Page:Captain Craig; a book of poems.djvu/31

Rh And watched the track and waited for the train; And I remember, when the brakes had ceased Their welcome wheezing and the place was filled With yells and shadows and official smash, How he ground my patient fingers and said, "Well, Good-by, old man!—good-by! And don't forget: Patrician, but all Waggles to the grave." The grin became a smile soon after that, And I knew that he had let the Captain go; And I could read, where once the jest had been, The spirit of the friend who cared the most.

The train began to move; and as it moved, I felt a comfortable sudden change All over and inside. Partly it seemed As if the strings of me had all at once Gone down a tone or two; and even though It made me scowl to think so trivial A touch had owned the strength to tighten them, It made me laugh to think that I was free. But free from what—when I began to turn The question round—was more than I could say: I was no longer vexed with Killigrew, Nor more was I possessed with Captain Craig;