Billy groaned. His joy had been short-lived.
"Give Teddy the signal to put on the brakes. We will make another attempt to check her."
Phil threw himself into the task of turning the wheel, which he did in quick, short, spasmodic jerks, rather than by a steady application of the brakes.
The car slackened somewhat—hardly enough to be noticed.
"Tell Teddy to keep it up. You had better send one of the men back to help him."
Billy bellowed his command to the men inside.
"They see us. They are whistling to us."
"Yes."
Shriek after shriek rang out from the whistle of the approaching express train, the engineer of which jerked his throttle wide open in hopes of clearing the oncoming wildcat car.
Phil was still tugging desperately, but without any apparent nervousness, at the brake wheel. He finally ceased his efforts.