Gus must not suffer for your fault . '' `` He 'll come off clear enough , but Joe must take his share , for if he had n't opened that confounded switch , no harm would have been done . But when I saw the way clear , I actually could n't resist going ahead , '' said Frank , getting excited again at the memory of that blissful moment when he started the engine . Here Jack came hurrying in , having heard the news , and refused to believe it from any lips but Frank 's . When he could no longer doubt , he was so much impressed with the daring of the deed that he had nothing but admiration for his brother , till a sudden thought made him clap his hands and exclaim exultingly , -- `` His runaway beats mine all hollow , and now he ca n't crow over me ! Wo n't that be a comfort ? The good boy has got into a scrape . Hooray ! '' This was such a droll way of taking it , that they had to laugh ; and Frank took his humiliation so meekly that Jack soon fell to comforting him , instead of crowing over him . Jill thought it a most interesting event ; and , when Frank and his mother went over to consult Mr. Burton , she and Jack planned out for the dear culprit a dramatic trial which would have convulsed the soberest of judges . His sentence was ten years ' imprisonment , and such heavy fines that the family would have been reduced to beggary but for the sums made by Jill 's fancy work and Jack 's success as a champion pedestrian . They found such comfort and amusement in this sensational programme that they were rather disappointed when Frank returned , reporting that a fine would probably be all the penalty exacted , as no harm had been done , and he and Gus were such respectable boys . What would happen to Joe , he could not tell , but he thought a good whipping ought to be added to his share . Of course , the affair made a stir in the little world of children ; and when Frank went to school , feeling that his character for good behavior was forever damaged , he found himself a lion , and was in danger of being spoiled by the admiration of his comrades , who pointed him out with pride as `` the fellow who ran off with a steam-engine . '' But an interview with Judge Kemble , a fine of twenty-five dollars , and lectures from all the grown people of his acquaintance , prevented him from regarding his escapade as a feat to boast of . He discovered , also , how fickle a thing is public favor , for very soon those who had praised began to tease , and it took all his courage , patience , and pride to carry him through the next week or two . The lads were never tired of alluding to No. 11 , giving shrill whistles in his ear , asking if his watch was right , and drawing locomotives on the blackboard whenever they got a chance . The girls , too , had sly nods and smiles , hints and jokes of a milder sort , which made him color and fume , and once lose his dignity entirely . Molly Loo , who dearly loved to torment the big boys , and dared attack even solemn Frank , left one of Boo 's old tin trains on the door-step , directed to `` Conductor Minot , '' who , I regret to say , could not refrain from kicking it into the street , and slamming the door with a bang that shook the house . Shrieks of laughter from wicked Molly and her coadjutor , Grif , greeted this explosion of wrath , which did no good , however , for half an hour later the same cars , all in a heap , were on the steps again , with two headless dolls tumbling out of the cab , and the dilapidated engine labelled , `` No. 11 after the collision . ''
No one ever saw that ruin again , and for days Frank was utterly unconscious of Molly 's existence , as propriety forbade his having it out with her as he had with XXXXX .
Frank Grif Jack Jill Shrieks door-step explosion left programme steam-engine