“The train broke in two and the front end got over a bridge here, and, being on a down grade, the engineer could not bring his engine to a stop at once. And now the bridge is afire. Come on out, girls. You might as well see the show.”
CHAPTER VI—SOMEBODY AHEAD OF THEM
Even Miss Cullam—in her dressing gown—trailed out of the car after Tom. The sky was alight from the blazing bridge. It was a wooden structure, and burned like a pine knot.
Beyond the rolling cloud of smoke they could see dimly the lamps of the forward half of the train. The coupling having broken between two Pullmans, the engine had attached to it only the baggage and mail coaches, the dining car and one sleeping car.
The other Pullmans and the observation coach were stalled on the east side of the river.
“And no more chance of getting over to-night than there is of flying,” a brakeman confided to Tom and the girls. “That bridge will be a charred wreck before midnight.”
“Oh, goodness me! What shall we do?” was the cry. “Can’t we get over in boats?”
“Where will you get the boats?” sniffed Miss Cullam.
“And the water’s low in the river at this season,” said the brakeman. “Couldn’t use anything but a skiff.”
“What then?” Tom asked, feeling responsibility roweling him. “We’re not destined to remain here till they rebuild the bridge, I hope?”