been in a collision.

Then there was much puffing and whistling of the engine. The Curlytops,
looking out of the window again, saw more men hurrying here and there
with flaring torches which flickered and smoked. These were the trainmen
helping to get the engine back on the rails, which they did by using
iron wedges or "jumpers," much as a trolley car in your city streets is
put back on the rails once it slips off.

At last there was another "bunk" to the train, as Teddy called it. At
this several women screamed.

"It's all right," said Daddy Martin. "They've got the engine back on the
rails and it has just backed up to couple on, or fasten itself, to the
cars again. Now we'll go forward again."

And they did--in a little while. It did not take the Curlytops or
Trouble long to fall asleep once more, but some of the older people were
kept awake until morning, they said afterward. They were afraid of
another collision.

But none came, and though the train was a little late the accident
really did not amount to much, though it might have been a bad one had
the freight car been a little farther over on the track so the engine
had run squarely into it.

All the next day and night the Curlytops traveled in the train, and
though Jan and Ted liked to look out of the windows, they grew tired of
this after a while and began to ask:

"When shall we be at Uncle Frank's ranch?"

"Pretty soon now," said their father.

I will not tell you all that happened on the journey to the West. Truth
to say there was not much except the collision. The Curlytops ate their
meals, drank cupful after cupful of water, and Trouble did the same, for
children seem to get very thirsty when they travel--much more so than at
home.

Then, finally, one afternoon, after a long stop when a new engine was
attached to the train, Daddy Martin said:

"We'll be at Rockville in an hour now. So we'd better begin to get
together our things."

"Shall we be at Uncle Frank's ranch in an hour?" asked Teddy.

"No, but we'll be at Rockville. From there we go out over the prairies
in a wagon."

"A wagon with ponies?" asked Janet.

"Yes, real Western ponies," said her father. "Then we'll be at the
ranch."

And it happened just that way. On puffed the train. Then the porter came
to help the Martin family off at Rockville.

"Rockville! Rockville! All out for Rockville!" joked Daddy Martin.

"Hurray!" cried Teddy. "Here we are!"

"And I see Uncle Frank!