'Where's my train?' says he, in a sort o' blank, hollow way. 'Don't ye hear it?' I answered him, 'It's gone on to Savanny!' 'Gone! Who told 'm to go on? What'd they go leave me for?' 'I pulled the bell rope,' says I. '_You?_' 'Yes, _me_!' 'What in the world did you do _that_ for, man?' ''Cause you wouldn't let me ride to Savanny!' 'What'll I do! What'll I do!' he cried, beginning to waltz 'round like one possessed. "I laughed--I couldn't help it--and at the same time I pulled out my old pistol. 'Yah-hoo-a!' yelled another owl. 'For the sake o' humanity don't kill me!' said the conductor. 'I'm jest a going to shoot you a little bit for the fun o' the thing,' says I. 'Mercy, man!' he prayed. 'Ticket!' says I. "He groaned the awfulest kind, and, by the moonlight, I saw 'at the big tears was running down his face. I felt sorry for him, but I kinder thought 'at after what he'd done he'd better pray a little, so I mentioned it to him. 'I guess it mought be best if you'd pray a little,' says I, cocking the pistol. My voice had a decided sepulchreal sound. The pistol clicked very sharp. 'O, kind sir,' says he, 'O, dear sir, I never did pray, I don't know how to pray!' 'Ticket or check!' says I, and he knowed I was talking kind o' sarcasm. 'Pray quick!' "He got down and prayed like a Methodist preacher at his very best licks. He must 'a' prayed afore. "About the time his prayer was ended I heard a train coming in the distance. He jumped up and listened. 'Glory! Heaven be praised!' says he, capering around like a mad monkey, 'They've missed me and are backing down to hunt me! Where's my lantern? Have you a match? Gi'me your handkerchief!' 'Not so fast,' says I; 'you jest be moderate now, will you? I've no notion o' you getting on that train any more. You jest walk along wi' me, will you?' 'Where?' says he. 'Into the swamp,' says I; 'step off lively, too, d'you hear me?' 'O mercy, mercy, man!' says he. 'Ticket!' says I, and then he walked along wi' me into the swamp some two or three hundred yards from the railroad. "I took him into a very thickety place, and made him back up agin a tree and put back his arms around it. Then I took one o' his suspenders and tied him hard and fast. Then I gagged him with my handkerchief. So far, so good. "Here come the train slowly backing down, the brakesman a swinging lanterns, and the passengers all swarming onto the platforms. Poorty soon they stopped right opposite us. The conductor began to struggle. I poked the pistol in his face and jammed the gag furder into his mouth. He saw I meant work and got quiet.