Part 17 (1/2)

”Wait till to-night!”

”I'm waiting,” tranquilly rejoined Ralph, poising back to view about as fine a s.h.i.+mmer to the bell he was working on as oil and waste and elbow grease could produce.

Meantime, Ike had blindly, savagely slapped a coat of grease on the bell opposite.

A yell went up from his wrathful lips as he applied the waste.

He nearly had a fit and if he could have found a loose missile he would doubtless have thrown it at Ralph.

”Confound you!” he hissed. ”Oh, I'll get you yet!”

”I'm here,” said Ralph. ”What's up. You said sand was good for the bell. Is it?”

”Say, you wait! oh, say, you wait!” foamed Ike.

Both worked their way simultaneously into the cabs, the upper wiping done. Ralph watched his fellow-worker. The locomotives had been dumped, but there was still enough steam to run them to bed.

”Soon as I run her in,” announced Ike malevolently across the two-foot s.p.a.ce between the engines, ”I'm going to jump my job.”

Ralph said nothing. Ike had put his hand on the lever, intending evidently to slow back the locomotive to its stall. Ralph was expected to do the same with the other engine.

”But I'll be laying for you at quitting time, and with the bunch, don't you forget it!” supplemented Ike.

Ralph gave the lever a touch, the wheels started, but instantly he shut off steam.

Glancing sideways and out through the open front of the roundhouse, his eyes met a sight that would have paralyzed some people, but which acted on his impetuous nature like a shock of electricity.

With one leap he cleared the cab, in two springs he had reached the doorway. The startled Ike Slump saw him disappear behind the locomotive. His bead-like eyes glowed.

Now was his chance. Leaning over between the two locomotives, he touched the lever Ralph had just shut off. The locomotive started towards its stall.

Directing his own forward, it went on its diverging course at routine slow speed.

This cleared the view from doghouse and office. At that moment the foreman's strident tones belched out:

”Stop her! Where's the wiper?”

All eyes saw that the second locomotive was not manned. Some had witnessed Ralph's sensational disappearance.

Three or four made a run for the unguided locomotive. The foremost of the group sprang into the cab just as the tender struck the circular outer wall of the roundhouse.

He halted the engine, but not until the tender had smashed a hole out to daylight, taking one big window upon its back, and buried the rails under half a ton of brick and mortar.

Ike Slump descended from his locomotive serene as summer skies, as Forgan rushed up to the scene.

”Where's the smart-Aleck that did that!” roared the foreman.

He was fairly distracted with the acc.u.mulating disturbances of the hour.

”Dunno. Got scared at hearing the steam hiss, I guess, and run for it,”