“It won’t do any harm if that sort of business is held off for another year,”--and Joe Cushing leaned forward eagerly as if fearing lest his companions might disagree with him. “I think on these long winter days it will be mighty pleasant to have a little shaver like him toddling round here with his dog, and now the spring is so near at hand he wouldn’t get much of a whack at schoolin’ before vacation-time comes. Besides, it would be cruel to send him off just now, for he’s beginning to get acquainted with us, and if you put him among strangers suddenly all of last night’s business would come back to him harder than ever.” It could readily be seen that every member of the crew was as eager to keep Benny and Fluff with them, for a time at least, as was Joe Cushing, but Tom Downey insisted that they had no right to thus deprive the boy of the opportunity to attend school, and a long discussion followed, the result of which was extremely satisfying to Joe Cushing. “It’s agreed that we keep the lad here until next fall, if it so be permission is given by the Department,” Keeper Downey said at length, summing up the result of the arguments, “and if the rules of the Service won’t allow his staying, we’ll look around for a boarding-place as near to the station as may be; but I reckon there ain’t much need of figgerin’ on that, because the United States Government can’t make any kick about giving shelter to a little shaver like Benny, especially when it don’t cost a cent.” “Suppose you start the letter now?” Joe Cushing suggested. “If it goes in with your report I allow it’ll have greater weight, seein’ that the whole story will be fresh in the minds of the officials.” The remainder of the crew believed Joe’s suggestion was timely, and Keeper Downey did not need much urging to set him about the task immediately. After referring the Superintendent to the official report of the wreck, Downey gave briefly the story Benny had told concerning himself, making the request that the boy be allowed to remain at the station during such time as the crew were willing to provide for his wants, and concluding with the following statement: “It won’t take a cent out of the government, for we, as a crew, have agreed to pay his bills till he can manage affairs for himself, and the little he costs will be more than balanced by what labor he can perform. He appears to be a willing lad, and there’s many an odd job he can do when we have a long spell of hard work. It will be a good trade for us, whichever way you look at the matter, and surely the people of this big country won’t begrudge the giving of a shelter to a boy who has been in such hard luck, especially when there’ll be absolutely no outlay on his account.”