the Pennsylvania," said the Consolidation.
"That--er--peanut-stand is old enough and ugly enough to speak for
himself."

"He hasn't bin spoken to yet. He's bin spoke at. Hain't ye any manners
on the Pennsylvania?" said the switching-loco.

"You ought to be in the yard, Poney," said the Mogul, severely. "We're
all long-haulers here."

"That's what you think," the little fellow replied. "You'll know more
'fore the night's out. I've bin down to Track 17, and the freight
there--oh, Christmas!"

"I've trouble enough in my own division," said a lean, light suburban
loco with very shiny brake-shoes. "My commuters wouldn't rest till they
got a parlourcar. They've hitched it back of all, and it hauls worsen
a snow-plough. I'll snap her off someday sure, and then they'll blame
every one except their foolselves. They'll be askin' me to haul a
vestibuled next!"

"They made you in New Jersey, didn't they?" said Poney. "Thought so.
Commuters and truck-wagons ain't any sweet haulin', but I tell you
they're a heap better 'n cuttin' out refrigerator-cars or oil-tanks.
Why, I've hauled--"

"Haul! You?" said the Mogul, contemptuously. "It's all you can do to
bunt a cold-storage car up the yard. Now, I--" he paused a little to let
the words sink in--"I handle the Flying Freight--e-leven cars worth just
anything you please to mention. On the stroke of eleven I pull out;
and I'm timed for thirty-five an hour. Costly-perishable-fragile,
immediate--that's me! Suburban traffic's only but one degree better than
switching. Express freight's what pays."

"Well, I ain't given to blowing, as a rule," began the Pittsburgh
Consolidation.

"No? You was sent in here because you grunted on the grade," Poney
interrupted.

"Where I grunt, you'd lie down, Poney: but, as I was saying, I don't
blow much. Notwithstandin', if you want to see freight that is freight
moved lively, you should see me warbling through the Alleghanies with
thirty-seven ore-cars behind me, and my brakemen fightin' tramps so's
they can't attend to my tooter. I have to do all the holdin' back then,
and, though I say it, I've never had a load get away from me yet. No,
sir. Haulin's's one thing, but judgment and discretion's another. You
want judgment in my business."

"Ah! But--but are you not paralysed by a sense of your overwhelming
responsibilities?" said a curious, husky voice from a corner.

"Who's that?".007 whispered to the Jersey commuter.

"Compound-experiment-N