G. B. Lancaster

“ The Government will begin to think we’re all lying. So we are—the bulk of us, anyway. But they’re not supposed to know it. Jove! there’s the headlight swelling. Close up, you fellows.”
Greet slouched across to Denis Morant. He knew that Denis and his brother had about five thousand bushels on that platform.
“I sneaked four tarpaulins out o’ them trucks as went up ter Gatefield larst night,” he said. “I’d’ a’ sneaked the trucks too, on’y Sandy didn’t more’n slow down ter let a swaggie off. There’s a big josser at Gatefield—Hunt, I s’pose. He gits what he wants. ”

“ At the beginning they patiently and suavely demanded of the guard, the stoker, and the engine-driver adequate reasons as to why grain-trucks had not come up as ordered. Later, they put the matter differently; but it was after Harry Morel had threatened to tie Sandy, the engineer, to his own cow-catcher, and go gathering trucks himself all up and down the line, that Sandy passed Linnear Siding full steam, and—by popular tradition—skulked in the van with the stoker and the guard. ”

“ Then Carre gave way, and after him another. But still the filled trucks were shunted slowly downward, and coupled for Sandy to take on in the morning. The thought of this was a clean and abiding joy and helped them immensely.
Slade put in a word for young Sherriff.
“He’s got no more’n ’ud fill one o’ the big trucks, ’n a single. But it’s prime millin’ wheat booked ter Cotton, an’ he’s goin’ fair ratty over it He’s wantin’ the money, yer know. Wife’s sick. That’s why he ain’t here ter-night. Give him his show ’stead o’ me.”
“And I’ll ante up the low-sider,” said Harry handsomely. ”