“See if you can find it,” returned Scott tersely.
As they hastened on, Bucks looked to the spot where the engine had lain the night before. It was no longer there.
He was too stunned to ask further questions. The two strode along the ties in silence. Eagerly Bucks ran to the creek bank and scanned more closely the sandy bed. It was there that the wrecked engine and tender had lain the night before. The sand showed no disturbance whatever. It was as smooth as a table. But nothing was to be seen of the engine or tender. These had disappeared as completely as if an Aladdin’s slave, at his master’s bidding, had picked them from their resting place and set them on top of some distant sand-hill.
“Bob,” demanded Bucks, breathless, “what does it mean?”
“It means the company is out one brand-new locomotive.”
“But what has happened?” asked Bucks, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was not dreaming. “Where is the engine?”
Scott pointed to the spot where the engine had lain. “It is in that quicksand,” said he.
The engine, during the night, had, in fact, sunk completely into the sand. No trace was left of it or of its tender. Not a wheel or cab corner remained to explain; all had mysteriously and completely disappeared.