so marvelous in their construction,
come into being."

Mr. Tolman paused a moment, yawned, and then rose and beckoned to the
porter.

"We still have much to perfect in our modern railroad, however," he said
with a touch of humor. "The sleeping car, for example, is an
abomination, as you are speedily to have proved to you. Here, porter!
We'd like these berths made up. I guess we'd better turn in now, son.
You have had enough railroading for one day and are tired. You must get
a rest and be in the pink of condition to-morrow for, remember, you are
going to wake up in New York."

"If it will make to-morrow come any quicker I am quite ready to go to
bed," retorted Stephen, with a sleepy smile.

CHAPTER VII

A HOLIDAY JOURNEY

The next morning, when Steve woke to the swaying of the train and a
drowsy sense of confusion and smoke, he could not for an instant think
where he was; but it did not take long for him to open his eyes,
recollect the happenings of the previous day, smile with satisfaction,
and hurriedly wriggle into his clothes.

Already he could hear his father stirring in the berth below and
presently the elder man called:

"We shall be in New York in half-an-hour, son, so get your traps packed
up. How did you sleep?"

"Sound as a top!"

"That is fine! I was afraid you might not rest very well. As I observed
last night, a sleeping car is not all that it might be. The day will
come when it will have to be improved. However, since it gets us to New
York safely and economizes hours of day travel, it is a blessing for
which we should be grateful."

As he spoke he moved into the aisle and helped the boy down from his
perch; they then sought out a distant seat where they dropped down and
watched the rapidly passing landscape.

"I have been thinking, as I was dressing, of the story you told me last
night about our American railroads," said the lad. "It surprised me a
good deal to hear that the South took the lead over the North in the
introduction of the steam locomotive."

Mr. Tolman smiled into the eager face.

"While it is true that South Carolina took the initiative in railroading
for a short time the South did not remain long in the ascendency," he
answered, "for the third steam locomotive put into actual passenger
service was built at Albany. This city, because of its geographical
position, was a great stagecoach center, having lines that radiated from
it into the interior in almost every