THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND [Illustration: “CAUGHT THE CHILD FROM UNDER THE VERY WHEELS OF THE ENGINE”] THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND By BURTON E. STEVENSON Author of “The Holladay Case,” “Tommy Remington’s Battle,” etc. ILLUSTRATED BY L. J. BRIDGMAN Boston L. C. PAGE & COMPANY Mdccccv Copyright, 1905 By L. C. Page & Company (INCORPORATED) All rights reserved Published July, 1905 COLONIAL PRESS Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. Boston, U. S. A. TO E. B. S., G. W. P AND THE OTHER “BOYS” OF YARD AND SHOP AND OFFICE IN MEMORY OF THAT FAR-OFF TIME WHEN I “COVERED” THE RAILROAD CONTENTS I. The Bottom Round II. A New Experience III. An Adventure and a Story IV. Allan Meets an Enemy V. Allan Proves His Metal VI. Reddy to the Rescue VII. The Irish Brigade VIII. Good News and Bad IX. Reddy’s Exploit X. A Summons in the Night XI. Clearing the Track XII. Unsung Heroes XIII. A New Danger XIV. Allan Makes a Discovery XV. A Shot from Behind XVI. A Call to Duty XVII. A Night of Danger XVIII. The Signal in the Night XIX. Reddy Redivivus XX. The Road’s Gratitude ILLUSTRATIONS “Caught the child from under the very wheels of the engine” “Near at hand it was even more terrifying than at a distance” “He struck suddenly and viciously at the boy’s face” “Snatched the little one into the air just as the engine bore down upon it” “Just in time to escape a large boulder” “He stepped to one side, and ... brought down his club upon the other’s head” THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND CHAPTER I. THE BOTTOM ROUND “Excuse me, sir, but do you need a man?” Jack Welsh, foreman of Section Twenty-one, on the Ohio division of the P. & O., turned sharply around at sound of the voice and inspected the speaker for a moment.