Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/736

168 "In the scow. Ralph! Locked in! Get me out!"

"I declare! It can't be Ralph. Well! well!" Nimbly as his crutches would allow him; Limpy Joe came towards the scow. He halted as he neared the window where he could make out the anxious face of his friend.

"What are you ever doing there? How did you get in there? Why, this is wonderful, my finding you in this way," cried the cripple.

"I'll tell you all that when I get out," promised Ralph. "All you have to do is to spring back the bolt catch on the cover to the hold scuttle."

"I'll soon have you out then," said Joe, and with alacrity he waded into the water, got aboard the old craft, and in another minute Ralph had lifted himself free of his prison place.

"Whew! what a relief," aspirated the young fireman joyfully. "Joe, it is easy explaining how I came to be here—the natural sequence of events—but for you to be on hand to save me is marvelous."

"I don't see why," said Joe. "I have been coming here for the last three days."

"What for?" inquired Ralph.

"Business, strictly."

"Mother told me you had taken the horse and