The first day on the train passed without special incident. The boys slept well, and the twins were glad to note that their father did likewise.
“I guess dad is glad that Mr. Renton is going to act with him. You know he represents a sixty-thousand-dollar interest, and that is a good deal,” said Randy. Mr. Renton was the second stockholder Tom Rover had called upon in Chicago.
At noon on the second day, which was the Fourth of July, came something of an interruption. The whole party were at lunch in the dining car when there came such a sudden halt that their coffee was splashed all over the table.
“Wow!” exclaimed Andy. “Good-by, green corn!” he added, for an ear of corn had rolled from his plate to the aisle of the car.
“We certainly stopped in a hurry,” declared Fred. “I wonder what is the matter?”
“Maybe it’s a celebration,” suggested Randy.
The boys and Tom Rover finished their meal and then walked back to the car where their sections were located. They found that a number of the passengers had left the train, and from one of these learned that there was trouble on a bridge just ahead.
“A freight that was crossing left the tracks, and they say it will take an hour or more to clear up the muss,” explained one of the passengers.
“Let’s go up ahead and take a look at things,” said Jack. “I’ll be glad to stretch my legs.”