“We have done it, Wolf!” exclaimed Waddie, as he came up to me, with a familiar slap on the back, after the trains left.
“Yes; and we have done it under rather unfavorable circumstances,” I replied, quite as pleased as he was with the result.
“No matter, so long as we have done it. If we can only keep doing it I shall be satisfied.”
“We can; as long as we can leave Centreport at half-past eight in the morning, and half-past two in the afternoon, I will guarantee to land the passengers here at five minutes before ten and five minutes before four. Of course some accident may happen once or twice a year, but the rule shall be without any ordinary exception.”
“I wish we could compete with them going the other way,” said Waddie anxiously.
“I wish we could; but I don’t think that will be practicable until we have another boat. With one more steamer, we can have it all our own way,” I replied.
“Can’t we do anything, Wolf?”
“If the up-lake boats will be ten or fifteen minutes late in leaving Centreport, we may; but we can’t promise to land passengers there in season to continue their trip by the next boat. You must not promise anything which you are not sure of performing.”
“I wish we could do something,” added Waddie. “I would give anything to beat the railroad both ways.”
“We can mend the matter; but I don’t think we can always be sure of connecting with the Hitaca boat. Let us see. Our time-table now is: