LANKY'S LUCKY DAY
"There's a wreck up the road!"
"What?" cried Frank, looking at the blue-coated official in sudden
horror and alarm as he said these words.
Poor Ralph could not utter a single sound. He stood there as if rooted
to the spot, his face suddenly turning as white as chalk, and his eyes
filled with an expression of mute agony.
"Everything tied up tighter than a drum. Going to put us all back for
twenty-four hours, not to speak of the loss to the company," continued
the railroad man.
"But--was it the train due here at two-twelve," Frank went on,
determined to know the worst.
"Oh! no, nothing so bad as that. Just a couple of freights that thought
they could pass each other on a single track. It ain't ever been done
yet, but some fellers keep on trying. It's an awful smash, and the
passenger train is held beyond. They're getting the wrecking crew to
work, but it may be nine o'clock before that express comes in here."
A sigh behind him told Frank that his chum had experienced great
relief. The suspense was to be prolonged, it seemed; but better a
thousand times that than to hear of life being sacrificed.
"You say nothing happened to the express," continued Frank.
"Why, of course not. It wasn't within thirty miles of the place when
the smash came along. We're a single track road, and till they get the
wreck cleared up or burnt nary a train can get by. Expecting any one on
her, Frank?" said the official, who, like nearly every other inhabitant
of Columbia, knew the lad because of the prominent part he had always
taken in the athletic triumphs of the high school boys upon track,
diamond and gridiron.
"No, but my friend was. Come on, Ralph; there's no use waiting around
here if the train can't get in until to-night. Let's go to the house
and rest up the balance of the day. We sure deserve it," and linking
his arm in that of his chum Frank walked away.
"Oh! what a scare he gave me!" said Ralph; "what if it had been the
express that was wrecked, and I lost my mother even before I had ever
known her? You don't blame me for feeling trembly like, do you, Frank?"
"Well, I guess not. It was enough to give any fellow a scare. But try
and forget it now. We can have dinner nicely at seven, and then walk
over to see the stalled train come in. If Uncle Jim and the lady are
aboard we'll be there to meet them. But I'm surprised that he never
wired you from San Francisco when the steamer docked. It isn't like my
lawyer uncle. Perhaps they missed the _Empress of Japan_ after all, and
are coming on the next boat."
"That may be so; but somehow I seem to feel it right here that she is
near me. Perhaps she wanted to surprise me, and that is why they didn't
wire. But I've waited so long now, I suppose a few hours more or less
won't matter much," and Ralph again sighed.
Leaving the station they went on to find that Mr. Allen had arrived
from the south on a train that came in an hour previous. He quickly
noticed several burns in Frank's coat, and asking questions was soon
told the whole story. Frank was for belittling the adventure, but his
father being a business man, asked leading questions, even turning to
Ralph to help out.
In this way he heard all, even to the chase of the escaped convict, who
had undoubtedly set the farmhouse afire the better to hide his robbery.
"Remarkable," he declared, after the story was finished, and looking
at Frank with a glow of pride in his eyes that made the poor fatherless
Ralph quite envy his fortunate chum. "You three fellows deserve high
praise for what you did. I imagine Baxter might have lost that new
house of his only for your help."
"Oh! hardly that, dad. They'd have got their wits together soon, and
done what we did in good time. We just happened to start things going,
that's all," said Frank, who somehow always tried to belittle his own
work while ready to applaud that of a friend or chum, even an enemy on
occasion.
"Well, you may say so, but I doubt it. I know men, and that once
they get rattled and lose their heads nothing can be done unless
some strong-minded fellow happens along to take the lead. But by the
way, it's strange that your meeting with Baxter has just reminded me
of a matter that slipped my mind in the hurry of going to keep that
appointment in New York City. And this is the twenty-fifth too, making
the paper due to-morrow. It's too bad, and Baxter will be put to no end
of trouble if he doesn't get that paper in my hands by eight o'clock
to-morrow morning."
"What's that, sir?" asked Frank, with a vague idea that his father had
for once let a cog slip in his usually well organized machine.
"Why, you see, Baxter has a paper which I told him I would send for
before it was needed. In going away so suddenly on important business
I quite allowed that fact to slip my mind. I shall have to send some
one up for it, I suppose; but the trouble is who to send. This is
Christmas, and everybody wants to stick home."
