it to us, any way, 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.

"No; it's the five-forty on the other road," answered Frank, with a
queer thrill all through him at the thought of what might happen if it
was not. Both looked straight ahead as the last tree glided by, and the
long track lay before them, with the freight train slowly coming down.
For an instant, the boys stood as if paralyzed.

"Jump!" said Gus, looking at the steep bank on one side and the river on
the other, undecided which to try.

"Sit still!" commanded Frank, collecting his wits, as he gave a warning
whistle to retard the on-coming train, while he reversed the engine and
went back faster than he came.

A crowd of angry men was waiting for them, and Bill stood at the open
switch in a towering passion as No. 11 returned to her place unharmed,
but bearing two pale and frightened boys, who stepped slowly and
silently down, without a word to say for themselves, while the freight
train rumbled by on the main track.

Frank and Gus never had a very clear idea as to what occurred during the
next few minutes, but vaguely remembered being well shaken, sworn at,
questioned, threatened with direful penalties, and