Then, of course, I was all right. I could sit down and wait for the engine, which came booming along forty minutes later. As it approached I prepared to board it, and in five minutes was in full control. That made it easy enough for me to get back here without further trouble. I simply reversed the lever, and back we came faster than I can describe, and just one hour and a half from the time of the mishap the runaway engine was restored to its deserted train and I reached your station here in good order. I should have walked up, but for my weariness after that exciting run, which as you see left me very much out of breath, and which made it necessary for me to hire that worn-out old hack instead of walking up as is my wont.”
“This brought my speed down ten minutes to the mile, which made it safe for me to run into a haystack.” Chapter XI.
“Yes, we see you are out of breath,” said the Twins, as the Baron paused. “Would you like to lie down and take a rest?”
“Above all things,” said the Baron. “I’ll take a nap here until your father returns,” which he proceeded at once to do.
While he slept the two Imps gazed at him curiously, Angelica, a little suspiciously.
“Bub,” said she, in a whisper, “do you think that was a true story?”
“Well, I don’t know,” said Diavolo. “If anybody else than Uncle Munch had told it, I wouldn’t have believed it. But he hates untruth. I know because he told me so.”
“That’s the way I feel about it,” said Angelica. “Of course, he can run as fast as that, because he is very strong, but what I can’t see is how an engine ever could run away from its train.”
“That’s what stumps me,” said Diavolo.