THE COUNTRY BOY 119 



went to Tacoma just to see his work and 

 though he didn't know w^here the steam got 

 into the cyhnders or where it got out, he 

 certainly put up the hottest game in the rail- 

 road way anyone ever saw. His duty in the 

 morning was to follow the overland up, 

 through the long yard to the upper depot and 

 if the traffic was not heavy there he would hitch 

 on to the rear coach and haul her back, but the 

 last time Jap hitched on there wasn't anything 

 to come back. One foggy morning he 

 thought the passenger had time to get up so 

 he was just clipping along about "forty-five 

 per," laughing with his brakeman and his fire- 

 man, watching the thick fog part and go on 

 either side of his engine, when all at once he 

 saw the rear of a Pullman. The train had 

 stopped for something and the flagman 

 hadn't gone back. It didn't give Jap as 

 long as he would like to hare had to make up 

 his mind. He shut off, reversed and pulled 

 her wide open and then jumped out the win- 

 dow. They were on a high trestle at the time. 

 The engine went through two cars before it 

 thought of starting back, then it pulled out 

 sticking to the track. It fairly howled as it 



