'"What are we to do?" they exclaimed, as day
followed day, and still there was no apparent pro-
gress made in the work.

' " Persevere," replied Stephenson.

' And however often the question was asked him,
.still he met it with the same unalterable reply.
Great was the joy of his opponents when they






Perseverance Rewarded. 1 8 1

thought that at last they had their adversary in an
inextricable fix. The most absurd rumours were
everywhere rife. Now it was said, " Chat Moss had
blown up ;" now, " That hundreds of men and work-
men were engulphed and lost in the bog ;" now,
better still, "That Stephenson himself had been
swallowed up, and there was an end of his specula-
tions for ever." The wish was father to the thought.
Whilst this gratifying piece of' intelligence was cir-
culating, Stephenson was putting the finishing touches
to his great undertaking ; and in six months from
the time when a meeting of the directors had pro-
nounced, " The works must be abandoned, the thing
could never be done," the rails were all in their
places, and those very directors speeding away com-
fortably in a railway carriage over that very bog
which would have been considered for ever im-
passable, but for Stephenson's firm determination
to keep to his motto, and to " persevere."

' Chat Moss once crossed, everything else seemed
easy by comparison. The faith of the directors was
strengthened, and even those most opposed to
Stephenson thought twice before they openly criti-
cised the proceedings of a man who had thrown a
railway over an unapproachable swamp. People
looked on and wondered what would come next,
when neither the opposition of men, nor the ap-
parently insurmountable obstacles of nature, had the
slightest effect in turning the indefatigable engineer



1 8 2 The Triumphs of Steam.

from his purpose. His greatest difficulty now was
to organize a body of workmen who could under-
stand and execute his orders/

'Why, aunt/ exclaimed Charles, 'why did he not
employ the navvies ? '

' Because there were no navvies then, at least not
in the sense in which we now use the term when we
apply it to the men who are employed almost exclu-
sively in the construction of railways, and a vigor-
ous, energetic body of workers they are, with their
own laws and regulations, and code of morality. But
when Stephenson wanted help, he had to look out
for it for himself; and with his usual judgment he
applied to a very strong, powerful class of men, who
earned their livelihood by making canals and works
of that description. These men were called navi-
gators, a word afterwards corrupted into the shorter
term navvy, and were peculiarly well fitted by their
previous habits of life for being formed into just such
a band of workmen as Stephenson required. How-
ever, although he had thus found the materials, he
had to mould them himself into shape ; and very hard
work this was. He knew that precept without prac-
tice is of no worth whatever, and that if he wished
them to become skilled artisans, he must see that
they were well taught their trade : consequently he
himself took part in their work, sometimes wheel-
ing the barrows, sometimes using the pickaxe, or
whatever might be the business in hand, explaining



The Navvies. 183

at all times the principles on which he acted to the
men, and showing them how the greatest amount of
labour might be effected with the smallest possible
expenditure of time and strength. Nothing was too
small for him to think it worth his closest attention ;
nothing was beyond the grasp of his mind. The
consequence was, that he gradually trained a body
of men who have since become the wonder of the
whole world for their skill, their strength, and their
indomitable energy.

' But extraordinary as were Stephenson's powers,
there is a limit to all things human. He could not
be everywhere at once, and he soon 'became pain-
fully aware that if his time and attention were to be
absorbed with his engineering work, his locomotive,
the cherished favourite, on which his hopes of future
fame depended, would too certainly be neglected.
In this perplexity his thoughts naturally reverted to
his son. If Robert could be at Newcastle whilst he
was detained at Liverpool, why, then, all would be
well ; for Robert was quite as devoted to the loco-
motive as he was himself. Most happily, he had
received such improved accounts of his son's health,
that he did not scruple to write and explain to him
his difficulties and his wishes. Robert, to whom his
father's fame was at all times dearer than his own,
was only too glad to comply with Mr. Stephenson's
request. He made immediate arrangements for
giving up his appointment in America, and then



184 The Triumphs of Steam.

lost not a moment in returning to put himself and
his services at his father's disposal. He came back
just in time. The fate of the locomotive was trem-
bling in the balance : it was his talent which was
destined to turn the scale.

