hen you can take it out in wanting, because you don't get in
here, see!"

I started to reason with him, when he slammed the window in my face.
That made me madder than a March hare, and I told him if he didn't let
me in that office mighty quick, I'd smash that window into smithereens
and come in anyhow.

Biff! Up went that window, and Mr. Barry's face looking like a boiled
beet appeared, "Smash that window will you? You just try it and I'll
smash your blamed old red head with this poker. Get out of that
waiting-room. Tramps are not allowed."

Just then it occurred to me that he did not know me from the sight of
sole leather; so I said: "Hold on there, young man; I'm Mr. Bates, the
newly appointed chief despatcher of this division, and I'm out on a tour
of inspection. Now stop your monkeying and open up."

"Bates thunder! Bates would never come sneaking out over the road in
this manner. You pack up and get. It will take more than your word to
make me believe you are Bates."

I saw that remonstrance with him was useless, and, besides I had an idea
that he might carry out his threat to smash my head with the poker, so I
went over to a mean little hotel and stayed all night, vowing to have
vengeance on his head in the morning. When daylight came, I went back to
the station, and Dayton, the day man, knew me at once, having worked
with me on the K. M. & O. Barry had told him of the trouble, and he was
having a great laugh at my expense. Barry, himself, showed up in a
little while, but he didn't seem the least bit disturbed, when he found
out who I really was. He said there was a time card rule, that forbade
him allowing any unauthorized person in his office; he thought I was
some semi-respectable "hobo," who wanted a place to stay all night; how
in the world was he to know? Suppose some one else had come out and said
he was the chief despatcher, was he going to let them in the office
without some proof? I saw that this was mighty good reasoning and that
he was right. Did I fire him? Not much. Men on railroads who so
implicitly obey orders are too valuable to lose; and before I left the
road he was working the third trick.

Things ran along very smoothly for a while and I was having a good time.
The winter passed and with the advent of spring came the heavy rains for
which that part of the country was justly noted. Then the work
commenced.

One Friday evening after four or five days of the steadiest and hardest
kind o