“You don’t tell,” says the engineer, and he come close to smiling.
“Ole says he’s gone to Ludington,” I says.
“That’s where he’s gone, and I hope nothin’ unfort’nate comes of it. I didn’t noways like the look of that hoss the boss drove.”
“Well,” says Mark, “we g-g-got to git to Ludington fast. What’s the quickest way?”
“There hain’t none,” says the engineer. “It’ll take you a day by river, pervidin’ you don’t git tipped over and drownded. It’s two miles to Scottville and eight from there to Ludington, by land, and you hain’t got no hoss. Them’s the two ways, and neither of ’em the quickest.”
“Isn’t there a train from Scottville to Ludington?”
“Yes,” says he, “but I wouldn’t risk my neck on it. Not never. I wouldn’t git onto that train of cars no more’n I’d git into one of these here autymobiles.”
“Can we come aboard?” I says, after a minnit. “It’s pretty cramped down here, and I’d like to sit on somethin’ comfortable a few minnits.”
“Yes,” says Mark, “and we wouldn’t git m-m-mad at you if you offered us somethin’ to eat.”
“Come ahead,” says the engineer, “but be careful. I can’t swim, so don’t go dependin’ on me to haul you out if you fall in.”