Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/526

228 "It looks good," he said longingly. "The day I draw more than board and lodging wages and pull a lever, I'll give you two a banquet. Say, I can hardly wait to begin!"

"When do you begin, Slavin?" asked old Jack.

"Next Monday."

Slavin hung around the switch tower till Knight went away in answer to a 'phone call from the limits tower. Then he sidled up to Ralph.

"Been waiting to tell you," he said in a low tone.

"Something about Van?"

"Yes."

"Did you get any word from him?"

"This morning. Came to the rear jail window, where I wait for him. Said just one word."

"What was it?"

"'To-night.'"

"That was all?"

"Someone inside interrupted him, I think, so that was all."

"'To-night,'" repeated Ralph musingly. "I wonder what he means?"

"Action to-night, of course. Something is going to happen. Last night—you remember what he told me?"

"Yes, Van said he felt sure that Slump and