Jack and Jill

by Louisa May Alcott

  Chapter XI. "Down Brakes"

  The greatest people have their weak points, and the best-behaved boysnow and then yield to temptation and get into trouble, as everybodyknows. Frank was considered a remarkably well-bred and proper lad, andrather prided himself on his good reputation, for he never got intoscrapes like the other fellows. Well, hardly ever, for we must confessthat at rare intervals his besetting sin overcame his prudence, and heproved himself an erring, human boy. Steam-engines had been his idolsfor years, and they alone could lure him from the path of virtue. Once,in trying to investigate the mechanism of a toy specimen, which had itslittle boiler and ran about whistling and puffing in the most delightfulway, he nearly set the house afire by the sparks that dropped on thestraw carpet. Another time, in trying experiments with the kitchentea-kettle, he blew himself up, and the scars of that explosion he stillcarried on his hands.

  He was long past such childish amusements now, but his favorite hauntwas the engine-house of the new railroad, where he observed the habitsof his pets with never-failing interest, and cultivated the good-willof stokers and brakemen till they allowed him many liberties, and wererather flattered by the admiration expressed for their iron horses by ayoung gentleman who liked them better even than his Greek and Latin.

  There was not much business doing on this road as yet, and the twocars of the passenger-trains were often nearly empty, though fullfreight-trains rolled from the factory to the main road, of which thiswas only a branch. So things went on in a leisurely manner, which gaveFrank many opportunities of pursuing his favorite pastime. He soon knewall about No. 11, his pet engine, and had several rides on it with Bill,the engineer, so that he felt at home there, and privately resolved thatwhen he was a rich man he would have a road of his own, and run trainsas often as he liked.

  Gus took less interest than his friend in the study of steam, butusually accompanied him when he went over after school to disporthimself in the engine-house, interview the stoker, or see if there wasanything new in the way of brakes.

  One afternoon they found No. 11 on the side-track, puffing away as ifenjoying a quiet smoke before starting. No cars were attached, and nodriver was to be seen, for Bill was off with the other men behind thestation-house, helping the expressman, whose horse had backed down abank and upset the wagon.

  "Good chance for a look at the old lady," said Frank, speaking of theengine as Bill did, and jumping aboard with great satisfaction, followedby Gus.

  "I'd give ten dollars if I could run her up to the bend and back," headded, fondly touching the bright brass knobs and glancing at the firewith a critical eye.

  "You couldn't do it alone," answered Gus, sitting down on the grimylittle perch, willing to indulge his mate's amiable weakness.

  "Give me leave to try? Steam is up, and I could do it as easy as not;"and Frank put his hand on the throttle-valve, as if daring Gus to givethe word.

  "Fire up and make her hum!" laughed Gus, quoting Bill's frequent orderto his mate, but with no idea of being obeyed.

  "All right; I'll just roll her up to the switch and back again.I've often done it with Bill;" and Frank cautiously opened thethrottle-valve, threw back the lever, and the great thing moved with athrob and a puff.

  "Steady, old fellow, or you'll come to grief. Here, don't open that!"shouted Gus, for just at that moment Joe appeared at the switch, lookingready for mischief.

  "Wish he would; no train for twenty minutes, and we could run up tothe bend as well as not," said Frank, getting excited with the sense ofpower, as the monster obeyed his hand so entirely that it was impossibleto resist prolonging the delight.

  "By George, he has! Stop her! Back her! Hold on, Frank!" cried Gus, asJoe, only catching the words "Open that!" obeyed, without the least ideathat they would dare to leave the siding.

  But they did, for Frank rather lost his head for a minute, and out uponthe main track rolled No. 11 as quietly as a well-trained horse taking afamiliar road.

  "Now you've done it! I'll give you a good thrashing when I get back!"roared Gus, shaking his fist at Joe, who stood staring, half-pleased,half-scared, at what he had done.

  "Are you really going to try it?" asked Gus, as they glided on withincreasing speed, and he, too, felt the charm of such a novel adventure,though the consequences bid fair to be serious.

  "Yes, I am," answered Frank, with the grim look he always wore when hisstrong will got the upper hand. "Bill will give it to us, any way, so wemay as well have our fun out. If you are afraid, I'll slow down and youcan jump off," and his brown eyes sparkled with the double delight ofgetting his heart's desire and astonishing his friend at the same timeby his skill and coolness.

  "Go ahead. I'll jump when you do;" and Gus calmly sat down again,bound in honor to stand by his mate till the smash came, though ratherdismayed at the audacity of the prank.

  "Don't you call this just splendid?" exclaimed Frank, as they rolledalong over the crossing, past the bridge, toward the curve, a mile fromthe station.

  "Not bad. They are yelling like mad after us. Better go back, if youcan," said Gus, who was anxiously peering out, and, in spite of hisefforts to seem at ease, not enjoying the trip a particle.

