[Illustration: "An Avalanche!" declared Fogg. "Dodge--something's coming!" Page 254. Ralph on the Overland Express.]
RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS
OR
THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF A YOUNG ENGINEER
BY
ALLEN CHAPMAN
AUTHOR OF "RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE," "RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER," "RALPH ON THE ENGINE," "DAREWELL CHUMS SERIES," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
THE RAILROAD SERIES
By Allen Chapman
12mo. Illustrated. Cloth
RALPH OF THE ROUNDHOUSE Or, Bound to Become a Railroad Man
RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER Or, Clearing the Track
RALPH ON THE ENGINE Or, The Young Fireman of the Limited Mail
RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS Or, The Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer
(Other Volumes in Preparation.)
GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, New York
Copyright, 1910, by
GROSSET & DUNLAP
Ralph on the Overland Express
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE I. No. 999 1 II. A Special Passenger 12 III. One of the Rules 22 IV. A Warning 35 V. At Bay 43 VI. Four Medals 51 VII. Dave Bissell, Train Boy 60 VIII. An Astonishing Discovery 68 IX. The Light of Home 76 X. Fire! 88 XI. The Master Mechanic 95 XII. A Good Friend 104 XIII. The "Black Hand" 114 XIV. A Serious Plot 123 XV. "The Silvandos" 129 XVI. Zeph Dallas and His "Mystery" 138 XVII. In Widener's Gap 145 XVIII. At the Semaphore 153 XIX. The Boy Who Was Hazed 160 XX. "Lord Lionel Montague" 171 XXI. Archie Graham's Invention 179 XXII. Ike Slump Again 188 XXIII. A Critical Moment 195 XXIV. The New Run 203 XXV. The Mountain Division 209 XXVI. Mystery 217 XXVII. The Railroad President 225 XXVIII. A Race Against Time 233 XXIX. Zeph Dallas Again 244 XXX. Snowbound 254 XXXI. Conclusion 264
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: Ralph on the Overland Express by Allen Chapman
- 2: 999 was the crack locomotive of the system
- 3: Spoke Griscom in a kindly tone
- 4: Entitled Ralph of the Roundhouse
- 5: He made some record runs with old John Griscom
- 6: Fogg managed to pull himself erect
- 7: My name is Clark Marvin Clark
- 8: Fogg had swung back the water spout
- 9: He gave the whistle for Plympton
- 10: The headlight radiance now flooded fully the obstruction
- 11: Shouted out the conductor sharply
- 12: Lemuel Fogg's eyes wore a frightened
- 13: Just transferred to Plympton yesterday mornin'
- 14: 999 glided gracefully into the depot at Bridgeport
- 15: John Griscom had told Ralph all about the house he was in
- 16: Inquired Ralph in some surprise
- 17: And Ralph and Clark glanced thither
- 18: The hoodlum crowd nudged one another
- 19: He had made out Fogg as Clark had described
- 20: You look like Fairbanks to me Fairbanks
- 21: With this Bouncer threw off his coat
- 22: And down went Billy Bouncer on a backward slide
- 23: Just then a slungshot blow drove the latter to his knees
- 24: Fogg has proven a good friend in need
- 25: And left Ralph to stroll about alone
- 26: He told Clark this as they reached the depot
- 27: He and I were raised at Earlville
- 28: Something was working on the mind of the fireman
- 29: 999 had made a discovery so strange
- 30: Zeph had been made welcome at the Fairbanks home
- 31: It was a night message dated at Bridgeport
- 32: The new station man at Plympton
- 33: He decided to wait until Fogg appeared
- 34: But Fogg broke away from his grasp
- 35: Fogg and her child were placed on this
- 36: The Plympton incident is dead and buried
- 37: Fogg has learned a lesson that he will never forget
- 38: Inquired the showman curiously
- 39: And the showman chuckled immensely
- 40: Got money in the bank at Bridgeport
- 41: I remember 'kick him Scroggins
- 42: If the fireman needed encouragement
- 43: The fireman turned his back upon them
- 44: Engineer and fireman got into the cab
- 45: Look out for snags at Riverton
- 46: And of discovering his fireman doubled up in his seat
- 47: And was waiting at Riverton for your train
- 48: Clark rode with Ralph on the locomotive to the roundhouse
- 49: For Zeph was speaking to his mother
- 50: And Zeph began looking all around the place
- 51: Fred Porter Zeph Zeph Dallas
- 52: There is a moment's pause continued Zeph
- 53: Said Zeph to the young engineer in parting
- 54: 999 was given standard special lights
- 55: Both engineer and fireman were under an intense strain
- 56: 999 struggled to his feet appalled
- 57: In the mysterious disappearance of the semaphore signal
- 58: 999 had come up and shook hands with Ralph
- 59: I don't think much of your Marvin Clark
- 60: For he had come to Earlville a ragged
- 61: A clew to some of his relatives
- 62: He rejoined Zeph and they proceeded homewards
- 63: And fixed his monocled eye on space in a vapid way
- 64: Ralph could not persuade Zeph to go
- 65: With a speculative eye on the smokestack
- 66: It suddenly flashed across Ralph
- 67: And it had a tube with a steel nozzle
- 68: There was a long wait at Riverton after arrival that day
- 69: Slump had gone steadily down the easy slope of crime
- 70: Hoping to induce Ike to disclose something
- 71: And he sprang forward in front of the pinioned Ike Slump
- 72: Fogg was for starting a pursuit
- 73: With the escape of Evans and Ike Slump
- 74: His eye fixed on the outgoing train
- 75: Cried bluff hearted Tim Forgan
- 76: Foreman of the Stanley Junction roundhouse
- 77: And had spent a pleasant day at the Fairbanks home
- 78: Their presence might indicate the proximity of Zeph Dallas
- 79: Ralph knew the railroad routine well
- 80: She started on extra orders from Brampton
- 81: Things were certainly focusing around Fordham spur
- 82: He nodded brusquely to Ralph and Fogg
- 83: Blue bridges down and culverts under water
- 84: The foreman ran out into the roundhouse
- 85: Fogg stoked the fire continuously
- 86: The door of the caboose was open
- 87: 999 struck the edge of the up grade in safety
- 88: 999 forward like some trained steed
- 89: I've got to get to the roundhouse
- 90: Ralph viewed them with wonderment
- 91: But never this trio Ike Slump
- 92: Cried Zeph in frantic agitation
- 93: They had gotten about half the distance to Rockton
- 94: Observed Fogg with a satisfied chuckle
- 95: Suggested Ralph to the conductor
- 96: And plenty more at the stalled freight
- 97: Zeph was looking exceedingly prosperous
- 98: Old Gregg would not go to New Mexico
- 99: Concluded the railroad president
- 100: Write to the Publishers for a complete catalog
- 101: The radio boys' first wireless
- 102: Radio boys with the flood fighters
- 103: Every Volume Complete in Itself
- 104: HONEY BUNCH JUST A LITTLE GIRLHappy days at home