Patience Wins: War in the Works

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  MY TRAVELLING COMPANION.

  Somehow or another I could not get to that trap all that day, and nightcame, and still I could not get to it.

  I tried, but unless I had wanted to draw people's attention to the factthat I had something there of great interest, I could not go.

  Even at leaving time it was as bad, and I found myself in the positionthat I must either tell one of my uncles what I had done, or leave thetrap to take its chance.

  I chose the latter plan, and calling myself weak coward, went home,arguing to myself that no one would go in the spot where I had placedthe trap, but some miscreant, and that it would serve him right.

  To my utter astonishment, directly after tea Uncle Dick turned to me.

  "Cob," he said; "we have a special letter to send to Canonbury to yourfather, and a more particular one to bring back in answer, so we havedecided that you shall take it up. You can have three or four days'holiday, and it will be a pleasant change. Your mother and father willbe delighted to see you, and, of course, you will be glad to see them."

  "But when should I have to go?" I said.

  "To-night by the last train. Quarter to eleven--You'll get to Londonabout three in the morning. They expect one of us, so you will findthem up."

  "But--"

  "Don't you want to go?" said Uncle Jack severely.

  "Yes," I said; "but--"

  "But me no buts, as the man said in the old play. There, get ready,boy, and come back to us as soon as you can. Don't make the worst ofour troubles here, Cob."

  "No, no," said Uncle Dick, "because we are getting on famously as soonas we can manage the men."

  "And that we are going to do," said Uncle Bob. "I say I wish I werecoming with you."

  "Do, then," I cried.

  "Get out, you young tempter! No," said Uncle Bob. "Go and take yourpleasure, and have pity upon the three poor fellows who are toilinghere."

  I was obliged to go, of course, but I must tell them about the trapfirst.

  Tell _them_! No, I could not tell Uncle Dick or Uncle Jack. I wasafraid that they would be angry with me, so I resolved to speak to UncleBob before I went--to take him fully into my confidence, and ask him tomove the trap and put it safely away.

  It is so easy to make plans--so hard to carry them out.

  All through that evening I could not once get a chance to speak to UncleBob alone; and time went so fast that we were on our way to the station,and still I had not spoken. There was only the chance left--on theplatform.

  "Don't look so solid about it, Cob," said Uncle Jack. "They'll bedelighted to see you, boy, and it will be a pleasant trip. But we wantyou back."

  "I should think we do," said Uncle Dick, laying his great hand on myshoulder and giving me an affectionate grip.

  "Yes, we couldn't get on without our first lieutenant, Philosopher Cob,"said Uncle Bob.

  I tried to look bright and cheerful; but that trap had not got me by theleg--it seemed to be round my neck and to choke me from speaking.

  What was I to do? I could not get a chance. I dare not go away andleave that trap there without speaking, and already there was thedistant rumble of the coming train. In a few minutes I should be on myway to London; and at last in despair I got close to Uncle Bob to speak,but in vain--I was put off.

  In came the train, drawing up to the side of the platform, and Uncle Bobran off to find a comfortable compartment for me, looking after me askindly as if I had been a woman.

  "Oh," I thought, "if he would but have stayed!"

  "Good-bye, my lad!" said Uncle Dick. "Take care of yourself, Cob, andof the packet," whispered Uncle Jack.

  I was about to slap my breast and say, "All right here!" but he caughtmy hand and held it down.

  "Don't," he said in a low half-angry voice. "Discretion, boy. If youhave something valuable about you, don't show people where it is."

  I saw the wisdom of the rebuke and shook hands. "I'll try and bewiser," I whispered; "trust me." He nodded, and this made me forget thetrap for the moment. But Uncle Bob grasped my hand and brought it back.

  "Stand away, please," shouted the guard; but Uncle Bob held on by myhand as the train moved.

  "Take care of yourself, lad. Call a cab the moment you reach theplatform if your father is not there."

  "Yes," I said, reaching over a fellow-passenger to speak. "Uncle Bob,"I added quickly, "big trap in the corner of the yard; take it up atonce--to-night."

  "Yes, yes," he said as he ran along the platform. "I'll see to it.Good-bye!"

  We were off and he was waving his hand to me, and I saw him for a fewmoments, and then all was indistinct beneath the station lamps, and wewere gliding on, with the glare and smoke and glow of the busy townlighting up the sky.

