The inventor snatched it impolitely and turned his back, while the youth gazed after him for a moment and then returned to the office. “Set of confounded idiots!” Hawkins remarked wrathfully. Then, ere I could disappear, he spied me. “Aha, Griggs, you here?” “No, I'm not,” I said flatly. “If there's any trouble brewing, Hawkins, consider me back in New York. What has excited you?” “Excited me? Those fool railroad officials are enough to drive a man to the asylum. Did you see how they kept me standing outside that door?” “Well, did you want to stand inside the door, Hawkins?” “I didn't want to stand anywhere in the neighborhood of their infernal door! The idea of making me get a permit to ride on an engine! Me!” “I don't know how else you'd manage it, Hawkins, unless you applied for a job as fireman. Why on earth do you want to ride on a locomotive?” “Oh, it's not a locomotive, Griggs. You don't understand. Where are you bound for?” “Philadelphia.” “Ten:ten?” Hawkins cried eagerly. “Ten:ten,” I said. “Then, by George, you'll be with us! You'll see the whole show!” Hawkins caught my coat-sleeve and dragged me toward the train-gates. “See, here,” I said, detaining him, “what whole show?” “The--oh, come and see it before we start.” “No, sir!” I said firmly. “Not until I know what it is. Are you going to play any monkey-shines with the locomotive, Hawkins? What is it?” “But why don't you come and see for yourself?” the inventor cried impatiently. “It's--it's----” He paused for a moment. “Why, it's the Hawkins Alcomotive!” he added. “And what under heavens is the Hawkins----” “Well, you don't suppose I'm carrying scale drawings of the thing on me, do you? You don't suppose that I'm prepared to give a demonstration with magic lantern pictures on the spot? If you want to see it, come and see it. If not, you'd better get into your train. It's ten:three now.” I knew no way of better utilizing the remaining seven minutes. I walked or rather trotted--after Hawkins, through the gates, down the platform, and along by the train until we reached the locomotive--or the place where a decent, God-fearing locomotive should have been standing. The customary huge iron horse was not in sight. In its place stood what resembled a small flat-car. On the car I observed an affair which resembled something an enthusiastic automobilist might have conceived in a lobster salad nightmare. It was, I presume, merely an abnormally large automobile engine; and along each side of it ran a big cylindrical tank. “There, Griggs!” said Hawkins. “That doesn't look much like the old-fashioned, clumsy locomotive, does it?” “I should say it didn't.” “Of course it's a little rough in finish--just a trial Alcomotive, you know--but it's going to do one thing to-day.” “And that is?” “It's going to sound the solemn death-knell of the old steam locomotive,” said Hawkins, evidently feeling some compassion for the time-honored engine.