Railroad building, and other stories

Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.
COME, boys, said Will to the others, I'm tired of this humdrum play. Let's get up something new and big.
Agreed, came from the others; but what shall it be, Will?
A railroad, was the prompt reply.
And they all shouted, A railroad! Hurrah, boys! That's just grand. We'll do it. But who knows how?
I do, came from Will. Father's an engineer, and you see I hear him talk to mother about it every day.
Your father an engineer! exclaimed several. Don't Mike Rilley and Tim Sullivan run all the engines?
And Will answered with a loud Ha, ha, ha! Run engines! ha, ha, ha! and his sides shook with laughter. Compare my father to Mike and Tim! My father builds railroads.
And they all said Oh!
But what's the first thing, Will, to build a road? A spade and hoe, or what?
Money; ten hundred thousand dollars, and just as much more as you can get. Father says you can do anything with money; but all the money in the world couldn't have saved little sister Rose from dying. At that a large tear came to Will's eye and the boys all looked at him in silence.
Then he wiped his eyes and went on, Come, boys, say how much you'll give to the new railroad.