  It had all come to me so suddenly that I could hardly believe I wasspeeding away back to London; but once more comfortable in my mind withthe promise that Uncle Bob had made to take up the trap, I sat back inthe comfortable corner seat thinking of seeing my father and motheragain, and of what a series of adventures I should have to relate.

  Then I had a look round at my fellow-passengers, of whom there werethree--a stout old gentleman and a young lady who seemed to be hisdaughter, and a dark-eyed keen-looking man who was seated opposite tome, and who held a newspaper in his hand and had a couple of books withhim.

  "I'd offer to lend you one," he said, touching his books and smiling;"but you couldn't read--I can't. Horrible lights."

  Just then a heavy snore from the old gentleman made the young lady leanover to him and touch him, waking him up with a start.

  The keen-looking man opposite to me raised his eyebrows and smiledslightly, shading his face from the other occupants with his newspaper.

  Three or four times over the old gentleman dropped asleep and had to beroused up, and my fellow-passenger smiled good-humouredly and said:

  "Might as well have let him sleep."

  This was in a whisper, and he made two or three remarks to me.

  He seemed very much disposed to be friendly and pointed out the lightsof a distant town or two.

  "Got in at Arrowfield, didn't you?" he said at last.

  I replied that I did; and it was on the tip of my tongue to say, "So didyou," but I did not.

  "I'm going on to London," he said. "Nasty time to get in--three in themorning. I hate it. No one about. Night cabs and milk carts, policeand market wagons. People at the hotel always sleepy. Ah! Here we areat Westernbow."

  For the train was stopping, and when it did draw up at the platform theold gentleman was roused up by the young lady, and they got out and leftus alone.

  "Ha! Ha!" said my companion, "that's better. Give us room to stretchour legs. Do you bet?"

  "No," I said, "never."

  "Good, lad! Don't; very bad habit. I do; I've lots of bad habits. ButI was going to say, I'll bet you an even half-crown that we don't haveanother passenger from here to London."

  "I hope we shall not," I said as I thought of a nap on the seat.

  "So do I, sir--so do I," he said, nodding his head quickly. "I vote welie down and make the best of it--by and by. Have a cigar first?"

  "Thank you; I don't smoke," I said.

  "I do. Will you excuse me if I have a cigar? Not a smoking carriage--more comfortable."

  I assured him that I should not mind; and he took out a cigar, lit it,and began to smoke.

  "Better have one," he said. "Mild as mild. They won't hurt you."

  I thanked him again and declined, sitting back and watching him as hesmoked on seeming to enjoy his cigar, and made a remark or two about thebeautiful night and the stars as the train dashed on.

  After a time he took out a flask, slipped off the plated cup at thebottom, and unscrewed the top, pouring out afterward some clear-lookingliquid.

  "Have a drink?" he said, offering me the flask-cup; but I shook my head.

  "No, thank you," I said; and somehow I began t
hinking of the water I haddrunk at the works, and which had made me so terribly sleepy.

  I don't know how it was, but I did think about that, and it was in mymind as he said laughingly:

  "What! Not drink a little drop of mild stuff like that? Well, you area fellow! Why it's like milk."

  He seemed to toss it off.

  "Better have a drop," he said.

  I declined.

  "Nonsense! Do," he cried. "Do you good. Come, have a drink."

  He grew more persistent, but the more persistent he was the more Ishrank from the cup he held in his hand; and at last I felt sorry, forhe seemed so kind that it was ungracious of me to refuse him so simple arequest.

  "Oh, very well!" he said, "just as you like. There will be the more forme."

  He laughed, nodded, and drank the contents of the cup before putting thescrew-top on the flask, thrusting it in his breast-pocket, and thenmaking a cushion of his railway wrapper he lay at full length upon thecushion, and seemed to compose himself to sleep.

  It was such a good example that, after a few minutes' silence, I did thesame, and lay with my eyes half-closed, listening to the dull rattle ofthe train, and thinking of the works at Arrowfield, and what a good jobit was that I spoke to Uncle Bob about the trap.

  Then I hoped he would not be incautious and hurt himself in letting offthe spring.

  I looked across at my fellow-traveller, who seemed to be sleepingsoundly, and the sight of his closed eyes made mine heavy, and nowonder, for every other night I had been on guard at the works, and thatseemed to shorten my allowance of sleep to a terrible degree.

  I knew there could be no mistake, for I was going as far as the trainwent, and the guard would be sure to wake me up if I was fast asleep.

