an explanation. Seeing his father’s serious look, Eddie decided to apologize.
“I’m sorry, Pa,” said Eddie. “I went fishing and lost track of time. I should have done my chores like you said. Are you going to punish me?”
Frank Malone paused for a minute to consider the situation. Then to Eddie’s surprise, Pa didn’t punish him. Instead he put an arm around Eddie’s shoulders.
“No, son,” he said. “I guess you’ve had enough for one day. When you wasn’t at the tent, I was right worried.”
“I know you’ve had to fend for yourself lately,” he continued. “And I wish things was different, but I’m doin’ the best I can . . . I need you to do your best too.”
Eddie looked up at his pa and replied solemnly, “I’ll try, Pa. I really will.”
Just then a flash of lightning lit the sky and a roll of thunder rumbled in the distance. “Me and you better move along,” said Pa looking up at the threatening clouds.
Eddie called to Rex and the three started back just as the skies opened up and a winter rain began to fall. As they crossed the tracks to reach their camp, Eddie suddenly stopped.
“There’s a light moving inside the paymaster car,” said Eddie pointing down the tracks. “What do you think it is, Pa?”
Frank Malone turned and looked toward the paymaster car.
“Might be trouble,” said Pa. “You go on home while I take a look-see.”
When Eddie and Rex got back to the tent, they were soaking wet. Eddie dried himself off and then dried Rex. After hanging the towel neatly over the indoor clothesline, he wearily crawled into his cot and covered himself with a blanket. Rex curled up on the floor beside him and soon the two were fast asleep.
Just as the early morning light crept into the camp, Eddie was awakened by a booming voice outside their tent.
“Frank Malone, come out in the name of the law!”
2
Thieves
The sheriff’s loud voice sent Rex into a barking frenzy. Eddie and Pa sprang from their cots in alarm. While Pa pulled on his boots, Eddie tried to calm Rex down but it was no use. Rex sensed danger and he continued to bark.
Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Frank Malone hurried to the tent’s screen door and looked out. Eddie held Rex back, but the dog kept growling and straining at his collar. Finally Eddie let Rex pull him towards the doorway to stand beside Pa.
Charlie Jenkins, Marathon’s sheriff, and Mr. Tate, Pa’s supervisor, stood in the yard. It was still drizzling from the night before and rain dripped off their hat brims.
“Get out here, Malone,” ordered the sheriff. “I need to speak with you . . . and shut that dog up!”
“What’s wrong, Pa?” asked Eddie. “Why are Sheriff Jenkins and Mr. Tate outside?”
“Nothin’ I can’t handle,” answered Frank Malone. “Keep Rex quiet while I go out and see.”
“Yes, sir,” said Eddie, leaning down to get a better grip on Rex’s collar. Then Eddie tried to soothe him by scratching the dog’s ears as he eavesdropped at the doorway.
“That’s the man I saw last night running out of the paymaster car,” said Mr. Tate, pointing directly at Pa.
“Are you sure?” asked the sheriff.
“Positive,” answered the supervisor. “Frank Malone works for me down at the marl pit.”
“I didn’t do nothin’ wrong,” protested Frank.
“I saw him there, Sheriff,” insisted Mr. Tate. “Do your job.”
Sheriff Jenkins took a step closer to Pa. “Why don’t you and I go into your tent and have a look around.”
Eddie pulled Rex away from the door to let Pa and Sheriff Jenkins inside. Mr. Tate stood guard on the steps.
After a brief search, the sheriff asked skeptically, “Well, Malone, what did you do with the payroll?”
“I’m tellin’ you, Sheriff,” said Pa, sweat breaking out on his forehead, “two strangers done stole it.”
“Were you in the paymaster car last night?” questioned the Sheriff impatiently.
“Yes, I seen a light and . . .”
Before Pa could finish, Sheriff Jenkins impatiently interrupted. “So you admit you were there?”
“Yes, but I didn’t . . .”
The sheriff wasted no time. He quickly pulled a set of handcuffs from his pocket and clapped them onto Pa’s wrists. “Frank Malone,” said Sheriff Jenkins firmly, “you’re under arrest for robbing the F.E.C. payroll.”
The sheriff forced-marched him outside and the three men started towards the jail. Eddie left Rex in the tent and ran after the sheriff.
“You can’t take Pa away,” blurted Eddie, grabbing on to the lawman’s sleeve. “He’s no thief. This is a mistake!”
The sheriff brushed Eddie’s hand away. “Sorry, boy,” he said, “but I’ve got a job to do.”
Eddie ran over to the railroad supervisor. “Mr. Tate, my pa would never steal. He’s an honest man!”
“I know what I saw,” said Mr. Tate gruffly. “Maybe your pa will remember what he did with the payroll after cooling his heels in jail for a while. Now, go on back to your tent. This is grown-up business.”
“Eddie, do what Mr. Tate says,” said Pa, trying to keep his voice strong. “I’ll git this mess straightened out directly.”
Eddie had no choice but to obey. He went back to the tent and sat down on the edge of his cot to think. He was scared for Pa and for himself too. Rex padded over and put his head in Eddie’s lap. He whimpered softly and looked up soulfully at his master.
“Pa’s in big trouble, Rex ol’ boy. What are we going to do?”
Eddie stroked Rex’s head absentmindedly as he tried to come up with a way to help Pa, but it was no use. He just couldn’t think on an empty stomach.
“I guess we’d better get some breakfast, Rex. Then let’s go over to Matthew’s house.”
At the word breakfast, Rex’s tail began to thump the floor. He yipped a couple of times and Eddie could have sworn that Rex was smiling. After running a comb through his unruly red hair and splashing water on his face, Eddie called to Rex. Together, they left the tent and headed over to the dining hall.
Eddie left Rex at the door and entered the building alone. The dining hall was crowded with railroad workers who sat shoulder-to-shoulder at long, wooden tables, wolfing down their first meal of the day. He recognized one of the marl pit workers who had the same shift as Pa.
“Hey, boy,” the worker yelled, “where’s your pa this morning?”
Eddie pretended not to hear. He just wasn’t up to telling the man about Pa’s arrest so he hurriedly moved to the food line.
The cook handed him a plate of eggs, ham, and biscuits. Eddie put it on his tray and took a seat by himself in the corner. He toyed with his eggs for a few minutes, moving them back and forth across his plate. Finally, he gave up. He stuffed the biscuits in his pocket and left the building.
Outside, Rex was waiting patiently as usual. Eddie