Chapter 48

They watched as the switch engine was hooked up to the refrigerator cars,and pulled them to Sampson,where they would join the cars that had been loaded the previous day.The refrigerator cars were to be picked up the next morning by a special train that was already making its way toward them from points further south.When the train reached its final destination,it would be carrying enough watermelons to fulfill the needs ofa great many hungry people.

“Where will those carloads of melons wind up?”Jake said.

“At points all over the northeast,”Josh said.“I don’t envy Watson’s people the task of arranging for all those trains,but there aren’t enough people living in any one place to use up the melons in a timely manner,so the distribution of them has to bea logistical nightmare.”

“It’s certainly been good exercise for us,and for the boys.”

“Yeah.No argument there.”

“Do you think we’re letting them overdo it?”Jake said.