Hehituponanexcellentone。GoingtotheengineerofafreighttrainmakingreadytostartbacktoMacon,hetoldhimthathisfatherwasworkingintheConfederatemachineshopsatGriswoldville,nearMacon;
thathehimselfwasalsooneofthemachinistsemployedthere,anddesiredtogothitherbutlackedthenecessarymeanstopayhispassage。
Iftheengineerwouldlethimrideupontheenginehewoulddoworkenoughtopaythefare。Franktoldthestoryingeniously,theengineerandfiremenwerewonover,andgavetheirconsent。
NomorezealousassistanteverclimbeduponatenderthanFrankprovedtobe。Heloadedwoodwithanervousindustry,thatstoodhiminplaceofgreatstrength。Hekeptthetenderinperfectorder,andanticipated,asfaraspossible,everywantoftheengineerandhisassistant。Theyweredelightedwithhim,andtreatedhimwiththegreatestkindness,dividingtheirfoodwithhim,andinsistingthatheshouldsharetheirbedwhenthey\"laidby\"forthenight。Frankwouldhavegladlydeclinedthislatterkindnesswiththanks,ashewasconsciousthatthequantityof\"graybacks\"hisclothingcontaineddidnotmakehimaverydesirablesleepingcompanionforanyone,buthisfriendsweresopressingthathewascompelledtoaccede。
Hisgreatesttroublewasafearofrecognitionbysomeoneoftheprisonersthatwerecontinuallypassingbythetrainload,ontheirwayfromAndersonvilletootherprisons。HewasoneofthebestknownoftheprisonersinAndersonville;bright,active,alwayscheerful,andforeverinmotionduringwakinghours,——everyoneinthePrisonspeedilybecamefamiliarwithhim,andalladdressedhimas\"SergeantFrankie。\"Ifanyoneonthepassingtrainshadcaughtaglimpseofhim,thatglimpsewouldhavebeenfollowedalmostinevitablywithashoutof: