Jack paused to enjoy the effect of the words. He could certainly find no fault with his audience on the score of inattention. Allan and Mr. Schofield were regarding him with rapt countenances; and at the last words, Nevins, too, had started to a strained attention, his quick, uneven breathing attesting his agitation. "Yes, it was Nolan," Jack repeated, "an' th' other one was that felly there," and he indicated Nevins with a motion of the finger. "'Well, did ye do it?' Nolan asked. "'Yes, I done it,' said th' other. 'How about th' freight?' "'I left her three mile back,' says Nolan, 'with th' wust hot-box ye iver see. An' when she tries t' start she'll find an air-hose busted. She can't git here till way arter seven.' "'Th' special'll be along about seven-five, I think,' says Nevins, 'an' it'll be a-comin' a mile a minute.' "'Bully!' says Nolan, an' laughs to himself. 'I guess that prig'll hev suthin' t' think about th' rest of his life. I guess he won't stay much longer with _this_ road.' "I knowed they was talkin' about Allan," Jack went on, "and I tell you my blood was a-boilin' considerable; it was all I could do t' keep myself from jumpin' up an' grabbin' them two scoundrels an' knockin' their heads together till I'd smashed 'em. But I couldn't see yet jest what it was they was up to. So I thought I'd set still an' try t' find out. An' purty soon I _did_ find out. "'But you've got t' git th' order back on th' hook,' says Nolan. 'If y' don't, it'll be you who'll suffer an' not that rat.' "'Niver worry,' says Nevins, 'I'll git it back. I've pervided fer all thet.' "Even yet I couldn't understand," Jack added. "I couldn't believe that any two human bein's would be sich divils as them words'd indicate. I thought mebbe I was dreamin', but I pinched myself an' it hurt. Then I thought mebbe I hadn't heerd right. I jest _couldn't_ b'lieve my own ears. "'Well, I can't stay here,' says Nevins. 'I must be gittin' over by th' shanty. I've got t' watch my chance.' "'I'll go along,' says Nolan. 'Mebbe I kin help. Anyway, I'm a-goin' t' stay till th' thing comes off.'