Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 428 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a —= - “A aa i be found. He had gone out with two gentle- men, Fred was told. Likely to wet his whistle. The disappointed lad hunted around for five minutes, vainly seeking the vanished official. ‘‘Hang me, if I call this business!” he growl- ed. ‘‘Got a big notion to report that chap. Hillo! what’s this?” He had heard the hissing of steam. Hurry- ing in the direction of the sound, he discove: ed a locomotive on the track, from whose smoke- stack a cloud of black smoke was rolling. The engineer was busily oiling the joints of the en- r ne, ‘* What's in the wind?” asked Fred. ‘‘Steam down, Firing up.” ** What for?” ‘‘ For a run to Philadelphia. Special charter, hang it! °’Tain’t a night for a dog to be out.” Fred started back amazed. What did this mean? ‘Special charter?” he repeate‘, ‘*Jist so. Two reporters. Telegraph wires down, and they’re going in by rail. Neat game, All the other reporters sold. Hang ’em, I'd like to give ’em a pitch over a bank for pulling me out on sich a night.” Fred stood half-stunned for the moment. He then burst into a wild laugh. He had been victimized, but he could not help enjoying the sharp operation of his rival reporters, As he stood looking on at the operations of the engineer, the remaining reporters came hur- rying anxiously up. There was a look of utter disgust on their faces. They had had Fred's luck at the telegraph-office, and had just learned of the chartering of the only engine in the sta- tion. They stood looking on in vexed indigna- tion, which was not lessened when the two suc- cessful reporters walked up, in company with the station-master. They were contentedly sinmoking, and their faces wore an expression of malicious amuse- ment, as they looked at their disappointed com- petitors. ‘‘ Oh, come, Jones!” cried one of these, ‘‘ This is too thin. You two chaps can’t filla car. Let us make aclub of it. We'll all bear our share of the tariff, and go in like a jolly crew alto- ether.” ‘* Not much,” answered Jones, with a laugh. ‘¢ We don’t want company.” ‘But you'll find it deuced lonely,” remarked a second, ‘‘ I’v got a deck of cards here. Come, we can kill time with cut-throat eucher.” ‘‘That cat won’t jump,” laughed the reporter, as he sent a cloud of smoke curling from his lips. ‘*We want to be alone, to reflect on our sins. Couldn’t think of indulging in such wick- edness as eucher. The night mail will be along at two o'clock, sharp. Best keep cool. We'd wait ourselves, only we’re in something of a hurry.” ‘You're a confounded disobliging pair of sharps, that’s all I’ve got to say for you,” was the angry reply. ‘‘I wouldn’s give a cent fora sugar kettle full of such men.” The only reply was an irritating laugh from the successful reporters, Fred had vanished. <A thought had come to his mind and he had hurried away. A few minutes more passed by. Steam was hissing sharply from the escape valve of the engine. ce ete gentlemen,” said the station-master. ‘“Steam’sup, You'd best be off.” ‘‘Sorry we can’t take you along,” said Jones, as he followed his comrade into the car. ‘* But it won’t do to take on any extra weight. Every pound counts,” The baffled reporters stood in growling dis- content on the plaiform, half-disposed to take the car by storm. The engineer mounted into his cab. His eyes dilated as he saw a youthful figure seated ina dark corner, and quietly smoking as if a cigar was his one aim in life. ‘‘ Heh!” exclaimed the engineer. ‘‘ What the deuce is that?” “Hist!” warned Fred, for it was he. that. Dll explain.” ‘‘ What's the matter, Joe?” called the station- ymaaster. ‘‘ Pinched my finger, that’s all.” He turned to Fred with a look of inquiry, ‘‘ Some, little one.” ‘Thought maybe you’d like a smoke,” re- marked Fred, handing a cigar. ‘‘T don’t smoke that. Slide, now. No time for fooling.” ‘‘Take your cigar, anyhow. night.” he engineer took the cigar. It was wrapped up in paper. He looked at it suspiciously. ‘‘ T Jon’t smoke cigarettes,” he said, ‘¢ Take the cover off, then.” ‘Drop It’s a hard ee ae SERS RETIRE A eal RG Set Pa RS A MESES ARE GE 8 RE SRM EN HE ES i AG LAAT TRS, Sk A AARNE, thc Mins tie tb ea tear the frozen snow from his hair, ——-— o_o The hissing of the steam drowned this con- versation. The engineer did as directed. His eyes opened with surprise. The green back of a five-dollar bill appeared. ‘‘T’ve got more of the same kind,” remarked Fred, tapping his pocket significantly. “What are you fooling about, Joe?” ‘* Off we go,” answered the engineer. The fireman jumped aboard. The.wheel be- gan to turn. Away rolled the special train, with two passengers in its single car, and a third one, stealing his passage, in the engine cab, CHAPTER XII. A WILD RIDE IN A WILD NIGHT. THE night was wilder than ever. Down came the snow in a swirling cloud, caught by the wild wind, and hurled in white eddies through the air. The engine-cab gave little protection. Snow-flakes came whirling and tossing in till they found every empty corner of the open space, The night was dismally dark. They sc:emed to be plunging into a black abyss. Onward rushed the engine, puffing and snorting like a living thing, pourmg out dense volumes of smoke, ever and anon sending out a wild scream from its steam-whistle, as a warning to all care- less wayfarers. It was a fearful ride. The whirling snow, the howling wind, the throbbing and hissing engine, the black face of the night, the mad plunge on- ward, the cold blast that cut like a knife, the shivering sense that at any instant they might be hutied to destruction, all combined to give a sense of intense excitement to the scene. Fred looked up into the face of the engineer, set, impassive, determined, his eyes looking for- ward into the night with a glance that seemed to pierce the darkness, ** No back-down there,” he said to himself, ‘That chap’s got back-bone enough for an ele- phant. If we go down, we'll all goin a heap together.” The fireman, a tall, lank fellow, with anoddly aby it a countenance, looked significantly at ‘red. ‘** That smokes like a good cigar,” heremarked with a queer laugh, as he pointed to the engineer. ‘*Got another of the same pattern? Guess I’d like a cigarette of that style.” There was no mistaking his meaning. Tred, with a sigh of regret, handed out another cigar wrapped in a five-dollar bill. ‘* A thundering dear passage for all the room I take up,” he growled. ‘‘A chap could go through to Pittsburg in a palace-car for the money.” ‘*Special charter, young man,” returned the fireman. ‘* There’s them would give a fifty for the privilege of an engine ride in a sweet night like this.” “Tt’s a jolly lunkhead that would do it, that’s my sentiments,” answered Fred, shrugging his shoulders significantly. ‘‘ A high old privilege! It’s fun, though; andI’m ripe for fun. Pelton, boys; what you can stand, I can. But if this old critter plugs up, I guess we'll go on by tele- raph. ‘ e had hardly spoken, when the speed of the engine was checked so suddenly as to throw them all forward. She struggled violently on- ward, while the steam rushed in torrents from the safety-valve. They had struck the cut which had caused trouble that night before. It was partly filled up again with the drifting snow. ‘* Once, twice, and away!” cried the engineer, cheerily, as they began to gain new speed. ‘¢ Through and off. Knowed old Ironsides would doit. The old hoss ain’t easy stopped.” ‘¢ More cuts between here cn 1 the city, aren’t there?” asked Fred, quietly. ‘‘Reckon so. Some deep ones, too. Chance if we get through, But if it’s in the pith of steam and iron, we'll do it. Don’t let no trifles stop me when I’m on a special.” Onward theyrushed. It was impossible, how- ever, to keep up the speed with which they had made the first open reach, The track at many points was covered deep with snow. Even where clear, a skin of frozen sleet. covered them. The wheels would not half hold. Their speed became checked. The engine did her best, and the en- gineer set his teeth with an energy that meant business, but in spite of all this, twenty miles an hour was their best figure, and often not more than ten. ‘* Blast the weather!” growled Joe, between his teeth. ‘‘ I wasn’t never born to creep like a snail. Why, we'll be gray as badgers afore we reach the city. Been half a lifetime out now, and ain’t made more nor twenty mile,” ‘*T’'m gray now,” laughed Fred as he dashed ‘¢ Anyhow I’ve LQ- Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. em ——— ’ , 7 Phy KO NOE meee TBE ——_ got the start of the two coons back yonder. A car-length ahead. Wouldn’t they be ripping if they knew I was here!” ‘*Don’t let that cat out,’ warned Joe, “ It. mought hurt us. Let ’em guess till they’re blind, but don’t sell the trick.’ ‘* All right,” laughed Fred. “I might say I came through the air, like an old witch on her broomstick, Hey! that was a narrow squeak.” They had just dashed through another short cut, sending the drift flying wildly before them. ‘‘ Fire up, Tim,” cried the engineer. ‘* Keep her boiling.” Tim threw open the furnace door, The red glow of the raging blaze within fell in lurid light on their faces, blinding them with its glare. The snow-flakes looked like blcod-drops in its red gleam. Shovel after shovel of coals were flung into the gaping maw of the devour- ing furnace, like so much meat for the fiery dragon within. Then the furnace door was shut with a loud clank. ‘* There’s meat for another twenty miles,” re- marked the fireman, as he leaped on his shovel. ‘*T'm afeard we'll not sleep in a Christian bed to-night, Joe.” ‘‘Dunno,” answered Jce, shortly. ‘' We’ve run through the storm. That’s all drift snow now. It’s stopped falling. Moughtn’t be so bad nearer the city.” Fred rose, straightened his half-frozen limbs, and looked out into the night. The air was still full of snow. He could see no sign that it had ceased falling. So far as his experience went it was coming down as heavy as ever. Onward still through night and storm. The lights of way-stations gleamed for a moment as they shot past. Sleeping villages were gone through with a whirl. Half-halting they went through larger towns, where a light here and there showed that some of the inmates were still awake. Curious faces gazed on them in sur- prise. No train was looked for at that hour. ‘‘ How goes it?’ yelled Joe from the engine, ‘** Track clear ahead?” mv AY, ay,” came in faint tones already left be- ind. Midnight passed. Oneo’clock. Half-past one. The night was going by. The keen-eyed en- gineer looked out with a glance that pierced the rloom., ak; T'wenty miles to make yet,” he said, with a satisfied nod. ‘‘An hour more will fetch us to the depot.” ‘¢ Except there’s a knot in the rope,” answered the fireman. ‘Stop your croaking, old crow. Don’t want no cold water now.” ‘‘ What’s the show for a clear track?’ asked Fred. ‘*The snow’s all over, and there’s not much drifting, We ought to get through.” ‘ Doubtful,” answered thefireman. ‘‘ There’s a heavy cut yet to wade. If it’s snowed up Old Sam hisself wouldn't go through.” Fred dropped back in silence. If he didn’t go through, his rivals wouldn’t. That was one thing sure. The rattling wheels of the engine told of new miles falling behind them. The bright light of a signal station shone on her, as on a white specter dashing through the night. ‘What's the signal, Joe?” asked the fireman. ‘*Isn’t it set for danger?” | ‘*Clear track ahead. Nary danger.” Two o’clock. The clouds had broken. A wild storm-rack yet hung in the sky, but the light of a full moon shone through a cloud- opening, and let fall its clear rays on the snow- clad scene, Far as the eye could reach a white mask lay on the face of the fields. Hills and woods rose like white clumps from the broad level. It was a picture at once frightful and alluring. The eyes of the boy were fixed upon it with intense fascination. He had come through an experience that nightsuch as had never fallen to his lot before. ‘Grab on and hold tight,” warned the en- gineer. ‘‘ The cut’s just ahead, and it’s full of snow as anegg isof meat. Hang on like grim death. I’m going to make a jump forit. But it’s mighty likely we'll be plugged up like a cork in a bottle.” With the valves wide open, and the steam rushing in full volume into the cylinders, the old Ironsides plunged onward, gaining speed at every revolution. Fred fixed himself with a death-grip, and strained his eyes ahead, striving to penetrate the gloom. On they jumped. Then there came a check to their wild speed. The air was again full of flying snow. The escaping steam again hissed shrilly out into the dull night air. The mas- sive engine struggled deeper and deeper inte the snow-heap that filled the cut ten feet deep. —