The boys left the place in a little while and proceeded towards the railroad depot. Ralph had conceived quite a liking for his volatile new acquaintance. Clark had shown himself to be a loyal, resourceful friend, and the young engineer felt that he would miss his genial company if the other did not take the return trip to Stanley Junction. He told Clark this as they reached the depot.
"That so?" smiled the latter. "Well, I'll go sure if you're agreeable. I've got no particular program to follow out, and I'd like to take in the Junction. Another thing, I'm curious to see how you come out with your friends. There's that smash-up on the siding at Plympton, too. Something may come up on that where I may be of service to you."
They found the locomotive, steam up, on one of the depot switches in charge of a special engineer. It lacked over half an hour of leaving time. While Clark hustled about the tender, Ralph donned his working clothes and chattered with the relief engineer. The latter was to run the locomotive to the train, and Ralph walked down the platform to put on the time.
"I've stowed my vest in a bunker in the cab," said Clark, by his side.
"That's all right," nodded Ralph.
