He told
his own name, but that was all, and seemed about to pass on.
"Are there any locomotive shops around here?" asked Mr.
Simpson.
"Locomotive shops?" queried Ned. "None that I know of.
Why?"
"Well, I heard heavy machinery being used down there;" and
he waved his hand toward Tom's shops, "and I thought--"
"Oh, you mean Shopton!" exclaimed Ned. "That's the Swift
plant. No, they don't make locomotives, though they could if
they wanted to, for they turn out airships, submarines,
tunnel diggers, and I don't know what."
"Do they make munitions there--for the Allies?" asked Mr.
Simpson, and there was an eager look on his face.
"No, I don't believe so," Ned answered; "though, in fact,
I don't know enough of the place to be in a position to give
you any information about it," he told the man, not deeming
it wise to go into particulars.
Perhaps the man felt this, as he did not press for an
answer.
The two stood looking at one another for some little time,
and then the man, with a bow that had in it something of
insolence, as well as politeness, turned and went down the
path up which Ned had come.
Pages:
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74