He had to explain very plainly that of course a freight train had a
conductor. Every train had to have a "skipper" just like a boat. A
railroad man had explained all that to Russ Bunker when the family was
on its way to Cowboy Jack's early in the autumn.
"And you-all," said Russ, copying Frane's speech, speaking to the little
ones and Rose, "must stay back here with me and be brakemen. When we
need the handbrakes, I'll tell you, and you run forward over the
coops--I mean the cars--and set the brakes."
"But suppose we get flung off?" asked Vi.
"That you must not do," said her older brother sternly. "If the train is
going fast you might get a broken leg. Or if it is going around a curve
it would be worse. You must be careful."
"I think this is a dangerous play," said Vi hopefully. There was nobody
really more daring than Vi.
The two Armatage girls tried to coax Rose away from the "train"; but
Rose liked to play with her brothers and sisters, and she knew that
Mother Bunker expected her to. So she excused herself to Philly and
Alice.
Unfortunately they took some offense at this. That evening after supper
Rose found herself ignored by Phillis and Alice Armatage. At another
time this ungenerous act might have hurt the oldest Bunker girl. But she
and Russ had their secret plans to carry through, and Rose was glad to
get away with her brother in a room where nobody would disturb them.
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