shack who has gone
past on the first blind. Both jump off. Never mind, I'll take the
third blind and deck her. But heavens, there is a lantern on the third
blind, too. It is the conductor. I let it go by. At any rate I have
now the full train-crew in front of me. I turn and run back in the
opposite direction to what the train is going. I look over my
shoulder. All three lanterns are on the ground and wobbling along in
pursuit. I sprint. Half the train has gone by, and it is going quite
fast, when I spring aboard. I know that the two shacks and the
conductor will arrive like ravening wolves in about two seconds. I
spring upon the wheel of the hand-brake, get my hands on the curved
ends of the roofs, and muscle myself up to the decks; while my
disappointed pursuers, clustering on the platform beneath like dogs
that have treed a cat, howl curses up at me and say unsocial things
about my ancestors.

But what does that matter? It is five to one, including the engineer
and fireman, and the majesty of the law and the might of a great
corporation are behind them, and I am beating them out. I am too far
down the train, and I run ahead over the roofs of the coaches until I
am over the fifth or sixth platform from the engine. I peer down
cautiously. A shack is on that platform. That he has caught sight of
me, I know from the way he makes a swift sneak inside the car; and I
know, also, that he is waiting inside the door, all ready to pounce
out on me when I climb down. But I make believe that I don't know, and
I remain there to encourage him in his error. I do not see him, yet I
know that he opens the door once and peeps up to assure himself that I
am still there.

The train slows down for a station. I dangle my legs down in a
tentative way. The train stops. My legs are still dangling. I hear the
door unlatch softly. He is all ready for me. Suddenly I spring up and
run forward over the roof. This is right over his head, where he lurks
inside the door. The train is standing still; the night is quiet, and
I take care to make plenty of noise on the metal roof with my feet. I
don't know, but my assumption is that he is now running forward to
catch me as I descend at the next platform. But I don't descend there.
Halfway along the roof of the coach, I turn, retrace my way softly and
quickly to the platform both the shack and I have just abandoned. The
coast is clear. I descend to the ground on the off-side of the train
and hide in th