Come at once." (signed) "Dave Fulsbee." Tom's first instinct was to start and tremble.

He felt sure that Fulsbee had bad news and was trying to conceal the fact until he could see the young chief engineer in person.
"But that's really not Dave's way," Reade told himself in the next breath.

"Fulsbee talks straight out from the shoulder.
What has he to show me, I wonder! Gracious, how tired I am! If Fulsbee knew just how I feel at this moment he wouldn't send for me.

But of course he doesn't know." Stepping outside, Tom looked about, espying his pony standing where it had been tied to one of the porch pillars of the station.
"I'll get Harry to ride with me," Reade thought, but he found his chum engaged in testing a stretch of rails near the station, a dozen of the college students with him.
"Pshaw! I'm strong enough to ride five miles alone," muttered Tom.

"Thank goodness my horse hasn't been used up.