E-text prepared by Audrey Longhurst, Project Gutenberg Beginners Projects,
Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
A Story of a Young Men's Christian Association Boys' Department
by
Boys' Work Director, Young Men's Christian Association, South Bend, Ind.
1913
TO Every Good Fellow WHO CUT A LOG OR TURNED A STONE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE OLD CABIN IN BUFFALO PARK, AND TO
My Father WHO BUILT ITS HEART AND INSPIRATION, THE FIREPLACE, THIS STORY
IS DEDICATED
Willis Thornton Displays His Pluck
Train No. 6 on the D. & P.W., two hours late at Limon, was rushing andjolting along over its rickety roadbed. The rain fell in torrents, theheavy peals of thunder seemed about to tear the car to pieces, the blackand threatening clouds blotted out the landscape, and the passengerscould hear nothing but the roar of the thunder and the rattle of thetrain. The brakeman, shaking the water from his hat as he passed throughthe aisle, dropped something about it being a "mighty tough day forrailroadin'."
Suddenly there was a creaking, a cracking, and then a series of awfuljolts. Window glass broke and flew in every direction. Like a mightymonster that had suddenly been frightened by an unseen foe, the trainlurched forward, tipped a little, and slowly came to an uncertain stop.People were hurled from their seats with a great violence as theemergency brake was set. A baby cried out from a seat near the front ofthe car, and a woman screamed as a satchel from the luggage rack aboveher head dropped down upon her. Willis Thornton raised his arms above hishead just in time to save a heavy leather suitcase from striking hismother full in the face. Through the broken windows was heard the shrillwarning notes of the engine's trouble whistle, but so intense was thestorm that the sound seemed rather a part of the raging gale. Thebrakeman rushed through the car, and as he passed Willis heard himexclaim half-aloud, "The freight!" Then in a loud, shaky voice, not meantto betray excitement, he shouted, "All out; train off the track!"
He need not have spoken, however, for the people who had not alreadygotten out were close upon him. First in the rush was the mother of thebabe that had screamed when the first jolts came. She was wild-eyed andhysterical. A piece of flying glass had struck her on the face, and thewarm, trickling blood had frightened her. She rushed up to the nearestman and shouted, "Is my husband safe?" Just then a sickly, dudish littleman, with a lighted cigar in his mouth, rushed toward her.
"Ba Jove, my dear, you are 'urt," he said as she hurried toward him andfainted in his arms.
The word had been passed around that a heavy freight was expected at anymoment. The passenger