ZEPH
The young fireman reported at the roundhouse early in the morning,
showing the telegram to Jim Forgan, but not until the foreman had got
out of sight and hearing of the other men in the place.
"H'm!" commented Forgan laconically, "I don't like this."
"Indeed, Mr. Forgan?" smiled Ralph.
"I don't, and that's the truth of it--for two reasons."
"What are they, Mr. Forgan?"
"First, it interrupts a regular run for you."
"But I may not be away two days."
"Next, it gives that Jim Evans a chance to take your place, and I
don't trust the man."
"Neither do I," said Ralph pointedly, "and I may have something
important to tell you about him when I return."
Ralph found Zeph industriously chopping kindling wood when he got back
home again. The young fireman went into the house, explained his new
employment to his mother, and then called to Zeph.
"You wanted some work, Zeph," he said to the farmer boy.
"Sure, I do," cried Zeph with unction.
"Very well, I think I am authorized to offer you a dollar a day."
"Steady job?" inquired Zeph eagerly.
"No, it may not last, but it is in the railroad service, and may lead
to your further employment."
"Good," commented Zeph. "What do they want me to do--engineer?"
"Scarcely, Zeph," said Ralph, smiling. "I simply want you to take me
back to the Ames farm and direct me about the locality."
Zeph looked disappointed.
"Why, what's that kind of work got to do with railroading?" he said.
"You shall know later."
"All right. You're too smart to make any mistakes and too friendly to
do anything but good for me, so I'm your man."
"Very well. First, then, tell me the location of the Ames farm."
Zeph did this, and Ralph ascertained that it was about five miles west
of Brocton.
Ralph secured some money, and in an hour he and Zeph stepped aboard
the cab of a locomotive attached to a load of empties due to run down
the line in a few minutes.
They reached Brocton about noon. Ralph proceeded down the tracks
towards the railroad cut which had been the scene of the landslide.
He turned off at the wagon road and soon, with his companion, was
started westward in the direction of the Ames farm.
"Zeph," he said, "did you hear anything of a train robbery here the
other night?"
No, Zeph had not heard of it. Then Ralph questioned him closely as to
the night Ames had loaned his wagon to strangers and gained a few more
particulars relating to the silk robbers.
"There is the Ames farm," reported Zeph at last.
Ralph had already planned out what he would do, and proceeded to
instruct his assistant as to his share in the affair.
"Zeph," he said, "I do not wish to be seen by Ames, nor must he know
that you came here with a stranger."
"Am I to see him?"
"Yes," answered Ralph, taking a package from under his coat.
"Why, that's the package I lost!" cried Zeph.
"The same."
"And you had it all the time?"
"I did, Zeph, yes. No mystery about it--I simply don't care to explain
to you anything about it till a little later on."
"All right."
"I want you to take it and go up to the farmhouse. I will keep out of
sight. You go to Ames and tell him it was returned to you, and you
want to give it back to the person it belongs to with a message."
"Whose message?"
"Nobody's," answered Ralph, "but you need not say that."
"What shall I say, then?"
"Tell him you want to advise the person who sent the parcel that it
isn't safe to send such goods to any one at the present time."
"Very well," said Zeph. "Suppose Ames tells me where to find the
fellow who sent the package?"
"Come back and report to me."
Zeph started for the farmhouse. Ralph watched him enter it, the
package in his hand. He came out in a very few minutes without the
parcel.
He was rather glum-faced when he rejoined Ralph.
"Say," he observed, "I've found out nothing, and old Ames took the
package away from me."
"What did he say?" asked the young fireman.
"He told me he would see that it was returned to the person who sent
it."
"That delays matters," thought Ralph, "and I don't know whether Ames
will take it back to the silk thieves, or wait for some of them to
visit him."
Then the young fireman formed a sudden resolution. He regarded his
companion thoughtfully, and said:
"Zeph, I am going to trust you with what is known as an official
secret in the railroad line."
The farmer boy looked pleased and interested.
"I believe you are too square and friendly to betray that secret."
"Try me, and see!" cried Zeph with ardor.
"Well," said Ralph, "there was a silk robbery of the Dover night
freight last week, the train I am fireman on. From what you have told
me, I feel sure that the thieves hired their rig from Ames. That
package you had was part of the stolen plunder. I am acting for the
road detective of the Great Northern, and I must locate those
robbers."
"Then," cried Zeph delightedly, "I am helping you do detective
work."
"Yes, Zeph, genuine detective work."
"Oh! how I wish I had my disguises here!"
"You are of more use to me as you are, because the thieves know you
worked for Ames, and they seem to trust him."
"That's so," said Zeph thoughtfully. "What you going to do?"
"I want to locate the thieves," responded Ralph. "You must know the
district about here pretty well. Can't you think of any spot where
they would be likely to hide?"
"None in particular. But I know every foot of the woods, swamps and
creek. If the men you are looking for are anywhere in the
neighborhood, I am sure we will find a trace of them."
"You pilot the way, then, Zeph. Go with caution if you find any traces
of the men, for I am sure that at least two of the party know me."
For three hours they made a tour of the district, taking in nearly
four miles to the south. The swamp lands they could not traverse.
Finally they came out of the woods almost directly on a town.
"Why," said Ralph in some surprise, "here is Millville, the next
station to Brocton."
"That's so," nodded Zeph. "I hardly think those fellows are in the
woods. We have made a pretty thorough search."
"There's the swamp and the high cliffs we haven't visited," said
Ralph. "I suppose you are hungry?"
"Moderately," answered Zeph.
"Then we will go and have something to eat. I have a friend just on
the edge of Millville, who keeps a very unique restaurant."
Ralph smiled pleasantly, for the restaurant in question was quite a
feature with railroad men.
Two lines of railroad crossed at Millville, a great deal of switching
was done outside of the town, and there was a shanty there to shelter
the men.
A little off from the junction was a very queer-looking house, if it
could be called such. Its main structure was an old freight car, to
which there had been additions made from time to time. Across its
front was a sign reading, "Limpy Joe's Railroad Restaurant."
"Ever taken a meal here?" inquired Ralph, as they approached the
place.
"No."
"Ever heard of Limpy Joe?"
"Don't think I have."
"Then," said Ralph, "I am going to introduce you to the most
interesting boy you ever met."