Indeed, it was not till, within a few minutes of the station, he caught sight of the train already standing at the platform that it occurred to him to bestir himself.

He ran, shouted, and waved his arm all at the same time, but to no effect.

The whistle blew as he entered the yard, and as he reached the platform the guard's van was gliding out of the station.
Thoroughly ruffled--for this was the last train to town--Mr Ratman vented his wrath on the world in general, and the railway officials in particular, even including in his objurgations an unlucky passenger who had arrived by the train and shared with him the uninterrupted possession of the platform.
"Easy, young man," said the latter, a substantial-looking, bony individual with a wrinkled face, and speaking with a decided American twang.

"You'll hurt yourself, I reckon, if you talk like that.

It's bad for the jaws." Mr Ratman took a contemptuous survey of the stranger and quitted the platform.
His first idea was to return to Maxfield and demand entertainment there for the night.