"Why not let me go, dad?" demanded Frank, immediately.
"But think of all you boys have been through to-day. It's a shame to
let you go on such an errand, when I might run up myself," continued
the gentleman.
But Frank laughed to scorn the idea of his being tired.
"Why, even if I was," he remarked, "what is it to sit in a comfortable
car, and spin along over the road like fun? Hey, Ralph, what do you
say, could you stand a run up there and back? It's just three o'clock
now. What's twelve miles in a good machine? What do you say, Ralph?"
"Count me in, Frank. Anything to pass the time away until nine
o'clock," he said.
Mr. Allen looked puzzled.
"You see, he's expecting Uncle Jim and that lady on the train that was
due nearly half an hour ago, and that accident to the freights up the
road has blocked things so the express has to lie over up there, and
won't get in till nine. But tell me what you want done, sir, and we'll
go right away," and Frank started to hunt out a couple of warm fur
coats that could be used on the trip.
Rather reluctantly Mr. Allen complied. Still, he needed some one to
speed up to the new home of the Baxters and secure that paper which
should have been in his possession long ere this. It was his error of
judgment too, and hence he could not think of allowing the rich farmer
to suffer from it.
"Well, what do you think of this, Ralph? Ever see such a tremendous
day? Seems as though everything were knocked into one long line of
happenings. And I hope, pard, that it will wind up with just the most
glorious luck for you. Why, by the way things are running, it just
can't help it, that's what. Say, suppose Lanky happened to spy us
whirling past his house, and heading up that way, don't you think he'd
whoop after us a little? Guess he'll believe one of us had gone sweet
on that little rosy-cheeked Dora Baxter, and meant to make a quick call
to see if there were any more fires that needed putting out."
Frank laughed at the conceit. They had bundled into the fine car owned
by Mr. Allen, and which Frank knew well how to drive, for he had always
taken a great interest in all sorts of mechanical devices.
Once upon the road they headed into town, as there was a short-cut
Frank knew that would save more than a mile.
"Talk of an angel and you hear its wings!" cried Ralph, pointing, "for
there's our chum Lanky right now, gaping at us. Pull in to the side of
the road Frank!"
"Say, fellows, what's all this mean. Thought you could sneak past, and
pretend not to see an old friend, eh?" exclaimed Lanky, as the car
pulled in.
"Look at him, still dangling his skates!" cried Frank. "I declare if
he's even been home since he left us. Now, what d'ye suppose the fellow
has been doing all this half hour?"
"Seems to me as if he backed out of that restaurant yonder," suggested
Ralph, wickedly.
At that Lanky threw up his hands in horror.
"That's just the limit, and me wondering how I'm ever going to do my
share in getting away with the dinner my folks will spread out this
same evening. Chuck it, boys, and let me down easy. But where are you
off to, so gay? Seems to me you're in an awful big hurry for a ride, so
soon after getting back from that long run?"
Frank pretended to look at Ralph in a guilty way.
"No use, Ralph, he's on, all right. You'll have to find another pair
of rosy cheeks, it seems," he remarked.
"What's that?" demanded Lanky, suspiciously.
"Why, you see, to tell the honest truth, we were on our way back to the
farm," admitted Frank, as if apologizing.
"What farm? Look here, you don't mean Baxter's place, do you," asked
the other.
Frank nodded.
"Leave anything behind?" continued Lanky, firmly.
"Well, there was some talk of a fellow forgetting his heart when he
came away. We thought we might go up and look for it. Little good he'd
be as a hockey rover, without that useful article."
"Oh! quit your kidding, Frank. And make room in there, fellows. I'm
going along with you, see?" with which Lanky deliberately squeezed in
alongside Ralph, who occupied the tonneau seat.
"Did you ever see such nerve?" exclaimed Frank, as he once more started
the car, "nobody asked him, but he comes anyhow. Here, get that rug
around you, Lanky. It's cold work riding at a mile-a-minute clip. And
as we hum along perhaps friend Ralph there will whisper to you just why
we're once more bound for our old stamping grounds. It's no fire this
time, only a document needed."
When Lanky learned of the peculiar circumstance that was taking his
comrades up to the Baxter place, he just lay back and grinned amid the
furry robes.
"My lucky day, boys, and you can't deny it; else why did I meet you
again?" he remarked.