d Ben! Won't he be in a frenzy when he finds this
paltry insult has been sneaked into the files in place of his report on
me!" So into the station he goes and wires Ben up the line to come there
at once on account of something serious.

Ben gets in that night. He thought Ed must be dying and had got a
lay-off. He goes over to the hospital and is a mite disappointed to
find Ed ain't even worse, but is almost well and using only one crutch.

Ed first makes sure no one can overhear, then tells Ben about this
conspiracy, showing him the false report that has been smuggled into the
files in place of the real one Ben had sent in. It takes Ben a couple of
minutes to get the idea of what Ed is so worked up over. But he finally
does get it. He then sweeps all ideas of a conspiracy out of Ed's mind
forever. He says his talk is all nonsense; that this here is the very
report he made, every word of it; and, as to that, if he had it to write
over again he could shorten it by at least six words, but he must of
been excited at the time. He says he has already told Ed that the Old
Man complimented him on it because he hadn't lost his head and got
hysterical, showing he had the makings of a good railroad man in him. And
what had Ed expected, anyway? Didn't he know that your superiors want the
simple facts in cases of this kind and no fancy work, wanting chiefly to
know about damage to the rolling stock and how long before the main line
will be open? Ed must be crazy, making him get a lay-off just for this!
Had he looked for some verses of poetry about his accident, or a novel?
Ben wasn't any novelist and wouldn't be one if you give him a chance. He
was just a brakeman, with a bright future before him.

Ben was quite indignant himself by this time thinking of two days' pay
lost, and Ed could hardly believe his own ears. He just set there,
swelling up like a toad in a very feverish way. "But 'some distance,'"
says Ed in low tones of awe. "You say I was thrown 'some distance,' like
it was a casual remark. Is that any way to talk about a man hurled two
hundred and thirty-five feet from start to finish?--which I can prove
by the man that taped it. Why, any one would think them two cheap box
cars was the real heroes of this accident. No one would dream that a
precious human life was at stake. And 'Not serious!' And 'Head cut some!'
Great suffering cats! Was that any way to talk about a fellowman--not to
say a first cousin?"

Ben was pretty