ght after night to
break-downs or wrecks to superintend the clearing of the line. He was
necessarily absent from the office on many mornings.

One morning I reached the office and found that a serious accident on
the Eastern Division had delayed the express passenger train
westward, and that the passenger train eastward was proceeding with a
flagman in advance at every curve. The freight trains in both
directions were all standing still upon the sidings. Mr. Scott was not
to be found. Finally I could not resist the temptation to plunge in,
take the responsibility, give "train orders," and set matters going.
"Death or Westminster Abbey," flashed across my mind. I knew it was
dismissal, disgrace, perhaps criminal punishment for me if I erred. On
the other hand, I could bring in the wearied freight-train men who had
lain out all night. I could set everything in motion. I knew I could.
I had often done it in wiring Mr. Scott's orders. I knew just what to
do, and so I began. I gave the orders in his name, started every
train, sat at the instrument watching every tick, carried the trains
along from station to station, took extra precautions, and had
everything running smoothly when Mr. Scott at last reached the office.
He had heard of the delays. His first words were:

"Well! How are matters?"

He came to my side quickly, grasped his pencil and began to write his
orders. I had then to speak, and timidly said:

"Mr. Scott, I could not find you anywhere and I gave these orders in
your name early this morning."

"Are they going all right? Where is the Eastern Express?"

I showed him the messages and gave him the position of every train on
the line--freights, ballast trains, everything--showed him the answers
of the various conductors, the latest reports at the stations where
the various trains had passed. All was right. He looked in my face for
a second. I scarcely dared look in his. I did not know what was going
to happen. He did not say one word, but again looked carefully over
all that had taken place. Still he said nothing. After a little he
moved away from my desk to his own, and that was the end of it. He was
afraid to approve what I had done, yet he had not censured me. If it
came out all right, it was all right; if it came out all wrong, the
responsibility was mine. So it stood, but I noticed that he came in
very regularly and in good time for some mornings after that.

Of course I never spoke to any one about it