The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-29
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde



he also made motions with his Ian
tern 20 the engine up ahead and II
promptly steamed away, speeding
up untn IL had about a half'milc
lead and then holding IL That
seemed funny, too. Tho Il In rule
that Is often broken on all railroads,
the different sections Of train are
supposed 20 keep at least five min
utes apart. and our first" wasn't
much more than minute away
from us at any time.
Another thing that struck me as
being funny was the way Chandler
was running. 10 was only siNty
mountain miles up the branch to
the big gold camp. and we ought TO
have been able TO make II by one
o'clock. taking IL dead easy. But
the way Buck was nlgsliug along
Il looked as II Il might be going TO
take us all night
Jus, the same. nothing happened.
The first ten miles was across n des'
ert stretch with only a slightly rte
Ing grade. and IL WAS pretty much
all tangeut-straight line. Beyond
the ten-miie station Of hippo we hit
the mountain proper. climbing II
thru a dry canyon. with curves that
blocked off everything fifty feet
ahead OF the engine. and grades
that would have made pretty good
tohoggan slides. Tho night was fine
and starlit. but there was no moon
and the canyon shadows doomed like
huge walls TO shut us In.
ON the reverse curves could oc.
casinnaliy get a glimpse Of the rcd
tall lights OF the engine which
ought. by rights. TO have been five
full minutes ahead Of US. IL was
still holding It's short lead. jogging
along as leisurely az we were.
With nothing 10 do and not much
TO s,e. | got sleepy after while.
and about the time when was
thinking that might as well climb
back over the tender and turn in.
l dozed off right there on the fire
mans hox--which was safe enough.
At the snaiis pace we were running.
When I asoke 10 was with the feel.
ing that hadn't been asleep more
than a minute or two. bat the facts
were against me. IL was nearly
had worried thru the thirty five
miles OF canyon run and were climb
ing the steep tRlus of Slide Noun
tain.
AT first I didn't know what II was
that woke me. On my side ~ the
engine tho big mountain fell away.
miles II seemed. on a slope on
which man could hardly have kept
his footing, ard where train.
jumping the track. would ron for.
ever before Il would stop in the
gorges at the bottom. While I was
rubbing my eyes. the etghtwheeler
gave another htile jerk. sat sAw
that Chandler was slowing for .
stop: saw this and got a glimpse
Of somebody on the track ahead.
| Tagging Us down with q lantern.
A minute later the brakes had
been set and Buck and we're off.
As we swung down from the engine
step. Maciise !2inei us, and we went
to meet the man with the lantern.
He was the fireman Of the engine
ahead. and when we got around on
the track saw that our first sec,
ton" was stopped just a little way
farther on.
what Is 1t. Bartyy- said MacIise.
when we came up TO the fireman.
It's them heli.fired wreeksrs
again. was the gritting reply
Rail joint disconnected and sprung
out SOS to let Us off down the
mountain
| thought II was up to me TO go
back and tell the boss. but there
wasn't any need Of II. The stop or
the slow running or something had
reused him. and he was up and
dressed and coming along beside the
engine. When he came UP. Maciise
told him Why we were stopping. lie
didn't say anything about the rail
break. but he did ask. sort OF sharp
and quick. what engine that vas Up
ahead
him Chandler turned to 70 back
to his engine. and the rest Of us
were moving along the other way.
the boss setting the pace with
Aacllse at his elbow. Three rail-
lengths ahead of the stopped light
engine we came to the break. The
head engineer and another man
were down on their hands and knees
examining 1t. and when they stood
up at our coming. l saw that the
other man xas MIR. Van Britt
"What7~ said the boss: you herer''
Our only millionaire nodded.
Il ride the line once in a while
just To zee how things are going.~
he returned crisply.
The boss didn't say anything
more. but he knelt to look at the
break. II was "a trap. all right. set.
beyond all question Of doubt. to catch
the private car special. The fish
plates had been removed from a
joint In the lsft-hand rail- and the
end Of the downhlll rail had been
sprung out TO make a derailing
switch. which was held In position
by the insertion Of one of the fish
BtfAteo OfhFftb hAfS run Htlt% Al We
had hit the trap. going at even
ordinary Notwithstanding speed,
there would have been nothing left TO
tell the tale but a head Of scrap at
the bottom Of the thousand foot
dump.
There wasn't very much talk made
by anybody. Under Mr.. Van Britt's
directions the engineer and fireman
OF the pilot engine brought tools and
the break was repaired. All they
had To do was 10 spring the bent rail-
back into place and spike 1t. and
bolt the fish-plates on again.
While they were doing II the boss
stood aside with Mr.. Van Britt, and
heard what was said. Mr.. Van
Britt began II by saying. I'VE don't