His request for an engine had been refused, but a further relay of workmen was being sent down the line in a couple of hours' time, and he had obtained leave for himself and us to go with them.

After two long interminable hours of that everlasting pacing we found ourselves in an open truck, full of workmen, steaming slowly out of the station.

At the last moment the man in black jumped in, and accompanied us.
The pace may have been great, but to us it seemed exasperatingly slow, and in the open truck the cold was piercing.

The workmen, who laughed and talked among themselves, appeared to take no notice of it; but I saw that Charles was shivering, and presently he made his brother light his pipe, and began to smoke hard himself.
Ralph's pipe, however, went out unheeded in his fingers.

He sat quite still with his back against the side of the truck, his eyes fixed upon the gray horizon.