I like her . She never snubs a fellow , '' said Joe , much impressed with the splendor of the court ladies . The boys ' costumes were not yet ready , but they posed well , and all had a merry time , ending with a game of blind-man 's - buff , in which every one caught the right person in the most singular way , and all agreed as they went home in the moonlight that it had been an unusually jolly meeting . So the fairy play woke the sleeping beauty that lies in all of us , and makes us lovely when we rouse it with a kiss of unselfish good-will , for , though the girls did not know it then , they had adorned themselves with pearls more precious than the waxen ones they decked their Princess in . Chapter XI . `` Down Brakes '' The greatest people have their weak points , and the best-behaved boys now and then yield to temptation and get into trouble , as everybody knows . Frank was considered a remarkably well-bred and proper lad , and rather prided himself on his good reputation , for he never got into scrapes like the other fellows . Well , hardly ever , for we must confess that at rare intervals his besetting sin overcame his prudence , and he proved himself an erring , human boy . Steam-engines had been his idols for years , and they alone could lure him from the path of virtue . Once , in trying to investigate the mechanism of a toy specimen , which had its little boiler and ran about whistling and puffing in the most delightful way , he nearly set the house afire by the sparks that dropped on the straw carpet . Another time , in trying experiments with the kitchen tea-kettle , he blew himself up , and the scars of that explosion he still carried on his hands . He was long past such childish amusements now , but his favorite haunt was the engine-house of the new railroad , where he observed the habits of his pets with never-failing interest , and cultivated the good-will of stokers and brakemen till they allowed him many liberties , and were rather flattered by the admiration expressed for their iron horses by a young gentleman who liked them better even than his Greek and Latin . There was not much business doing on this road as yet , and the two cars of the passenger-trains were often nearly empty , though full freight-trains rolled from the factory to the main road , of which this was only a branch . So things went on in a leisurely manner , which gave Frank many opportunities of pursuing his favorite pastime . He soon knew all about No. 11 , his pet engine , and had several rides on it with Bill , the engineer , so that he felt at home there , and privately resolved that when he was a rich man he would have a road of his own , and run trains as often as he liked . Gus took less interest than his friend in the study of steam , but usually accompanied him when he went over after school to disport himself in the engine-house , interview the stoker , or see if there was anything new in the way of brakes . One afternoon they found No. 11 on the side-track , puffing away as if enjoying a quiet smoke before starting . No cars were attached , and no driver was to be seen , for Bill was off with the other men behind the station-house , helping the expressman , whose horse had backed down a bank and upset the wagon . `` Good chance for a look at the old lady , '' said Frank , speaking of the engine as Bill did , and jumping aboard with great satisfaction , followed by Gus . `` I 'd give ten dollars if I could run her up to the bend and back , '' he added , fondly touching the bright brass knobs and glancing at the fire with a critical eye .
`` You could n't do it alone , '' answered XXXXX , sitting down on the grimy little perch , willing to indulge his mate 's amiable weakness .
Frank Gus Steam-engines blind-man explosion expressman fire right side-track station-house