he two
fellows.

"Don't you get discouraged," Pee-wee told them; "often I couldn't find
things and then later they'd turn up."

"Oh, they'll turn up," the sheriff said; "and they'll _go_ up, too. Just
give us a chance to get those films developed."

Pretty soon the train came along, going toward Skiddyunk. It was a way
train and I guess it stopped every now and then to change its mind. It
had a couple of baggage cars and a couple of freight cars and a
refrigerator car and one passenger car at the end. There were only a few
people in the car.

The sheriffs searched the whole train, but they couldn't find the two
fellows anywhere. They even searched the refrigerator car, but I didn't
think they'd be there, because they were fresh enough without going on
ice.

The conductor was a big fat man; he was awful nice. When the sheriffs
told him about us, he laughed and said, "That's funny; I have a bill for
that car; I'm going to pick it up to-night."

I said, "We heard there wasn't a freight on the Slopson Branch till
Tuesday morning. We don't exactly want to go back yet."

He said, "Well now, Sonny, you see I haven't got any say about it. I get
a bill and that's all there is to it. There might be a freight out of
Slopson to-morrow or the next day, and then again, there might not. You
could come near sending the whole of Slopson by Parcels Post. I've heard
about you kids and I've got word to look after you. You're mighty lucky
you didn't all go kerflop into the lake."

"How soon is there another train through here?" the sheriff asked him.

"Twelve-fifteen, if she's on time," the conductor said; "she's a through
from Buffalo."

"Believe me," I said; "that's one town I know something about--Buffalo.
I'll never forget Buffalo, 398 Mls." They all laughed.

"She doesn't stop here, does she?" the sheriff asked.

"Stops at Skiddyunk for water," the conductor said. "She passes us down
at Red Hill siding."

The sheriff said, "I guess two of us had better watch the station here
and be on the safe side in case she slows down, and the other two will
go down in one of the machines and keep an eye out at Skiddyunk. They
might get on there. We'll probably beat you to Skiddyunk, but if we
don't, nab 'em if they get on. They're going to try to get away from
these parts, I know that."

I was just thinking we'd have to hike back along the road to our little
Home Sweet Home, when the conductor said, "Hop on, you boys."

*