Chapter XIX: On the Lookout

Ten minutes later Ralph and Bob Adair entered the office of the superintendent of the Great Northern. As they did so, a tall, well-dressed man left by another door. Adair nudged Ralph.

"The President of the road," he spoke in a low quick tone.

"Yes, I see," nodded Ralph.

"Eyes and ears wide open. We're going to see some lively doings, if I don't mistake my cue."

Ralph felt the dignity and force of the occasion. It was a good deal for a mere youth to realize that he was being called into an important conference on a footing with old and experienced railroaders. The serious yet pleasant greeting of the superintendent told that the situation was a distinct compliment to the fine record and ability of the young railroader.

Ralph modestly took a chair to one side of the big table at which the superintendent and his assistant were seated. Adair produced that formidable memorandum book of his, stuffed with all kinds of secrets of the rail.

"We had better get down to business without any preamble," spoke the head official briskly. "Before we begin, however, I wish to commend you, Fairbanks, for your diligence in our behalf."

"Thank you, sir," said Ralph with a flush of pleasure.

"Yourself and Glidden handled the situation at the relay just as we would have wished it done. What is your report, Adair?"

The road detective consulted his notes in a matter-of-fact way, and began detailing his information as if he was reading off a freight schedule, but Ralph was immensely interested and so were his other auditors.

Part of what Adair told was news to Ralph. The most of Adair's disclosures, however, linked to what he already suspected or knew. Briefly narrated, the two queerly-acting men who had been noticed by Ralph in the company of Glen Palmer's grandfather and during the trouble in the tunnel had been the starting clews in the case.

"There is a man named Rivers and half a dozen fellow conspirators who are making most of the trouble," said the road officer. "Two of the men Fairbanks spotted over two weeks ago. They were after the secrets of our paymaster, as we well know. From word I have received from an assistant, Dallas, they and a group of helpers are hanging around the vicinity of scene of the smash up last night."

"There's a mystery to explain, Adair," here broke in the superintendent. "What was the motive for the collision?"

"Just malicious mischief, I presume--a part of the contract of the gang to hamper and cripple the Great Northern all they can," returned the assistant. "The work was done by the same group--the word I have received from young Dallas assures me of that."

"If I may be allowed to say a word," submitted Ralph.

"Certainly," nodded the superintendent, and all eyes were instantly fixed on Ralph. The latter took from his pocket the memorandum book and letters which had belonged to the injured train wrecker. He explained how he had found them. There was sharp attention, while the officers expressed approval in their looks.

"From all I can gather from these," explained Ralph, "the man who ran away with the old engine was Rivers. This book bears his name. From it I would think he was receiving a goodly sum each week from some mysterious source for 'looking after' the Great Northern, as it is expressed."

"This is the underhand work of our rivals in business," declared the assistant superintendent bitterly.

"I think so, too," assented Ralph. "Outside of that, however, it is certain that Rivers and his fellow conspirators are doing some business 'on the side,' as he again aptly expresses it in his notes. A letter will show you that a man named Kingston hired him to wreck the two cars near the quarry."

"Kingston, the contractor? Why, it was his own machinery. He had a large contract to do some extensive blasting work for the Great Northern," spoke Adair.

"Yes," nodded Ralph, "I guess that from what the memorandum book tells me. The contract, however, had to be done in a certain time or Kingston forfeited a heavy bond, I believe."

"That is true," said the superintendent.

"He found out that his machinery would not do the work and that he would lose on his contract."

"And wrecked his own plant!" exclaimed the assistant superintendent.

"Incredible!" murmured the head official at his side.

"You deserve something for ferreting that out," declared Adair approbatively. "There is your evidence, gentlemen, it seems," he added, pushing the documents over to the others.

"This is getting pretty serious," observed the superintendent.

"I will hunt up the contractor," said Adair, making a note. "I have men looking for Grizzly and Mason. The other suspects in the service are being shadowed. I think, with the start this famous young friend of ours, Fairbanks, has given us, there will be a general clearing up of the situation in a short time. Dallas is in the company and confidence of the conspirators. There will be some arrests and confessions within a few days. I think I can safely promise that."

Ralph listened attentively while the others engaged in a general discussion of the situation. It was arranged that he should resume his position at headquarters in the office of the chief train dispatcher. Adair was to go down the line for the avowed purpose of getting more closely in touch with his faithful young assistant, Zeph Dallas. The latter, through the exercise of a keen intelligence and perseverance, seemed to proudly hold the key to the entire situation, and Ralph was glad of it.

"There is one other subject of importance," remarked the road officer, as the superintendent arose and the conference seemed as on end.

"What is that?"

"The pay car affair."

"I thought that was all arranged."

"It is, so far as we are concerned, but shall I advise Fairbanks of the arrangements?"

"By all means," directed the superintendent promptly.

"Yes, he has proven his trustworthiness and ability," supplemented the assistant, "and it is our wish that he should be appraised of exactly what is going on."

"Very well," nodded Adair, in his usual brusque manner, "I will attend to that. Come on, Fairbanks."

Ralph bowed courteously to his two official friends and left the room with the road officer. As they reached the street Adair linked his arm in that of Ralph in a confidential way.

"See here, Fairbanks," he remarked, "such tricks as that smash up and the pay car business any road may have to tackle from time to time. We shall attend to the fellows behind those schemes all right, but it's bigger game we are after. A plot has crippled our service, corrupted our operators, stolen our private wire information. Bear this in view, and when new things come up along that line, which they are bound to do, dig out all you can under the surface that will give us a handle against the real plotter--the rival road that is trying to throw us down."

"I understand, Mr. Adair," said Ralph.

"You are going up to the train dispatcher's office?"

"Yes."

"I'll join you there in about half an hour, as I have some cypher messages I want you particularly to attend to. I'll tell you then about this pay car business."

Ralph had to be content with this. As he walked along he wondered what Adair would have to tell him. The fifteenth of the month was only ten days ahead, and the pay car according to usual schedule should start on the regular trip three days earlier.

Ralph was glad to get back to duty pure and simple. Seated at his desk he was soon absorbed in getting accumulated work out of the way. He was pretty busy when one of the second trick men came up to him.

"Mr. Fairbanks," he said, "I thought I would speak to you about a message I took over the commercial wire early this morning."

"Is that it." inquired Ralph, at once guessing the allusion, and producing the little yellow slip of paper that the road officer had given him.

"'From Glen Palmer,'" read the operator over Ralph's shoulder--"yes, that's the one: 'Look out for the pacer.' It came in on a jumble of stuff like a quick cut in. There was more, but I couldn't catch it. I signaled 'repeat,' but lost the sine, and it was clicked so thunderingly fast I got mixed on the letters."

"You don't know the point of sending, then?" asked Ralph.

"No. I didn't know what the other end was trying to give me: Look out for the packer? faker, pacer?"

"Hello!" said Ralph, so strangely and suddenly that the operator started at him agape.

"What's the matter?" inquired the latter, wonderingly.

Ralph did not reply. He was thinking hard. A sudden light had illuminated his mind.

"I've got it," he breathed in some mental triumph. "'Look out for the pay car!'"