rceived the fireman, whose head rested against
the horizontal wheel of the overturned engine.

"This man is hurt," he said, when he saw a crimson stain on the snow.
"Take the lamp, guard."

Acton clambered over the short tender, seized the man by the shoulder,
and, with an immense effort of strength, pulled him partly up. The man
gave no signs of life.

"Bear a hand, driver, will you? He's too much for me alone."

The driver hastily scrambled beside Acton, and in a minute or so they
had the insensible man between them.

"He hurt himself as he jumped," said Acton, looking with concern at a
gaping cut over the man's eye. "Anyhow, our first business is to bring
him round."

It was a weary business lifting the unconscious fireman into an empty
compartment, and still more weary work to bring him round, but at last
this was done. Acton tore up his handkerchief, and with melted snow
washed clean the ugly cut on his forehead, and then left the fireman in
charge of his mate.

"We'll have to roost here, sir, all night. There's no getting out of
this cutting, nohow. Thank you, sir; I'll see to Tom."

Acton and the guard made their way back to the rear of the train, where
the Amorians were awaiting their schoolfellow with impatience and
anxiety.

"The engine is off the rails and the stoker is damaged above a bit,"
said Acton, seriously, "and we're fixtures here until the company comes
and digs us out. There's only one thing to do: we must make ourselves as
comfy as possible for the night. I must see that lady, though, before we
do anything for ourselves. Back in a moment."

Acton sallied out once more and devoted a good ten minutes to explaining
matters to the very horrified and nervous lady and her tearful little
twelve-year-old girl.

"I'll bring you some cushions, and I'll steal Dick Worcester's pillow
for the little girl," he explained cheerfully. "You have one rug, I see.
We can spare you a couple more. No danger at all, really, But isn't it
really horrid? We have not a morsel of food to offer you, but I dare say
you can, if you don't worry over it, put up with a makeshift bed--only
for one night, I'm sure."

Acton relieved Dick Worcester--who plumed himself on his pillow--of
that article, and one of Senior's rugs.

On his return he confronted the dubious looks of his chums with his
invincible cheerfulness.

"Now, you fellows! we're to sleep here. Two on a seat is the order, and
one on the floor, that's me.