"
"Nonsense! There's no harm in football. Own up now, Dick, wouldn't
you like to see the match?"
"Maybe I should, especially if I could be in it," said Dick, good
humouredly.
"Hear him?" shouted Hal in derision, "he wants to be captain of our
team, no doubt, the little upstart! Come on, lads, we don't want his
company. See, all the others are going."
Soon the tramp of many feet died away, and the yards were left to
Saturday's quiet and loneliness.
The throb of the machinery and all the stir and clatter of toil had
ceased till midnight on Sunday, when the first shift of workers would
begin again.
But Dick felt entirely happy as he took a huge "doorstep" of bread and
cheese and a rosy apple from his bag, and began to munch it in the
shadow of a great locomotive that stood on the lines, not far from the
manager's office.
A few days before this engine had been brought in smoking hot for
repairs, and on Monday the work would be finished.
Dick's quick eyes had seen new features in the make of this visitor,
and he resolved to use part of his holiday in investigations. Mrs.
Garth would be busy with her cleaning and would not need him, and Pat,
who was beginning to know Saturday afternoon, must wait for his weekly
outing.
He had on his dirty slop that was already very grimy from the week's
wear and toil, and as soon as he had finished his dinner he began a
minute inspection of the beautifully finished monster.
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