“How'n blazes do I know?” demanded the engineer.
“But didn't you stop her?”
“Certainly not. She—she stopped herself.”
“What perfect idiocy!” cried the inventor “You must have done something!”
“I did not!” retorted the engineer. “The blamed thing just stood stock-still and near bumped the life out of me! Say, mister, you come up here and see what——”
“Oh, it's nothing serious, my man. Now, let me think. What could have happened? Er—just try that lever at your right hand.”
“This one?”
“Yes; pull it gently.”
“Hadn't we better git them people out o' the train first?” asked the engineer. “You know, if anything happens, people just love to sue a railroad company for damages, and——”
“Pull that lever!” Hawkins cried angrily.