grief, the tears streamed down his furrowed cheeks,
and he exclaimed, "My boy! my dear boy! the pride and hope of my old age!
Forgive me as you have forgiven him, and never leave me again."

"I never will, Uncle," was the answer.

At Snyder's funeral the most beautiful floral tribute was an exact copy
of the Steel Wheel Club's railroad cup, in Parma violets, with the
inscription, woven of white violets, "Forgive us our Trespasses." Directly
behind the coffin, the members of the club marched in a body, headed by
their captain, Rod Blake, whose resignation had never been accepted.

As for the young captain's future, the events on which this story is
founded, are of too recent occurrence for it to be predicted just yet.
That he will become a prominent railroad man, in some one of the many
lines now opening before him, is almost certain. He finished his
apprenticeship with Truman Stump, on locomotive number 10, and became so
fully competent to act as engineman himself, that the master mechanic
offered him the position. At the same time President Vanderveer invited
him to become his private secretary, which place Rod accepted, as it
seemed to him the best school in which to study the higher branches of
railroad management. He is still one of the most popular fellows on the
road, and his popularity extends to every branch of the company's service.
Even Smiler, the railroad dog, will leave his beloved trains for days at a
time, to sit in the President's office, and mount guard over the desk of
the private secretary.

Not long ago, when the chief officer of the road was asked to explain the
secret of Rod Blake's universal popularity, he replied: "I'm sure I don't
know, unless it is that he never allows his pride to get the better of his
judgment, and always performs his duties on time."

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAB AND CABOOSE***

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