Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/572

4 "Bah, you're all down on me!" flared out Evans, and left the place in a rage.

"It would do no good, Fairbanks, to help that man," observed Dave Adams. "He would sign anything to secure a personal advantage and never keep his word. He squanders all his money and won't last long in the Great Northern, I can tell you."

Ralph went outside as he heard a whistle down the rails. Evans was standing near a switch.

"Some kind of a plot, eh, you and your friend?" he sneered at Ralph.

"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Evans," replied Ralph.

"Oh, yes, you do. Forgan is partial to you. The others don't like me because I'm a crack man in my line. One word, though; I'll pay you off for this some time or other," and Evans left the spot shaking his fist at Ralph menacingly.

"One of the bad kind," mused Ralph, looking after the fellow, "not at all fit for duty half the time. Here comes one of the good kind," he added as a freight engine with a long train of cars attached steamed up at the roundhouse. "It's my run, Mr. Griscom."

"That's famous news," cried old John Griscom, genuinely pleased.