“The wedding of the rails is accomplished,” shouted General Dodge. “The two roads have been made one, never to be parted.”
“Hooray!”
“Same as the launching of a ship, huh?” George blatted. “Sure. It’s a wedding and baptizing, both.”
The two engines, rubbing noses, waited until a photographer had taken another picture or two. Then they backed out again, coupled on to their trains, the C. P. train backed farther——
“Look!” cried Terry.
For old 119 was coming on, train and all, with Virgie perched alone on the pilot! It passed clear over, into C. P. territory.
“She said she’d be the first passenger across by U. P., and so she is,” George remarked. “That’s right But she’s awful stubborn.”
“Hooray! Hooray!” And Virgie waved, delighted.
The U. P. train backed, to clear, and old Jupiter hauled the C. P. train across, into U. P. territory.
As soon as the C. P. train had backed out again, and the meeting-place was free, Paddy Miles and Mr. Minkler led a charge of workmen into it; like experts they pried the ends of the rails from the last tie, jerked out the precious spikes, and the precious tie; slipped an ordinary tie under and in business fashion spiked the rails down again with ordinary spikes.