"Saw some friends of yours hanging around here yesterday," said the farmer boy.
"That so?" inquired Ralph.
"Yes, Slump and Bemis. Guess they were after work or food, and they sloped the minute they set eyes on me. Say, where are you bound for anyway, Ralph?"
"For Wilmer."
"What for?"
"I want to look around the river near there. The truth is, Zeph, I fancy I have discovered a clew to that missing freight car."
"What!" cried Zeph excitedly. "You don't mean car No. 9176?"
"I mean just that," assented Ralph. "Here, let us find a comfortable place to sit down, and I'll tell you the whole story."
Ralph selected a spot by a fence lining the railroad right of way. Then he narrated the details of his interview with Amos Greenleaf.
"Say," exclaimed Zeph, "I believe there's something to this. Every point seems to tally somehow to what information the car finder gave me, don't you think so? Besides, in investigating the matter, I heard about this same wreck. And five years ago? Ralph, this is worth looking up, don't you think so?"
Zeph was fairly incoherent amid his excitement.
