nto which the negro
was continually thrusting more coal. The hunters, in the forward part of
the car, exchanged remarks now and then: the rest of us read newspapers
and looked out of the windows at the monotonous winter landscape.
Wondering at the snail's pace at which we moved, I recalled the
landlord's mysterious jokes, and at last ventured to ask the little
milliner, who sat in the next seat to mine, what he meant by his
allusions. "Oh, it was nothing," she replied; "only this is an old road,
and there have been so many break-downs on it that Mr. Smith likes to
make fun of all the Blossburg passengers."

"But is anything the matter now?" I asked.

"No: we always creep along this way. You see, the distance is only
eighteen miles, or nobody could stand it. I always feel as though I
should fly out of my skin the whole way; but, after all, it is better
than a stage in cold weather. They are going to build a new road soon."

She had scarcely finished speaking when the train, which had been moving
more and more slowly, came to a dead stop. There was no station in
sight, nor any house or other sign of human occupation. We were in the
woods: a high hill was close against us on one side, and on the other a
steep embankment went down to the shore of a rapid stream that ran
through the valley. After waiting several minutes in vain for the train
to move on, one of the hunters went out to see what was the matter, and
came back laughing with the news that a piece had fallen out of the
bottom of the boiler, so that the water had put out the fire, and there
was no chance of our getting any farther until the boiler was mended.
Whereupon all the men rushed out to watch the progress of affairs, and
remained away for a time that seemed to us an age. At last they came
dropping back, one after another, each later arrival bringing more
encouraging news of the prospect of a speedy start, until finally the
same hunter who had announced the disaster appeared, saying that it was
all right and we should now go ahead. In the profound stillness of the
forest we could hear the hissing of the steam, and presently came the
welcome whistle; then two or three pantings of the engine and that
preparatory jarring of the whole train which precedes its regular
motion, and then all was still again. The same impatient hunter went out
again, and returned--this time not laughing--to inform us that as soon
as the water had begun to boil the hole had broken op