  And how satisfactory it seemed to be lying there on the soft cushionsinstead of walking about the works and the yard the previous night. Iwas growing more and more sleepy, the motion of the train serving tolull me; and then, all at once, I was wide-awake staring at the bubbleof glass that formed the lamp in the ceiling, and wondering where I was.

  I recollected directly and glanced at my fellow-traveller, to see thathe was a little uneasy, one of his legs being off the seat; but he wasbreathing heavily, and evidently fast asleep.

  I lay watching him for a few minutes, and then the sweet restful feelingmastered me again, and I went off fast asleep. One moment there was thecompartment with its cushions and lamp with the rush and sway of thecarriage that made me think it must be something like this on boardship; the next I was back at the works keeping watch and wonderingwhether either of the men would come and make any attempt upon theplace.

  I don't know how long I had been asleep, but all at once, withoutmoving, I was wide-awake with my eyes closed, fully realising that I hada valuable packet of some kind in my breast-pocket, and that myfellow-traveller was softly unbuttoning my overcoat so as to get it out.

  I lay perfectly still for a moment or two, and then leaped up andbounded to the other side of the carriage.

  "There, it is of no use," said my fellow-traveller; "pull that letterout of your pocket and give it to me quietly or--"

  He said no more, but took a pistol out of his breast, while I shrank upagainst the farther door, the window of which was open, and stared athim aghast.

  "Do you hear?" he said fiercely. "Come; no nonsense! I want thatletter. There, I don't want to frighten you, boy. Come and sit down; Isha'n't hurt you."

  The train was flying along at forty miles an hour at least, and this manknew that the packet I had was valuable. How he knew it I could nottell, but he must have found out at Arrowfield. He was going to take itfrom me, and if he got it what was he going to do?

  I thought it all over as if in a flash.

  He was going to steal the packet, and he would know that I shouldcomplain at the first station we reached; and he would prevent this, Ifelt sure. But how?

  There was only one way. He had threatened me with a pistol, but I didnot think he would use that. No; there was only one way, and it wasthis--he would rob me and throw me out of the train.

  My legs shook under me as I thought this, and the light in the carriageseemed to be dancing up and down, as I put my right arm out of thewindow and hung to the side to keep myself up.

  All this was a matter of moments, and it seemed to be directly after myfellow-passenger had spoken first that he roared out, "Do you hear, sir?Come here!"

  I did not move, and he made a dash at me, but, as he did, my right handrested on the fastening of the door outside, turned the handle, andclinging to it, I swung out into the rushing wind, turning half round asthe door banged heavily back, when, by an instinctive motion, my lefthand caught at anything to save me from falling, grasped the bar thatran along between door and door, and the next moment, how I know not, Iwas clinging to this bar with my feet on the foot-board, and my eyesstrained back at the open door, out of which my fellow-passenger leaned.

  "You young idiot, come back!" he roared; but the effect of his words wasto make me shrink farther away, catching at the handle of the next door,and then reaching on to the next bar, so that I was now several feetaway.

  The wind seemed as if it would tear me from the foot-board, and I wasobliged to keep my face away to breathe; but I clung to the bar tightly,and watched the fierce face that was thrust out of the door I had left.

  "Am I to come after you?" he roared. "Come back!"

  My answer was to creep past another door, to find to my horror that thiswas the last, and that there was a great gap between me and the nextcarriage.

  What was I to do? Jump, with the train dashing along at such a ratethat it seemed as if I must be shaken down or torn off by the wind.

  I stared back horror-stricken and then uttered a cry of fear, as thewindow I had just passed was thrown open and a man leaned out.

  "I'll swear I heard someone shout," he said to a travelling companion,and he looked back along the train. "Yes," he continued, "there'ssomeone three compartments back looking out. Oh, he's gone in now.Wonder what it was!"

  Just then he turned his head in my direction, and saw my white face.

  I saw him start as I clung there just a little way below him to hisright, and within easy reach, and, for I should think a minute, westared hard at each other.

  Then he spoke in a quiet matter-of-fact way.

  "Don't be scared, my lad," he said; "it's alright. I can take hold ofyou tightly. Hold fast till I get you by the arms. That's it; nowloose your right hand and take hold of the door; here pass it in.That's the way; edge along. I've got you tight. Come along; now theother hand in. That's the way."

