"I'm going to," answered Steve.
Raising the iron bar above his head, he brought it down on the offending catch with all his strength. A crash followed and the ore shot down through the chute with the roaring sound of a cataract.
Instantly the second car was pushed over the chute.
"Get busy, there!" yelled the motor-man when he saw that no effort was being made to release the ore.
He shouted several times, but there was no response from Rush.
"Where's that lazy bones?" he demanded, hopping from his motor and running around the end of the train. "What, what—— Something's happened! Look!" shouted the motor-man, pointing to the platform.
Steve had disappeared. In the place where he had stood a moment before was a black hole about three feet square. Through this hole could be heard the thunder of the skips as they rushed back and forth at almost projectile speed.