“The morning train went down half an hour ago,” said the agent. “There’s no other till six-fifteen to-night. What’s the matter—anything happened?”
“What time does that night train reach Toronto?”
“At ten, when she’s on time.”
That would be hours too late. Tom’s heart went down like lead. He had lost the race after all. He felt discouraged and utterly played out, but a last resource occurred to him.
“Can’t you fix me up to go down on this freight?” he pleaded.
“It’s against the rules to carry any passengers on freight-trains,” said the agent. “Can’t be done, I’m afraid. Besides, this freight only goes to Bala Junction, forty miles down.”
Tom turned away, tears rising irrepressibly in his eyes. This time he seemed to have reached a barrier which there was no passing. He saw the agent and the conductor looking curiously after him, as he walked down to the end of the platform. It occurred to him that he ought to telegraph at any rate; and he went into the station and wrote a rather long message for Mr. Armstrong and another to the manager of the Erie Bank.
The agent came in to take the messages. Tom had money in his pocket; he paid for them, and went out to the platform again, where the freight conductor watched the manipulation of his train. It was going to Bala Junction, and Bala Junction, Tom remembered, was on the main line north from Toronto. Many trains passed that point daily. If he could get there, he could surely make a connection for the city that afternoon. The conductor looked good-natured, and Tom ventured to approach him.
“Look here, can’t you let me ride as far as Bala Junction?” he entreated. “It’s an important matter—almost life and death. I’ll pay fare,—double fare, if you like,—but I’ve got to get to the city by seven o’clock.”
“My boy,” returned the conductor, not unkindly. “You heard what the agent said. I’m not allowed to carry any passengers at all—might get into trouble if I did. But,” he added, “there’s an empty box-car half-way up the train, and I’d never know whether there was anybody in it or not. We get to the Junction half an hour before the south-bound express arrives.”