“Why, how are you interested in me?”
“You’ll know soon.”
“But––”
“Stand back, do as we say, or we’ll use force,” declared the speaker gruffly.
His companion guarded Ralph and Trevor while he took the engineer’s seat. He reversed the engine, ran back to the main tracks, from there, first setting a switch, onto a spur, and, after 87 following this for nearly a mile, shut off steam and the locomotive came to a stop.
Then the fellow applied a whistle to his lips. Several men approached the engine. He consulted with them, and came back to Ralph carrying a piece of rope.
“Fairbanks,” he said, “we’ll have to tie you for safe keeping for a while.”
“Won’t you explain this?” inquired Trevor, in a troubled way. “See here, men, I am due in the city. I will pay you handsomely to let us proceed on our trip.”
“How much?” inquired the man who had acted as engineer.
“I have several hundred dollars with me.”