“Jee-roo-sa-lum!” he gasped. “They was fightin’ in there!”
He had caught a glimpse of the terrible battle going on in the cab of the locomotive, and it made his hair stand.
Frank began to feel that he was getting some of his strength back, for all that it was necessary to make such a furious struggle to keep his enemy from accomplishing his mad purpose.
Hicks was literally frothing at the mouth. He seemed to grow worse as the struggle continued, and he was baffled repeatedly.
Out of the cab they rolled, and were fairly on the coal in the tender. Three times Frank almost succeeded in getting on top and pinning Hicks down.
“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” the engineer panted.
Not a word came from Frank. He was not wasting his breath in such a manner.
At last Merry got hold of the wrench, and then the struggle turned on the possession of the weapon. Old Joe set his teeth in the back of the youth’s hand, but Frank struck him a terrible blow between the eyes with his clinched fist.
That blow was a fortunate one, for it seemed to daze the crazy engineer, although he still fought on.
A moment later Frank succeeded in tearing the wrench away, and he gave it a fling that sent it off the engine.