“Well, I have acted on orders given, and haven’t said a word about it to anybody but you, Ralph. The reason I tell you is, because I think you are interested in some of the persons who are buying meals from me in this strange way. It’s all right for me to speak out before your friend here?”
“Oh, certainly,” assented Ralph.
“Well, Ike Slump is one of the party in the woods, and Mort Bemis is another.”
“I guessed that the moment you began your story,” said Ralph, “and I am looking for those very persons.”
“I thought you would be interested. They 55 are wanted for that attempted treasure-train robbery, aren’t they?”
“Yes, and for a more recent occurrence,” answered Ralph—“the looting of the Dover freight the other night.”
“I never thought of that, though I should have done so,” said Joe. “The way I know that Slump and Bemis are in the woods yonder, is that one night I had a breakdown, and was delayed a little, and saw them come for the food basket where I had left it.”
Ralph’s mind was soon made up. He told Joe all about their plans.
“You’ve got to help us out, Joe,” he added.
“You mean take you up into the woods in the wagon to-night?”