Pretty soon the train came in sight from toward Readsboro, fifteen miles north, and it was swinging along at good speed, for it was downhill.
We cheered and waved our hats as it went by. I noticed a girl, who was sitting at one of the windows in the passenger car, give a look of surprise when she saw us; then she leaned far out and waved her handkerchief. It wasn't anybody that I knew, but when Skinny saw her he jumped to his feet and let out a yell. And what he said was:
"Mary!"
It surprised us some. You may not believe it, but the girl was Mary Richmond, the one Skinny walked down the mountain with, that time he lassoed the bear, when he was doing his hike to Savoy and back. She had been up to Readsboro with her mother, visiting.
"Come on," said he, starting on a run. "She'll have to change cars at Hoosac Tunnel station."
"Aw, what's the use?" said Bill. "We don't know her."
At that instant, while we stood there watching, we saw the engine give a sudden lurch and then go bumping over the ties. In another moment it struck a rock or something and, with an awful crash, the whole train went off the embankment into the river below.