Almost by the time the words were out of his mouth the locomotive was within fifty yards of them, and with a clang, a bang, and a snort it came to a full stop. The conductor had jumped off while the train was still moving, and he ran up to Blundon and Laurie. "What's the matter?" asked Blundon, holding up the lantern in the conductor's face. "Matter enough," answered the conductor. "The engineer slipped on the floor of the cab, about ten miles back, and wrenched his arm, so he is perfectly helpless, and almost wild with pain; the negro fireman brought us the last ten miles, but he couldn't take us over the mountain." "I reckon _I_ can," said Blundon, coolly. "You know my record." "Yes; and that's why I stopped," answered the conductor. "But look here." He handed out a piece of paper, on which was written clearly: "Pay no attention to a red light on the trestle. It means a hold up at the end of the trestle. The men know what is in the express car, and they have dynamite. "A FRIEND." "Maybe it's a hoax," said Blundon. "And maybe it ain't a hoax," said the conductor. Blundon, the conductor, and Laurie had been standing close together during this short and half-whispered colloquy, but the negro fireman had slipped up behind them, and had seen the note by the lantern's glimmer. "Good Lawd A'mighty!" he yelled. "De train robbers is arter dis heah train! Well, dey ain' gwi git no chance fur to blow dis nigger up wid dynamite." And without another word he took to his heels, and immediately was lost in the darkness. "Here's a pretty kettle of fish!" exclaimed the conductor. "Never you mind," said Blundon, with a grim smile; "this young feller will be my fireman, and I'll agree to take the train across the mountain, hold up or no hold up. I'm off duty now until six o'clock to-morrow morning, and I can get back by that time." "All right," answered the conductor, going toward the cab, where they found the engineer groaning with pain. "Just groan through the telephone, old man," said Blundon, as they helped him out, "and you'll get a doctor from the house over yonder, and he'll set your arm in a jiffy." "Wouldn't it be a good idea," said Laurie, diffidently, "if the engineer telephoned to Stoneville that if the train is delayed to send a posse to the Stoneville end of the trestle! This is the night the Stoneville Light Infantry meet to drill, and they'd be handy in case of a hold up." The conductor hesitated a moment, then went over to the express car, and came back. "The express messenger says to telephone to the soldier boys, and if it is a hoax, he can stand the racket, and if it ain't--well, he has got near ninety thousand dollars in the safe, and he ain't a-going to give it away." In another moment the injured engineer was ringing the telephone bell. Two or three passengers then appeared on the platform of the smoker. "Hello!" cried one of them, in a voice singularly like Laurie's. "What's up?"