"
Teddy picked up a book and settled himself to read.
Little conversation passed between them after that, and Phil,
tumbling into his berth, was soon asleep.
Teddy eyed him narrowly. He waited until his companion was
sleeping soundly; then Teddy got up and strolled out to the
rear platform. It was deserted. The trainmen did not come
back that far, because the doors of the show cars were kept
locked so they could not. Show people do not like strangers
about them.
Teddy lay down on the platform, peering down between the cars.
"No, no air is coupled on. They ought to be ashamed of
themselves," he muttered. "I guess they must have fixed it up
for me on purpose."
Teddy opened the door of Car Three softly, listened, then closed
it again. Next he leaned out and looked along the tracks, which
he could see fairly well, for the moon was now shining brightly.
"I guess there is no grade here." Stepping across to the
platform of the car to the rear of him, the boy partially set
the brake until he could feel it grinding on the wheels.
"Now, I think we are all ready," he muttered, as, stepping back
to the platform of his own car, he grasped the coupling lever
firmly with both hands, giving it a mighty tug.
At first it would not budge. The drawheads of the couplers of
the two cars were straining because of the drag of the brake that
he had but just set.
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