The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-12-18

Somewhere far back along the line a
locomotive hooted mournfully.
Its got to!" Alan replied. helping
Rose aboard. eff we can only get out
of sight before they get here"
Don't worry" Barcus advised:
that's freight whistle"
Maybe you can distinguish the
whistle of a freight from that OF pas
senger train-I don't say you can't;
but I'll take no chances on your judg-
ment being good. Hop aboard here II
you're coming with us!"
Slowly the hand car stirred on Its
| grease-hungry and complaining axles;
slowly 1t gathered momentum and
surged noisily up the track as Alan |
and Barcus, on opposite sides of the |
handlebar, alternately rose and fell |
back; slowly it mounted the slight
grade to the bend in the track rounded
1t, lost sight of the stalled Pullman
on the siding and began to move more
swiftly on moderate down grade.
. Behind it the thunder of an APP
: preaching train grew momentarily In
volume. lending color to the theory OF
Mr.. Barcus that what they had heard
/
: rather than of the light engine But
Just as Alan was about to advocate
leaving the tracks and taking the hand
car with them, to clear the way for the
train, it's rumble began to diminish.
4 grew less and beautifully less, and was
stilled
What do you make of that?" Alan
painted across the racking bar.
THE obvious" Barcus returned.
''The freight has taken the siding to
wait for some other through train to
u pass. Well have to look sharp and be
q ready to jump"
d The grade became trace more
steep; the car moved with less reluc-
e lance.
g Let CO." Alan advised: It'll coast
y down the balance of this incline-and
we'd better save our strength"
But they had barely regained their
breath and mopped the streaming
sweat away from their eyes when a
second whistle, of a different tone,
startled both back to their task.
g Catching the eye of Barcus Alan
% nodded despairingly.
Afraid it's all up with US now" he
the whistle of the light engine"
Sure it did!" Barcus agreed. I'll
= wouldn't be us if we had any better
I luck. The saints be praised for this
| graded"
For all its age and decrepitude tbs
| hand car made very fair pace at this
| urge of the two who rose and saggeC
again without respite on either sid'
:. the handlebar; and the grade was hap
PLY long, turning and twisting like
d snake through the hills.
81 little grace was granted them
81 moreover, through the circumstanc
81 Gas they afterward discovered) tina
n the light engine had stopped at tn
b siding long enough to couple up Trine'
sa Pullman-thus automatically ceasin
n to be a light engine, and becoming
% special.
II 1t was fully quarter of an hour BIZ
fore the growing rumble of the latte
81 warned the trio on the hand car, jus
81 as it gained the end of the grade an
u addressed itself to a level though to-
e tuous stretch of track
81 And at this point discovery of tn
81 switch of a spur line that shot o
81 southwark into the hills furnished Ala
= with his independent inspiration.
Stopping the hand car after it ha
iolted over the frogs, he jumped dow
Jul set the switch to shunt the pursuit o
to the spur, and leaped back upo
ere the car
nat Hardly had they succeeded in wor
ght ino +bo hand car m ropnd the sbouId,
! of the next bend when the special toe
'er- the switch without pause and the ROT
ug. of it's progress, shut off by an int
ard vening mountain, was suddenly still,
to a murmur.
But even so, there was neither re
the for the weary nor much excuse f
INKS self-congratulation the rumble OF Il
of special was not altogether lost to hea
and ing when the thunder of the freig
tile replaced and drowned 1t out.
es- OF sudden, releasing the hand
oth- bar, Alan stood up and signed to BIZ
Gus to initiate his example.
cAs "Well-?" this last painted, when
had obeyed.
Ireu Jump off-leave the hand car whe
it is-they'l1 have to stop to clear it
ch," 49, .bar %
ono "Pn buy lift from them if it TAX
my last dollar in the world" AL
"er' promised. ITS our only hope. '
can't keep up this heartbreaking bu
cor ness forever-and it can't be long
the fore Urine and Marrophat discoy
the their mistake!"
Itch.