Never mind if you are sworn at and dubbed an idiot. No matter if you do choke a few fires and stop a few trains. Persevere! Keep your temper, watch how the engineer does it and try to do the same yourself next time. Show him that you are not the idiot he has called you, prove that you are no fool by your patience and perseverance--qualities, like enough, which he himself does not possess. A first class engineer, however, will show a new fireman just what he wants done and how to do it. Here are a few lines from an excellent manual on engineering, describing the conduct of a good engineer to his fireman. Read them with care: "With good engineers an awkward fireman soon changes his habits and appearance--he gets the knots dressed off of him, as it were. Has he been taught to come on duty dirty and late? He is sharply reproved, and very properly too. Does he throw the fire irons down anywhere after using them? He is told there is a place for everything in that engine. Is he dirty about his work? He is shown how to handle the shovel, oil feeder and everything else without blackening himself to such a degree that a boy in the street mistakes him for a chimney sweep. Thanks to such engineers, who deserve much praise for keeping their firemen in proper training, for, just as they _are_ trained so will they turn out engineers, good or bad." CHAPTER V. HOW TO RUN A TRAIN. A good engineer works his engine with direct reference to the number of cars he has to pull. It would seem as though any fool might know this, yet instances are on record where careless engineers have actually pulled out of a station without their trains, and never discovered that they were missing until they had occasion to whistle for brakes. STARTING. In starting the regulator should be opened gently, especially with a full boiler. Care is necessary when starting to keep the cylinders and valves clear of water. Half a pint of water will wash the faces of the cylinders and valves. Slip or no slip, it is better to use a little sand than to incur the risk of slipping when the rails are inclined to be slippery. When the engine begins to feel its load the regulator can be opened more. A few clear, sonorous puffs at the start do good; they rouse the fire into action at once--there is no hesitation in the matter. They also clear the tubes of loose cinders and soot left in them after being swept out. When you are well under way pull the lever up a notch or two at a time until you get it just where you want it. Don't jerk it too far, then let it out too much and have to pull it back. Feel your way as you go, and time and trouble will be saved. Nothing looks so bad as to see an engineer suddenly close the regulator, pull the lever very nearly out of gear and "smack" the steam on again. The force with which the steam may strike the piston under such circumstances is very great and often may do damage.