“Connors doesn’t own the road, too, does he?” demanded Tom.
“He doesn’t own anything,” replied the agent exasperatedly. “But he has the sole right to use this platform to get business. You can stand anywhere you like, I guess, as long as you get out of here.”
“He ain’t got no right anywhere around here,” broke in the driver of the hack. “He’s tryin’ to get our trade away, he is. You wait till I tell Connors about it!”
“Oh, tell Connors and be blowed!” said Willard inelegantly. “Go on, Tom, move her across to the other side of the road. I’ll find out if Connors is the only one who can come near their old station.”
Tom started the car, went down to the freight house, turned around and then took up a position across the dusty road, the rival drivers looking on triumphantly. Meanwhile several private teams had appeared and it was almost time for the train. The driver of the hack, whose name, as they subsequently learned, was Pat Herron, still resented their presence and kept up a conversation with the surrey driver loud enough for the boys to hear.
“Who’d be after ridin’ in a thing like that, I’m askin’! Why, believe me, Johnny, it’ll fall to pieces if you give it a kick.”
“I would but I’ve got a sore foot,” answered Johnny with a grin. “I s’pose now that was the first one was ever built, Pat?”
“’Twas an experiment, Johnny. They made that just to see how they shouldn’t do it, me boy. Look at the fine lines of it, will ye? ’Tis a racy lookin’ contraption!”
“Oh, dry up!” muttered Tom. “There comes the train, Will. Come on.” They hung the sign from a bracket as they got out, Connors’ men guffawing at the sight of it, and walked over to the platform. It was soon evident that Pat and Johnny were not satisfied with their victory, for whenever the boys tried to secure a passenger for The Ark one or another of the livery men was at hand to discourage the hesitating customer.
“Sure, sir, you’ll be killed if you ride in his autymobul! ’Tain’t a real car, sir. An’ look at what’s goin’ to drive ye, sir! Sure ’tis certin death, sir!”