another minute,” our energetic friends conclude. So, — the railroad company’s people being either frightened or false, — in marches Massachusetts to the station. “We, the People of the United States, want rolling-stock for the use of the Union,” they said, or words to that effect.
The engine — a frowzy machine at the best — had been purposely disabled.
Here appeared the deus ex machina, Charles Homans, Beverly Light Guard, Company E, Eighth Massachusetts Regiment.
That is the man, name and titles in full, and he deserves well of his country.
He took a quiet squint at the engine, — it was as helpless as a boned turkey, — and he found “Charles Homans, his mark,” written all over it.
The old rattletrap was an old friend. Charles Homans had had a share in building it. The machine and the man said, “How d’y’ do?” at once. Homans called for a gang of engine-builders. Of course they swarmed out of the ranks. They passed their hands over the locomotive a few times, and presently it was ready to whistle and wheeze and rumble and gallop, as if no traitor had ever tried to steal the go and the music out of it.
This had all been done during the afternoon of the 23d. During the night, the renovated engine was kept cruising up and down the track to see all clear. Guards of the Eighth were also posted to protect passage.
