He started up the track.

Then wham and he lit on his hands and knees beside the track.

There was water on both sides of the track, then tamarack swamp.

He looked up the track at the lights of the caboose going out of sight around a curve.

He went over to the edge of the track, down the little slope to the water and washed his hands.

He stepped along the track, walking so he kept on the ballast between the ties, the swamp ghostly in the rising mist.