“Then she’s somewhere on the thirty-mile stretch between there and here,” said Griscom. “Lad, it is quick action—wind blowing a hurricane, and those freights thundering down a one per cent. grade. Bring the lantern. Don’t lose a moment. Hurry!”
Ralph took the lead, and they rushed for their locomotive. The young fireman got a red lantern and ran down the track, set the light, and was back to the engine quickly.
“This is bad, very bad,” said Griscom. “Nothing but this siding, ending at a big ravine, the only track besides the main. The runaway must have a fearful momentum on that grade. What can we do?”
Ralph tested the valves. He found sufficient steam on to run the engine. 121
“I can suggest only one thing, Mr. Griscom,” he said.
“Out with it, lad, there is not a moment to lose,” hurriedly directed the old engineer.
“Get onto the main, back down north, set the switch here to turn the runaways onto the siding.”
“But suppose No. 48 gets here first?”
“Then we must take the risk, start south till she reaches the danger signals, and sacrifice our engine, that is all,” said Ralph plainly.
It was a moment of intense importance and strain. In any event, unless the unexpected happened, No. 48 or their own locomotive would be destroyed. On the coming passenger were men, women and children.