and
catching at his sleeve, "How--why----"

"Boy," choked out Lemuel Fogg, turning a pale, twitching face upon
Ralph, "don't say a word to me!"

And then with a queer, clicking sob in his throat, the fireman of
No. 999 hastened down the alley looking for his cap.

CHAPTER VII

DAVE BISSELL, TRAIN BOY

"I don't understand it at all," exclaimed Ralph.

"Mad--decidedly mad," declared young Clark. "Whew! that was a lively
tussle. All the buttons are gone off my vest and one sleeve is torn
open clear to the shoulder, and I guess there were only basting
threads in that coat of yours, for it's ripped clear up the back."

Clark began to pick up some scattered buttons from the ground. His
companion, however, was looking down the alley, and he followed Fogg
with his eyes until the fireman had disappeared into the street.

"You're wondering about things," spoke Clark. "So am I."

"I'm trying to figure out the puzzle, yes," admitted the young
engineer. "You see, we were both of us wrong, and we have misjudged
Mr. Fogg."

"I don't know about that," dissented Ralph's companion.

"Why, he has helped us, instead of hurt us."

"Yes," said Clark, "but why? It's nonsense to say that he didn't start
out on your trip fixed up to put you out of business if he could do
it. It is folly, too, to think that he didn't know that this Billy
Bouncer, relative of that old-time enemy of yours back at Stanley
Junction, Jim Evans, had put this gang up to beat you. If that wasn't
so, why has he been hanging around here all the morning in a
suspicious, mysterious way, and how does he come to swoop down on the
mob just in the nick of time."

"Perhaps he was planning to head off the crowd all the time,"
suggested Ralph.

"Not from the very start," declared Clark positively. "No, sir--I
think he has had a fit of remorse, and thought better of having you
banged up or crippled."

"At all events, Fogg has proven a good friend in need, and I shall not
forget it soon," observed Ralph.

When they came out into the street the hoodlum crowd had dispersed.
They entered the first tailor shop they came to and soon had their
clothing mended up.

"There's a moving picture show open," said Clark, after they had again
proceeded on their way. "Let's put in a half-hour or so watching the
slides."

This they did. Then they strolled down to the shops, took in the
roundhouse, got an early dinner, and went to visit the museum at the
Mechanics'