“It is only too true,” I replied, without any false modesty, “that I was taken in by the grand manners of the abominable rascal.”
“Monsieur Claudius,” said Caterna, “put that into a romance, and see if anybody believes it likely.”
Caterna was right; but unlikely as it may seem, it was. And, besides, I alone knew Kinko’s secret. It certainly did seem as though it was miraculous for the locomotive to explode just on the verge of the abyss.
Now that all danger had disappeared we must take immediate measures for running back the cars on to the Pekin line.
“The best thing to do is for one of us to volunteer——”
“I will do that,” said Caterna.
“What is he to do?” I asked.
“Go to the nearest station, that of Fuen Choo, and telegraph to Tai-Youan for them to send on a relief engine.”
“How far is it to Fuen Choo?” asked Ephrinell.
“About six kilometres to Nanking junction, and about five kilometres beyond that.”