[Illustration: "AS THEY CAME ABREAST OF THE SECOND LITTLE STATION."]
THE two ran, plunging up the distorted track which swelled and shook
beneath them, toward the coming train. As they came abreast of the
second little station, known as the West End station of Summerville, an
idea shot like hope itself through the confused brain of the hurrying
boy.
"I know where the torpedoes are!" he cried, shrilly. "The torpedoes they
put down to stop trains! I've seen 'em. I play with the superintendent's
boys sometimes. If I was bigger I could bu'st open the doors and windows
and find 'em."
"I'se an ole man," shouted the Negro, "but I'se been a tough one befo'
Freedom. I sole for two thousand dollars onct. I kin smash 'most
anythin' yer give me, honey, if hi'm put to 't. If der's anythin'
wantin' to be bu'sted to stop dat ar train, I reckon I kin bu'st."
[Illustration: "I SOLE FOR TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ONCT."]
Whirling along, in the dark and the uproar, the two panting figures
rushed against the little station. It was very dark. In a lull of the
raging earth the distant whistle of the train could be distinctly heard.
[Illustration: "THE RAGGED OLD ARM THAT FELLED IT DOWN."]
"In there!" cried the boy. "There! _There!_ Oh, don't you think perhaps
my papä took some _other_ train? Oh, she's coming! I'll help. I can
help. Oh, the door's too big for me!"
But not too big for the ragged old arm that felled it down as an axe
fells the last rings of a stricken tree. Not too big for the remnant of
strength in the once muscular slave. Not too big for the fiery old heart
that trouble and toil and hunger and loneliness had never quenched.
The door went down--glass crashed--another door yielded--two wild
figures fell into the superintendent's private office. The little one
climbed like a monkey upon a shelf he knew of, and then the two rushed
out of the rocking building into the resounding air, on which human
shrieks smote steadily, as it was said they did all that awful night.
Again, the whistle of the train--near now--nearer--
[Illustration: "THE LITTLE ONE CLIMBED LIKE A MONKEY UPON A SHELF."]
As the pathetic couple ran up the torn and twisted track, Donny began to
sob aloud; but all he said was, "Papä! Papä! Papä!"
"Gib 'em to me, sonny," said the Negro, with the authority of age and
danger. "I kin run faster'n you, honey! Goramercy, _dar she am_!"
[Illustration: "THE OLD MAN SEIZED THE TORPEDOES."]
The old man seized the torpedoes, and rushing away with them, vanished
in the darkness. The unknown, collarless dog followed him. Donny,
sobbing and calling his father's name, pushed on as well as he could by
himself. As he ran he tried to say his prayers, but all he could
remember was, "Our Father who art in heaven."
[Illustration: "THIS COMFORTED THE LAD INCREDIBLY."]
Then he thought, how soon might his father on earth be father in
heaven, too? He could not say that prayer. The boy, like many an older
and wiser than Donny, only cried instead of praying. As he ran along in
this sad fashion, something hit against him, whinnying in the dark. It
was Ben Bow, the horse he had ridden ever since he was a baby. Now, this
comforted the lad incredibly, to have one of the family with him.