KIDNAPPED
Ralph climbed to the engineer's seat with many misgivings and very
anxious concerning his missing partner. He knew how to run an engine,
for the young fireman had watched Griscom at his duties, had studied
every separate piece of machinery thoroughly, and more than once had
relieved the veteran engineer for brief periods of time between
stations.
"That was all well enough on a regular run," thought Ralph, "but a
special is a different thing."
Then, coming to the switch tower, he called up to the operator there,
who was at the open window. He explained hurriedly about the
disappearance of Griscom. He also asked the towerman to telegraph
ahead to Dover for a substitute engineer. The operator said he would
have some men come down from the first station back on the route on a
handcar to search for the missing rail-roader.
"Man on your cowcatcher there," he called down as Ralph started up the
engine.
"No time to bother with him now. Let him ride to Dover, if he wants
to," advised Trevor. "Now, Fairbanks, you to the throttle, me to the
furnace. Just give me a word of direction when I need it, won't you?"
But for his anxiety concerning his missing partner, the young fireman
would have enjoyed the run of the next two hours immensely. There was
a clear track--he had only to look out for signals. He was entirely
familiar with the route, and Trevor proved a capable, practical
assistant.
"Don't look much like the man who left a palace car to step into a
locomotive at Stanley Junction, eh?" laughed the young man, reeking
with perspiration, and greasy and grimed. "How do I do--all right?"
"You must have had experience in the fireman line," submitted Ralph.
"Why, yes," acknowledged Trevor. "My uncle made me work in a
roundhouse for a year. Once I believe I could run an engine, but I've
forgotten a good deal. Fairbanks, look ahead!"
There was no occasion for the warning. Already the young fireman had
discovered what his companion announced. As the locomotive glided
around a sharp curve a great glare confronted them.
Not two hundred yards ahead was a mass of flames shooting skywards.
The bridge crossing a creek that was located at this part of the route
was on fire.
Ralph started to slow down. Then, discerning the impossibility of
doing so this side of the burning structure, he set full speed.
"It's make or break," he said, in a kind of gasp.
"Put her through--take the risk," ordered Trevor sharply.
Swish! crackle! crash!--it was an eventful moment in the career of the
young fireman. There was a blinding glow, a rain of fire swayed
through the locomotive cab, then, just as they cleared the bridge, the
structure went down to midstream.
"We must get this news to Dover quick," said Ralph, applying himself
anew to lever and throttle. "We have ten minutes to make up then."
Clink!--snap!--a terrific jar shook the locomotive. Contrary to signal
given at the nearest switch ahead, the engine veered to a siding.
"What does this mean?" demanded Trevor sharply.
"Mischief--malice, perhaps," said Ralph quickly. "Freights ahead--we
shall have to stop."
"Don't do it," directed Trevor. "Drive into them and push them ahead
to the main line again. I'll stand all damage."
"They are empties, I noticed them on the afternoon run," said the
young fireman. "Mr. Trevor, all this complication, all these
happenings are suspicious. We will have to slow down to the
freights."
"Slow down entirely," growled a sudden voice. "Do it, or I'll have it
done by my partner, who is aboard all right."
Both Ralph and Trevor turned sharply. Standing on the coal of the
tender was a man. He was dripping with water, and in one hand held a
revolver.
"No delay, Fairbanks," he cautioned sternly. "We've taken too much
trouble to miss this last chance to get you and your passenger."
Ralph stopped the engine. Then calmly, but with a certain sense of
peril and defeat, he faced the man.
"Where did you come from?" demanded Trevor in amazement.
"Only from inside the water tank," responded the stranger coolly.
"Been there since we left Stanley Junction."
"Why, you are one of the fellows who were following me at the depot!"
cried Trevor.
"Correct, boss," chuckled the stranger. "Here's my partner," he
announced, as the man Ralph had discovered on the cowcatcher appeared
at the side of the cab. "We'll relieve you two now," continued the
speaker to Ralph and Trevor. "Move back on that coal. We'll try a bit
of engineering ourselves."
"See here, my man," called out Trevor sharply. "What is the object of
all this?"
"Object?" grinned the man. "You'll know later. Important, for it took
four men on the route, lots of inquiring before you came to Stanley
Junction, two of us here now, others waiting for us somewhere else, to
get you dead right."
"Me!" exclaimed Trevor in amazement. "You mean me?"
"Nobody else."
"Why, how are you interested in me?"
"You'll know soon."
"But----"
"Stand back, do as we say, or we'll use force," declared the speaker
gruffly.
His companion guarded Ralph and Trevor while he took the engineer's
seat. He reversed the engine, ran back to the main tracks, from there,
first setting a switch, onto a spur, and, after following this for
nearly a mile, shut off steam and the locomotive came to a stop.
Then the fellow applied a whistle to his lips. Several men approached
the engine. He consulted with them, and came back to Ralph carrying a
piece of rope.
"Fairbanks," he said, "we'll have to tie you for safe keeping for a
while."
"Won't you explain this?" inquired Trevor, in a troubled way. "See
here, men, I am due in the city. I will pay you handsomely to let us
proceed on our trip."
"How much?" inquired the man who had acted as engineer.
"I have several hundred dollars with me."
"Not enough," retorted the man. "We want several thousand, seeing you
are worth it."
"I haven't a thousand dollars in the world," declared Trevor.
"You are worth twenty thousand," insisted the man confidently. "We'll
prove it to you a little later. Here," to his companion, "tie
Fairbanks, leave the letter with him, and let us get out of this
before anybody is missed."
"One word," said Ralph. "Are you people responsible for the
disappearance of Mr. Griscom?"
"Perhaps," said the man. "He's all safe and sound--only out of the way
of mischief for a spell. One other word, Fairbanks, we didn't fire
the bridge."
Trevor looked the picture of distress and uncertainty as he was forced
from the locomotive cab.
"You people will regret this high-handed outrage," he cried. "My uncle
is president of the Great Northern."
"That is just exactly why you are worth twenty thousand dollars,"
coolly announced the man who had acted as engineer. "Plain and square,
gentlemen, kindly call this a bit of kidnapping scientifically worked
at some care and expense. You come with us. Fairbanks will do the
rest. Got him tied up?" to his companion. "All right, now put the
letter in his pocket."
And, leaving the young fireman bound and helpless on the floor of the
cab, the men with Trevor left the scene.