"Didn't--that is, he hasn't left his dinner pail for me, has he?" floundered the tramp.
"No, he took it with him. At any rate, his locker is empty."
"All right," muttered the fellow, edging away.
Ralph remembered that heavily-weighted dinner pail of Ike Slump's with some suspicion. Still, Ike's explanation of furnishing the man with a daily lunch looked plausible.
"Hold on," called Ralph after the receding form.
"What is it?" inquired the tramp, wheeling about.
"I'll help you out--wait a minute."
Ralph hurried to his locker. Fully half of his noonday lunch had been left untasted. He bundled up the fragments and returned to the break in the wall.
"Here's a bite," said Ralph.
"Thank you," growled the tramp gruffly, taking the proffered lunch.