CHAPTER XXIV.
THE PRESIDENT HAS A FALL.
I do not think, after all Tommy’s blustering, that he believed I would really leave the service of the Lake Shore Railroad. It was plain enough that Major Toppleton had been crowded down in the debate with his son, and had yielded the point. I supposed he had gone over to Ucayga, to avoid the unpleasant scene that was likely to ensue. In this, however, I was mistaken, for I afterwards learned that he had gone to procure the services of an engineer, for he had not much confidence in the ability of Lewis Holgate to run the locomotive.
I bought two tickets for Middleport at the office, and with Tom took a seat in one of the cars. Tommy was busy instructing Lewis in regard to his duties on the engine, of which he knew as little as any person connected with the road, and he did not follow my movements.
“Well, we are men of leisure now, Tom,” I remarked, as we seated ourselves.
“I have had rather too much of that sort of thing lately, and I would rather not be a man of leisure,” answered Tom, dryly.
“You will soon find something to do,” I replied.
“Is Lewis Holgate going to run this train?”
“I suppose so. Tommy and he are on the best of terms; and I know that Lewis has been trying to use me up for some time, in order to get my place. I hope he is satisfied now.”
“Does he understand the business?” asked Tom, curiously.
“He did very well on the dummy; but he is too careless to be relied on. I don’t think he understands a locomotive. He hasn’t his thoughts about him always. But I hope he will do well.”
The train started, and dragged at a snail’s pace for a mile. I realized from the motion that the engineer did not feel at home on the foot-board, for it was attended by frequent jerks, and by as frequent slacking of the speed. When the conductor picked up the tickets, he told me Lewis had with him on the foot-board a man from the steamer, so that he could not have been embarrassed by having too much to do. At Grass Springs we were ten minutes behind time; but Lewis did better on the next stretch, which was level and straight; but even here he was losing time, and it was fortunate that the boat would wait at Middleport until the arrival of the train.
After we passed the Springs I saw Tommy stalking through the car, and coming towards me. I pitied him much more than I should if he had been defeated in his purpose, for success to him was ruin. In spite of all he had done to vex and annoy me, I tried to harbor no ill will against him. He knew that the train was behind time, and that it was still losing. I had no doubt that the fact vexed him. It seemed to me that an opportunity presented itself by which I could show him that I had no ill feelings towards him. I wished still to carry out the good principles which my mother had taught me; and, as the little president approached my seat, I promptly decided that I would ride on the engine the rest of the way, and give Lewis such instructions as he evidently needed. I meant to do this, hoping it would make things a little pleasanter between us.
“Tommy, I suppose you see that Lewis is losing time,” said I, as he halted in the aisle, and stared at me as savagely as though I had been a snake in his path.
“What are you doing here?” demanded he.
“I was going to say, if I could be of any service, I would ride on the engine with Lewis, and show him how to run it.”
“I guess not,” said he, shaking his head. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m going home,” I replied, not comprehending what he was driving at.
“Didn’t I tell you never to let me see you about this road again?” continued he, with imperial majesty, and, I may add, with lion-like ferocity.
“I believe you did; but I am going home, and the railroad is now the only conveyance up the lake.”
“How dare you disobey me?” stormed he.
“I was not aware that I had disobeyed you.”
“What are you on this train for, then?”
“But I paid my fare, and Tom Walton’s too,” I replied.
“I don’t care if you did! After what has happened, I won’t have you on the road.”
“Even Centreporters are allowed to ride on the road by paying their fare.”
“No matter if they are; you can’t.”
“After I get home, I won’t trouble you or the road,” I added, mildly.
“But you won’t get home on this road,” said he, seizing the connecting line which ran through all the cars to the engine, and giving it a violent twitch.
Lewis Holgate, unfortunately for me, understood this signal, and whistled to put on the brakes. The conductor was counting his tickets at the end of the car, and came forward to witness the scene. The train came to a halt.
“Now, Wolf Penniman, out with you!” said Tommy, fixing a savage gaze upon me.
“I don’t wish to make any trouble, Tommy; but I have paid my fare, and I intend to ride to Middleport,” I replied, as calmly as I could, though my blood was boiling with indignation at the gratuitous insults heaped upon me.
“Good, my boy! Don’t budge an inch,” said a respectable-looking gentleman in the seat behind me.
“Mind your own business!” snapped Tommy to the speaker.
“What, you young puppy!” said the gentleman, springing to his feet. “Don’t you give me a word of impudence! If you do, I’ll thrash you within an inch of your life!”
