He saw me when he opened the door of the baggage car. I raised up and as I did he told me that I would have to get off at the next stop. I assured him that I would, and at the next station, before the train had come to a standstill, and before he came out to see that I did get off, I jumped from the train and ran along by the side of the track in front of the engine. I ran down the track for about one hundred yards, and concealed myself in the bushes.
I waited only a moment when the train rolled by. With one grand plunge I grabbed the rail of the baggage car and swung myself to position. The baggage clerk was standing in the door of the car and he saw me get on, so within a few moments the conductor came out and said that I would have to get off. He added that if I did not get off he would place me under arrest and turn me over to authorities at the next station. I told him that I would, but before we reached the next station I crawled up on the coal car and buried myself in the coal, out of the view of anyone. I literally buried myself in the bin and dropped off to sleep, for I was so exhausted I could hardly hold open my eyes. How long I slept I knew not, but when I awoke I know that everything around was just as hard black as could be.
"When I Awoke I Knew that Everything Around was as Hard Black."
(Wanderlust.)
On awaking, I felt a horrible sensation of not being able to move, and I was not long in discovering that I had been buried deeper in coal, which had been emptied in on top of me from an elevated shoot at a station where we had stopped to take on coal and water.
There must have been a pretty good coat of coal covering me for I scrambled and fought for some time before I was able to free myself from the uncomfortable position.
We arrived at Danville at daybreak and as the engine pulled into the yards I dropped off and walked down the track where I found a water spigot and there I bathed face and hands. Half an hour I spent trying to get the coal dust out of the pores of my skin, eyes and ears.
A river runs right through the railroad centre of the town, thus dividing the passenger and the freight yards. A hugely constructed bridge spans this stream, so I proceeded to the freight yards and there I was successful in getting one of the local freight conductors to allow me to work my way to Greensboro, a town en route home. I was informed the train would not leave till nine thirty.
Two hours at my disposal, I decided to spend it as profitably and pleasantly as possible. Walking over to the bank of the river, where there were tied scores of little boats, I unfastened one and shortly was smoothly gliding down the river. When I had floated to the outskirts of the town, I pulled into the bank and hitched my boat, undressed and took a cool plunge. I dried myself on the underclothes and then threw them to the currents. Realizing it was too much of a job to paddle that boat back up the stream, I left it tied fast and hit up a lively pace for the freight yards.
Before leaving Danville, I placed a note in one of the neighboring boats advising the owner of the whereabouts of the borrowed one.