Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/950

126 the road detective, find out who bought that liquor. No need of any blabbing to the general public. Are you able to complete the run, Fairbanks?"

"Certainly," reported Ralph, exercising arms and feet vigorously to restore their circulation. Fogg was still dazed and weak. He had drunk more of the coffee than Ralph. Besides, being the older of the two, he did not shake off the effects of the narcotic so readily as the young engineer.

"I'll help fire—I know how to," declared Clark.

"You know how to stop an engine, too!" commented the conductor. "All right, Fairbanks, when you're ready," and he returned to the coaches. Ralph extended his hand to Clark. The latter met his glance frankly.

"I've been trying to get track of your movements by telegraph," said Clark. "Located your run, and was waiting at Riverton for your train. Got there ahead of time, and came back to the depot just as 999 was pulling out, and caught the last car. First, I thought I'd not show myself until you got through with your trip. Things got dull in those humdrum coaches, though, and I sailed ahead to the tender, saw what was wrong, and checked up the locomotive just beyond the bridge. Say, if the draw had been open, we'd all have had a bath, eh?"