This was not exactly the kind of customer Tommy liked to deal with, for there was fight in the stranger’s eye; but he was just the person whom Tommy’s case required.
“Are you going to get out, Wolf Penniman, or are you going to be put out?” added the president, turning from the stranger to me.
“I’m not going to get out, and it remains to be seen whether I’m going to be put out.”
“He has paid his fare,” suggested the gentlemanly conductor, in a low tone.
“Give him back his money, then.”
I refused to take it, and the belligerent gentleman urged me not to budge an inch.
“Put him out, conductor,” said Tommy.
“If you put him out, you must put me out,” suggested Tom Walton, with one of his broad, good-natured laughs.
“Put them both out!” stormed Tommy.
“I shall be prosecuted, if I do, for assault and battery.”
“That’s so,” growled the gentleman behind me.
“I’ll see you through,” interposed Tommy, violently.
“This thing has gone far enough,” said the stranger, rising in his seat. “This road was chartered for the accommodation of the public. These two young men have paid their fare, and have behaved themselves properly in the car. I say, for one, they shall not be put out.”
“So say we all of us!” shouted several of the passengers, who were annoyed by the delay; and most of them understood the merits of the case.
“Now, conductor, start your train, and don’t keep us waiting here all day,” added the gentleman.
“Go ahead!” shouted some of the passengers.
“You can’t go ahead till these fellows are put out,” replied Tommy, who seemed to feel that he had the weather-gage in the dispute.
“Go ahead!” “Go ahead!” cried the passengers.
“Why don’t you put them out, as I tell you?” said Tommy to the conductor.
“If you say so, I will, whatever happens,” replied the conductor.
“I do say so!”
The proprietor of the gold jewel put his hand upon my collar; but he had hardly done so before my belligerent friend did him a similar service, and jerked him away from me. Other passengers crowded forward.
“It’s an outrage! Bully for the young engineer,” shouted the noisiest of the crowd.
The conductor was intimidated. He had no heart in the job he had undertaken, and he gave up with no show of fight.
“Now go ahead!” said the belligerent stranger. “We won’t submit to any outrage here.”
“This train won’t start till those persons are put out of the car,” added Tommy.
“Won’t it?”
“No, it won’t. I’m the president of this road,” replied Tommy.
“Are you? Well, this train’s going ahead,” added the stranger.
To my astonishment, he seized the distinguished little functionary by the collar, and dragged him towards the door. The conductor attempted to interfere; but the passengers, among whom there were hardly a dozen Middleporters, crowded upon him, and prevented him from doing anything.
“Out with him!” “Out with him!” called the indignant passengers, not a few of whom were Centreporters.
[Illustration: THE PRESIDENT IS INSULTED.--Page 286.]
The stout stranger landed Tommy on the ground, and then, by a dexterous movement, pitched him down the steep bank to the beach on the shore of the lake. If the president of the road was never astonished before, he was astonished then. He had discovered that his lordly will, though it carried terror into his own family, could not accomplish much among the general public.
“Now go ahead!” said the gentleman, as he stepped into the car.
“I can’t go without the president,” replied the conductor.
“Then go with him!” yelled a stout fellow, who, I think, had drank more liquor than was good for him, as he seized the gentlemanly official, and hustled him after the president.
Some one pulled the string; but the train did not start. I looked out the window. I was sorry to see that Tommy appeared to be hurt, for he sat on the ground, rubbing one of his legs. The conductor went to his assistance. Lewis Holgate now appeared, and I told the stranger he was the engineer.
“Will you go ahead now?” demanded my uncompromising friend.
“What’s the row here?” inquired Lewis.
He was informed; but, instead of going ahead, he went down to the place where Tommy and the conductor were. Several of the passengers got out, and went forward to the engine. Half a dozen of them beset me with entreaties to run the train up to Middleport; but I positively refused. Indeed, I was thinking of going to the assistance of the disabled president, though I was sure my services would not be welcome, when the train started. The passengers crowded in, and it was evident that some one had taken possession of the engine.
“Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!” said Tom Walton.
“I’m sorry for it; but I can’t help it. I have as much right to ride on this road as any one else,” I replied.
“We are going it now,” added Tom, as the train began to leap forward at the rate of thirty miles an hour.
“Don’t you submit to any imposition, young man. I’ve heard all about your case, and if you want any help, call on me,” said my belligerent supporter.
I thanked him, and he gave me his card, which I deposited in my wallet. The new engineer understood his business, and in less than half an hour we entered the station at Middleport.