第36章 "Down Brakes"(1)

The greatest people have their weak points,and the best-behaved boys now and then yield to temptation and get into trouble,as everybody knows.Frank was considered a remarkably well-bred and proper lad,and rather prided himself on his good reputation,for he never got into scrapes like the other fellows.Well,hardly ever,for we must confess that at rare intervals his besetting sin overcame his prudence,and he proved himself an erring,human boy.Steam-engines had been his idols for years,and they alone could lure him from the path of virtue.Once,in trying to investigate the mechanism of a toy specimen,which had its little boiler and ran about whistling and puffing in the most delightful way,he nearly set the house afire by the sparks that dropped on the straw carpet.Another time,in trying experiments with the kitchen tea-kettle,he blew himself up,and the scars of that explosion he still carried on his hands.

He was long past such childish amusements now,but his favorite haunt was the engine-house of the new railroad,where he observed the habits of his pets with never-failing interest,and cultivated the good-will of stokers and brakemen till they allowed him many liberties,and were rather flattered by the admiration expressed for their iron horses by a young gentleman who liked them better even than his Greek and Latin.

There was not much business doing on this road as yet,and the two cars of the passenger-trains were often nearly empty,though full freight-trains rolled from the factory to the main road,of which this was only a branch.So things went on in a leisurely manner,which gave Frank many opportunities of pursuing his favorite pastime.He soon knew all about No.ii,his pet engine,and had several rides on it with Bill,the engineer,so that he felt at home there,and privately resolved that when he was a rich man he would have a road of his own,and run trains as often as he liked.

Gus took less interest than his friend in the study of steam,but usually accompanied him when he went over after school to disport himself in the engine-house,interview the stoker,or see if there was anything new in the way of brakes.

One afternoon they found No.11 on the side-track,puffing away as if enjoying a quiet smoke before starting.No cars were attached,and no driver was to be seen,for Bill was off with the other men behind the station-house,helping the expressman,whose horse had backed down a bank and upset the wagon.

"Good chance for a look at the old lady,"said Frank,speaking of the engine as Bill did,and jumping aboard with great satisfaction,followed by Gus.

"I'd give ten dollars if I could run her up to the bend and back,"he added,fondly touching the bright brass knobs and glancing at the fire with a critical eye.

"You couldn't do it alone,"answered Gus,sitting down on the grimy little perch,willing to indulge his mate's amiable weakness.

"Give me leave to try?Steam is up,and I could do it as easy as not";and Frank put his hand on the throttle-valve,as if daring Gus to give the word.

"Fire up and make her hum!"laughed Gus,quoting Bill's frequent order to his mate,but with no idea of being obeyed.

"All right;I'll just roll her up to the switch and back again.I've often done it with Bill";and Frank cautiously opened the throttle-valve,threw back the lever,and the great thing moved with a throb and a puff.

"Steady,old fellow,or you'll come to grief.Here,don't open that!"shouted Gus,for just at that moment Joe appeared at the switch,looking ready for mischief.

"Wish he would;no train for twenty minutes,and we could run up to the bend as well as not,"said Frank,getting excited with the sense of power,as the monster obeyed his hand so entirely that it was impossible to resist prolonging the delight.

"By George,he has!Stop her!Back her!Hold on,Frank!"cried Gus,as Joe,only catching the words "Open that!"obeyed,without the least idea that they would dare to leave the siding.

But they did,for Frank rather lost his head for a minute,and out upon the main track rolled No.11 as quietly as a well-trained horse taking a familiar road.

"Now you've done it!I'll give you a good thrashing when I get back!"roared Gus,shaking his fist at Joe,who stood staring,half-pleased,half-scared,at what he had done.

"Are you really going to try it?"asked Gus,as they glided on with increasing speed,and he,too,felt the charm of such a novel adventure,though the consequences bid fair to be serious.

"Yes,I am,"answered Frank,with the grim look he always wore when his strong will got the upper hand."Bill will give it to us,anyway,so we may as well have our fun out.If you are afraid,I'll slow down and you can jump off,"and his brown eyes sparkled with the double delight of getting his heart's desire and astonishing his friend at the same time by his skill and coolness.

"Go ahead.I'll jump when you do";and Gus calmly sat down again,bound in honor to stand by his mate till the smash came,though rather dismayed at the audacity of the prank.

"Don't you call this just splendid?"exclaimed Frank,as they rolled along over the crossing,past the bridge,toward the curve,a mile from the station.

"Not bad.They are yelling like mad after us.Better go back,if you can,"said Gus,who was anxiously peering out,and,in spite of his efforts to seem at ease,not enjoying the trip a particle.

"Let them yell.I started to go to the curve,and I'll do it if it costs me a hundred dollars.No danger;there's no train under twenty minutes,I tell you,"and Frank pulled out his watch.But the sun was in his eyes,and he did not see clearly,or he would have discovered that it was later than he thought.

On they went,and were just rounding the bend when a shrill whistle in front startled both boys,and drove the color out of their cheeks.

"It's the factory train!"cried Gus,in a husky tone,as he sprang to his feet.