Sharply the operator at Indian Canyon broke in to hurriedly call Terryville, the next station east.
“But the runaways won’t pass Terryville, will they?” Alex exclaimed. “Won’t the grades between there and Imken pull them up?”
Saunders shook his head. “Ten loaded ore cars travelling at that rate would climb those grades.”
“Then they will be down here—and in twenty or thirty minutes! And there’s the Accommodation coming from the east,” said Alex rapidly, “and we can’t reach anyone to stop her!”
Saunders stared. “That’s so. I’d forgotten her. But what can we do?” he demanded helplessly.
Terryville answered, and in strained silence they awaited his report. “Yes, they are coming. I thought it was thunder.
“Here they are now,” he added an instant after.
“They’re past!”
“They’ll reach us! What shall we do?” gasped Saunders.
Alex turned from the table, and as the Indian Canyon operator hastily called Jakes Creek, the last station intervening, began striding up and down the room, thinking rapidly.