Mr. Sparling very emphatically told the manager that what he
thought about it played no part in the matter at all. He was
expected to make a thorough search of the train."
"His search won't amount to anything" thought Phil shrewdly.
"I'll do the searching for this section and I'll find the fellow
if he is on board. I hope I shall. I owe Red Larry something,
and I'm anxious to pay the debt."
The train soon started, Phil bidding his employer good night,
went forward to No. 1 which was the forward sleeper on the train,
next to the box and flat cars. He peered into Teddy Tucker's
berth, finding that lad sound asleep, after which he tumbled into
his own bed.
But Phil was restless. He was so afraid that he would oversleep
that he slept very little during the night.
At the first streak of dawn he tumbled quietly from his berth,
and, putting on his clothes, stepped out to the front platform,
where he took a long breath of the fresh morning air.
The train was climbing a long grade in the Sierra Nevadas and the
car couplings were groaning under the weight put upon them.
Phil climbed to the top of the big stock car just ahead of him,
and sat down on the brake wheel.
Far ahead he saw several men going over the cars.
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