'The Liverpool Railroad was almost concluded,
and now came the question, How was it to be
worked ? To employ horse labour was evidently
out of the question. Should fixed stationary en-
gines, therefore, be constructed along the line ? or
should the locomotive first be tried ? For the first
time Stephenson was taken aback ; he had never
had any idea but that the locomotive was to be
used. What ! after all his trouble, was this to be
the end ? What could the directors be thinking
about ? It was in vain he urged, in vain he
pointed out the immense advantages which would
accrue to the company by the use of the locomotive.
The innovation was too bold ; the directors shook
their heads ; they must take counsel. And so
they did ; and all the engineers decided against
Stephenson. "What! could they not trust the
man who had crossed Chat Moss ? " he said. " Had
he ever deceived them? Had he ever told them
he could do any one given thing without faithfully
keeping his promise, even to the very most minute
particular ? Why, then, not trust him now ? Only
give him the trial ; it was all he asked. On such
a point as this, and after all he had done for them,



Engine Competition. 185

surely this was not too great a concession for them
to make ? "

' The directors were fairly puzzled. All that Mr.
Stephenson told them was true enough ; but then,
there he stood alone in his judgment. Suppose he
was wrong ; why, what fools the world would think
them ! Yes ; but suppose he was right, why they
would be greater fools still, not to profit by his
knowledge. And so at length they gave in to a sort
of compromise. They offered a reward to any en-
gineer who should build an engine having certain
indispensable qualifications. These engines were to
be built by a certain day, and tried upon the Liver-
pool line. If they answered, well and good, then
the line should be worked by the locomotive ; if
they failed, it was only the delay of a few weeks,
till the stationary engines could be erected.

' Stephenson was satisfied : all he wanted was a
trial. Robert was again in England, and with his
aid failure was impossible. Great was the excite-
ment amongst the engineers as soon as the decision
of the Liverpool board of directors was made known ;
and an eager competition was commenced as to who
should get the most perfect engine ready by the
appointed day.

' At Newcastle the best hands were pressed into
the service, and, under the superintendence of Mr.
Robert Stephenson, the construction of a new and
much improved engine went rapidly forward. It



1 86 The Triumphs of Steam.

must have been an exciting time both to father
and to son, as they talked over, and planned, and
arranged, and re-arranged every portion of the
machinery of the " Rocket." How much both for
them and for the world at large depended on the
conduct of their favourite !

'At length the time of trial arrived. Of all the
engines that had been constructed, only four were
found to combine all the requisite qualifications.
These were :

' Messrs. Braithwaite & Ericsson's " Novelty."

' Mr. Hackworth's " Sanspareil."

' Mr. Burstall's " Perseverance."

' Mr. Robert Stephenson's " Rocket."

' The ground chosen for the trial was about two
miles in length, and each engine was to make twenty
trips, the speed never being less than ten miles an
hour. It was like a tournament in olden times, and
crowds flocked from all parts of the country to see
the engines enter the lists. Their powers were to
be tested separately ; and great was the excitement,
and endless the speculations, as to who would be the
victor. The suspense was not destined to last very
long. The " Sanspareil " was too heavy, consumed
too large a proportion of fuel, and broke down on
the eighth trip. The " Novelty " burst twice. The
" Perseverance " had to be withdrawn altogether.
On the " Rocket," then, and the " Rocket " alone,
hung the fate of himself and all his race.



Success of the ' Rocket' 1 8 7

' Now, Stephenson, can you look on calmly and
wait the result ? Yes ; you have faith in yourself,
and faith in your son. Get the engine ready and
let her go. Ready ? ay, ready. Backwards and
forwards, backwards and forwards. Why, they can-
not stop her. Cannot they ? they are only testing
her powers. She is going nine-and-twenty miles an
hour now ; wait, and in a few moments you will see
her come in at the goal as quiet and as well in
hand as the gentlest pony that was ever obedient
to a lady's touch. Well might the people cheer.
Well might the directors chuckle inwardly, as they
thought of raised dividends. Well might the father
and the son rejoice in their success, as with calm
self-respect they received the congratulations of all
that numerous throng. They had done a great
work, a work of which they had a right to be proud ;
for they had triumphed over ignorance and preju-
dice, and risen by the force of their own native
power and worth over the still more insurmountable
barriers of caste. From this moment not only was
their position secured, but they had decided for ever
the fate of railways and of the locomotive/

' Oh, I am so glad ! ' exclaimed Arthur. ' I should
have been so dreadfully disappointed if the "Rocket"
had broken down/

' What became of the "Rocket?"' inquired Charles.
' If I had been Mr. Stephenson, I should have kept
it for ever as a trophy/



1 88 The Triumphs of Steam.

