CHAPTER XXVI
THE MAD ENGINEER
"Well, good-bye, Zeph."
"Good-bye, Ralph. Another of my wild dreams of wealth gone."
"Don't fret about it, Zeph."
"How can I help it?"
Ralph had decided to return home. He was now fully recuperated, and his vacation period would expire in a few days.
It was the evening of the day when they had discovered the missing box car only to find that others had discovered it before them. Ralph had arranged to flag a freight at the terminus of the Short Line Route and was down at the tracks awaiting its coming.
The freight arrived, Ralph clambered to the cab, waved his hand in adieu to Zeph, and was warmly welcomed by his friends on the engine.
They had proceeded only a short distance when a boy came running down an embankment. So
