“No more trains to-night,” responded the man without looking up from the noisy clicker over which he was bending.

“No more trains?”

“That’s what I said.  The last one passed here fifteen minutes ago.”

“Isn’t there any way we can get there?”

“I s’pose there is.”

“What is it?” demanded Mott eagerly.

“Walk.”

“How far is it?”

“Seven miles.”

“And there’s no other way?”

“You won’t be the first that have counted the ties between Junction and Winthrop.”

“Isn’t there a freight train that comes along pretty soon?” inquired Will.

“There’s one that’s due in ’bout an hour.  But you never can depend on it.  It may be here in an hour and it may be three hours.  You never can tell.”

“What shall we do, Phelps?” inquired Mott, turning sharply to his companion.

“I don’t care much, but I believe it would be better for us to start.  It isn’t so very far and besides it’ll be good for our longevity and help us for the meet.”

There was an exclamation of anger from Mott who doubtless had become somewhat sensitive to the frequent references to his favorite expression of the day, but he made no protest and the two boys at once started up the track.  Both were hungry and weary but the distance must be traversed, and there was no time or breath to waste in complaining.  Steadily they trudged onward, the monotony of the walk increased by the deepening darkness.  They had been gone from the station only about an hour when the shrill screech of the whistle from a locomotive approaching from behind them was heard, and in a few minutes the long and noisy freight train thundered past them.

Mott was almost beside himself with rage as he watched the passing cars and heaped all manner of maledictions upon the head of the station agent, who, he declared, must have known the train was coming, and with malice aforethought had withheld his knowledge and advised the boys to walk.  “Everybody was against the college boys,” he declared, “and looked upon it as legitimate to take advantage of them in every possible manner.”  But Will only laughed in response and made no protests though he was as thoroughly wearied as his companion.

At last the lights of the college could be seen and shortly after ten o’clock they arrived at their dormitory.  “We’ll remember this walk, I take it,” said Mott glumly as he turned toward his room.

“We certainly shall,” replied Will.  “The ‘longevity’ of that old farmer was something wonderful.”

“Bother his longevity!” exclaimed Mott as he turned quickly away.

Left to himself Will slowly climbed the stairs until he arrived at his own room, but as he was about to enter he suddenly stopped and listened intently to the sound of voices within.  Surely he knew that voice, he thought, and in an instant opened the door and burst into the room.