into the grimy sanctum, "back again, I see?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, Mr. Forgan," answered Ralph, "and glad to be here."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What news?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"About the stolen plunder," began Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course. That's the one considerable freight on my mind, just at +present," acknowledged the foreman, with an anxious sigh. "We show a +mortgage on our inventory, and a big railroad system don't take kindly +to that sort of thing, you know."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Very well, Mr. Forgan," said Ralph brightly, "you can change your +inventory."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What! you don't mean----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have found the wagon load of brass fittings," answered Ralph. "They +are in safe charge at the present time, subject to your order. Here is +my report to the special agent, Mr. Matthewson, and I guess, Mr. +Forgan, I'm out of a job again, for I don't see anything further in +sight."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Fairbanks, you're a trump!" shouted the delighted foreman, slapping +the young railroader vigorously on the shoulder. "You've saved me some +uneasiness, I can tell you! That your report?" with a glance at a +neatly-directed envelope Ralph had produced. "Come with me. We want +to catch Matthewson before he gets away. He's going down to +Springfield this afternoon--on your business, too."</p> +<p class="pnext">"On my business?" repeated Ralph. "That sounds like a good omen."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you worry about omens, my young friend!" chuckled the foreman. +"You've about won your spurs, this time. How did you run across that +stolen stuff, when those smart, experienced specials never got a sniff +of it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quite by accident," replied Ralph. "I found Ike Slump. As near as I +can figure it out, he and his tramp friend had a breakdown near Dover. +The tramp appears to have got discouraged or frightened, cut away with +Cohen's horses, sold them and decamped, leaving Ike in the lurch. Ike +got the wagonload over into a ravine to hide it till he could raft the +stuff to a distance, and dispose of it and disappear, too. I nipped +his scheme just in time."</p> +<p class="pnext">Matthewson appeared as glad to see Ralph as Forgan had been. He +expressed the liveliest satisfaction at the contents of the report +Ralph handed to him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I think this will be a final spoke in the wheel of Mr. Inspector +Bardon," he said significantly. "Hope you attended to your writing and +spelling in this report, Fairbanks?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why so?" inquired Ralph.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because the president of the Great Northern is likely to see it before +nightfall," announced Matthewson, with a grim chuckle.</p> +<p class="pnext">The foreman and Ralph returned to the roundhouse. After a while Big +Denny came in, full of animation and welcome. Ralph learned that Mrs. +Slump was better, but hers was a sad household. The parents had about +given up ever redeeming their scapegrace son from his evil ways, and +the stricken mother insisted to her husband that they would never know +good luck again until he gave up selling strong drink.</p> +<p class="pnext">With a promise to come up to his house and see little Nora, "who so +prettily says her prayers for you every night," Forgan told Ralph, the +foreman allowed his friend to go home late in the afternoon.</p> +<p class="pnext">That was a quiet, happy evening at the Fairbanks homestead.</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed to mother and son as though after a brave, patient struggle +they had reached some sublime height, from which they could look back +over all difficulties overcome, and forward to golden promises for the +future.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph valued the friends he had made in the railroad service and also +the experience he had gained.</p> +<p class="pnext">There had been ups and downs. There was hard work ahead. But, +brighter than ever, shone the clear star of ambition at the top of the +ladder of the railroad career.</p> +<p class="pnext">Ralph felt that he was in the hands of his friends, and could afford to +await their exertions in his behalf.</p> +<p class="pnext">The next day he was returning from a stroll, turning over in his mind a +plan to learn Matthewson's decision as to what, if anything, the +company wanted done with Ike Slump, and to make a visit to Farwell +Gibson with the joyful news that would make him a free man, when +nearing home, Ralph hurried his steps at the sounds of animated +conversation within the cottage.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the cozy little parlor sat his mother, and on a stool at her feet +was Van. His bright, ingenuous face was aglow with happiness, and he +was chatting away to a loving, interested listener merry as a magpie.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Hello, there, Van Sherwin!" challenged Ralph, in mock severity. "I +can't have any prodigal son pushing me out of my place this way!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have two boys now," said Mrs. Fairbanks, with a proud smile, as the +two manly young fellows joined hands in a brotherly welcome.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What brings you here?" was Ralph's first query.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Slump, mainly," answered Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What about him?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sloped, bag and baggage--and some of Mr. Gibson's baggage to boot. He +played it pretty fine on Mr. Gibson, who allowed him more liberty than +he deserved. Yes, Ike cut out last night, and we thought you ought to +know about it at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's right," nodded Ralph. "However, maybe it is better he should +drop out of the affair in just that way. It will save trouble and +complications. He may sometime see the errors of his ways, and turn +over a new leaf."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I doubt it," dissented Van. "I think he's an all-around bad one. +What about Mr. Gibson's business, if I may ask? He's terribly anxious."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing but good news," answered Ralph heartily. "Mr. Gibson is free +to introduce the Dover & Springfield Short Line Railroad to the great +traveling public just as soon as he likes, now."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Bet you he'll have it running inside of a year!" predicted the +exuberant Van. "Bet you in two I'm a first-class, bang-up locomotive +engineer, and you're master mechanic of the road!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's a far look into the future, Van," said Ralph, with an indulgent +smile. "Just now, I'm getting restless for work of 'most any kind--I +wish they would put me back in the roundhouse."</p> +<p class="pnext">There was a vigorous knock at the front door of the cottage at that +moment.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fairbanks answered the summons. She reëntered the parlor holding +an envelope in one hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A telegram," she announced.</p> +<p class="pnext">"For me?" questioned Ralph, as she extended it towards him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"For you, Ralph."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was the first telegram Ralph Fairbanks had ever received, and, his +mind on a working strain already, he looked conscious and expectant as +he opened it.</p> +<p class="pnext">The telegram was dated at Springfield, the headquarters of the road.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was signed: "James Blake, Master Mechanic."</p> +<p class="pnext">At a glance Ralph comprehended that the mission of his friend, +Matthewson, had been successful.</p> +<p class="pnext">"The first step up the ladder!" he said, with shining eyes, to his +mother and Van.</p> +<p class="pnext">The telegram read:</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ralph Fairbanks will report Monday morning at the roundhouse, Stanley +Junction, for duty as a regularly appointed switch towerman on the +Great Northern Railroad."</p> +<div class="center line-block medium noindent outermost"> +<div class="line">THE END</div> +</div> +<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> +<div class="backmatter"> +</div> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39050 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |