ace, to hear the mighty throb of the giant engine,--to see all
these fierce forces mastered by rules and laws into the benignant power
that was bearing him so gently over summer seas, held him breathless with
interest and delight. Even the clang of the first dinner gong could not
distract him from his study of cylinder and piston and shaft and
driving-rod, and all shining mechanism working without pause or jar at
man's command.

"Just as if they had sense," said Dan, thoughtfully,--"a heap more sense
than lots of living folk I know."

"That's what Uncle Tom says," replied Freddy, to whom, in their brief
holidays together, Uncle Tom, cheery and loving, was an authority beyond
question. "He says they work by strict law and rule, and people won't.
They shirk and kick. Jing! if these here engines took to shirking and
kicking where would we be? But they don't shirk and kick against law.
Uncle Tom says they obey, and that's what boys ought to do--obey. Gee!
it's good we're not engines, isn't it, Dan? We'd blow things sky
high.--Here's the second call for dinner," said Freddy, roused from these
serious reflections by the sound of the gong. "We'd better move quick,
Dan, or the ice-cream may give out."

"Can you have ice-cream,--all you want?" asked Dan.

"Well, no," hesitated Freddy, who knew what Dan could do in that
line,--"not like we have at college. They dish it out other places a
little skimp, but they'll give you a good supply of other things to make
up."

Which information Dan soon found to be most pleasantly correct; and,
though the glories of the long dining room, with its corps of low-voiced
waiters, were at first a trifle embarrassing, and Brother Bart's grace,
loudly defying all human respect, attracted some attention to his table,
the boys did full justice to the good things set so deftly before them,
and went through the bill of fare most successfully.

The black waiters grinned as the young travellers proceeded to top off
with apple pie and ice-cream, combined in such generous proportions that
Brother Bart warned them that the sin of gluttony would be on their souls
if they ate another mouthful.

Then Freddy, sorely against his will, was borne off by his good old friend
to rest, according to Brother Tim's last order; while Dan was left to
himself to watch the boat turning into the shore, where a wharf loaded
with truck for shipping jutted out into the stream; and one passenger--a
sturdy, grizzled man in