Bluntly he informed Ralph that two rival roads were "after the scalp" of the Great Northern. They could not reach the Overland schedule of the latter line by fair means, and they might try to break it by foul ones. The official gravely announced that he felt sure of this. He would have later specific information for Ralph. In the meantime, he wished him to exercise unusual vigilance and efficiency in overcoming obstacles that might arise to delay or cripple the Overland Express. Two things rather startled the young engineer, for they seemed to confirm hints and suspicions already in the wind. In a guarded way the official had referred to "harmony in the train dispatcher's office." He had next made an allusion to the fact that if competitive rivalry grew fierce, it might attract under cover a lot of disreputable criminals, and he spoke of extra precaution when the pay trips of the line were made, tallying precisely with suspicions already entertained by Ralph. It was a very cold night when the train started out on its return trip. It was clear starlight, however, and once on the free swing down the glistening rails, the exhilarating swirl of progress drove away all shadows of care and fear. The magnificent locomotive did her duty well and puffed down to the regular stop beyond The Barrens an hour after daylight fresh as a daisy, and just as pretty as one, Fogg declared. "They're going to miss us this time, I reckon," spoke the fireman with hilarity and relief, as they later covered the first fifty miles beyond the Mountain Division. "If any one was laying for us, yes, it seems so," joined in Ralph. "We are pretty well on our way, it's daytime, and likely we'll get through safe this trip." Both were congratulating themselves on the outlook as they struck the first series of curves that led through the long stretch of bluffs at the end of which they had encountered the torpedo warning just seventy-two hours previous. There was no indication of any obstruction ahead, and the locomotive was going at good speed. It was almost a zigzag progress on a six per cent. grade for a stretch of over ten miles, and five of the distance it was a blind swift whiz, shut in by great towering bluffs without a break. Suddenly at a sharp turn Fogg uttered a shout and Ralph grasped the lever with a quick clutch. "What was that?" gasped Fogg. "Maybe a flying rock," suggested Ralph. He spoke calmly enough, but every nerve was on the jump. The crisis of the vigilance since the run commenced had reached its climax of excitement and strain. "Something busted," added Fogg a trifle hoarsely, "something struck the headlight and splintered it. See here," and he picked up and showed to Ralph a splinter of glass that had blown in through the open window on his side of the cab. "Whatever it was it's past now and no damage done," declared Ralph. "There's something twisted around the steam chest, Mr. Fogg."