Climbing Higher.

A year or two passes. The cleaner is now brought in and examined as to the duties of a fireman. Successful in the test, he goes up another rung, as Kingsley's young sweep would climb from the sooty regions of his chimney towards the wonder of the sky. The one-time cleaner knows his engine now, and has a working knowledge of signals, rules and regulations. His services in his new capacity are utilised according to the page 39 play of circumstances for a few years, after which time he is appointed a regular fireman on, shunting engines. In due time it falls to his lot to go out as fireman on more important runs, such as passenger trains, mixed and goods trains. After another three or four years, at last he becomes a driver. Several years have passed since he was a water baby with a cleaning rag. Now he has become a driver on shunting work, goods trains, and short passenger runs. Five years or more may pass before he is examined for first-class driver's duties, but his goal is attained and his certificate in his pocket, he steps into the cab of an express engine with its charge of human lives. Certainly older, possibly a little grey, but he has got there.

Under him is an engine that cost £6,000 to build, a noble thing throbbing with power. He knows its mechanism, its capacity and its needs. Arriving on duty an hour before the scheduled time of departure, he sets about placing his engine in running order. He ascertains if there is a sufficient supply of sand to spill on a greasy track along a heavy grade, when the wheels churn and scream; he oils necessary parts, checks the supply of water and coal in the tender, makes sure that the fire box is free of all foreign matter, checks the smoke box and axle boxes, inspects the pistons and valves, screws, bolts and plates, and determines that the engine's great white eye is shining true. As a companion he has his fireman, who attends to his own particular duties.