The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-07-08

engine hurled them aside without once
checking the terrible speed.
Every part of the iron work OF the engine
was hot to the touch, and the air was
almost unbreathable. Both fireman and
engineer gasped for breath, and prayed for
they have to run to get beyond the fire
area?
Big Mike tried to calculate the distance,
but there was no familiar landscape object
in view. He looked out across the fiery
country, and wondered if he could stand
the strain much longer.
moment later by grosn, and he turned to
see his fireman sink down on the floor in a
dead faint.
"Now l am in for it, Mike muttered.
81 can't keep the fire going too"
In this quandary he tried to pull the rope
connecting with the train, but found that
the fire had burned it to pieces. He shouted
aloud to the conductor, but he knew that
above the roar and blast OF the fire his voice
could not be heard.
But something happened that surprised
him more than if the conductor had APP
peared The iron cover OF the water tank
suddenly moved, and then deliberately
stood upon one end, while face appeared
out Of the hole.
1t was the pale face Of boy, and, as
Mike stared, he recognized the features of
the lad who had pleaded so hard to 20 10
Stony Brook with him.
GLOW did you get in there" the en-
gineer gasped.
81 crawled in when you went to meet
the conductor at the station. You wouldn't
let me 60 and my mother was in danger"
Mike looked at his helpless fireman and
drew a long breath.
"Well, now that you are here, suppose
you help me Can you shovel coal 2"
dyes, easily"
In moment the boy had crawled out of
the water tank, and he swung the shovel
so successfully that the fire burned brighter
than ever.
as it cool in the water tank 2" Mike
asked, looking longingly at the hole.
"Yes, much cooler than out here" the
lad replied.
"Well go back into it, then, until need
more coal. I'll call you when it is time. 4"
Bertie-that was his name jumped back
into his cool hiding place but before clos
ing the top he threw bucket of water over
the PROSTATE fireman and another over
Mike.
"That's good Mike said, shivering
with pleasure, as the water temporarily
cooled his parched, aching brows.
But the run was not by any means over
yet, nor had they reached the worst part Of
the fire. The heat became more intense as
they proceeded, until it seemed as if no
human being could live in such super
heated atmosphere.
BERTHE soused the engineer again and
again with the water from the tank, but
even the water inside was getting warm,
and it failed to bring the same refreshing
relief
They entered dense patch of fire trees,
where the smoke rolled up in pitchy- black
clouds. Great flying banners of flame
floated down upon the engine and cars from
tha aitbor piia Tho
ablaze in dozen places, and the tracks
were warped and twisted.
Big Mike began to grow faint and dizzy.
4 sensation OF falling seemed to come over
him, and he unconsciously called to his boy
companion for help.
Bert opened the top of the tank to see if
the engineer needed more water. As he
did so he saw the engineer had been over
powered with the heat and smoke, and,
though sitting up with his hand on the
lever he was unconscious.
In his fall backward the engineer had
accidentally shut off the steam, and the
pounding train was rapidly slackening its
pace. To stop an instant in such desert
Of fire meant death to all on the train !
The hoy realized this, and it took him
but a minute to climb into the caboose and
open wide the throttle.
He did not know much about steam
engine, but in this terrible run through
the fiery woods he had watched the engineer
mechanically, and he soon found that he
could stop or start the huge monster at
will. 1t was a simple thing to do but the
boy felt elated at his discovery.
In a few minutes the engine was going
as fast as ever. They were rushing along
seventy miles an hour.
Hidden in the water tank he had not ex-
perienced the iull intensity of the heat,
but now he bagan to realize what an ordeal
the fireman and engineer had passed
through With only slight protection from
the binding, burning smoke and flames,
the engineers position seemed almost I'M
bearable.
BERTHE prayed for strength He knew
that his own life, that of his mother, and