The next instant Merriwell realized that Jode, by his daring work, had plunged himself into a fresh catastrophe.
The spur track was short and lay on level ground. There was no barrier at the end of it, but a plunge downward for half a dozen feet right from the ends of the rails. Lenning, with the car and its load, must take that plunge!
The events of Lenning’s past life were such as to lead people to believe that he was a coward, and had a yellow streak. Yet how could that be when he voluntarily threw himself into terrible danger to save his uncle?
Under Merriwell’s horrified eyes the ore car sped out to the end of the spur and dived downward. Not a cry escaped Lenning as, white-faced and rigid, he tipped off into space with the load of ore.
Colonel Hawtrey was himself a witness of his nephew’s plunge from the end of the spur track. His senses returned to him quickly and he lifted himself on one elbow. As it chanced, his eyes were fixed on the spot where Jode and the car were shooting off into space from the spur.
Burke was another eyewitness. Quickly as he could come, he rushed down the hill and hurried out to the end of the little siding. There he and Merriwell stood together, looking down.
The car lay bottom up on the ground below. The ore it had carried was scattered widely.
“Do you see him?” Burke whispered hoarsely in Merriwell’s ear.
“Yes,” Merriwell answered, and forthwith began descending to the foot of the slight slope.
Lenning had been thrown quite a little distance from the car, and was lying face downward in the sand and gravel. He was silent and motionless.