' It did not belong to Mr. Stephenson/ replied
Mrs. Grenville. ' It was built for the company, and
worked on the line till 1837, when the directors
most ungratefully sold it to make room for more
powerful engines. I think the least they could have
done, would have been to give it back to Mr. Stephen-
son when they had no further use for it themselves.
However, after many adventures and misadventures,
it has found rest at last. A good many years after
the Liverpool directors had parted with it, it was
once again for sale. Mr. Stephenson himself be-
came the purchaser, sending the engine to his New-
castle manufactory ; and there it now stands, a
memorial, for all time coming, of the wonders that
may be wrought, simply by energy and persever-
ance/

'Oh mamma, mamma, that is not quite fair!'
exclaimed Ernest. ' Think what wonderful talent
both Stephensons had. It was not only their energy
and perseverance.'

' But it was mainly owing to those qualities that
they owed their success/ replied Mrs. Grenville ;
' and either of the Mr. Stephensons would have
been the first to tell you so themselves. Others
have had quite as great, perhaps even finer talents,
and yet have done nothing with them. If you ever
hope to succeed as the Stephensons did, believe
me, there is nothing lor it but to work as the Ste-
phensons worked/



Desire for Improvement. 189

' Well, Aunt Helen, we really have tried, have we
not ?' added Charles. ' I am sure, since you began
to tell us this story, I have made more efforts to
conquer my indolence than I ever did in my whole
life before/

' If that is the case, I cannot do better than to say
with Mr. Stephenson, " Persevere," ' replied his aunt,
smiling. 'And now you must run away and amuse
yourselves, for I have got some letters to write,
which must be ready for to-day's post.'

Charles was not wrong. The account which Mrs.
Grenville had given the children of Mr. Stephenson,
his sayings and doings, had taken a wonderful hold
on their imagination, and they were never tired of
talking over all his adventures, and wondering how
far in the same circumstances they should have acted
as he had done. Their courage was destined before
long to be put to the proof.

Charles had become so good a horseman, that Mr.
Grenville had no anxiety about trusting him to go
out alone or only with Ernest, and the two cousins
were in the habit of taking long rides all over the
neighbourhood, and very much they enjoyed the
freedom of their gallops. One day when they had
been out rather longer than usual, and were return-
ing home quickly to make up for lost time, as they
were approaching a river which separated the parish
of Helmstead from that in which Mr. Grenville's pro-
perty was situated, Charles suddenly checked his pony.



1 90 The Triumphs of Steam.

'Stop, Ernest! Ernest!' he exclaimed. 'Listen,
do you not hear cries ?'

Ernest pulled up as quickly as possible, and both
boys listened intently. ' Now Ernest, hark ! hark !
do you not hear?'

'Yes, yes, I hear/ said Ernest, as first a cry of
terror, and then a low smothered shriek, was borne
past them by the wind.

' It is from the river/ exclaimed Ernest. ' Here,
here, to the right, Charles ;' and both boys galloped
on as fast as possible in the direction from whence
they heard the sound. As they neared the bank
they saw a little girl standing in a perfect agony of
terror, and crying as if her heart would break.

'He is in, he is in!' was all she could gasp out
through her sobs.

'Who is in?' exclaimed Ernest.

' My brother ! my brother !' and the child pointed
towards where a dark body rose for a moment to
the surface. There had been a great deal of rain
lately ; the river was swollen, and the tide was run-
ning rapidly. Ernest was an excellent swimmer,
but it required a stout heart to think of battling
with that roaring stream. For a moment he hesi-
tated ; then came the thought of George Stephenson
to his mind, how he had dared death in the flames
to save his fellow-workmen. All, all was done in
far less time than it takes to tell, as turning to his
cousin he exclaimed eagerly:



Rescue from Drowning. 191

' Charles, ride off as fast as the pony can lay legs
to ground, there to that farm yonder ; tell them to
bring help, a boy is drowning/