  "Let them yell. I started to go to the curve, and I'll do it if it costsme a hundred dollars. No danger; there's no train under twenty minutes,I tell you," and Frank pulled out his watch. But the sun was in hiseyes, and he did not see clearly, or he would have discovered that itwas later than he thought.

  On they went, and were just rounding the bend when a shrill whistle infront startled both boys, and drove the color out of their cheeks.

  "It's the factory train!" cried Gus, in a husky tone, as he sprang tohis feet.

  "No; it's the five-forty on the other road," answered Frank, with aqueer thrill all through him at the thought of what might happen if itwas not. Both looked straight ahead as the last tree glided by, and thelong track lay before them, with the freight train slowly coming down.For an instant, the boys stood as if paralyzed.

  "Jump!" said Gus, looking at the steep bank on one side and the river onthe other, undecided which to try.

  "Sit still!" commanded Frank, collecting his wits, as he gave a warningwhistle to retard the on-coming train, while he reversed the engine andwent back faster than he came.

  A crowd of angry men was waiting for them, and Bill stood at the openswitch in a towering passion as No. 11 returned to her place unharmed,but bearing two pale and frightened boys, who stepped slowly andsilently down, without a word to say for themselves, while the freighttrain rumbled by on the main track.

  Frank and Gus never had a very clear idea as to what occurred during thenext few minutes, but vaguely remembered being well shaken, sworn at,questioned, threatened with direful penalties, and finally ordered offthe premises forever by the wrathful depot-master. Joe was nowhere to beseen, and as the two culprits walked away, trying to go steadily, whiletheir heads spun round, and all the strength seemed to have departedfrom their legs, Frank said, in an exhausted tone,--

  "Come down to the boat-house and rest a minute."

  Both were glad to get out of sight, and dropped upon the steps red,rumpled, and breathless, after the late exciting scene. Gus generouslyforebore to speak, though he felt that he was the least to blame;and Frank, after eating a bit of snow to moisten his dry lips, said,handsomely,--

  "Now, don't you worry, old man. I'll pay the damages, for it was myfault. Joe will dodge, but I won't, so make your mind easy.

  "We sha'n't hear the last of this in a hurry," responded Gus, relieved,yet anxious, as he thought of the reprimand his father would give him.

  "I hope mother won't hear of it till I tell her quietly myself. She willbe so frightened, and think I'm surely smashed up, if she is told in ahurry;" and Frank gave a shiver, as all the danger he had run came overhim suddenly.

  "I thought we were done for when we saw that train. Guess we should havebeen if you had not had your wits about you. I always said you were acool one;" and Gus patted F
rank's back with a look of great admiration,for, now that it was all over, he considered it a very remarkableperformance.

  "Which do you suppose it will be, fine or imprisonment?" asked Frank,after sitting in a despondent attitude for a moment.

  "Shouldn't wonder if it was both. Running off with an engine is no joke,you know."

  "What did possess me to be such a fool?" groaned Frank, repenting, alltoo late, of yielding to the temptation which assailed him.

  "Bear up, old fellow, I'll stand by you; and if the worst comes, I'llcall as often as the rules of the prison allow," said Gus, consolingly,as he gave his afflicted friend an arm, and they walked away, bothfeeling that they were marked men from that day forth.

  Meantime, Joe, as soon as he recovered from the shock of seeing theboys actually go off, ran away, as fast as his legs could carry him, toprepare Mrs. Minot for the loss of her son; for the idea of theircoming safely back never occurred to him, his knowledge of engines beinglimited. A loud ring at the bell brought Mrs. Pecq, who was guarding thehouse, while Mrs. Minot entertained a parlor full of company.

  "Frank's run off with No. 11, and he'll be killed sure. Thought I'd comeup and tell you," stammered Joe, all out of breath and looking wild.

  He got no further, for Mrs. Pecq clapped one hand over his mouth, caughthim by the collar with the other, and hustled him into the ante-roombefore any one else could hear the bad news.

  "Tell me all about it, and don't shout. What's come to the boy?" shedemanded, in a tone that reduced Joe to a whisper at once.

  "Go right back and see what has happened to him, then come and tell mequietly. I'll wait for you here. I wouldn't have his mother startled forthe world," said the good soul, when she knew all.

  "Oh, I dar'sn't! I opened the switch as they told me to, and Bill willhalf kill me when he knows it!" cried Joe, in a panic, as the awfulconsequences of his deed rose before him, showing both boys mortallyinjured and several trains wrecked.

  "Then take yourself off home and hold your tongue. I'll watch the door,for I won't have any more ridiculous boys tearing in to disturb mylady."

  Mrs. Pecq often called this good neighbor "my lady" when speaking ofher, for Mrs. Minot was a true gentlewoman, and much pleasanter to livewith than the titled mistress had been.

