To be a reporter on a big paper meant to be able to command much power, which, if rightly used, proved of great value. A reporter is, in a way, his own master, serving only his paper. Through the storm splashed the train. The wind howled around it and the rain beat upon it, but those inside were comfortable and warm. Larry and Mr. Newton found seats together and they settled down into them, to listen to the roar of the storm, and the puffing of the engine until they came to their destination. Progress was slow, because the railroad line was not as safe as usual. Once they were delayed an hour by a lot of sand washing down on the track. The train crew had to get out and shovel it off. Again they came to so sudden a stop that several of the passengers were thrown from their seats. “We hit something that time,” exclaimed Mr. Newton. “Felt so,” replied Larry. Nearly everyone in the cars piled out in spite of the rain. Larry and Mr. Newton followed their example. They found that the locomotive had struck a big rock that had been loosened from a bluff by the rain, and had fallen down on the track. But for the fact that the engineer saw it in time, and put on brakes, there might have been a serious accident. As it was, the pilot of the locomotive was smashed. There was a delay of two hours this time before the rock could be removed, and when the train at last got under way, and pulled into Stoneville, they were more than three hours behind time. “It’s after four o’clock,” said Mr. Newton as he got off the coach and looked at his watch. “Hardly worth while to go to bed.” They found a number of people gathered at the station. “What’s going on?” asked Mr. Newton, of a man who was walking up and down the platform. “Everybody get up early to catch a train?” “We haven’t been to bed,” was the answer. “The dam’s liable to give way any minute, and we’re a sort of guard watch. As soon as she breaks there’s a man up there near it, who’s going to let us know by telegraph, so we can get our folks out of the way. There’s a telegraph instrument in the depot here, and so we’re hanging around for news. Say, but it’s rainin’ cats an’ dogs, ain’t it?” “It certainly is,” replied Mr. Newton. “Where’s the hotel?” “Right up that street,” replied the man. “Guess you’ll have trouble getting rooms, though. Lots of people have gone there for fear their houses’ll be washed away.” “Is it as bad as that?” “Yes, and it’ll be worse before many hours. The dam can’t stand much longer.” Protecting themselves as best they could from the storm, Larry and Mr. Newton made their way to the hotel. As the man had said, they found it crowded, but a small room had been reserved for them on the strength of Mr. Newton’s message. “You’ll have to put up with what you find,” said the clerk of the hotel. “We’re crowded for room, and we’ll be more so shortly.” “We don’t mind,” spoke Mr. Newton. “We’ll not be in very much, I guess. The most we’ll want will be meals.”