It did not take Ralph long to figure out the merits and prospects of the
proposition that Farwell Gibson had made to him.
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.
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.
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.
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.
There was not the least doubt but that Gibson had a valuable proposition
and that he had legally maintained his rights in the premises.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
"Did you find out much?" Van inquired, as they started homewards about
five o'clock.
"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."
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.
There was a road for some ten miles, and then one along a winding creek
for half that distance. Beyond that lay the jungle.
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.
Suddenly Ralph, who had been taking in all the lovely view about them,
put a quick hand on Van's arm.
"Right away!" he said, with strange incision--"get ashore and in the
shelter of the brush."
"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.
"Now--what?" he demanded.
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.
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.
"What's up?" he asked.
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.
"You seem mightily interested!" observed Van.
"I am," answered Ralph, and his tone was quite intense. "I expect to be
still more so when that fellow faces about."
"If he ever does. There--he has!" spoke Van.
Ralph drew back from his point of observation, took a quick breath, and
was palpably excited.
"I was right," he said, half to himself. "There's work here."
"Say," spoke Van, impatiently and curiously, "you're keeping me on
nettles. What are you talking about, anyway?"
"That fellow yonder. Do you know who he is?"
"Of course I don't."
"I do--it's Ike Slump."