72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

WATCHFUL WAITING.railwaymen trying to solve the puzzle which appeared tothem impossible of solution. The officer, however, with theaid of a few forcible remarks, soon solved it for them. Inthe meantime two officers had grown weary and commenced to walk down the track. After covering a mile orso, the first train overtook and passed them. Knowing,however, that it was only a question of time until theyovertook the train, they were not worried and went on.Five hundred yards further on they overtook the trainstanding on a siding with the engine gone. It had apparently run short of water and had gone off three miles toget some more. Walking seemed better than waiting, sothe officers went on. About two miles further on theywere again passed by the second train. Again, however,the pedestrians found the train at a standstill a few hundred yards ahead. This time they decided to try to ride,and the cars being crowded they sat on the footplate ofthe engine, which was running backwards. Eventually thetrain started again. This, however, was only temporaryand they were soon stopped by a red lamp. While theystood, waiting, the engine of the first train, having loadedup with water, returned on its way to take up the halffrozensoldiers. It stopped opposite the train with the precious liquid pouring onto the ground through an open stopcock in its water-feed pipe! The engineer was seen toexamine his water guage anxiously, and was heard toexclaim, "I am afraid she wont go much further without some more water." He then went on to pick up histrain. Next the engine of the standing train startedoff by itself. It appeared the engineer had discovered a"Y switch and had decided to see if he could turnhis engine about. Unfortunately the "Y" was an oldone, and not in good condition, and as the engine camedown the last leg on to the main line again it gave a sickening lurch and the whole footplate and the two officerssailed into the ditch. After disentangling themselves they91