"Well, keep on remembering it; you went home to Maggie, and she put you to bed. That is what you are to keep in mind."
Judson had broken the curious eye-grip at last, and again he said, "Why?"
Gridley hooked his finger absently in the engineer's buttonhole.
"Because, if you don't, a man named Rufford says he'll start a lead mine in you. I heard him say it last night—overheard him, I should say. That's all."
The master-mechanic passed on, going out by the great door which opened for the locomotive entering-track. Judson hung upon his heel for a moment, and then went slowly out through the tool-room and across the yard tracks to the Crow's Nest.
He found McCloskey in his office above stairs, mouthing and grimacing over the string-board of the new time-table.
"Bart's afraid he can't duck without dying."
"Well?" growled the trainmaster, when he saw who had opened and closed the door. "Come back to tell me you've sworn off? That won't go down with Mr. Lidgerwood. When he fires, he means it."