Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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10 THE MAGNET Commander of the ‘Alert.’ Such bravery and brains as he possesses must surely be added to our forces.” The little company loudly applauded. Turning to the captain, the General said, “Are you willing?” For answer, Captain Stoddard held out his hand, and they shook hands, ‘““Such a love and devotion as you have shown for your son, I am sure you will give to your country,” said the General, feelingly. Mina E. Strout, ’13. Bennett's [listake rumbled around the curve above Foxcroft, and came to a stop near the Foxcroft station on the Stormy Creek Branch Road. Bennett, the engineer, climbed down to the platform and went into the station for orders. Presently Stoddard, the conductor, walked up and followed him in. Soon they emerged and conferred a minute on the platform. ‘““Who’d give such a crazy order, anyway?’ asked the engineer, rather warmly. “Can’t help it, Bennett,” said Stoddard. ‘That’s the orders, and we'll have to obey them. ‘Well, it sounds like a crazy man’s doings,”’ returned Bennett, climbing into the cab. ‘“I tell you,” he added, ‘“‘I wish some of them headquarters fellows would take a trip or two behind the throttle with a big outfit like this trailing and see what it’s like to have to stop at every other pole.” After delivering this indignant speech, the brawny engineer took his place in the cab. “Meet local freight at Skagway,” muttered the engineer, in response to the fireman’s inquiring look. ‘Tough luck,” was the latter’s brief opinion. As soon as they got the conductor’s signal, Bennett opened the throttle, and the train moved forward. Stormy Creek ran alongside the railroad from F oxcroft to Skagway, and the thick dog-day fog was so dense in the valley that the train could not proceed at its ordinary speed. While train 205 was rumbling through the valley and the fog below Fox- croft, local freight 319 was pounding the rails toward Skagway, with En- gineer Powers at the throttle. When his train had stopped at Danbury for water, a messenger from the despatcher came out to the caboose with orders for the conductor. Es one August morning, extra freight 205, a long, heavy train,

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THE MAGNET g “ Good!” they answered. They said nothing, kept ever on the alert, and jumped to obey the sharp commands of their captain. It was not ex- actly a pleasant run up the harbor. At last they came within sight of the dock lights, but the captain’s face never once relaxed until his vessel lay quietly at rest at the dock. “ Hurrah!” shouted the boys. The captain simply shook his head, and breathed a sigh of intense re- lief. Never did the planks of the old wharf seem so good as at this moment. A blue-coated, brass-buttoned officer came striding down the dock, for the news had been spread far and wide that a small vessel had made port alone. He hurried up to the captain, instantly recognized him, and said, ‘ Well, Jack, this is pretty serious business. Do you suppose the enemy could do that?” “Well, that depends upon the enemy,” was the slow reply. “Yes but,—say, what have you here?” “Oh, a spy we found outside,” quietly replied the other. “Spy? Ah! Well, we've been looking for him Jack, you're a dandy.’ A crowd had gathered, but the two men did not seem to notice the fact. ‘Better come and see the General, because you know the almost un- believable fact that you got past the mines will cause quite an uproar.” “No, I’ve got to see my boy. If he’s living, I’ll come.” He hurried home, and the doctor met him at the door, cautioning him to be quiet, as the lad was all right and enjoying a refreshing sleep. “ All right,” he replied, ‘‘ I’m off for headquarters!” The officials were gravely waiting. for him, and were ready to listen to his story. Very briefly and concisely he told of his run up the harbor. They listened eagerly, and when the captain had finished, the General be- gan in a puzzled tone, “ But I don’t see how you—” “Well, it’s just like this, General. I reasoned that you would not place mines at the Dumas Ledge, because there are very few seamen who know © the way through that treacherous bit of sea. Then also you were reckon- ing—”’ ‘Man, man! don’t tell me any more,” he said, greatly taken back when the captain calmly told him what it had taken weeks to formulate through study of the charts and the harbor itself. ‘‘ You mustn’t say another word while these men are here. They must never know what a dunder-head I’ve been.” A slight, sharp, little man stepped up, and hurriedly whispered a few words in the General’s ear. “The very man!” he exclaimed. The small company were all attention. ‘You remember,” began the General, “ that certain private citizens, perhaps I should say spies, have been trying to gain information about our harbor defenses.” The company slowly nodded. ‘ Well,” he began again, ‘it seems that this man has landed an- other of the same class. To be brief, I wish to make Captain Stoddard ’

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THE MAGNET II “ Orders for you,” sang out the messenger. The conductor looked up, puzzled. ‘Go on, I’ve got my orders,” he finally remarked. “ Have some more then. What you got, anyway?” “ Meet extra at Skagway,” the conductor replied. “Read ’em again,” said the messenger, passing up the slip. ‘ You’ve got a clear path to Foxcroft, and p’r’aps farther.” The conductor studied the slip in silence. ‘‘Where’s the extra gone?” he at last asked. “Couldn’t say. Haven’t been following it.” “Well, who’s on the wire, anyway?” “Night man, suppose. Don’t know his name.” “He must be crazy. Stoddard’s never late. Well, anyway, the respon- sibility isn’t mine.” ; “ But the orders are,’ remarked the other man. “I guess them folks up in the engine want you.” This was said with a broad grin, “All right; wave to’em.’”’ The messenger did so, the engineer let on the steam, and the train went up the valley. Engineer Powers also had the fog to run through, but his train was lighter and could be stopped more easily, so he was running faster. The brakeman had gone forward with the orders, which the engineer considered favorable, supposing that the extra was delayed above Foxcroft. So Powers was running along in a happy frame of mind, while Bennett, who by this time was nearing Stormy Creek trestle, had such a premonition of danger that he kept his hand continually on the throttle and looked as far as he could ahead. His ears were primed for the least warning sound. He heard the heavy rumbling of his own train and wished the noise would stop. He heard its echo, at which his ears strained harder. He started to close the throttle, thinking the danger was coming. By this time the train was approaching a sawmill on the creek. Suddenly the air was vibrating with two loud blasts from a whistle. “Great thunder!” exclaimed Bennett, closing the throttle, pulling back reverse lever, and applying air at almost the same instant. ‘“ Jump! Jump!” he called to the fireman. They jumped. The screeching brakes at last stopped the big train, and conductor and brakeman came running up. They found Bennett in the ditch with his breath knocked out. The fireman was madly fighting his way through the fence. The brakeman fled up the track, and Stoddard shook his engineer. “What's the matter?” the conductor questioned. Bennett regained his breath. ‘It’s them crazy headquarters people,” he said. ‘ They’re the cause of all this.” “ But what’s the matter?” repeated Stoddard. “There's a train ahead,” answered Bennett. They both listened. Nothing could be heard except the sounds from the engine, and the groans and oaths from the fireman. Bennett, looking