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Page 13
He made it a point to pass by the ruins of the old express shed, and he
found there what he expected to find--the missing flag from the switch
shanty; only the rod was bare, the little piece of red bunting having
been burned away.
Bart dismissed this matter from his mind and all other disturbing
extraneous affairs, massing all his faculties for the time being on
getting properly equipped for business.
He selected a clean, plain board, and with the marking outfit painted
across it in six-inch letters that could be plainly read at a distance
the words:
EXPRESS OFFICE.
This Bart nailed to the door jamb in such a way that it was visible from
three directions.
Next he started to carry outside and pile neatly at the blind end of the
building all the boards, boxes and other debris littering up the room,
swept it, and selected two packing cases and nailed them up into a
convenient impromptu desk, manufactured a bench seat out of some loose
boards, set his pen, ink and paper in order, and felt quite ready for
business.
He had gained a pretty clear idea the day previous from his father as to
the Fourth of July express service routine.
The fireworks deliveries had been the main thing, but as these had been
destroyed that part of the programme was off the sheet.
At eight o'clock the morning express would bring in its usual quota, but
this would be held over until the following day except what was marked
special or perishable. There would be no out express matter owing to the
fact that it was a holiday.
"I can manage nicely, I think," Bart told himself, as, an hour later, he
ran the truck down to the site of the burned express shed and stood by
the tracks waiting.
A freight engine soon came to the spot, backing down the express car.
Its engineer halted with a jerk and a vivid:
"Hello!"
He had not heard of the fire, and he stared with interest at the ruins
as Bart explained that, until some new arrangement was made, express
shipments would be accepted and loaded by truck.
There were four big freezers of ice cream, one for delivery at the town
confectioner's, one at the drug store soda fountain, and two for the
picnic grounds, where an afternoon celebration was on the programme.
Besides these, there were three packages containing flags and fireworks,
marked "Delayed--Rush."
He closed the office door, tacked to it a card announcing he would
return inside of half an hour, and loaded into the wagon the entire
morning's freight except the two freezers intended for the picnic
grounds.
These could not be delivered until two o'clock that afternoon, and he
stowed them in the new express shed, covering them carefully with their
canvas wrappings.
Bart made a record run in his deliveries. He had formed a rough receipt
book out of some loose sheets, and when he came back to the office
filled out his entries in regular form.
Several persons visited the place up to nine o'clock--storekeepers and
others who had lost their goods in the fire. Bart explained the
situation, saying that they would probably hear from the express company
in a day or two regarding their claims.
He found in work something to change his thoughts from a gloomy channel,
and, while very anxious about his father, was thankful his parent had
escaped with his life, while he indulged some hopeful and daring plans
for his own ambitions in the near future.
"I'll stick to my post," he decided. "Some of the express people may
happen down here any time."
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