Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-10-03
| n IKE had been sitting on the


By In the early morning. Twice he had
tried TO slip under a car Of one Of the
many passenger trains which pulled up
ct the tank. He was an adept at riding
On the trucks, and in his two years -
Q tramp had travelled thousands Of
miles, curled up over the spinning
wheels or stretched out on the platform
between the engine tender and the mall
car. Mike was only Is years old, but
he had seen nearly every State In tho
country. and knew all Of the large
cities Intimately.
This morning Mike felt that he had
encountered streak OF bad luck. Ev-
cry time he slipped under car tho
brakeman or conductor caught him
and hauled him out with rough hands
and rougher language. But Mike was
used to this sort Of treatment. and took
Il a. Q mntter of course.
The afternoon was well nlong toward
evening when the wcst-bOund limited
express came around the curve, and the
engine stopped under the huge goose.
neck pipe which served to pass the
water from the reservoir to the tank
Of the tender. Mikes keen, bright eyes
watched every movement Of the train
crew, although he appeared to have no
interest in the train. its crew or pas
sengers. Luck was with him this time.
Al soon as the kissing cylinders sent
tho first Jets Of white steam over the
bitches Mike sprnng from the ties, and
In q second was nattened out on tho
platform between the mail car and the
engine. There he was safe until the
next stop unless the fireman saw him,
for there was no door to the platform
from the chr.
For m hour the train sped over the
smooth rails, through farm lands and
past towns and villages, rounding
curves and coastlng down grades. Mike
eat at ease on the steps. caring nothing
for the hot cindcrs which rained down
when the fireman fed his hungry charge
with coal. Just as the train passed
through a deep cut the engine whistle
gave two sharp blasts. and the grind
ing Of the brake shoes on the. wheels
told Mike that the engineer had applied
the air brakes.
Something's wrong" said Mike to
himself, when he felt the car SILVER
ana tump undcr tho nrcssurc AZ the
nowcrfnl brake. "ue'. oiv,n' her an
the air shc,,I .,nnd"
He ana not dare n .w,no out and
look ahead. for he knew that the con.
werc doing tint and no would ma aeon.
He wns we'll ncounintcd With the coun.
try. nnd knew tint there was no town.
side track. water tank or stoppiug place
within ton miles of the cut. Tho train
slowed up with Jerks, and, Just 40 It
came to a standstili, Mike Jumped from
the steps and dove Into clump Of
bushes.
He glnnccd toward the engine and
saw on the track. not fifty feet from
the pilot, pile OF ties on the rails. At
the same instant he heard q pistol shot.
and then from tho bushes on both sides
OF the track a score Of men rushed to.
ward the train. Two Of them, with 70.
volvers In their hands, sprang into the
engine cab.
The engineer seized a long. handled
monkey wrench and the fireman grasp.
cd an iron bar. but before they could
use them they were shot down and
thrown from tho cab. H0arsc shouts
and pistol shots mingled with the
screams OF women ana the yells OF
mon. Half dozen OF the train robbers
attacked the heavy side doors OF the
express chr, and others entered the
passenger cars and sleepcrs with re'
volvers In their hands.
The men who were trying to break
down the door Of the express car with q
sledge hammer called to the messenger
inside to open the door, but they re-
ceived q shot from rife which sent q
bullet through the heavy oak. It struck
one Of the robbers. and he fell to tho
ground.
Bring that dynamite" shouted one
OF the men.
Mixes heart seemed to rise In bis
throat, hut he did not dare leave tho
bushes. In a few minutes there wal
a loud report, and Nike saw that thu
door was shattered. The messenger
was struck down. and In a short time
the train robbers had rolled the express
safe out OF the car and carried II int
the woods.
All NJ this time tho two man who .ho,
the engineer and fireman remained II
The engine cab The engineer had fail
an near Mixes hiding Mace He wo,
orooninp with min. ana Miks crent n