Ralph saw that they were larger than the log dwellings he
was accustomed to.

Finally the moon went down. He would have stopped at some house and
asked for shelter, but the hour was so late that he shrank from
disturbing strangers. The night was not uncomfortably cool and he was
getting further on.

Roosters began to crow. A few clouds glided athwart some of the
brightest stars and he found difficulty in traveling.

Just beyond some buildings he stumbled over something hard and
immovable. As he picked himself up, his hand came in contact with cold
steel.

Peering closely he saw two long lines running parallel as far as he
could distinguish on either hand. He found that they were of iron or
steel and rested on wooden supporters, half buried in the earth.

"Dinged if this ain't queer!" he thought. "Let me see. I wonder if
this ain't one of them railroads I've heard folks tell about. They say
it'll carry you as far in one hour as a man'll walk all day."

Pondering over this, to him, puzzling celerity of motion, he groped his
way along the track to where it broadened out into a switch.

"Reckon this one must run somewhere else," thought Ralph, when he
suddenly detected a large dark object ahead. "What's that, I wonder.
Guess I'll look into that. Seeing I'm getting into a strange country
it won't do to be too careless."

Going slowly forward, he walked completely round the unknown affair,
which he ascertained was on wheels that rested on the iron tracks.

"This must be one of their wagons they ride so fast in," said the boy
to himself. "Hello! The door is open."

It was an ordinary box car on a siding, the sliding door of which was
partially open. As Ralph strove to peer within, he detected the sound
of measured breathing.

"Some one is in there," he decided, and drew back cautiously.

The darkness had increased greatly and there seemed to be signs of
another rain coming up. No other place of shelter was in the immediate
neighborhood that he could discern.

He thrust his head into the car and felt with his hands. Nothing could
he see, nor did he feel aught but the flooring of the car. While he
debated as to what he should do, the rain began again.

"Gracious!" he exclaimed, "I don't like to go into another man's ranch
like this, but blamed if I am going to get wet, with a shelter within
two feet of me."

He clambered inside and sat with his back against the wall, intending
to get out again