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Beach, Rex Ellingwood, 1877-1949

"The Ne'er-Do-Well"

Failing for a second time to evade the watchful eyes of the
gateman, he ranged back and forth beyond the iron fence like a
captive animal, raising his voice to heaven in weird complaint. He
was waiting when the train pulled in that evening, glued to the
iron bars, his eyes showing as white in the gloom as his expansive
grin of welcome.
For several days this procedure was repeated with variations,
until the dreadful threat of arrest put an end to it. Allan had
conceived a wholesome respect for Spiggoty police, and for a few
days thereafter Kirk was rid of him. Then one morning he
reappeared as usual in one of the forward coaches.
"How the deuce did you make it?" asked Anthony.
Allan proudly, triumphantly, displayed a ticket, exclaiming:
"It is of no h'avail to prevent me, boss!"
"That ticket is good only to Corozal, the first station. You'll
have to get off there." But when Corozal had been passed he found
Allan still comfortably ensconced in his seat.
"Now, boss, we shall have fine visits to-day," the negro
predicted, warmly, and Kirk did not have the heart to eject him.
At the other end of the line Allan repeated the process, and
thereafter worked diligently to amass sufficient money to buy
tickets from Panama to Corozal and from Colon to Mt.


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