Free Whistle-Stop West by Arleta Richardson Page B

answered. “Looks on the map like Ames is the hub of Iowa. At least we didn’t have to go too far west and backtrack.”
    â€œI guess you’re right,” Miss Carmen had to agree. “We were so late leaving Florida that we’re fortunate to hitch on anywhere. This is the first time I’ve had to travel with the animal cars and the trainer.”
    Her companion nodded. “I know. It was too bad you were too ill to travel with the rest of the troupe. But you’re better now, and this has been a comfortable trip. I’m glad they’ve let us get off on the opposite side of the coach. These little towns are swarming with people when we stop. What are they out there to see? Do they meet every train that way?”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Miss Carmen replied. “I think it must have something to do with those two cars ahead of us. They’re loaded with children. Have you noticed them?”
    â€œI thought I saw a lot of them running around up there, but it’s hard to tell from back here. I never go out to walk on the platform side.”
    Across the aisle one of the animal trainers stood at the window. “You don’t have to be outside to see them,” he remarked. “There’s one standing right under our windows.”
    Carmen and Mona both slid from their seats and hurried to the other side of the car to peer out the glass.
    â€œWhy, that’s the little boy I saw in Davenport,” Carmen exclaimed. “He’s just a baby! What’s he doing out there alone?”
    As she spoke, they heard the whoo, whoo of the whistle for departure.
    â€œRudy! We can’t leave that little boy out there! Go and get him!” she urged.
    Rudy hesitated. “I can’t do that, Carmen. What if he happens to be a kid who lives here in Cedar Rapids? They’d arrest me for kidnapping!”
    â€œI tell you I saw him in Davenport,” Carmen insisted. “He didn’t get from there to here without being on this train. We’re going to be moving in just a minute. You’ve got to go get him!”
    As steam puffed around the wheels and smoke blew back from the engine, Rudy leaped down the steps, scooped Simon under one arm, and bounded back into the car.

    Just when Simon thought he’d be left behind, a man had swooped down from the train, picked him up, and whooshed him back into a railcar—almost in a single motion.
    That man’s name, he’d found out, was Rudy. Rudy had placed the boy on a seat, then sank down beside him. “Whew! We almost didn’t make it! What were you doing out there, kid?”
    Simon didn’t answer. He was staring at two ladies who stood in the aisle beside him. They weren’t any taller than he was, and he was sitting down!
    â€œWhat’s your name?” Carmen asked after introducing herself and Mona.
    â€œSimon.”
    â€œWere you riding on this train?”
    Simon nodded.
    â€œAre you with your folks?”
    â€œAin’t got no folks. Some men came and carried Ma away, and I hid under the table. Ethan said that Ma went to heaven.”
    Mona clasped her hand over her mouth in horror. “Poor child! Then where’s your pa?”
    Simon struggled to remember what he had heard about that, but nothing was clear to him. He shrugged. “Don’t know. Gone.”
    â€œWell, what were you doing out there on those rails?” Carmen insisted.
    â€œLooking for you.”
    â€œLooking for me? You don’t even know me!”
    â€œEthan and Bert don’t think I saw you. They said I made you up. I didn’t mean to almost smack you in the nose. I didn’t know your nose was down there.”
    â€œNo, I suppose you didn’t.” Carmen chuckled. “No harm done. But you have to be traveling with someone. They’ll be looking for you. Who are you with?”
    â€œMatron. And Ethan and Bert and Riley and Will and the girls