dictum, when the
obstructing string of empties was safely passed. "We take it slow and
sure from this on, with your fireman to flag us around the curves and
through the cuts. This was only the first section of the train that left
Horse Creek at eight o'clock--the section that was broken down at Siding
Twelve. We're due to pick up the second section anywhere between here
and the end-of-track."

"Slow it is," said Hector. "I'm no hog, if I do take a little swill now
and then: I know when I've got enough."

This was at ten-forty, while the night was still young. And for seven
other hours the one-car special inched its way cautiously toward the
goal, with Ford scanning every mile of the hazardous way as it swung
into the beam of the headlight arc, with Hector's left hand stiffening
on the brake-cock, and with a weary fireman dropping from his gangway at
every curve approach to flag for safety.

It was not until three o'clock in the morning that they met and passed
the second section of empties, and the dawn of a new day was fully come
when the shacks and storehouses of the MacMorroghs' headquarters at the
mouth of Horse Creek came in sight. Ford got down from his seat on the
fireman's side and stretched himself as one relaxing after a mighty
strain.

"That's the end of it for a little while, Billy," he said, addressing
the big engineer as a man and a brother. "Crawl in on the first siding
you come to, and go hunt you a bed. I don't think the president will be
perniciously active to-day--after such a night as we've had."

But in this, as in other instances when Mr. Colbrith's activities had
figured as a factor, he reckoned without his host.

XVIII

THE MORNING AFTER

Ford was awake for all day, and was colloguing with Frisbie about the
carrying out of the sumptuary order for the forcible camp-cleaning, when
Penfield came with the request that the chief report at once to the
president in the Nadia.

"Tell him I'll be there presently," was the answer; and when Penfield
went to do it, the interrupted colloquy was resumed.

"You say the camp has already gone dry?" said Ford incredulously.

Frisbie nodded. "Everybody's on the water-wagon; here and at all the
camps above and below--bars not only closed, but apparently wiped out of
existence. I went for old Brian last night as soon as I reached here. He
looked at me reproachfully, and said: 'It's you to be always naggin' me
about thim whisky dives that I'm fo