"Let's tackle him, anyhow," replied the fellow, eying me coolly.
I introduced him to Mr. Lancaster, and left them together. Pretty soon the superintendent came into my office.
"What do you make of him, Reed?" said he.
"What do you make of him?"
Lancaster studied a minute.
"Take him over to the round-house and see what he knows."
I walked over with the new find, chatting warily. When we reached a live engine I told him to look it over. He threw off his coat, picked up a piece of waste, and swung into the cab.
"Run her out to the switch," said I, stepping up myself.
He pinched the throttle, and we steamed slowly out of the house. A minute showed he was at home on an engine.
"Can you handle it?" I asked, as he shut off after backing down to the round-house.