Three weeks passed since he
first came into Captain Albright's home, yet his uncle did not send him
money nor acknowledge his letter.
One day a telegram came to him saying a ticket was at the office for him,
and the message was signed by his uncle. Joy almost to distraction filled
the boy's heart as he rushed to the depot to see if it were truly so.
It was only a day or two till Christmas, and Austin had consented to fill
quite a large place on the program for the entertainment, but he could not
wait now that his message had come. Captain Albright had been sorry for
Austin in his perplexity and rejoiced with him in the good news, and
released him from his part on Christmas Eve.
When Austin reached the great city on his way home, he was told that his
train had gone and he could not get another till the next day. The fast
train, which would pass through his uncle's town, stood then on the track;
but it would not stop. Austin was getting wise in traveling and believed he
could not get into anything out of which there would be no escape; so if he
could once get on the fast train, he would trust luck to get him off.
Dodging past the gatekeeper, he boarded this train. The conductor told him
the train could not stop, but Austin waited to see what would happen. He
had no money to stay in a hotel, and he wanted to get to his old home very
much anyway. Shortly before they reached the village, the conductor told
him the train would stop just outside for water.
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