“I’m going on the Limited. What’s our next stop?”
The conductor named a junction thirty miles down the line.
“Will the freight be in here by the time we reach the junction?” Bob asked the night operator.
“It will at the rate the Limited is running tonight,” replied the operator. “Quasqueton is reporting the freight out right now.”
“Let’s go,” called the conductor.
The trainman hurried outside and Bob banged the door after him. The federal agent went back to the Pullmans while the conductor ran forward with the orders for the engineer. A minute later the Limited hooted shrilly and once more started southward.
Chapter XIV
THE LIGHTS GO OUT
★
Back in the Pullman from which Tully had vanished Bob took off the coat which had protected him from the storm. He sat down opposite the berth and carefully examined the target revolver. An eerie feeling ran along his spine. He felt as though some one was watching him and he turned and scanned the windows of the Pullman. But that was impossible for the Limited was already running better than thirty miles an hour and no one could possibly have clung to the side of the train.
The conductor came back through.
“I’m going to finish that search,” declared Bob, and the trainman, without further comment, joined him.