“Hello!” exclaimed the fireman, stepping up into the cab--“who are you?”
“Your engineer this trip.”
“Eh? Where does Bartley come in?”
“He don’t come in,” replied Ralph definitely.
“Your name Bartley?” inquired Ralph, as the engineer and the conductor came up to the locomotive.
“That’s me,” smartly responded the man with a wondering look at Ralph.
“Well, you are relieved from duty on this special trip,” advised Ralph.
“Hey--who says so?”
“The general superintendent. Is that right, operator?”
The towerman nodded, beckoned Bartley aside and made some explanations to him. His auditor looked sullen and ugly. Ralph did not leave the post of duty he had assumed, meantime giving the conductor an idea of how affairs stood.