If the students of the Wimpleton Institute looked over the lake, and enjoyed the mischief they had done,—as of course they did,—their satisfaction was of short duration. Before they were turned out to play in the afternoon, the dummy was running her regular trips to Spangleport. I have no doubt the rascals who did the mischief felt cheap and crestfallen when they saw the car going on its way as though nothing had happened; and I had no more doubt that they would consider their work ill done, and attempt to do it over again. They were not allowed to go out nights; but I am afraid the authorities of the Institute did not punish them very severely when they broke through the rules in order to do mischief to the establishment on the other side. It was only following the example of the magnate of Centreport and many of their elders; and “like master, like man.”
When the torn-up track was relaid, the twenty men were conveyed beyond Spangleport to build the road. Frogs and switches had been procured, the turning apparatus was finished, and I had the pleasure of running both ways in ship-shape style. By laying a few rods of track, and putting down a couple of switches near the engine-house, we were enabled to turn at the Middleport end. We always switched off to run into the engine-house, and we had to back in, from a point above the house. On the new track we ran out to a point below, and came upon the main line headed towards Spangleport. I take the more pride in describing these movements, because they were of my own invention, though I have since learned that similar plans had been used before.
Towards night on the second day of my railroad experience, Major Toppleton was a passenger in the engine-room. He was in high spirits to think the mischief done by the Wimpletonians had been so speedily repaired; but he was afraid the daring act would be repeated, as I was quite satisfied it would. I knew my late comrades on the Centreport side well enough to understand that they would never let the Lake Shore Railroad enjoy peace and prosperity until they were provided with an equivalent. I was confident that Colonel Wimpleton was racking his brains even then for a scheme which would produce an equal excitement among the students of his Institute.
“You know those villains over there better than I do, Wolf,” said the major confidentially to me; and I was amazed to hear him own that I knew anything better than he did. “Don’t you think they will attempt to tear up the track again?”
“Yes, sir, I do think so,” I replied.
“The rascals! It mortifies me to have them get ahead of me in this manner. If I could only catch them, I would cure them of night wandering very quick. It is of no use for me to complain to the colonel, or to the principal of the Wimpleton Institute. They would enjoy my chagrin.”
“It is easy enough to prevent them from doing any more mischief,” I added.
“How?” he asked, eagerly.
“By setting a watch.”
“Yes; and while we are watching in one place they will tear up the rails in another.”