better temper than at the start.
Delays in making connections, the bad condition of the track at places
on account of the recent heavy rains, with other difficulties, had
caused them to lose time. The engineer, however, had confidently
expected to make up for this before reaching Wood's Hollow, sixty miles
above the Big Y junction.

In the midst of his anxiety his fireman was taken suddenly ill. Then his
engine began to fail him. This last gave him more uneasiness than all
the rest.

"Behind time, with a sulky engine and a sick fireman!" he muttered, to
himself. "I see it coming--something dreadful! Never mind, old Jockey!
You are on your through trip to-night, but stand to your post like a
man."

During the next ten miles nothing was said by the three, and then, as
they stopped long enough at a way-station to take on a solitary
passenger, Jockey merely remarked:

"One minute gained. If we can't do better than that on our next run I'll
never touch the lever again."

As Jockey knew, he was now on the most favorable section of the road. No
signals were to be expected for a long distance, and there was no reason
why he should not regain a good part of the lost time. If he didn't he
resolved it should be no fault of his.

As soon as he was fairly under way again, he "linked her up." That means
he drew the reversing-rod back until the catch held it near the centre,
so the steam, instead of being allowed to follow the length of the
piston-rod, beat alternately the heads of the cylinders, giving the
highest momentum acquired.

Rock understood his duty perfectly and was determined the Silver Swan
should not hunger for fuel under his care.

"Mind how well the boy fires," said Gilly, forgetting for a moment his
pain.

"So he should; for wasn't he Tommy Green's pupil? And Tommy was the best
fireman ever on the Pen Yan, not even excepting you, Gilly."

"I know it; but she is pulling for all she is worth now, Jockey. You'll
get there on time, after all."

The Silver Swan was behaving beautifully now. Apparently she had gotten
over her sulks. Nothing occurred to disturb the even tenor of their
progress until the lights of Haford's Run came into sight.

At this place they must stop to refill the engine's boiler, and while
Rock looked after this matter, Jockey carefully examined each part of
the wonderful machine, talking to it and patting it as he would a child.

When he had run his practiced eye over the bars, joint