Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/1070

246 "Remarkably so," assented Ralph.

"I've got to get to the roundhouse," explained the little fellow, turning back in his tracks. "Thought you'd want to know about that car, though."

"I do, most emphatically," declared Ralph, "and greatly obliged to you for thinking of it."

Ralph approached the train on the siding. It was one of the queerest he had ever seen. There was a motley gathering of every class of freight cars on the line. As he passed along he noted the destination of some of the cars. No two were marked for the same point of delivery. It was easy to surmise that they were victims of the recent blockade.

Ralph came up to the rear car of the incongruous train with a good deal of curiosity. It was not the car that had made that mysterious run to Fordham Spur with Zeph Dallas, although it looked exactly like it. The present car was newer and more staunch. A fresh discovery made Ralph think hard. The car was classified as "fast freight," and across one end was chalked its presumable destination.

"Fordham Spur," read the young engineer.

"Queer—the same as the other car. I wonder what's aboard?"

Just like the other car, the curtains were closely