that Griscom stopped the train and got
out to investigate. He returned to the cab with a set, grim face.

"Grease," he reported; "some one has been tampering with the rails.
Spite work, too."

There was fully an hour's delay, but a liberal application of sand to
the rails helped them out. Five miles later on the locomotive began to
puff and jerk. With full steam on, the engine did only half duty.

"Water gauge all right," said Ralph. "I don't understand it."

"I do," said Griscom, "and I can tell it in two words--Jim Evans."

"Why, what do you mean, Mr. Griscom?"

"He didn't come into the cab for nothing. Yes, we are victims of the
old trick--soap in the water and the valves are clogged."

"What are we going to do about it?" inquired Ralph anxiously.

"Pump out the water at the next tank and take a new supply on."

There was a further delay of nearly two hours. Once more they started
up. Ten miles from Dover, a few seconds after Ralph had thrown in
coal, a terrible explosion threw the fire cover open and singed and
burned both engineer and fireman.

Griscom looked angry, for the fire now needed mending.

"Lad," he said grimly, "these tricks are done to scare you and delay
the train."

"I am not scared one particle," retorted Ralph, "only this strikes me
as a dangerous piece of mischief--putting explosives in among the
coal."

"Jim Evans did it," positively asserted Griscom. "That's what he
sneaked into the cab for, and he has confederates along the line."

Ralph said nothing but he resolved to call Evans to account when he
returned to Stanley Junction.

They were over an hour late on the run. Returning to Stanley Junction,
they were delayed by a wreck and the time record was bad at both ends
of the line.

"I don't like it," said Griscom.

"We'll mend it, Mr. Griscom," declared the young fireman, and he did
not go home when they reached Stanley Junction, but proceeded at once
to the home of Jim Evans.

Ralph knocked at the open door, but no one answered the summons and he
stepped to the door of the sitting room.

"Any one here?" he called out through the house.

"Eh? oh--no," answered a muffled voice, and a man in the adjoining
room got up quickly and fairly ran out through the rear door.

"That's queer," commented Ralph. "That man actually ran away from
me."

"Ma has gone after pa," lisped a little urchin in the kitchen. "Man
wants to see him. What for funny man run away?"

Ralph hurried pa