He slipped on a coat and was down the ladder in a jiffy. Once out of the tower, he ran across the tracks in the direction of the depot.
Passing a switch shanty, a figure stepped from its side directly in his path. A challenging voice said quickly:
"Hold on, there, Ralph Fairbanks."
"Oh, you, Slavin?" said Ralph. "Don't delay me. I am in a hurry."
"I see you are. No need," proclaimed Slavin coolly, seizing and detaining Ralph's arm. "You're trying to overtake a friend, aren't you?"
"Why, how do you know that?" exclaimed Ralph in surprise.
"Name, Van--Van Sherman. No, Sherwin--that's it. Am I right?"
"Why, yes," admitted Ralph in a tone of wonderment, "but how you come to know----"
"I do know, don't I?" projected Slavin, with a shrewd smile. "This way for a minute, please."
He led Ralph out of range of the switch shanty. Then, buttonholing him persuasively, he said: