Knight of the Rails by Christine Welldon
Author:Christine Welldon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Published: 2022-08-12T16:28:26+00:00
â ⢠CHAPTER 13 ⢠â
NO GOODBYES
Billy figured that if hobos ever wrote a book of rules, it would soon be well-thumbed and grimy with smoke and cinders. The most important rule would begin at the top of Page One: âNo Need for Goodbyes.â
He had seen men travelling along together only to take separate paths without a backward glance or a parting word. It seemed as if they had never known one another, never once shared a crust or a laugh.
But Billy knew he would always remember Tiny.
He now stood beside her in silence, trapped in their boxcar prison as the wind moaned outside. Then with rising anger, he began to pace the boards and beat on the walls with his fists. âLet us out! Let us out!â
Tiny slumped to the floor. âDonât blow your wig. That ainât workinâ. Dammit! What are they planninâ to do with us?â
She hummed tunelessly as she took out her tobacco pouch and stuffed her pipe.
Billy sank to the floor and watched her smoke rings rising toward the ceiling.
âLook! Thereâs a hatch!â Billy pointed upward. âCome on! Get on my shoulders, Tiny. Try and shove it open.â
He squatted and she stepped up, wobbled, then steadied herself as he slowly stood. She walked her hands along the ceiling as he moved along beneath, holding her ankles.
âMove to the left,â she breathed. âA few more inches. Stop.â
He felt her straining to push on the hatch.
âWonât budge. Locked.â She jumped down and picked up her pipe again. âWish I had my gun, Iâd shoot it off.â
Outside, feet crunched on the gravel and Billy moved to the door. The bolt slid and it rolled partly open.
âStep back, you!â the policeman ordered him as two hobos climbed inside. âHope the accommodation is to your liking, gentlemen.â
The newcomers gazed around as their eyes adjusted to the gloom. Each had a square jaw and cleft chin that hinted they might be brothers.
âThat sonabitch!â one said as he settled into a corner. âGonna be a night in the clink for us.â
âNah. Bastardâs gonna send us to one of them prison camps, I bet,â said the other and glanced at Tiny and Billy. âThey catchinâ kids now! How long you two been in here?â
âToo damn long,â Tiny said, as she blew more smoke rings and watched them curl upward.
âThis is Bennettâs idea of fair play?â The first man grimaced and shook his head. âWhile he sits there in Ottawa, living off the fat of the landâlock us all up to die in a boxcar and them rich bastards livinâ the sweet life.â He hacked and spat and muttered more curses, then burst out with anger once again. âThat Bennett would steal the pennies from a dead manâs eyes!â
âRelief camps!â grumbled the other. âWhereâs the relief! Drop us in the wilderness and forget us, thatâs their game.â
âI hope he goes to hell and damnation,â his partner continued, his mind still fixed on Bennett. He took out a flask and raised it in a silent toast, â .
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