Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------- By Sara Ware Bassett The Invention Series Paul and the Printing Press Steve and the Steam Engine ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Illustration: "It was the conquering of this multitude of defects that gave to the world the intricate, exquisitely made machine."--Frontispiece. See page 103.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Invention Series STEVE AND THE STEAM ENGINE By Sara Ware Bassett With Illustrations By A. O. Scott Boston Little, Brown, And Company 1921 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright, 1921, By Little, Brown, and Company. All rights reserved Published September, 1921 The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass U S A ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I An Unpremeditated Folly 1 II A Meeting with an Old Friend 19 III A Second Calamity 34 IV The Story of the First Railroad 51 V Steve Learns a Sad Lesson 67 VI Mr. Tolman's Second Yarn 77 VII A Holiday Journey 94 VIII New York and What Happened There 110 IX An Astounding Calamity 125 X An Evening of Adventure 145 XI The Crossing of the Country 156 XII New Problems 169 XIII Dick Makes His Second Appearance 178 XIV A Steamboat Trip by Rail 192 XV The Romance of the Clipper Ship 205 XVI Again the Magic Door Opens 216 XVII More Steamboating 224 XVIII A Thanksgiving Tragedy 238 XIX The End of the House Party 248 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "It was the conquering of this multitude of defects that gave to the world the intricate, exquisitely made machine" Frontispiece "You've got your engine nicely warmed up, youngster," he observed casually 9 "I wish you'd tell me about this queer little old-fashioned boat" 181