CHAPTER XIX--IKE SLUMP'S FRIENDS
When Ralph reached home after his exciting half-hour with GasperFarrington, he was considerably wrought up.
He had called for assistance at the Farrington home as soon as its ownerwent down in a fit, a servant had hurried to the porch, between themthey got Farrington into the house and on a couch, a physician wastelephoned for, and as soon as he saw returning signs of consciousnesson the part of his host and discerned that his condition was not reallyserious, Ralph left the place.
Van had gone to bed, and Ralph found his mother alone. They sat in thelittle parlor, conversing. Mrs. Fairbanks was very much perturbed atRalph's recital of his sensational encounter with Gasper Farrington.
"I fear he is an evil man, Ralph," she said, with anxiety. "He haspower, and he will not hesitate to misuse it."
"He seems to be determined to drive us out of Stanley Junction," saidRalph. "And I fear he may succeed."
"Not while I have you to care for and your interests to protect!"declared Ralph, with vim. "That old man has aroused the fighting bloodin me, mother, and I'll see this thing through, and stay right on thespot, if I have to peddle papers for a living. But don't you worryabout his getting me discharged. I have made some friends in therailroad business, and I believe they will stick by me."
Mrs. Fairbanks sighed in a worried way.
"I wish you had not run counter to him to-night," she said.
"I am glad," responded Ralph. "Don't you see he has shown his hand?Why, mother, can anything be plainer than that he realizes our presencehere to be a constant menace to some of his interests? And as to thatrandom shot about Farwell Gibson--it told. He is afraid of us and thisGibson. Well, it has all cleared the way to definite action."
"What do you mean, Ralph?"
"I mean that the letter Van brought us must have been very important. Ibelieve this man, Gibson, is alive, but in hiding. He shows it by theroundabout, laborious way he took to send the letter, and his ignoranceof father's death. I believe that letter hinted at his knowledge ofwrongs Farrington has done us. If we can find this person, I feelpositive he can impart information of vital value to our interests."
Mrs. Fairbanks acquiesced in her son's theories, but was timorous aboutfurther antagonizing their enemy. It was mostly for Ralph and hisprospects that she cared.
"I have been thinking the whole matter over, mother," proceeded Ralph,"and I believe I see my course plain before me. As soon as I can, I amgoing to ask the foreman to give me a couple of days' leave of absence.Then I will get Mr. Griscom to take Van and me on his run, and return.Van came in on his morning run, so I conjecture he must have got on thetrain somewhere between Stanley Junction and the terminal. Is it notpossible, going back over the course, that he may show recognition ofsome spot with which he is familiar?"
"Yes, Ralph, that looks reasonable."
"Once we know where he came from, and find his friends, we can trace upthis Mr. Gibson. Don't you see, mother?"
Mrs. Fairbanks did see, and commended Ralph's clear, ready wit informulating the plan suggested. She did not show much enthusiasm,however. She was more than content with the present--a comfortablehome, a manly, ambitious boy at her side, full of devotion to her, andmaking his way steadily to the front.
Ralph was called into the foreman's office almost as soon as he reachedthe roundhouse next morning.
Forgan looked serious and acted anxious.
"Sit down, Fairbanks," he directed, closing the door after his visitor."We're in trouble here, and I guess you will have to lift us out of it."
"Can I, Mr. Forgan?" inquired Ralph.
"You can help, that's sure. Those brass fittings you found were stolenfrom the railroad company."
"I thought that. They had the Great Northern stamp on them."
"That isn't the worst of it. Some one has been systematically riflingthe supply bins. I suppose you know that some of these pinions andvalves are very nearly worth their weight in silver?"
"I know they must cost considerable, those of a special pattern,"assented Ralph.
"They do. That little heap you brought in the bag represents somethingover fifty dollars to the company."
Ralph was surprised at this declaration.
"To an outsider they are not worth one-tenth that amount, because thereis a penalty for selling them, even as junk, and the only people whohandle them are stolen-goods receivers, who melt them down. Well,Fairbanks, I started an investigation in the supply department lastevening. The result is astonishing."
The foreman's grave manner indicated that he had some pretty sensationaldisclosures in reserve.
"We find," continued Forgan, "that there has been cunning, systematicthievery; some one entirely familiar with the supply sheds and theirsystem has removed a large amount of plunder, probably a little at atime. They, or he, whoever it is, did not excite suspicions by takingthe fittings from the bins, but tapped the reserve boxes and kegs in thestoreroom. We estimate that nearly two thousand dollars' worth of stuffhas been stolen."
