The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1899-01-27


su1ing. Sometimes the wind swept
clouds Of sparks and flames across the
track, binding and terrifying the men.
But the engineer and fireman stood bv
thelr posts, and directed the steel mon
ster in its course.
They were rushing through clonds of
smoke, which prevented them from Soc
ing the tracks ahead, but Big Mike
never once fiinched. The tops of fallen
trees lay across the rails, but the fire.
inehdous power of the engine hurled
them aside without once checkino the
terrible speed.
Every part of the ironwork of tbe on
glne was hot to the touch, and the air
was almost unbreathable. Both fire.
man and engineer gasped for breath.
and prayed for some relief. How mncb
further would they have to run to oct
beyond the fire area?
Big Mike tried TO calculate tbe die
tanee, but there was no familiar land.
scape object in view. He looked ou.
across the fiery country, and wondered
II he could stand the strain mucb
longer
HIS attention was attracted inside n
moment later by groan, and he turned
10 see his fireman sink down ON the
floor in a dead faint.
Now, am in for it," Mike mnttered
i 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 If To
pieces. He shouted aloud TO the con.
ductor, but he knew that above the roar
and blast of the fire his voice could not
be heard.
But something happened that sur
prised him more than if the conductor
had appeared. The iron cover of the
water tank suddenly moved, and then
deliberately stood upon end, while a
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
go TO Stony Brook with him.
How did you get in there?" the en-
gineer gasped.
Il crawled in when you went to meet
the conductor at the station. You
wouldn't let me go, and my mother was
in danger"
Mike looked at his helpless fireman
and drew long breath.
We'll, now that you're here, suppose
you help me! Can you shovel coal?"
Eyes. easily"
In "A mOmeut fba how boJ oroxx1aJ qua
of the water tank, and he swung the
shovel so successfully that the fire
burned brighter than ever.
rs it cool in the water tank?" Mike
asked, lookingly longily 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"
Bertie-that was his name-iumped
back into his cool hiding place; but be-
fore closing the top he threw a 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
ii seemed as if no human being could
live in such a superheated 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 refresh
ing relief.
They entered dense patch of fir
trees, where the smoke rolled up in
pitcby-black clouds. Great flying ban
ners of flame foated down upon the en-
gine and cars from the trees on either
side. The cars were ablaze in a dozen
places, and the tracks were warped and
twisted.
Mike began to grow faint and dizzy.
A 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
il the engineer needed more water. As
he did so he saw that the engineer had
been overpowered 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 boy realized this, and 1t took him
but a minute to climb into the cab 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 en-
gineer mechanically, and he soon found
that he could stop or start the huge
monster at will. 1t was simple thing
to do; but the boy felt elated at his dis
covery.
In few minutes the engine was go
ing as fast as ever. They were rushing
along 10 miles an hour.
Hidden in his water tank he had not
experienced the full intensity of the