tered an irrepressible shout.
He started to wave his hand. Then he shrank down on the car step as if
seeking to hide himself.

Ralph stood gazing after the coach until it had disappeared from view.
From the look of things he decided that Zeph was not casually stealing
a ride. Something about him suggested a sense of proprietorship--a
certain official aspect as if he had a right to be where Ralph had
seen him, was, in fact, in charge of the car.

"A queer car--the queerest old relic I ever saw," mused Ralph. "I'm
going to look into this affair."

"Say, Mr. Fairbanks," spoke little Torchy as the young engineer
entered the roundhouse; "just saw an old friend of ours."

"Did you?" spoke Ralph. "You don't mean Zeph Dallas, do you?"

"That's who," nodded Torchy. "Big as life on a single car run--and,
say, such a car!"

"Do you know where it came from, or where it was bound for?" inquired
Ralph.

"No, but I heard one of the fellows here say it must have come over
the north branch."

"I thought so, too," said Ralph, and after a stroll about the place he
went down to the dispatcher's office. Ralph knew the railroad routine
well, and he soon had a good friend working in his interest. He was
one of the assistants in the office of the chief dispatcher. Ralph had
loaned him a little sum of money once when he was off on the sick
list. It had been paid back promptly, but the man was a grateful
fellow, and, under the influence of a sense of obligation, was glad to
return the favor in any way he could.

"I'll fix you out, Fairbanks," he promised, and he kept his word, for
as Ralph sat in the doghouse two mornings later the man came to its
doorway, peered in, and beckoned to his friend to come outside.

"All right, Fairbanks," he reported, holding a card in his hand
bearing some memoranda; "I've got the tracer."

"Good!" applauded Ralph.

"Here's the dope--that engine and old tourist car was a kind of a
special--the craziest special, though, that either you or I ever
heard of."

"Is that so?" inquired Ralph.

"Listen, and see. She started on extra orders from Brampton, the yards
up on the north division. Was chartered for a run via the Junction to
Fordham spur."

"Indeed?" murmured Ralph thoughtfully.

"It was a plain twenty-four hours' charter, same as a picnic or an
excursion special, but there was only one passenger, conductor, or
whatever you might call him--a kid."

"Yes," nodded Ralph, "Zeph Dallas."

"You