“I’ll tell you how you can fix that,” said Billy Jr. “You kick with all your might and throw your body against the boards and I am sure they will give way, for they are nailed on loosely from this side. While you do that, I will jump out and see what is the matter and if there is any danger of the fire reaching our car.”
So while Star threw his weight against the boards and kicked for dear life, Billy ran forward to see how bad the wreck was.
He came upon a sight weird and appalling to the last degree. The night was inky black, while the flames, as they licked up car after car, lit up the landscape with a red glare like some scene at the theatre; while for a background stood the tall, black mountains silent and still, like sentinels around a bivouac fire. Running hither and thither were men and women trying to save their companions from the burning train, and many acts of heroism were performed, while lives were bravely risked to save friend or stranger wedged in between the broken seats of the smoking mass.
Billy waited only to take one look and then he ran back to tell Star that he must get out as soon as possible, as the flames were spreading fast in his direction.
While Star was kicking at his partition with vehemence and Billy was trying to help butt him loose, there was a terrific explosion and they felt themselves being hurled through space. The car ahead of them had contained some gasoline and when the fire reached it, it had exploded, blowing up the car and the one next to it.
But, strange as it may seem, neither Star nor Billy Jr. were hurt seriously. Star got a sprained shoulder and Billy a skinned leg, that was all.
The wreck delayed them thirty-six hours, and while they were waiting for the wrecking train to come to their assistance, clear the track, and put the engines on again, Billy Jr. and Star had a fine time roaming around the mountains and rummaging among the debris; or rather, Billy Jr. did while Star stood off and watched.
Billy Jr. would nose around among all the broken boxes, packages, trunks, etc., until he smelt some one’s luncheon; then he would eat it up, pasteboard box and all, if he could not get the lid off. At last he came to the remains of the dining-car, and amongst the wreckage he found some fine apples and pears. He called to his friend, but Star felt too timid to come at first until Billy persisted, but after awhile he picked his way to where the apples were, half covered by the broken pieces of the car.
While feasting on these the horse felt a hand laid on his mane, and on looking around to see who it was he heard Pete, the man who had been sent to take care of them, say: