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Now rolling toward Glendale on the last few rade crossings, Patrick told the awestruck boy, “You’ll never drive a finer locoood steamer and rides easy”

The fire coal into the roaring firebox, banged the door shut and sat down to catch his breath He was a big reasy, and stunk of sweat “Billy?” he booauge “It’s the most importanton the train It shows the water level in the boiler Too low, the crown sheet heats up and dom come!”

“Don’t pay him no mind, Billy,” Patrick said “It’s Zeke’s job to be ot a tender full of water right behind us”

“How come the throttle’s in the middle?” asked Billy

“It sits in the ht now, that’s all we need to be stea a hundred twenty”

The engineer winked at Uncle Bill “The throttle lever also helps us steer her around tight bends Zeke, do you see any curves co up?”

“Trestle just ahead, Rufus Tight bend turning out of it”

“You take her, son”

“What?”

“Steer her around the curve Quick, now! Grab hold Poke your head out here and look”

Billy took the throttle in his left hand and leaned out thethe saineer had

The throttle was hot, pulsing in his hand like it was alive The bea

ht glea up It looked very narrow

“Just a light touch,” Rufus Patrick cautioned with another wink at the etting the hang of it But you gotta get her right down the ht fit”

Zeke and Uncle Bob exchanged grins