ions.

"I say, Conductor," remarked one of them who was an Englishman, "this is
a jolly shame. Can't we travel in peace in this beastly country? Always
some bally ructions going on, don't yer know."

The conductor's answer was rather abrupt for he did not fancy the
Englishman's style of speech, and that testy individual was more upset
than ever. Jim went quickly to his section, got a change of clothing,
retired to the wash room and proceeded to get thoroughly cleaned up.

This was quite an operation, undertaken in the presence of two drummers
who were smoking and talking in bragging tones of what they had done
during the recent fight. Jim was too busy to pay any attention to their
talk until one of them addressed him directly.

"Where was you, young fellow, when we was held up back there?"
questioned one.

"I was forward," replied Jim shortly. He did not take especially to
either of the two men.

"Bet you were hiding under the trucks," asserted the other. Jim did not
know whether to laugh, or to throw the fellow out of the window. He had
not noticed the conductor who was standing in the passageway, but that
worthy had overheard the remark.

"Who did you say hid under the trucks?" he inquired belligerently. The
man addressed feebly indicated Jim, then the conductor lit into the
fellow for fair.

"You trying to run that young fellow? Why if he took the notion into his
head, he could turn you up simultaneous and paddle whack both of you.
Why you ain't nothing but--" however, I draw a veil over this part of
the harangue.

Jim laughed good-naturedly but said nothing.

After the conductor had left, the men took the opposite tack and were
very fulsome in their praise of Jim. Wanted him to drink with them and
all that sort of cheap comradeship, but he would have none of their game
and got out as soon as he could.

At the first stop the train made, James went forward to join his two
friends on the engine.

"And who may you be?" queried the fireman; "you look very much like the
Vice-president of this railroad instead of the tramp I saw some hours
agone trying to ride the blind baggage."

"I've got my face washed, Bill, and a fresh shirt to my back and my
moccasins polished if that is what you are aiming at," replied Jim good
humoredly.

"I must say, Jim, it gave me a scare when I saw you swing over the edge
of the car, but it was no use for me to try and slow up then, besides I
had time to make up, and the engi