twisting along the mountain side like a thin dark thread. It seemed
incredible that the train could make such a tremendous climb.

"Do we go up there?" he asked in amazement.

"Sure. We'll be thar in a short time, but it takes four engines,
though, to tug us up. Then ye'll see something that'll make ye wonder.
Guess thar's nuthin' like it in the hull world. We'll go up three
thousand feet, an' it'll be the nearest to heaven that some of the
chaps on this train'll ever be. Jist look at that, now!"

Reynolds was indeed looking. Far down below a few cabins appeared like
little toy houses, while away beyond could be seen the blue cold waters
of the North Pacific. The air was becoming keen. But it was bracing
and stimulating.

"Say, I'd like to paint that!" he mused half aloud. "It is grand,
stupendous, appalling! And what a work to build this road! How was it
ever done!"

"It sartinly was, young man. It cost a mint of money, to say nuthin'
of the lives sacrificed. Thar was some mighty bad accidents on this
bit of road, though thar was some funny ones, too. I often have a good
laugh to meself whenever I think of one of the stories that was told."

"What was it?" Reynolds asked. He was interested in everything now.

"Wall, ye see, the company that built this road was considered mighty
mean, an' ground the men down to the last cent. One day a big blast
went off before its time, an' a feller was blown high into the air.