THE WIRE TAPPERS
When the door of the office that Ralph was watching closed again and was locked, the young fireman approached the room. He was very sure that some important move against the railroad was meditated by the two men he had just seen, and he was anxious to overhear their conversation if possible.
To his intense satisfaction Ralph found that a coal box rested under the clouded-glass window of the office looking into the hallway. This window was down from the top some inches. Ralph clambered up on the coal box, got to the side of the window, fixed his eye at a small space where the glass was broken, and prepared to listen to the words of the two men he had in view.
Both sat in chairs now. Bartlett looked brisk and pleased; the ex-telegraph operator was unkempt, rather sullen, and acted like a man under orders on some unpleasant duty. 151
“Well, Morris,” said the former, “all ready, are you? Tools and wire in that bag?”
“Batteries and all, complete outfit,” responded the other. “What’s the programme?”
“You haven’t mentioned about my employing you to any one?”
“Certainly not.”
“And have arranged to stay away from town for several days?”
“A week, if you like, at ten dollars a day you promised me,” answered Morris.