Ralph on the Engine Part 36

"I have ordered a subst.i.tute fireman on the Mail for a week, Fairbanks," said that official. "I think we shall engage your services for that length of time."

"Is it some particular case, sir?" asked Ralph.

"A very important case, yes. We seem to have got rid of incompetent employes and strikers, thanks to you and others who stood by the company in time of trouble. There is one thing, however, that is bothering us. It bothers every road more or less, but we won't have it."

Ralph waited for a further explanation.

"Freight thieves, Fairbanks," continued the official. "Some gang is regularly stealing from the road. When, where and how it is done we have been unable to ascertain. A train will leave the city or the Junction, arrive at terminus, and some valuable package will be missing. The car seals will be all right, no one seems to have entered the car, and yet the pilfering goes on. Will you help us run down the thieves?"

"I will try," answered Ralph. "What trains seem to suffer most?"

"Always the night freights," replied the a.s.sistant superintendent.

"Now, take your time, spare no expense, and go to work on this problem in your usual effective way."

Ralph devoted the remainder of the day to going up and down the road and familiarizing himself with the various freight trains and their schedules.

Just after dark he clambered into the cab of the night freight leaving the city. It was a dark, sleety night, for cold weather had just set in.

The engineer was a tried and trusty veteran in the service. Ralph felt that he understood him, and that he must trust him to a degree in order to facilitate his own programme. He waited till the fireman was busy outside on the engine, then he spoke to the old engineer.

"Mr. Barton, I am on special duty here tonight."

"That so, lad?" inquired the engineer.

"Yes, I suppose you know there is a good deal of missing freight in these night runs."

"I heard so," answered Barton, "but you see that is the business of the conductor, so I haven't much troubled myself about it."

"Still, you don't care to have these things occur in your runs."

"Should say not! Working on the case, Fairbanks?"

"Frankly, yes, Mr. Barton, and I want you to keep it quiet, but a.s.sist me when you can. I will be all over the train and the car tops to-night, and wanted to explain why to you."

"That's all right, lad. Just call on me if I can help you. h.e.l.lo, you, Woods!" bawled the engineer suddenly to a fellow who appeared near the cab side, "what you doing there?"

The man slunk out of view at being addressed, with a muttered remark that it was his own business.

"Don't like that fellow--caboose look-out," explained Barton.

"I hope he did not overhear our conversation," spoke Ralph.

About mid-way of the train there was a gondola oil car. It had an elevated runway so that train hands could pa.s.s over it readily. Ralph selected this car as a vantage point, and got aboard as the train started on its way for Stanley Junction.

He was dressed as a tramp, looked the character completely, and the false moustache he wore effectually changed his face so that no persons except familiar friends would easily recognize him.

Ralph got down at one side of the big oil tank. For the next hour he remained quiet. Finally, as a brakeman pa.s.sed over the platform, he climbed up and kept track of his movements.

The man, however, simply pa.s.sed up and down the train and then returned to the caboose. Then there was a stop. Ralph leaned from the car and looked up and down the train.

"Why," exclaimed Ralph suddenly, "there is that fellow Woods working at the doors of the cars a little ahead there."

The brakeman in question now came down the length of the train. The engine was taking water. He halted almost opposite the car Ralph was hiding on. Suddenly he uttered a low, sharp whistle, and it was answered. Three men appeared from the side of the track, spoke to him, bounded up on to the oil car, and crouched down so near to Ralph that he could almost touch them.

Woods stood on the next track with his lantern as if waiting for the train to start up.

"Cars marked," he spoke. "I'll flash the glim when the coast is clear.

You'll know the cases I told you about."

There was no response. The locomotive whistled, and the brakeman ran back to the caboose. Ralph lay perfectly still. The three men sat up against the railing of the car.

"Got the keys to the car ventilators?" asked one of the men, finally.

"Sure," was the response. "Say, fellows, we want to be wary. This is a clever game of ours, but I hear that the railroad company is watching out pretty close."

"Oh, they can't reach us," declared another voice, "with Woods taking care of the broken seals, and all kinds of duplicate keys, we can puzzle them right along."

Just then one of them arose to his feet. He stumbled heavily over Ralph.

"h.e.l.lo!" he yelled, "who is this?"

CHAPTER XXIX

A PRISONER

The three men almost instantly confronted Ralph, and one of them seized him, holding him firmly.

Ralph quickly decided on his course of action. He yawned in the face of the speaker and drawled sleepily:

"What are you waking a fellow up for?"

One held Ralph, another lit a match. They were rough, but shrewd fellows. Instantly one of them said:

"Disguised!" and he pulled off Ralph's false moustache. "That means a spy. Fellows, how can we tell Woods?"

"S--sh!" warned a companion--"no names. Now, young fellow, who are you?"

But "young fellow" was gone! In a flash Ralph comprehended that he was in a bad fix, his usefulness on the scene gone. In a twinkling he had jerked free from the grasp of the man who held him, had sprung to the platform of the oil car and thence to the roof of the next box car.

Almost immediately his recent captor was after him. It was now for Ralph a race to the engine and his friend Barton.

The running boards were covered with sleet and as slippery as gla.s.s, yet Ralph forged ahead. He could hear the short gasps for breath of a determined pursuer directly behind him.

"Got you!" said a quick voice. Its owner stumbled, his head struck the young fireman and Ralph was driven from the running board.