Ralph was astonished at this statement.
"That means trouble for me," announced the foreman, "unless I can remedyit. I am supposed to employ reliable men, and safeguard the goods intheir charge. The railroad company doesn't stop to find excuses forshortages, they simply discharge a man who is not smart enough toprotect his own and the company's interests."
"I understand," murmured Ralph.
"A new inventory is due next month. I must recover that stolenplunder--at least discover the thieves--to square myself before then,"announced Forgan. "We can't afford to dodge any corners, Fairbanks, andI want you to be clear and open with me. I believe that young rascal,Ike Slump, had a hand in the robbery, and I further believe that youknow it to be a fact."
"I do not positively know it, Mr. Forgan," said Ralph.
"But you suspect it, eh? Don't shield a rogue, Fairbanks. It isn'tfair to me and it isn't fair to the company. Ike's father told me thismorning you promised to try and find his son for him. I think you areshrewd enough to do it. All right--at the same time keep in mind myinterest in the affair, and try and get a clew from Ike Slump as tothose stolen fittings. You can call the day off--I'll pay your time outof my own pocket."
Ralph understood what was expected of him. He received the suggestionsof his superior without further questioning, as if they comprised aregular order, went to his locker, and in a few minutes was ready forthe street.
He did not know where to find Ike Slump, but he was thoroughlyacquainted with the town, which had its rough quarters, like all otherrailroad centers.
Extending from the depot along the tracks for half a mile were smallhotels, workingmen's boarding houses, second-hand stores, restaurantssaloons, and all kinds of little business places.
They comprised a nest where most of the drinking and all of the crime ofthe place occurred. It was not a desirable quarter, but Ralph realizedthat within its precincts he was likely to locate Ike Slump, if at allin Stanley Junction.
Ralph put in an hour strolling in the vicinity. He kept a keen eye outfor those of Ike's chosen chums whom he knew. He did not believe thatIke was likely to show himself much in the day-time. His father hadbeen unable to find him, and Ike probably had some safe hide-out, andpickets on the lookout, besides.
About eleven o'clock, coming down the tracks near the scene of thebattle royal, Ralph discovered half a dozen boys in the rear yard of ablacksmith shop.
Various vehicles, sheds and general yard litter enabled Ralph toapproach them unobserved. He fancied that at least two of the crowd hadbeen mixed up in the fracas which Van's valiant onslaught hadterminated, for one had a swollen nose and another a black eye.
Ralph suddenly appeared before the crowd, engrossed in their game. Theyrose up, startled. Then he was apparently recognized, for a quickmurmur went the rounds, and they quickly hunched together with loweringbrows and suspicious looks.
"I want to have a word w
ith you fellows," said Ralph bluntly.
They were six to one, and here was a golden opportunity to avenge theignominious defeat they had sustained. Ralph's off-hand bearing,however, his clear eye and manly tones, impressed them, and perhaps,too, they had a wholesome fear that his giant-fisted champion, Van,might be lurking in the vicinity.
No one spoke, and Ralph resumed.
"See here, boys, this is business. I want to find Ike Slump, and it'sfor his own good. He's likely to get into trouble if he doesn't see hisfather very soon, and it will be the police, not me, next visit. Hismother's sick, boys, sick abed, and heart-broken over his absence. Come,fellows, tell me where he is."
"You're pretty fresh!" spoke out one of the crowd. "What are you after?a bluff, or a give-away?"
"If you mean I am misrepresenting Ike's danger, or that I have anyunfriendly feeling towards him," said Ralph, "you are entirely wrong.I'm trying to help him, for the sake of his poor mother and others--nothurt him."
Two or three heads went close together. There was a brief undertonedconference.
"We don't bite," finally announced the spokesman of the crowd. "We'lltake your message to Ike. If he wants to find you, he knows how."
"All right," said Ralph, moving away--"only he may wait too long. I'llgive you a quarter to put me in touch with him for two minutes."
No one responded to the offer. A little dirty-faced urchin, who lookedunhappy and out of place with that motley crew, looked longingly atRalph. No one called him back as he moved slowly away.
Ralph left the place, and had gone about two hundred yards down thetrack along a high fence, when he heard a thin, piping voice call out:
"Hold on, mister, back up--I want to tell you something!"