The party hurried down the platform to the stock car that the station agent pointed out to them, and that had been shunted over on the siding by an earlier train. In the freight house end of the station they found a plank gangway intended for use in unloading stock. The runway was not more than three feet wide, but this did not worry the Overlanders. Their ponies were used to traveling over narrow places and would walk over the narrow bridge as confidently as would the Overlanders themselves.
While Tom, Hippy and Stacy were dragging the heavy planking over to the stock car a crowd of curious villagers gathered to witness the unloading of the ponies.
“Troopers?” questioned a native.
“Not exactly,” answered Tom Gray.
“Thought mebby you was a new cavalry company come to do patrol work in the Park. Heard there was a gang coming. Most of the regulars that was on duty in the Park went to France, and some of ’em ain’t come back.”
“Say, do we look like a gang?” demanded Stacy Brown, turning on the speaker.
“Wall, I reckon you might.”
“Then again we might not,” retorted the fat boy.
“Come, Stacy! You aren’t lifting a pound,” rebuked Lieutenant Wingate.
“He never has,” reminded Emma Dean.