My Boyhood and Youth 



to walk the length of that long train to get me 

 on to the engine. 



"Charlie," said he, addressing the engineer, 

 "don't you ever take a passenger?" 



"Very seldom," he replied. 



"Anyhow, I wish you would take this young 

 man on. He has the strangest machines in the 

 baggage-car I ever saw in my life. I believe he 

 could make a locomotive. He wants to see the 

 engine running. Let him on." Then in a low 

 whisper he told me to jump on, which I did 

 gladly, the engineer offering neither encourage- 

 ment nor objection. 



As soon as the train was started, the engineer 

 asked what the "strange thing" the conductor 

 spoke of really was. 



"Only inventions for keeping time, getting 

 folk up in the morning, and so forth," I hastily 

 replied, and before he could ask any more 

 questions I asked permission to go outside of 

 the cab to see the machinery. This he kindly 

 granted, adding, "Be careful not to fall off, 

 and when you hear me whistling for a station 

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