“If you will excuse me a moment, Miss Toppleton, I will show you the engine,” I said to her, with all the politeness of which my nature was capable.
“I guess not,” added Captain Synders, with a coarse grin, as though he had evil intentions in regard to me.
“If you will let me, Mr. Wolf, I want to ride back in the engine-room, and see the machinery work,” replied she, in her silvery tones.
“I guess not,” repeated Captain Synders; and I turned my attention from her to him.
I could not conceive why Colonel Wimpleton and his odious associate had chosen to come down upon me at Spangleport, rather than Middleport, unless it was because their appearance would make less excitement. The boat in which they had come lay at the wharf, and they must have started long before the dummy left Middleport. Possibly they expected to interrupt the trips of the engine, and have it left five miles from its headquarters without an engineer.
Colonel Wimpleton had with him Captain Synders, the constable. It had not yet occurred to me that I should actually be arrested, and held to answer for the destruction of the honest skipper’s canal boat, though the appearance of the officer had suggested the idea to me. They could not arrest me without including Waddie in the warrant, for he had confessed his agency in the mischief. I did not know of any way by which I could be punished without involving the scion of the great house on the other side.
“What do you wish with me?” I asked, in a very ill-natured tone; for I beg to remind the reader that I am human, and that Miss Toppleton occupied the engine-room of the car.
Captain Synders glanced at the colonel, as though he expected him to do the talking, and that distinguished gentleman looked down upon me with unutterable severity. The honest skipper did not appear to have much sympathy with his companions, and looked very pleasant for a man who had experienced so heavy a loss as that of his canal boat.
“Wolf!” said the colonel, in stern and lofty accents.
“Sir!” I replied, with a dignity becoming the engineer of the Lake Shore Railroad.