The Texas, lunging around the curve, had been thrown against the outside rail; the inside wheels were lifted clear of the break. Had Andrews' men attacked the outside rail first, the race would have ended there, with the Texas a battered wreck, strewn over the trackside. On the other hand, if Fuller and Murphy had seen the break sooner, a wreck would have been inevitable, for the locomotive, in checking its speed, would have rested evenly upon both rails. Luck was with the pursuers.
Now the rain was falling in torrents. It stung the faces of the two Confederates as they sat on the tender, peering ahead, but they were oblivious to it. Oblivious, that is, except that they knew the rain would help them. The bridges would be the harder to burn.
Time after time, they raised their arms and the Texas came to a stop, while they jumped to the ground and threw ties from the track. The General was gaining a greater lead each time the Texas was checked. And seconds were counting.
Fuller grabbed Murphy's arm, and said: "Look!"
Far ahead they saw a black cloud of smoke. It was the General approaching the Reseca bridge.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SPEEDING NORTHWARD
Tom slammed the door of the fire-box and climbed up on the seat beside Andrews, who was leaning half out of the window, absorbed in his own thoughts. He glanced back, and turned to Tom.
"They're still after us," he said grimly. "I want to drop the last box-car.
Can you get back there and tell the men?"
"Yes," answered Tom. "Why not break 'through the ends of all the cars—so we can get back and forth without having to climb over the roofs!"