“I didn’t have much time to think of anything except getting aboard this train double quick,” answered Ben. “You don’t happen to know a gentleman named Mr. Davis, do you, conductor?” The fare collector shook his head in dissent and proceeded on his round of duty to the rear coach. Ben took up his package again and began to scan the passengers beyond him. “That twenty-five cent piece ought to have turned out counterfeit to carry out the fun of the thing,” smiled Ben. “There’s a likely prospect—I think it is my man,” added the youth, fixing his eyes upon a person occupying a double seat near the front of the coach. This individual had a heavy beard, was tall and athletic, wore eye glasses, and was acting excited[Pg 19] and nervous. He would glance from his car window and then ahead and back in the coach, and half arose as if to go in search of a train official to ask some important question. [Pg 19] As Ben approached the seats he occupied, he noticed a book of mechanical drawings lying open against the front cushions. Also leaning against the seat were several quite long parcels. The ends of these showed what Ben took to be rods or bars. The man was certainly in the mechanical line, Ben reasoned, and he advanced without hesitation. “Is this Mr. Davis?” he inquired politely. “Yes, that’s me,” responded the other, turning quickly and fixing an eager glance on his questioner. “Glad to have found you,” said Ben. “I am from the Saxton Automobile Works, and this is for you.” Mr. Davis was so glad to receive the machine part that he took it from Ben’s hands and held it under his own arm as if it were some precious treasure. “Good for you!” he exclaimed heartily, a pleasant smile chasing away the anxiety on his face. “I was worrying over it, I tell you. I simply had to have it to-day. Here, sit down. I fancy you’ve been doing some fast running, eh?” “A little,” rejoined Ben with a laugh. “It was jolly, though. You see, a fellow likes to beat a hard task just for practice once in a while.” Ben sank to a seat greatly enjoying the relief from[Pg 20] a severe strain. His companion looked at him with interest and remarked: [Pg 20]
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