Should he board one of the cars? It might afford an excellent means of escape.
With a glare of the head-light the train came along. Bob ran to meet it, with the four men not far behind him. A moment later Bob was on the train.
CHAPTER XXII
BOB ON THE FREIGHT TRAIN
The young photographer did not have the chance to look back at his pursuers. He had one foot on the iron step of the car, and, though the train was going at a slow rate of speed, he found it no easy task to draw himself up on the narrow platform.
“Come back!” he heard Barker cry.
He paid no attention to the order, satisfied that anything would be preferable to falling again into the hands of the villainous crowd who were pursuing him.
At last, with a mighty effort, the youth drew himself up. The ladder leading to the top of the car was close at hand and to this he clung while the train swung around a curve and out of sight of those left on the embankment.
“By jinks! but that was a narrow escape!” muttered Bob to himself as he drew a long breath.
Bob remained where he was for five minutes or more, trying to regain his breath and collect his thoughts at the same time.
“I would like to know what those men are doing out here,” he soliloquized. “Maybe they are planning to rob a house in the vicinity. They are certainly up to no good.”