IN A LIVELY SKIRMISH
"We will crawl across the tracks between the engine and the cars,"
whispered the sheriff. "Once on the other side we must get to the rear
of the bandits, and as soon as we find cover there we shall begin to
shoot. I hope we may be in time. When we reach the other side of the
rails I wish you men to spread out, but I want to know where every man
of our party is."
Ford started at a run, the others following, fully as eager as the
sheriff to get into action. They had barely reached the rails when there
occurred a sudden, blinding flash, followed by a heavy report.
"Dynamite!" exclaimed Ford. "I expected that."
"Our poor ponies," groaned Tom Gray.
"If they get near my Bismarck he'll kick the everlasting daylights out
of them," growled Stacy Brown.
"Can't we do something?" urged Hippy.
"Yes. We're going to do something and do it right quick," answered Ford
grimly. "Fellows, remember that the bandits have rifles, while we have
only our revolvers. You look out for those rifles, is my best advice to
you."
They reached the other side of the railroad tracks without loss of time
and without attracting attention to themselves, and it was soon evident
to the sheriff's party that the dynamite had not accomplished its
purpose. The explosive had not been well placed, and the express car had
been little damaged, though a hole had been dug out beside the tracks
from the force of it.
"When I give the word, shoot, but shoot over their heads," commanded
Ford incisively. "Spread out and get down on your stomachs when you have
taken your positions. Get going!"
The men of the party crept along, skulking through the bushes that grew
on the mountain side along the railroad right of way. One by one the
members of the party dropped down and lay awaiting the word of command.
Every now and then a shot would be fired from the interior of the
express car, answered in each instance by a volley from the bandits.
The preparations of Sheriff Ford up to this time had been made swiftly.
The signal agreed upon for beginning the attack on the train bandits was
two quick shots from Ford's revolver.
The thin line of assailants waited in tense silence for the beginning of
hostilities. The members of the little party were steady, although their
pulses beat high, for no one deluded himself into the belief that this
affair was going to be wholly one-sided.
Two sharp reports from Ford's revolver, even though eagerly looked for,
came so unexpectedly that every member of the party was startled, but
their panic lasted for only a few seconds. Six heavy revolvers answered
the signal. Three bullets sped harmlessly over the heads of the men who
were trying to rob the express car. Three other bullets from the weapons
of Ford, Tom and Hippy, by arrangement at the last moment before the
party spread out, had been fired low enough to reach the legs of the
bandits.
Of course there could be no fine shooting on account of the darkness,
but the sheriff and the two men with him did very well indeed, if the
yells of rage that came from the bandits could be depended upon as
indication of hits.
"Down!" warned Ford when the revolvers had been emptied. Every man in
the party well knew what was coming.
The expected was not long in arriving. A volley of heavy rifle shots
ripped over the heads of the sleeping-car party. Ford's party quickly
reloaded as they lay; then began firing as rapidly as they could pull
the triggers of their weapons, aiming whenever they saw anything to aim
at.
During all this firing the orders of the sheriff were implicitly
followed. Tom Gray and Lieutenant Wingate were as steady as rock, for
they had been through skirmishes before. Stacy was a little excited, but
more from eagerness to be up and at the bandits than from fear. The
bandits were getting desperate. On account of the interruption there had
been no opportunity to explode another charge of dynamite under the
express car, and they were now too fully engaged to proceed with that
work.
The desperadoes knew very well from the sound that the attackers were
using small arms instead of rifles, thus leaving the advantage with the
bandits so far as weapons were concerned. The robbers now began creeping
stealthily up the slope, firing at every flash from a revolver, but
Ford's party was keeping so low that there was no great danger of any
one being hit except as they changed positions and ran for fresh cover,
which they always did following a volley from the bandits' rifles. The
sheriff's party was giving ground slowly, constantly changing positions
under his orders, the officer himself now and then running along the
line, giving quick low-spoken orders, without regard to his own safety.
The bandits had been drawn away from the tracks for some distance when
Ford dropped down beside Hippy Wingate, who was firing from behind a
small boulder.
"What is it, Sheriff?" questioned Hippy.
"I have a plan," answered Ford.
"Good! What is it?"
"Our revolvers won't hold them back much longer. Should they rush us
someone is certain to get hit. In any event we shall then have to run
for it. I don't like to do that."
"Not yet," answered Hippy with emphasis.
"I think we may be able to save your horses and the express car if you
are willing to take a long chance."
"I have taken so many already that chances no longer are a novelty. What
is it you wish me to do?" demanded Hippy.
"Go to the engineer and tell him to back up. Tell him to hit those three
cars as hard as he dares--hit them as fast as he can without throwing
them from the rails or injuring the horses. Having done that, let him
back down the grade as quietly as possible so those fellows won't notice
him. When he hits the express car he is to keep on backing until he
reaches the train, which he is to push back a full half mile, and then
stop and wait for us to finish our job. When we have done that we will
fire a signal--three shots at intervals. I reckon the moon will soon be
up so we can see what we are doing. Tell the engineer, too, that we will
fire the same signal if we approach him, but, should he see anybody
coming up who does not give that signal, he is to start up his engine
and reverse for all he's worth. Get me?"
"I get you, Buddy."
"I would go myself, but I am needed here. When the time comes we shall
have to make a sharp get-away ourselves, but if we save the train that
will be enough. Do you think you can reach the locomotive?"
"Surest thing you know, old top," answered Hippy laughingly.
