h.

"We're not, but they may become interested in us."

"Indeed?"

"Mightily, if I don't mistake my cue," asserted Clark.

"You are pretty mysterious," hinted Ralph, half-smiling.

"Well, I'll explain. Those fellows are laying for you."

"Laying for me?" repeated Ralph vaguely.

"That's it."

"Why? They don't know me, and I don't know them."

"Not much acquainted at Bridgeport, eh?"

"Only casually. I've laid over here several times when I was firing on
the fast freight. I know a few railroad men, that's all."

"Ever hear of Billy Bouncer?"

"I never did."

"Then I'm the first one to enlighten you. When I went out to find a
restaurant I passed that crowd you see. I noticed that they drew
together and scanned me pretty closely. Then I heard one of them say,
'That's not Fairbanks.' 'Yes, it is, didn't he come out of the place
we're watching?' said another. 'Aw, let up,' spoke a third voice.
'Billy Bouncer will know, and we don't want to spoil his game. He'll
be here soon.'"

"That's strange," said Ralph musingly.

"What are you going to do about it?" inquired Clark.

"Oh, I'm not at all alarmed," replied Ralph, "barely interested,
that's all. We'll walk by the crowd and see if they won't throw some
further light on the subject."

"Tell you, Fairbanks," said Clark quite seriously, "I'm putting two
and two together."

"Well," laughed Ralph, "that makes four--go ahead."

"More than four--a regular mob. That crowd, as I said, for some reason
is laying for you. What's the answer? They have been put up to it by
some one. You know, you told me incidentally that you had some enemies
on account of the big boost you've got in the service. You said, too,
that your friend, Engineer Griscom, warned you on just that point. I
haven't said much so far, but the actions of that grouch fireman of
yours, Fogg, looked decidedly queer and suspicious to me."

Ralph made no comment on this. He had his own ideas on the subject,
but did not feel warranted in fully expressing them.

"I believe that Fogg started out on your run yesterday to queer it.
Why he changed tactics later, I can't tell. Maybe he was scared by the
smash-up on the siding. Anyhow, I never saw such mortal malice in the
face of any man as that I saw in his when I came aboard No. 999. This
crowd down the street is evidently after you. Some one has put them up
to it."

"Oh, you can't mean Fogg!" exclaimed Ralph.

"I don't know," replied Clark.

"I ca