Part 15 (2/2)
”No,” answered Andrews. ”He'll stay there. I wanted to tell him that the way was clear to Adairsville ... but I couldn't. It might mean a wreck, if they are still pursuing us. That would be terrible-it's a pa.s.senger train.”
Tom nodded. Brown yelled for more wood. When the fire had been stoked, Tom took his seat beside Andrews.
”We've left them behind now, I think,” continued the leader. ”That tangle of freight at Kingston will stop them.”
A deep rumble, rising above the noise of the General struck their ears.
For a moment they did not know what it was; then Tom exclaimed, ”Thunder!
Look!” He pointed to the black sky. Already the rain was splas.h.i.+ng down upon them, streaking the forward windows of the cab.
”We're near the Reseca bridge now,” said Andrews. Then he added: ”If only the rain doesn't come down hard enough to put out our fires! It may take us longer.... Hey, Knight! Stop here! We'll tear up the rails!”
The General glided around a sharp curve in the road and came to a stop.
The men jumped out from the box-car.
”Pull up some rails here, men,” ordered Andrews. ”Break the wires, Scott.”
Scott was already halfway up a telegraph pole.
”We dumped some ties out on the road back there,” said Ross. ”They're lying across the rails.”
”Good!” answered Andrews. ”I think we've left them behind, but we can't take any chances. We may have to spend more time at the bridges starting the fires.”
He ran back to where the men were working at the rail, grabbed the iron bar and rained blows down upon the spikes. When half of the spikes had been drawn, he yelled, ”Pry this up!” They put the iron bar beneath the rail, and pulled. Slowly the remaining spikes gave way, and the inside rail of the curve rattled down the embankment.
”Now for the other side,” ordered Andrews.
The men were beginning to attack the spikes when a prolonged blast of a locomotive whistle sounded to the south. There was an instant of quiet; then Andrews yelled:
”Come on! They're after us, but that rail will be enough to wreck them!”
They ran for the train.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE PURSUIT
The screeching whistle of the Yonah, which had sent the General speeding away from Kingston, was a warning to the engineer of the freight train blocking the way of the pursuers. It had pulled out of the station and was lumbering southward, intending to make the side-track at Ca.s.s Station and wait for Fuller's pa.s.senger train.
Brakes were twisted, and the two locomotives approached each other slowly.
”Our fuel's about gone,” said Murphy.
Fuller was swinging from the Yonah's cab, ready to jump off. ”Then we'll get aboard the freight,” he replied. The others followed him.
”Back into the station,” ordered Fuller, as he climbed into the cab of the freight locomotive. ”The Yanks have stolen my train!”
”They've just pulled out!” answered the engineer. He threw the engine into reverse, while the fireman swung on the whistle cord.
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