There was something mysterious about Fogg's actions, yet Ralph accepted the theory of the conductor that the station man had made a careless blunder or was color blind.
"You see, it isn't that the smash up amounts to much," explained Clark, "but it might have, see?"
"Yes, I see," replied Ralph thoughtfully.
"Then again," continued Clark, "the conductor says that it delayed a test run, and there's a scratched locomotive and a busted constructor car."
"I'm thankful that no one was hurt," said Ralph earnestly.
When the next start was made, Fogg was taciturn and gloomy-looking, but attended strictly to his duty. Ralph voted him to be a capital fireman when he wanted to be. As an hour after midnight they spurted past Hopeville forty minutes to the good, he could not help shouting over a delighted word of commendation to Fogg.
"I said you were a brick, Mr. Fogg," he observed. "You're more than that—you're a wonder."
Fogg's face momentarily lighted up. It looked as if he was half minded to come out of his shell and give some gracious response, but instantly the
