Part 28 (1/2)
”See here, mister,” piped the little fellow in an uncertain voice. ”The gang 'd kill me if they knew I was giving 'em away, but I'm just about starving. Because I'm little they make me do all kinds of work, and when there's anything to eat they forget I'm around. They stole some melons out of the cars last night. All I got was the rind.”
”Who are you, anyway?” asked Ralph.
”Oh, I'm n.o.body. I was at the county farm, but run away and got in with these fellows. Wish I was back! I'd go, only they'd punish me and lock me up. You give me the quarter, and I'll meet you later and show you where Ike Slump hangs out nights.”
”You'll keep your promise?”
”Honor bright!”
”Where will you be?”
”Right here, only outside the fence.”
”What time?”
”Just at dark.”
”I'll do it,” said Ralph, slipping a twenty-five-cent piece through the crack in the fence. ”Remember, now. I trust you, and I'll give you as much more to-night if you don't play me any tricks.”
”Crackey! that's fine; only you keep mum on my showing you?”
”I certainly will,” a.s.sured Ralph.
He did not feel certain that he had accomplished much. It all depended on the reliability of the urchin. Ralph went back to the roundhouse and told the foreman he could do nothing further toward locating Ike Slump until nightfall, and put in the afternoon at his regular duties, although Forgan told him he need not do so.
Ralph went home at quitting-time, got his supper, explained to his mother that he had something to attend to for the foreman, and not to worry if he was not back early.
He reached the rendezvous agreed on at dusk, and after a few minutes'
waiting saw the little fellow of the morning coming down the tracks.
”I'm here,” announced the new arrival.
”So am I, as you see,” answered Ralph. ”How did you get on to-day--let's see, what is your name?”
”Teddy.”
”All right, Teddy. Did you get something to eat?”
”Not a great deal. The fellow saw me buying some grub. I told 'em I found a quarter, and they made me play c.r.a.ps with the change--twenty cents.”
”Of course you lost.”
”Oh, sure--knew that before I began. They always win, them fellows.
Say, mister, please, I'll go ahead alone, because if any of them should happen to see me with you it would be all-day for Teddy!”
”Go ahead,” directed Ralph.
The boy went down the tracks. At the end of the fence he turned into a yard with a barn at the back. The building in front was a dilapidated two-story frame structure. The windows at the rear were fastened up, but the one doorway visible was open, and led into a dark hallway.