de-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