Gay approved of Pleasant River, and so did Rags; and Timothy moved off
down the station to a place on the open platform where a train of cars
stood ready for starting, the engine at the head gasping and puffing and
breathing as hard as if it had an acute attack of asthma.
"How much does it cost to go to Pleasant River, please?" asked Tim,
bravely, of a kind-looking man in a blue coat and brass buttons, who
stood by the cars.
"This is a freight train, sonny," replied the man; "takes four hours to
get there. Better wait till 10.45; buy your ticket up in the station."
"10.45!" Tim saw visions of Mrs. Simmons speeding down upon him in hot
pursuit, kindled by Gay's disappearance into an appreciation of her
charms.
The tears stood in his eyes as Gay clambered out of the basket, and
danced with impatience, exclaiming, "Gay wants to yide now! yide now!
yide now!"
"Did you want to go sooner?" asked the man, who seemed to be entirely
too much interested in humanity to succeed in the railroad business.
"Well, as you seem to have consid'rable of a family on your hands, I
guess we'll take you along. Jim, unlock that car and let these children
in, and then lock it up again. It's a car we're taking up to the end of
the road for repairs, bubby, so the comp'ny 'll give you and your folks
a free ride!"
Timothy thanked the man in his politest manner, and Gay pressed a piece
of moist cooky in his hand, and offered him one of her swan's-down
kisses, a favor of which she was usually as chary as if it had possessed
a market value.
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