The San Francisco call., 1905-06-04

- had come into his life.
Well" said Howe, I'VE are really
started Now. when we get to Baltimore
il VIII be no use TO try to get out Of
there in a coach. IN have to try a new
racket. It's one I've thought out and 1
know it viii work"
''Au right" said Gray You are the
captain"
Il seemed only q few minutes to John
when, after a confused mixture of
Druidic groves, quick-angling country
country homes, they ran into maze of
sidetraeks through a long. sulphurous
tunnel. TO emerge under a smoky train
shed resonant with changing bells and
rushing feet
Come on" said Howe. passing into
the station. He crossed to the ticket
window and from a tin case extracted a
long slip Of cardboard.
Our compass he remarked with a
laugh. Lets 90 10 some quiet place and
map out our campaign"
IN q corner they found pile OF boards
Howe took out his compass"
Now. this is what is called a passen-
ger time card he remarked. THE true
time card is called the working card. 1t
contains the arriving and leaving time
Of all regular trains-both freight and
passenger-at all stations; this is a nom
Official imitation used by the passenger
department for the benefit OF the travel
ing public. OF course, it's correct as far
as passenger trains go. but some smart
Alecks think il is the real thing. There
is a great difference in the big sheet car
rying on its face all of the regular trains
passing over a division. Strings of black.
snaky figures that, cobra-like, bite swift
and deep when you ignore or disregard
them. But you viii absorb that soon
enough. Now, what I want of this card
is this: You see here" placing his finger
at the bottom, lis a train No. g. leaving
here at sol ,. m. Now, follow up
where time is shown opposite station
names the train makes a stop-you see
this row is filled TO Harrisburg-that
means the train is a local accommoda =
ton, stopping at all stations. Now, see,
she stops here at S:23-if the engine is an
inside oiler we are o. X"
What DO you mean by an inside OIL
erg' asked Gray.
why. this. The valves that admit
steam TO the cylinders are moving across
their seats continually when the engine
is in motion, and, OF course, the pistons
in the cylinders. too. There is lots of
friction, and they must get OIL Until
very lately the only way to do this
was 10 take a pot of melted tallow and
pour II into cups placed upon the steam
chests-a dangerous piece of business
that has put many q poor fireman under
the daisies. You pitch over a grade.
wind blowing a gale. air fun of sIeet
running board a sheet of ice. your eyes
full Of hre-the dazed blind of the white
hot furnace that you have been punch
ing and slashing for an hour-and start
with a gallon OF hot tallow and your
lantern ia one hand clinging toe the
hand-rail with the other. Then step
down on the hot steam chest, balance
yourscif-kick the cup open-pour in the
precious grease - then clutching the
headlight bracket-step over the black
gulf 70 the pilot beam. work your way
over the pitching. plunging front to re-
peat the process on the other side, know
ing that at any moment you may form
4 cushion against the smoke box for
the accommodation OF a prowling COW
1t forms a bad combination.
ITO avoid this some bright fellow has
put the cups in the cab piping them TO
the steam chests. I heard some OF the
engineers laughing over the .rer~-- that
somebody had invented a thing that
would feed taIlow automa tically drop
by drop against steam pressure. guess
It's on q par with that automatic air
brake. What I meant was this. 1 ex-
pect we viii so into Harrisburg on the
pilot OF No. tonight II she is a cab
oiler. That VIII avoid a grimy smoke
artist falling over us the first hill we
start down.
You surely don't intend to ride the
cow-cstcher." gssped John.
Yes" answered Howe, land see here,
John. The railroad man calls that piece
Of furniture a pilot. Don't forget it. it
might get the firm into trouble Now
the plan is this: We will stroll up to
that station, get there a few minutes
before the train is due If the platform
is on the engineers side. and she is our
kind Of oiler we are o. X. We stand
close to the track on the left side. When
she stops the fireman viii do one of
two things. Either be working on his
fire 10 get it in good shape to stand
the heavy mauling OF starting and re-
gaining speed or viii cross TO the en-
gineer's side 70 inspect the feminine pop
ulation. 1t is immaterial to which his
temperament leads him. Il will leave
clear coast for US TO climb on. Once
there under the headlight. it's the dark
est. slickest place TO beat on the train"
But cattle" said John.
Never mind about nights or mays"
interrupted Howe quickly. "If you let
them paddle around in your gray matter
you VIII prove a disgrace to your de-
voted teacher"
John brought a heavy hand down on
bis shoulder. and arising the laughing
couple set out for their kind" of q sta
ton.
when after an hour they reached 1t. 1t
happily came Up TO expectations; long
reach Of boards on the right side.
ciunsp CT carefully tended flowers nestled
in the dark green lawn on the left Avoid