Without waiting to know his cousin's intention,
Charles galloped off to do his bidding. Ernest
had taken his resolution ; he rode rapidly forward,
so as if possible to head the current, and meet the
body as it was floating down ; then springing from
his pony, he plunged gallantly into the stream. It
was stronger than he had calculated upon, and in
spite of his utmost efforts it bore him down. Excite-
ment and his strong will gave him for the moment
unnatural power, and just as he had succeeded in
breasting the flood, to his unspeakable joy the body
of which he was in search came floating by. Striking
out bravely, he grasped at it with his hand, and suc-
ceeded in catching hold of the collar of the poor
boy's coat. It was perhaps fortunate for both that
life seemed to be extinct. Had the lad struggled,
or had he clasped Ernest for protection, both must
inevitably have perished. As it was, it was a hard
matter to fight his own way against the stream,
upholding as he did so the head of his unfortunate
companion. His strength was visibly decreasing,
his breath came thick and painfully, and his eyes
were growing dim and hazy. But that brave young
heart within him never quailed or trembled. ' God
be with me!' passed his lips more fervently than per-
haps prayer had ever passed his lips before ; and



1 92 7^he Triumphs of Steam.

God was with him ; and just as Charles returned
with succour from the farm, Ernest had drawn his
insensible burden from the water, and, faint and
trembling, had sunk down exhausted by his side.

Most fortunately a medical man was paying a
visit to a sick patient at the farm, at the very
moment when Charles arrived there ; not an instant
was therefore lost in obtaining prompt and effectual
succour.

It was only just in time ; a little more and the
last spark of life would have been extinguished.

' But, my boy, we must not forget you,' said the
farmer, turning to Ernest, when, under the direction
of the medical man, the unfortunate lad had been
conveyed to the farm. ' Come in ; we must find
something warm and comforting for you. I do not
know who you be, but you be a fine, brave, plucky
fellow, that I will say for you/

' I am Ernest Grenville,' replied Ernest quite
simply.

' Sure ! what, the squire's son ? Then I wish him
joy of such a lad ;' and the honest farmer held out
his hand, giving Ernest's such a shake as might
have sufficed of itself to restore suspended circu-
lation.

But he did not content himself with this manifes-
tation of his regard. He took him up with him to
the farm, ordered a warm bath for him as quickly
as possible, a thorough rubbing, and a glass of good,



Recovery of the Boy. 193

strong, hot cordial, which he mixed for him with his
own hand ; and as Charles was very unwilling to
leave his cousin, and also very anxious to know the
fate of the boy whom Ernest had rescued, the farmer
put the finishing touch to his kindness by sending
off one of his own men on Charles's pony to the
Grange, to tell Mr. and Mrs. Grenville that the boys
were in safety, and to beg that a carnage might be
sent to take them home.

Very much restored by the farmer's treatment,
Ernest's only thought was now for the poor boy ;
and great was his delight when, after a period of
lengthened suspense, which seemed endless to the
cousins, the medical man at length pronounced that
animation was returning, and, with God's blessing,
he thought there was no doubt the boy's life would
be spared. Then, and not till then, it flashed upon
them all of a sudden that they had forgotten the
little girl ; and Charles, who thought he had not
taken a nearly sufficiently prominent part in the
events of the day, volunteered instantly to go in
search of the unfortunate child. But the farmer
would not let him go alone ; and so, in company
with one of the labourers, he proceeded, not with-
out serious qualms of self-reproach for his forgetful-
ness, to endeavour to find the poor child. He had
not far to go. Overcome with grief and terror, the
poor little thing had sat herself down under a hedge
near where they had left her, and there, leaning her

N






194 Tke Triumphs of Steam.

head upon the bank, she had fallen fast asleep, the
wild flowers her pillow, and the deep blue sky her
covering.

'Poor little thing, do not let us wake her/ said
Charles ; ' she will only fret, and we are not quite
sure yet whether her brother will live or die. I
think I can carry her/

' No, no, young master/ said the man kindly ; ' I
am more fit for that work than you : you lead on,
and I will follow.' And lifting her up in his arms,
he and Charles returned to the farm in time to hear
that both Mr. and Mrs. Grenville had arrived, and
that Mr. Fortescue pronounced that his patient was
entirely out of danger.

He was not well enough, however, to speak. It
was therefore to the little girl they must look for
information as to who they were, and whence they
had come. When first, however, the poor little
thing had awoke, she was so frightened they could
make nothing out of her account ; but gradually
Mrs. Grenville's kind, gentle manners so won upon
her affections and soothed her fears, that she elicited
sufficient information to understand that her name
was Danvers, that she and her brother were the
children of a clergyman, that they were staying
with an aunt who lived about two miles from Helm-
stead, that they had permission to go and fish in a
pond near the house, but that some boy had said
there was better fish in the river, and so they had




Stephenson teaching the Navvies.



