A shot was heard and the conductor’s hand, raised quickly to the whistle-rope sent blast after blast shrieking over the land. A babel of shouting burst from the other coaches and, as the whistle shrieked without pause, a shot was heard close at hand and the conductor reeled suddenly and sank into a seat, limp and silent. At the first jerk of the train the card-players threw the board from across their knees, scattering the cards over the floor, and crouching, gained the center of the aisle, intently peering through the windows, their Colts ready for instant use. Hopalong and Red were also in the aisle, and when the conductor had reeled Hopalong’s Colt exploded and the man outside threw up his arms and pitched forward. "Good boy, Hopalong!" cried Skinny, who was fighting mad. Hopalong wheeled and crouched, watching the door, and it was not long before a masked face appeared on the farther side of the glass. Hopalong fired and a splotch of red stained the white mask as the robber fell against the door and slid to the platform. "Hear that shooting?" cried the brakeman. "They ’re at the messenger. They ’ll blow him up!" "Come on, fellers!" cried Hopalong, leaping toward the door, closely followed by his friends. They stepped over the obstruction on the platform and jumped to the ground on the side of the car farthest from the robbers. "Shoot under the cars for legs," whispered Skinny. "That ’ll bring ’em down where we can get ’em." "Which is a good idea," replied Red, dropping quickly and looking under the car. "Somebody’s going to be surprised, all right," exulted Hopalong. The firing on the other side of the train was heavy, being for the purpose of terrifying the passengers and to forestall concerted resistance. The robbers could not distinguish between the many reports and did not know they were being opposed, or that two of their number were dead. A whinny reached Hopalong’s ears and he located it in a small grove ahead of him: "Well, we know where th’ cayuses are in case they make a break." A white and scared face peered out of the cab-window and Hopalong stopped his finger just in time, for the inquisitive man wore the cap of fireman. "You idiot!" muttered the gunman, angrily. "Get back!" he ordered. A pair of legs ran swiftly along the other side of the car and Red and Skinny fired instantly. The legs bent, their owner falling forward behind the rear truck, where he was screened from sight. "They had it their own way before!" gritted Skinny. "Now we ’ll see if they can stand th’ iron!"