“That is recent, isn’t it?”
“Yes; it was only a few weeks ago.”
“And you have a new man as department chief?”
“We have—Judson Bascom. You may remember him as the man who ran the special train for you and Mr. Maxwell the day you made the blind trip to Tunnel Number Three. He is a sort of slave-driver and seems to have a good deal of trouble with his men—is continually hiring and firing, you’d say, from the appearance of his pay-rolls.”
The big expert’s eyes narrowed.
“Was he also promoted from some other place on the system?” he asked.
“No; he is a new man. I don’t know where he got his experience; somewhere in the East, I suppose.”
“Another question,” put in Sprague. “Does Mr. Maxwell have the appointment of his own motive-power chief?”
“No; this appointment was made in New York—by the executive committee, I imagine.”
“Somebody’s nephew or brother-in-law?” queried the chemist, with a twinkle in his eye.