Ralph in the Switch Tower Part 35

"That so?" continued old Jack, in a slow, pitying drawl. "Well, well!

Now, just to demonstrate, suppose you take a test?"

"I'm your man!" cried Slavin, pulling off his coat and striking an att.i.tude.

"Double switch," called out Knight--"18 and 19."

Slavin wavered, Knight had called out two levers way down the line, rarely used. Slavin's eyes ran the long array. Then he got his bearings, and swung his arms down into the battery with a ponderous swoop.

His great strong fists clasped the lever handles in a really admirable manner, and he looked the prodigy of muscle he claimed to be.

"Open 'em up!" shouted Knight

Slavin bent to his task.

"Pull--you lubber, pull!" yelled old Jack Knight.

CHAPTER XXVIII--WHAT THE "EXTRA" TOLD

"They won't move!" cried Young Slavin disgustedly. "They don't budge.

Oh, rot on you! guying a fellow," and he slunk back to the armchair in chagrin.

Old Jack laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. He had tricked his new apprentice into a "grand-stand" display at two levers that had been wedged tight shut and out of use for a month.

He rallied the would-be railroader for a few minutes. Then in his kind-spirited way he took up the matter seriously.

He told Slavin just what his initial duties would be: sweeping out the tower, keeping the fuel supply handy, oiling the lever and rod sockets, cleaning the windows.

Slavin was somewhat disappointed at this dreary routine. When, however, Knight recited his own early experience and what it led to in proficiency and promotion, Slavin became more resigned.

"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 Bemis had the doc.u.ments stolen from Mrs. Davis."

"That's it," nodded Slavin. "You know Slump wrote a sa.s.sy letter to old Farrington."

"So you told me."

"Farrington paid no attention to it. Then Van overheard these two precious schemers concocting a new note. It told old Farrington that they had something better than merely knowing where a certain woman was."

"They meant Mrs. Davis."

"Of course. In this last note they said that they had some very valuable papers belonging to Mrs. Davis. They threatened that if Farrington didn't get them out of that jail inside of forty-eight hours, they would send for Ralph Fairbanks and turn the papers over to him."

"This is getting interesting," remarked Ralph.

"And exciting. Oh, something is sure to drop, soon. That old miser will never go any twenty thousand dollars' bonds on those two scape-graces."

"It is not likely," said Ralph. "Do you think Farrington paid any attention to the second note?"

"I think he did."

"Why so?"

"As I left the jail, I saw his coachman come out of the building. He had an empty basket on his arm. I think he had been taking some food and such fixings to Ike Slump & Co."

"And the latest is Van's 'To-night'," mused Ralph. "Slavin, you will keep a close watch on things, won't you? I believe affairs are very near a crisis."

"I'll not miss anything," Slavin a.s.sured Ralph stanchly--"least of all you, when there's any important word to report."

Ralph was restless and expectant all that evening at home. He sat up till ten o'clock, hoping that Slavin might bring him some word.

None came, however. He went to bed, and as usual left the house for the switch tower at 7.30 in the morning.

Just as Ralph neared the depot yards, a small boy with a bundle of papers under his arm darted down the street.

Ralph remembered that this was "paper day." He paused and listened as the lad shouted out his wares.