"Be careful! You will find that the engine is guarded, but I don't
believe there will be more than two men guarding it, and perhaps this
firing may have drawn them away, though I hardly think so."
"Leave it to me."
"Should you miss us on your return, make for the train as fast as you
can. You're the right sort, Lieutenant. Pick your own trail and the best
o' luck."
Lieutenant Wingate was off a few seconds later, running cautiously, now
and then flattening himself on the ground to avoid the occasional
volley. Hippy had no fear of the bullets that whistled over him, though
he had a sufficiently intimate acquaintance with such missiles to hold
them in high respect. That was why he dropped to the ground when firing
was resumed. In a few moments he was out of range of the firing. He then
straightened up and ran with all speed, parallel with the tracks, but
keeping several rods to one side.
As he neared the locomotive Hippy proceeded with more caution. The night
was now sufficiently light to enable him to see the figures of two men
sitting on the bank beside the tracks on the right side of the engine.
There was no special need for vigilance on their part now, for ahead of
the locomotive a telegraph pole had been felled across the tracks, while
to its rear were the cars and the bandits. All this made the guards
somewhat careless so that they failed to see a figure dart across the
tracks a few rods back of the locomotive tender.
Lieutenant Wingate crept along under the overhang of the tender, on the
side opposite from the two guards. He did not know but there might be
men on that side also, but soon discovered that there were not. He had
crawled to the running board, by which entrance is gained to the
locomotive cab, before he was discovered by the fireman.
"Sh-h-h-h!" warned Hippy just in time to check an exclamation that was
on the lips of the fireman. "Lean over. I have a message for you--for
the engineer. Don't make a quick move, but just settle down. You might
fire up the boiler a little. With the glare from the fire in their eyes
those two fellows won't see quite so clearly."
The fireman, after a whispered word to the engineer, opened the fire
door and threw in fresh coal, then crouched down with his ear close to
the Overland Rider, whereupon Hippy briefly explained Sheriff Ford's
plan, at the same time acquainting the fireman with the situation to the
rear.
Another whispered conversation across the boiler between engineer and
fireman followed, with Hippy Wingate clinging on the step of the
locomotive in tense expectancy. A sudden hiss of steam from the
cylinders on both sides of the engine startled him, and the big drive
wheels began slipping on the rails.
"Hey there! What are ye up to?" yelled a guard, making a leap for the
running board.
The fireman responded by hieing a chunk of coal, which caught the bandit
in the stomach, laying the fellow flat in the ditch beside the tracks.
The remaining guard fired point-blank without effect at the engineer's
window, but the driver's head was below the level of the cab window at
that instant. The wheels gained a foothold, the engine began backing
rapidly while the guard continued to shoot at the reversing hulk of
steel.
"Good for you, Buddies!" cried Hippy enthusiastically.
The engineer did not slow down as he approached the scene of the
hold-up, knowing that there were no persons in the way.
Hippy had dropped off before the engine gained much headway, and rolled
over into the ditch and soon heard the tender hit the express car.
The bandits had heard the engine rumbling down the grade, but they were
too busy shooting at Sheriff Ford's party to be able to spare the time
to interfere. In the meantime a new note had been added to the battle.
The train crew, now taking courage, had gone to the assistance of the
Sheriff, armed with revolvers, shot guns, iron bars and whatever else
they could lay their hands on.
Grace Harlowe and her friends, in the meantime, however, remained on
guard, and not even the trainmen could have got into her sleeping car
without giving an account of themselves to the Overland girls.
The firing now grew fast and furious. Hippy heard it, listened
attentively and realized that his little party was being assisted.
"I must get back and take a hand," he muttered, making a wide detour
with the intention of coming in to the rear of Sheriff Ford and his men.
To do this he ran up the ravine from the railroad, near where the attack
had been made.
Lieutenant Wingate had not proceeded far before he heard what sounded
like hoof-beats. At first he feared that the ponies of his outfit had
been taken; then he realized that this could not be the case.
The ravine in which he found himself was now fairly well lighted by the
rising moon, and discovery was certain, the banks on either side being
so steep that the Overlander knew that he could not look for escape that
way. Not caring to be caught in a trap, Hippy turned and began to
retreat down the ravine, then halted abruptly, as he discovered a
horseman coming up the ravine at a gallop. A man was running just ahead
of the rider, the latter calling orders to the runner.
At this juncture, Lieutenant Wingate unlimbered his revolver and waited.
The two men saw him, and the runner pointed to him, then dashed right
past Hippy, shielding his face with a hand. As he passed, the runner
fired a shot at Hippy.
"I know you!" yelled the Overlander, sending a bullet into the ground
behind the runner. "I know your game, you scoundrel!"
Hippy, for the moment, apparently had forgotten the man on horseback,
who was now to the rear of him, for Lieutenant Wingate, upon discovering
the identity of the man on foot, was so amazed that all other thoughts
took flight.
All at once the Overland Rider remembered. He wheeled like a flash and
fired at the figure that was now towering over him. A blow, crushing in
its force, came down on the head of the Overland Rider, felling him to
the ground. The butt of a rifle in the hands of the horseman was the
instrument that caused Hippy's undoing.
In the meantime, while Hippy was carrying Ford's message to the engineer
of the Red Limited, the hot reception they were getting led the bandits
to give up the fight and scatter. It was one of the fleeing
train-robbers who had struck Lieutenant Wingate down.