“Really, I couldn’t bother with it, Mr. Fry,” began Ralph, and then he turned abruptly.
Some one had pulled at his sleeve, and with a start the young engineer stared strangely at a boy about his own age.
[CHAPTER III—TROUBLE BREWING]
The strange boy appeared upon the scene so suddenly that Ralph decided he must have reached the roadbed from the other side of the embankment.
The young engineer faced him with a slight start. To his certain knowledge he had never seen the lad before. However, his face so strongly resembled that of some one he had met recently it puzzled Ralph. Whom did those features suggest? Ralph thought hard, but gave it up.
“Did you wish to see me?” he inquired.
The boy had a striking face. It was pale and thin, his clothes were neat but shabby. There was a sort of scared look in his eyes that appealed to Ralph, who was strongly sympathetic.
“I know you,” spoke the boy in a hesitating, embarrassed way. “You don’t know me, but I’ve had you pointed out to me.”
“That so?” and Ralph smiled.
“You are Ralph Fairbanks, the engineer of the Overland Express,” continued the lad in a hushed tone, as if the distinction awed him.