  I obeyed him, for he seemed to force me to by his firm way, but thethought came over me, "Suppose he is that man's companion." But even ifhe had been, I was too much unnerved to do anything but what he bade me,so I passed one hand on to the window-frame of the door, then edgedalong and stood holding on with the other hand, for he had me as if hisgrasp was a vice, and then his hands glided down to my waist. Hegripped me by my clothes and flesh, and before I could realise it he haddragged me right in through the window and placed me on the seat.

  Then dragging up the window he sank back opposite to me and cried to agentleman standing in the compartment:

  "Give me a drop of brandy, Jem, or I shall faint!"

  I crouched back there, quivering and unable to speak. I was sounnerved; but I saw the other gentleman hand a flask to thebluff-looking man who had saved me, and I saw him take a hearty draughtand draw long breath, after which he turned to me.

  "You young scoundrel!" he cried; "how dare you give me such a fright!"

  I tried to speak, but the words would not come. I was choking, and Ibelieve for a minute I literally sobbed.

  "There, there, my lad," said the other kindly, "You're all right. Don'tspeak to him like that now, Jordan. The boy's had a horrible scare."

  "Scare!" said the big bluff man; "and so have I. Why, my heart was inmy mouth. I wouldn't
go through it again for a hundred pounds. How didyou come there, sir?"

  "Let him be for a few minutes," said the other gently. "He'll comeround directly, and tell us."

  I gave him a grateful look and held out my wet hand, which he took andheld in his.

  "The boy has had a terrible shock," he said. "He'll tell us soon.Don't hurry, my lad. There, be calm."

  I clung to his hand, for he seemed to steady me, my hand jerking andtwitching, and a curious sensation of horror that I had never feltbefore seeming to be upon me; but by degrees this passed off, the morequickly that the two gentlemen went on talking as if I were not there.

  "I'm so much obliged," I said at last, and the big bluff man laughed.

  "Don't name it," he said, nodding good-humouredly. "Five guineas is myfee."

  I shivered.

  "And my friend here, Doctor Brown, will have a bigger one for hisadvice."

  "He's joking you, my lad," said the other gentleman smiling. "I see youare not hurt."

  "No, sir," I said; "I--"

  The trembling came over me again, and I could not speak for a minute ortwo, but sat gazing helplessly from one to the other.

  "Give him a drop of brandy," said the big bluff man.

  "No, let him be for a few minutes; he's mastering it," was the reply.

  This did me good, and making an effort I said quickly:

  "A man in the carriage tried to rob me, and I got on to the foot-boardand came along here."

  "Then you did what I dare not have done," said the one who dragged mein. "But a pretty state of affairs this. On the railway, and no meansof communicating."

  "But there are means."

  "Tchah! How was the poor lad to make use of them? Well, we shall havethe scoundrel, unless he gets out of the train and jumps for it. Wemust look out when we stop for taking the tickets. We shall not haltbefore."

  By degrees I grew quite composed, and told them all.

  "Yes," said my big friend, "it was very brave of you; but I think Ishould have parted with all I had sooner than have run such a risk."

  "If it had been your own," said the other gentleman. "In this case itseems to me the boy would have been robbed, and probably thrown outafterwards upon the line. I think you did quite right, my lad, but Ishould not recommend the practice to anyone else."

  They chatted to me pleasantly enough till the train began at last toslacken speed preparatory to stopping for the tickets to be taken, andat the first symptom of this my two new friends jumped up and let downthe windows, each leaning out so as to command a view of the back of thetrain.

  I should have liked to look back as well, but that was impossible, so Ihad to be content to sit and listen; but I was not kept long insuspense, for all at once the quieter and more gentlemanly of mycompanions exclaimed:

  "I thought as much. He has just jumped off, and run down theembankment. There he goes!"

  I ran to the side, and caught a glimpse of a figure melting away intothe darkness. Then it was gone.

  "There goes all chance of punishing the scoundrel," said the big bluffman, turning to me and smiling good-temperedly. "I should have liked tocatch him, but I couldn't afford to risk my neck in your service, youngman."

  I thanked him as well as I could, and made up my mind that if my fatherwas waiting on the platform he should make a more satisfactoryrecognition of the services that had been performed.

  This did not, however, prove so easy as I had hoped, for in theconfusion of trying to bring them together when I found my fatherwaiting, I reached the spot where I had left my travelling-companionsjust in time to see them drive off in a cab.