Then he ran along beside the train and suddenly leaped into one of the empty box cars.
“Dad! Salt!” she exclaimed. “I just saw someone leap into one of those cars! I’m sure it was Webb!”
“Where?” demanded her father. “Which car?”
“The yellow one. Oh, he’ll get away unless we can have him arrested at the next town!”
“He won’t escape if I can stop him!” Salt muttered.
Racing across the platform, he waited for the car Penny had indicated. Although the train was moving faster now, he leaped and swung himself to a sitting position in the open doorway.
“Look out! Look out!” Penny screamed in warning.
Behind Salt, the man who had taken refuge in the car, moved stealthily toward him, obviously intending to push him off the train. But the photographer knew what to expect and was prepared.
He whirled suddenly and scrambled to his feet. His attacker caught him slightly off balance, and they went down together, rolling over and over on the straw littered floor.
Worried for Salt, Penny and Mr. Parker ran along beside the train. The publisher tried to leap aboard to help the photographer, but lacking the younger man’s athletic prowess, he could not make it. Already winded, he began to fall behind.