The next moment the Midway Junction “ghost” stepped grimly from his box, and stood before them.
“But look here, youngster,” ticked the chief despatcher, who some minutes later followed Alex Ward on the wire in congratulating Jack on the solution of the mystery, “don’t you talk too much about this business, or first thing you know they’ll be taking you from the telegraph force, and adding you to the detective department. We want you ourselves.”
“No fear,” laughed Jack. “I might try a matter like this once in a while, but I want to work up as an operator, not a detective.”
“You’ll work up OK,” declared the chief.
XII
IN A BAD FIX, AND OUT
“Good evening, young man!”
With a start Jack turned toward the quietly opened door of the telegraph-room to discover a short, dark, heavily-bearded man, over whose eyes was pulled a soft gray hat.