“Father isn’t here, now,” answered Tommy; for the young gentleman had insisted that the machine should be run by the boys alone on this trip.
“I don’t want to smash you up, Mr. President; but I will obey orders.”
“All right; let her slide.”
I let her go as fast as I thought it was safe for her to go; but I did not regard Tommy as a very safe president. By this time I felt quite at home on the engine; but I should have enjoyed it more if I had been alone, for I did not like the interference of my companion. I foresaw that, under his direction, many risks must be run, and that it would be difficult always to keep on the right side of him. He was good-natured now, but I knew very well that such was not his invariable habit. Like Waddie Wimpleton, he was disposed to be tyrannical and overbearing. He liked his own way and it was not very pleasant to think of being his dependent.
We ran up to Spangleport; and, after a vast amount of cheering and yelling by the boys, and a reasonable display of enthusiasm on the part of the inhabitants, we started for the return. Tommy wanted to go faster; and I was very much afraid I should have a quarrel with him before night. Running backwards, I could not see anything ahead of the dummy, and I had not entire confidence in the lookout on the forward platform. Fortunately we had not a large supply of fuel on board, and this afforded me a sufficient excuse for not getting up too much steam.
We ran into Middleport, where the rest of the students, and hundreds of men, women, and children were waiting to see more of the dummy. By this time it was well dried off, and all the varnished parts had been rubbed by the boys till it looked as good as new. A house had already been built for the engine, near the Institute. It was provided with a water cistern, from which the tanks in the engine could be filled, and with other conveniences for taking care of it.
When the people had examined the car to their satisfaction, I ran it into the engine-house, put out the fire, and placed the machinery in proper order for use the next day. My work for that occasion was done, and I felt that I had “put her through by daylight.”
“Now, Wolf, father wants to see you at the house,” said Tommy, when I had finished my task on the engine.
“What does he want of me?” I asked, curiously.
“Oh, he wants to see you,” answered the young gentleman; and he deemed this a sufficient reason why I should do as I was asked.