"You mean, will we undertake the job?" inquired the veteran engineer in his practical, matter-of-fact way.
"Exactly," nodded Trevor eagerly.
"After a hard double run?" insinuated Griscom.
"That"s so; it isn"t right to ask them, Forgan. Give me some other engine."
"Won"t you wait till I answer?" demanded Griscom. "Yes, we will, and glad to show you the courtesy. Is that right, Fairbanks?"
"Certainly," replied Ralph. "Is it a matter of a great deal of urgency, Mr. Trevor?"
"Particularly so. I have come five hundred miles on other roads on specials. I must connect with a train in the city at a certain time, or I miss Europe and important business."
Old Griscom took out his greasy, well-worn train schedule. He looked it over and pointing to the regular time made, said:
"We can discount that exactly seventy-two minutes."
"And that will bring me to terminus exactly on time," said the young man brightly. "Do it, my friends, and you shall have a hundred dollars between you."
"That isn"t at all necessary"--began Griscom.
"I beg pardon, but in this case it is," broke in Trevor. "It"s all arranged. Thanks. I will put on a rain coat, and if you will stow me in some corner of the tender I shall enjoy the run."
Forgan bustled about. Through the call boy of the roundhouse Ralph sent word to his mother of the extra trip. Then he worked like a beaver on the locomotive. Trevor watched him in a pleased and admiring way.
They ran the locomotive out on the turn table. Griscom consulted his watch, talked a few moments with Forgan, and said to Ralph:
"Tracks clear in twelve minutes, lad. Just time enough to get a bite at the nearest restaurant."
When they returned, Trevor stood near the engine glancing all around him in a very animated way.
"Looking for Forgan?" inquired the old engineer.
"Oh, no. I was wondering where a fellow disappeared to who was hanging around the tender a few minutes ago. He and a companion have been following me ever since I arrived."
"Then they have given up the job," observed Griscom, glancing keenly about. "Why should they follow you, Mr. Trevor?"
"That I cannot tell. Probably thought I looked prosperous, and were bent on waylaying me. Anyhow, they kept close to me down the tracks from the depot. Ready?"
"In precisely one minute. There is the Dover Accommodation now,"
announced the engineer, as a headlight came around a curve. "All right. We"ll have to coal up at the limits. Then we will make you a comfortable seat, Mr. Trevor."
"Don"t you give yourselves any concern about me," replied Trevor. "I am used to railroad life."
They coaled up at the limits, but did not stop for water, the tank being three-quarters full. Ralph made tests of air valve and water pump, shook down the furnace, and the locomotive quivered under high-steam pressure as they started on their special run.
A flagman shouted something at them as they pa.s.sed a switch.
"What was he saying?" inquired Griscom.
"I couldn"t hear him," said Ralph.
"Thought he pointed at the engine--at the cow-catcher," remarked Trevor.
"Everything all right there," a.s.sured Ralph, and in the brisk action of the hour the circ.u.mstance was forgotten.
Twenty, thirty, forty miles made, and as they slowed down Griscom turned to Trevor, a proud glitter in his eye.
"How is that, sir?" he inquired.
"Famous!" cried the young man cheerily. "Badly shaken up, and this seat up here is rather b.u.mpy, but I enjoy it, just the same. Going to stop?"
"Yes, crossing. Only for half-a-minute, though."
The engine halted on regular signal. Griscom got down and ran about a bit, explaining that he was subject to cramps when seated long in one position. Two men came up to the locomotive.
"Give us a lift?" demanded one of them.
"Couldn"t do it, partner," responded Ralph. "Under special orders."
"Plenty of room up there on the tender."
"Not for you," answered the young fireman.
Both men regarded Trevor very keenly. Then they disappeared in the darkness. Ralph got the signal from the crossing"s switch tower to go ahead.
"Mr. Griscom," he called out from his window.
"Why, where is he?--I don"t see him," said Trevor in surprise. "I saw him out there not a minute ago."
Ralph jumped to the ground in amazement. Nowhere in sight was Griscom; nowhere within hearing either, it seemed. Like the two rough fellows who had just approached the engine, Griscom has disappeared.
"Why, this is mysterious," declared the young fireman in an anxious tone of concern. "Where can he have disappeared to?"
"I don"t like the looks of things," spoke Trevor. "Something is wrong, Fairbanks," he continued. "Look ahead there--I just saw a man on the cowcatcher."
Now Ralph was more than mystified, he was alarmed. He seized a rod and jumped again to the ground. Sure enough, on the cowcatcher sat a man, huddled up comfortably.
"Who are you?" demanded Ralph, keeping his distance and eyeing the intruder suspiciously.
"Call me a tramp, if you like," laughed the fellow.
"You must get off of that cowcatcher."
"Who says so?"
"I do--against the rules. Come, move on."