, and was dragged dangerously near to the wheels.
Ralph seized him just in time and pulled him up into the cab.

"Well!" commented the engineer, "it's a good thing we were going slow.
Here, land out as you landed in, kid."

"Please don't," cried the boy, gazing back with tear-filled eyes and
trembling all over. "Please let me ride with you."

"Against the rules."

"See, there they are!" almost shrieked the boy, pointing to two men
who came rushing down the embankment. "Oh, don't let them get me."

"Give him a show till I learn his story," said Ralph to the engineer,
so the latter put on steam and the two men were outdistanced.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" panted the boy, clinging close to Ralph.

"Come up on the water tank," said Ralph, "and I'll have a talk with
you."

The lad, whom the young fireman had befriended, was a forlorn-looking
being. He wore no shoes, was hatless, and had on a coat many sizes too
large for him.

"Now then, what's the trouble?" inquired Ralph, when they were both
seated on the water tank.

"Those men were pursuing me," said the lad.

"What for?"

"I was running away from them. They are my uncles, and they have been
very wicked and cruel to me. They want to send me to a reform school
to get rid of me, and locked me up. I ran away this morning, but they
got trace of me again."

"What is your name?"

"Earl Danvers. My father died and left them my guardians. They are
after the property, I guess."

"What do you propose to do?"

"Oh, anything to get away from them."

Ralph talked for quite a while with the boy and learned his entire
history. Then he said:

"This is a case for a lawyer. Would you like to come to Stanley
Junction with me and have a lawyer look into the matter for you?"

"No. I only want to escape from those bad men."

"That will follow. You come with me. I will interest myself in your
case and see that you are protected."

"How kind you are--you are the only friend I ever knew," cried the
boy, bursting into tears of gratitude.

Ralph took Earl Danvers home with him when they reached Stanley
Junction. His kind-hearted mother was at once interested in the
forlorn refugee. They managed to fit him out with some comfortable
clothing, and Ralph told him to take a rest of a few days, when he
would have him see their lawyer and tell him his story.

Two days later the young fireman reported at the roundhouse for duty,
and the ensuing morning started on a new ter