P. 194.



The Girl's Account of the Accident. 195

gone there to try their luck. She did not know how
Alfred had fallen in. She saw him fall, and heard
him cry ; and then the stream went round, oh, so
fast, so very fast ! and she thought he was swallowed
up ; and she screamed as loud as she could ; and
then two boys came galloping up, and she knew
no more, they went quite out of her sight, and
she was afraid to follow, and she stood and cried
till she could cry no more, and then she sat down,
and she could not recollect anything else till she
found herself in that room, and sitting on Mrs.
Grenville's lap.

Mrs. Grenville's first thought was for the unfortu-
nate aunt, and the anxiety she must be enduring.
Finding from Mr. Fortescue that young Danvers
might now be safely moved, she proposed to her
husband that she should at once take the children
home, and return and call for the boys and himself,
Mr. Fortescue kindly promising to accompany her,
and see that his patient was properly cared for. As
to the farmer, he scouted all idea of any sort of
remuneration, he was only too glad to have had the
opportunity of doing a kind act ; and as to what he
had done for the young squire there, he said, when
he again shook his hand heartily at parting : ' I hold
it not only a pleasure, but an honour, to have shown
him hospitality. We want more of such young chaps
among us, fellows who have not only the heart to
do a bold deed, but the modesty not afterwards to



196



The Triumphs of Steam.



brag about it. I wish you joy, sir, of your son, and
long life to you both/

Oh, how happy Ernest felt as he caught his
mother's proud, fond glance ! and in his inward soul
he thanked God, who had given him power to do
the deed.





CHAPTER IX.

Opening of the Manchester and Liverpool line The Birmingham line
Difficulties overcome by Mr. Robert Stephenson 1 Anecdotes of
Mr. George Stephenson in later life.

^ATURALLY enough, the boys could think
and talk of but little else than their ad-
venture, and Mrs. Grenville promised that,
if the next day was fine, they should ride
over to Helmstead directly after breakfast, and in-
quire how young Danvers was getting on. Almost
before it was light, Ernest and Charles were up and
examining the state of the weather. They might as
well have stayed in bed, for, had they listened, they
would have heard the wind howling, and the rain
beating heavily against the windows. Oh what a
dull, leaden sky, not a break to be seen all round
the horizon ! There was but one comfort, it was
pouring so violently, surely it could not last. Why,
what had bewitched the weather ? Hour followed
hour, and still steadily, incessantly, drip, drip, drip,
fell the rain.

1 See Smiles' Lift of Stephenson, pp. 298-444.



198 The Triumphs of Steam.

' Now, Aunt Helen, is not this enough to try any
one's temper?' exclaimed Charles, as, breakfast
over, he was standing at the window, vainly en-
deavouring to persuade himself and others that the
weather was certainly taking up. ' This rain is really
quite unbearable/

' It is very disappointing, certainly.'

'Oh Aunt- Helen, it is much more than that/
replied Charles, somewhat provoked at the quiet
tone in which Mrs. Grenville spoke ; ' it is utterly
unendurable, not but that I think if we were to put
on our mackintoshes, and ride very fast, we should
not come to any harm. It does look a little bit
clearer. Look here, Ernest, do you not see some-
thing like blue sky ? '

It required more imagination than Ernest pos-
sessed to find it out, and Mrs. Grenville entirely
objected to their going out in such heavy rain,
even with the utmost protection that mackintoshes
could give.

' And after putting Mr. Hervey off, and all/ said
Charles ; ' it is too annoying/

' Why, Charles/ replied his aunt, smiling, ' how
long have you felt it an annoyance to be excused
doing " that horrid Latin and Greek, or that wretched
stuff Algebra, that I can make nothing of ?"'

'Aunt Helen!'

'Well, my love, that seems to be your present
grievance/



Charles Discontented. 199

'No ; now, Aunt Helen, you know it is not that/

' Is it not ? It seemed so. I am afraid it will not
clear up yet/ added Mrs. Grenville, ' if that is what
you are vexed about ; and losing your temper will
not mend the matter. It will only make yourself