TURTLE EGGS FOR AGASSIZ 107 



" We reeled along. The station was still out of 

 sight, but from behind the bushes that shut it from 

 view, rose the smoke of a moving engine. It was 

 perhaps a mile away, but we were approaching, head 

 on, and, topping a little hill, I swept down upon a 

 freight train, the black smoke pouring from the 

 stack, as the mighty creature pulled itself together 

 for its swift run down the rails. 



66 My horse was on the gallop, following the 

 track, and going straight toward the coming train. 

 The sight of it almost maddened me the bare 

 thought of it, on the road to Boston ! On I went; 

 on it came, a half a quarter of a mile between us, 

 when suddenly my road shot out along an unfenced 

 field with only a level stretch of sod between me 

 and the engine. 



" With a pull that lifted the horse from his feet, 

 I swung him into the field and sent him straight as 

 an arrow for the track. That train should carry me 

 and my eggs to Boston ! 



" The engineer pulled the whistle. He saw me 

 stand up in the rig, saw my hat blow off, saw me 

 wave my arms, saw the tin pail swing in my teeth, 

 and he jerked out a succession of sharp Halts ! But 

 it was he who should halt, not I ; and on we went, 

 the horse with a flounder landing the carriage on 

 top of the track. 



" The train was already grinding to a stop ; but 

 before it was near a standstill, I had backed off the 



