An hour later the men on a hand-car, whizzing down the portion of the
track that was sufficiently complete for this mode of progression, gave
little heed that a workman from the camp was stealing a ride, sitting in
a huddled clump, his feet dangling. Whether discharged or in the
execution of some commission for the construction boss, they did not even
canvass. Far too early it was for the question of rates or passes to vex
the matter of transportation. They did not even mark when he dropped off,
for the hand-car ran into the yards at the terminus, carrying only its
own crew.
Clenk was equally fortunate in creeping into an empty freight here
unobserved, and when it was uncoupled and the engine swept into the
round-house in the city of Glaston, it was verging again toward sunset,
and he was hundreds of miles from his starting-point.
Some monitions of craft were vaguely astir in his dull old brain. He had
resolved to throw himself on the mercy of the mother, ere he trusted
himself to the clutches of the law.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186