  Joe scudded away as if the constable was after him, and presently Frankwas seen slowly approaching with an unusually sober face and a pair ofvery dirty hands.

  "Thank heaven, he's safe!" and, softly opening the door, Mrs. Pecqactually hustled the young master into the ante-room as unceremoniouslyas she had hustled Joe.

  "I beg pardon, but the parlor is full of company, and that fool of a Joecame roaring in with a cock-and-bull story that gave me quite a turn.What is it, Mr. Frank?" she asked eagerly, seeing that something wasamiss.

  He told her in a few words, and she was much relieved to find that noharm had been done.

  "Ah, the danger is to come," said Frank, darkly, as he went away to washhis hands and prepare to relate his misdeeds.

  It was a very bad quarter of an hour for the poor fellow, who so seldomhad any grave faults to confess; but he did it manfully, and his motherwas so grateful for the safety of her boy that she found it difficult tobe severe enough, and contented herself with forbidding any more visitsto the too charming No. 11.

  "What do you suppose will be done to me?" asked Frank, on whom the ideaof imprisonment had made a deep impression.

  "I don't know, dear, but I shall go over to see Mr. Burton right aftertea. He will tell us what to do and what to expect. Gus must not sufferfor your fault."

  "He'll come off clear enough, but Joe must take his share, for if hehadn't opened that confounded switch, no harm would have been done. Butwhen I saw the way clear, I actually couldn't resist going ahead," saidFrank, getting excited again at the memory of that blissful moment whenhe started the engine.

  Here Jack came hurrying in, having heard the news, and refused tobelieve it from any lips but Frank's. When he could no longer doubt, hewas so much impressed with the daring of the deed that he had nothingbut admiration for his brother, till a sudden thought made him clap hishands and exclaim exultingly,--

  "His runaway beats mine all hollow, and now he can't crow over me! Won'tthat be a comfort? The good boy has got into a scrape. Hooray!"

  This was such a droll way of taking it, that they had to laugh; andFrank took his humiliation so meekly that Jack soon fell to comfortinghim, instead of crowing over him.

  Jill thought it a most interesting event; and, when Frank and his motherwent over to consult Mr. Burton, she and Jack planned out for the dearculprit a dramatic trial which would have convulsed the soberest ofjudges. His sentence was ten years' imprisonment, and such heavy finesthat the family would have been reduced to beggary but for the sums madeby Jill's fancy work and Jack's success as a champion pedestrian.

  They found such comfort and amusement in this sensational programme thatthey were rather disappointed when Frank returned, reporting that a finewould probably be all the penalty exacted, as no harm had been done,and he and Gus were such respectable boys. What would happen to Joe, hecould not tell, but he thought a good whipping ought to be added to hisshare.

  Of course, the affair made a stir in the little world of children; andwhen Frank went to school, feeling that his character for good behaviorwas forever damaged, he found himself a lion, and was in danger of beingspoiled by the admiration of his comrades, who pointed him out withpride as "the fellow who ran off with a steam-engine."

  But an interview with Judge Kemble, a fine of twenty-five dollars, andlectures from all the grown people of his acquaintance, prevented himfrom regarding his escapade as a feat to boast of. He discovered, also,how fickle a thing is public favor, for very soon those who had praisedbegan to tease, and it took all his courage, patience, and pride tocarry him through the next week or two. The lads were never tired ofalluding to No. 11, giving shrill whistles in his ear, asking if hiswatch was right, and drawing locomotives on the blackboard whenever theygot a chance.

  The girls, too, had sly nods and smiles, hints and jokes of a mildersort, which made him color and fume, and once lose his dignity entirely.Molly Loo, who dearly loved to torment the big boys, and dared attackeven solemn Frank, left one of Boo's old tin trains on the door-step,directed to "Conductor Minot," who, I regret to say, could not refrainfrom kicking it into the street, and slamming the door with a bangthat shook the house. Shrieks of laughter from wicked Molly and hercoadjutor, Grif, greeted this explosion of wrath, which did no good,however, for half an hour later the same cars, all in a heap, were onthe steps again, with two headless dolls tumbling out of the cab, andthe dilapidated engine labelled, "No. 11 after the collision."

  No one ever saw that ruin again, and for days Frank was utterlyunconscious of Molly's existence, as propriety forbade his having it outwith her as he had with Grif. Then Annette made peace between them, andthe approach of the Twenty-second gave the wags something else to thinkof.

  But it was long before Frank forgot that costly prank; for he was athoughtful boy, who honestly wanted to be good; so he remembered thisepisode humbly, and whenever he felt the approach of temptation he madethe strong will master it, saying to himself "Down brakes!" thus savingthe precious freight he carried from many of the accidents which befallus when we try to run our trains without orders, and so often wreckourselves as well as others.