Chapter XI. “Down Brakes”

lltocomfortinghim,insteadofcrowingoverhim. Jillthoughtitamostinterestingeventand,whenFrankandhismotherwentovertoconsultMr.Burton,sheandJackplannedoutforthedearculpritadramatictrialwhichwouldhaveconvulsedthesoberestofjudges.Hissentencewastenyears'imprisonment,andsuchheavyfinesthatthefamilywouldhavebeenreducedtobeggarybutforthesumsmadebyJill'sfancyworkandJack'ssuccessasachampionpedestrian. TheyfoundsuchcomfortandamusementinthissensationalprogrammethattheywereratherdisappointedwhenFrankreturned,reportingthatafinewouldprobablybeallthepenaltyexacted,asnoharmhadbeendone,andheandGusweresuchrespectableboys.WhatwouldhappentoJoe,hecouldnottell,buthethoughtagoodwhippingoughttobeaddedtohisshare. Ofcourse,theaffairmadeastirinthelittleworldofchildrenandwhenFrankwenttoschool,feelingthathischaracterforgoodbehaviorwasforeverdamaged,hefoundhimselfalion,andwasindangerofbeingspoiledbytheadmirationofhiscomrades,whopointedhimoutwithprideas“thefellowwhoranoffwithasteam-engine.” ButaninterviewwithJudgeKemble,afineoftwenty-fivedollars,andlecturesfromallthegrownpeopleofhisacquaintance,preventedhimfromregardinghisescapadeasafeattoboastof.Hediscovered,also,howfickleathingispublicfavor,forverysoonthosewhohadpraisedbegantotease,andittookallhiscourage,patience,andpridetocarryhimthroughthenextweekortwo.TheladswerenevertiredofalludingtoNo.11,givingshrillwhistlesinhisear,askingifhiswatchwasright,anddrawinglocomotivesontheblackboardwhenevertheygotachance. Thegirls,too,hadslynodsandsmiles,hintsandjokesofamildersort,whichmadehimcolorandfume,andoncelosehisdignityentirely.MollyLoo,whodearlylovedtotormentthebigboys,anddaredattackevensolemnFrank,leftoneofBoo'soldtintrainsonthedoor-step,directedto“ConductorMinot,”who,Iregrettosay,couldnotrefrainfromkickingitintothestreet,andslammingthedoorwithabangthatshookthehouse.ShrieksoflaughterfromwickedMollyandhercoadjutor,Grif,greetedthisexplosionofwrath,whichdidnogood,however,forhalfanhourlaterthesamecars,allinaheap,wereonthestepsagain,withtwoheadlessdollstumblingoutofthecab,andthedilapidatedenginelabelled,“No.11afterthecollision.” Nooneeversawthatruinagain,andfordaysFrankwasutterlyunconsciousofMolly'sexistence,asproprietyforbadehishavingitoutwithherashehadwithGrif.ThenAnnettemadepeacebetweenthem,andtheapproachoftheTwenty-secondgavethewagssomethingelsetothinkof. ButitwaslongbeforeFrankforgotthatcostlyprankforhewasathoughtfulboy,whohonestlywantedtobegoodsoherememberedthisepisodehumbly,andwheneverhefelttheapproachoftemptationhemadethestrongwillmasterit,sayingtohimself“Downbrakes!”thussavingthepreciousfreighthecarriedfrommanyoftheaccidentswhichbefalluswhenwetrytorunourtrainswithoutorders,andsooftenwreckourselvesaswellasothers.