hole month tracing down two strays alone."

"That so?" said Griscom.

"Yes, it is true. You see, cars get on a line shy of them, and they
keep them purposely. Then, again, cars are lost in wrecks, burned up,
or thrown on a siding and neglected. You would be surprised to know
how many cars disappear and are never heard of again."

This was a new phase in railroad life to Ralph, and he was greatly
interested. He plied the man with questions, and gained a good deal of
information from him.

"Switch off here, Fairbanks," ordered Griscom, as they neared a
siding.

"Is your name Fairbanks?" asked the carfinder of Ralph.

"It is."

"Heard of you," said Drury, glancing keenly at the young fireman. "It
was down at Millville, last week. They seem to think a good deal of
you, the railroad men there."

"I hope I deserve it," said Ralph modestly.

"Took a meal at a restaurant kept by a friend of yours," continued the
carfinder.

"You mean Limpy Joe?"

"Exactly. Original little fellow--spry, handy and accommodating. Met
another genius there--Dallas."

"Zeph? Yes," said Ralph. "He has got lots to learn, but he has the
making of a man in him."

"He has. He was greatly interested in my position. Wanted me to hire
him right away. Said he knew he could find any car that was ever lost.
I gave him a job," and Drury smiled queerly.

"What kind of a job?" inquired Ralph.

"Oh, you ask him when you see him," said Drury mysteriously. "I
promised to keep it a secret," and he smiled again. "Good-bye, I leave
you here."

"Now then," said Griscom to his young assistant, "orders are to run to
Ridgeton and start out in the morning picking up strays between there
and Stanley Junction."

When they got to Ridgeton, it had begun to rain. It was a lonely
station with a telegraph operator, and a few houses quite a distance
away. The operator was not on duty nights since the strike. The engine
was sidetracked. They got a meal at the nearest house, and the
operator gave them the key to the depot, where he said they could
sleep all night on the benches. This Griscom insisted on doing, in
order that they might keep an eye on the locomotive.

They sat up until about nine o'clock. Then, tired out with a hard
day's work, both soon sank into profound sleep. It was some time later
when both, always vigilant and easily aroused, awoke together.

"Oh," said the old engineer drowsily, "only the ticker."

"Yes, some one is telegraphing," answ