TURTLE EGGS FOR AGASSIZ 51 



had made ! It was only six o'clock, with a whole 

 hour to get to Cambridge. 



" But I did n't like this delay. Five minutes — 

 ten — went by. 



" ' Gentlemen,' I began, but was cut short by 

 an express train coming past. We were moving 

 again, on — into a siding ; on — on to the main 

 track ; and on with a bump and a crash and a 

 succession of crashes, running the length of the 

 train ; on at a turtle's pace, but on, — when the 

 fireman, quickly jumping for the bell-rope, left 

 the way to the step free, and — the chance had 



come! 



" I never touched the step, but landed in the 

 soft sand at the side of the track, and made a line 

 for the yard fence. 



" There was no hue or cry. I glanced over my 

 shoulder to see if they were after me. Evidently 

 their hands were full, and they did n't know I had 

 gone. 



" But I had gone ; and was ready to drop over 

 the high board-fence, when it occurred to me that 

 I might drop into a policeman's arms. Hanging 

 my pail in a splint on top of a post, I peered 

 cautiously over — a very wise thing to do before 



