“I’ve got it,” he breathed in some mental triumph. “‘Look out for the pay car!’”
[CHAPTER XX—A TRUSTY FRIEND]
“Understand, Fairbanks?”
“Perfectly, Mr. Adair.”
“The pay car goes through on regular schedule out of Stanley Junction.”
“Yes, sir.”
“With enough ammunition ahead to settle the hash of any possible meddlers. We’ll make the test. Then the other end. A split up at the end of each section, and if the gang get ahead of us on that arrangement, they are cleverer than I thought they were.”
All this would have been Greek to a person not acquainted with the facts of the case. The colloquy terminated a whispered confidential talk between Ralph and Bob Adair in the chief dispatcher’s office. The road officer seemed to throw the pay car off his mind after a statement that Ralph was one of six persons who knew what was about to happen, namely, the President and superintendent of the road, the assistant superintendent, the paymaster and Adair himself.
“There will be something to keep track of Tuesday night,” observed Adair. “You’ve got your instructions for that occasion.”
“Yes, well in mind,” said Ralph. “One moment before you go, Mr. Adair. I have told you about the ‘pacer’ message.”