"Thank you, mother, that is sweet praise, and worth going through the experience that will make a man of me. Well, I am going to keep right on doing my duty the best way I know how. I expect ups and downs. Men like Farrington may succeed for a time, but in the end I believe I shall come out just right."
Ralph found himself a trifle sore and stiff the next morning, but he started for work as usual. He was curious as to the outcome of the foreman's action the night previous. Forgan, however, did not show up at the roundhouse till ten o'clock. He at once called Ralph into his little office.
"Well, Fairbanks," he said briskly, "I suppose you will be interested to know the outcome of last night's affair?"
"Very much so," acknowledged Ralph.
"The road detective and myself were at Cohen's before midnight. The birds had flown."
"Had they moved the plunder, too?"
"Yes, what you described as being in boxes was all carted away."
"And Ike Slump had gone?"
"Presumably. We found that two horses and a wagon belonging to Cohen were missing. The only person we found, outside of Cohen, was a little fellow asleep in an outside shed."
"Was his name Teddy?" And Ralph gave a rapid description of the county farm waif.