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Rh find the certain fellow, or you don't run 999 for a time to come, I'll bet you."

"Who is this certain man?" inquired Ralph.

"I don't know his name. He's a stranger to me.

"And who is the certain fellow?"

"I know that one—I don't mind telling you. Then shut up. You've a way of worming things out of people, and I'm not going to help you any—it's Marvin Clark."

"I thought it was," nodded the young engineer reflectively; and then there was a spell of silence.

Ralph could only conjecture as to the significance of Ike's statement. There certainly was some vivid interest that centered about the missing son of the railroad president. That name, Marvin Clark, had been used to lure Ralph to the old shed. Now it was again employed. It took a far flight of fancy to discern what connection young Clark might have with these two outcasts—worse, criminals. Ralph decided that their only mission in any plot surrounding Clark was that of hired intermediaries. He did not know why, but somehow he came to the conclusion that Evans and Slump were acting in behalf of the pretended Lord Montague. Why and wherefore he could not imagine, but he believed that through circumstances now developing he would soon find out.