"What is the next trick to be done?" asked Patsy.
"Let me see," replied Nick. "It's thirty miles from here to Calamont. How far is it to the railway track in a direct line? That is the way you came, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"How far is it?"
"About four miles, possibly. I can make it in an hour."
"Then skip. This is the nearest point to start from. Get to the track as soon as you can. Flag the first train that comes along, no matter what it is. Get aboard it, and go to the first station. Get off there, and use the telegraph operator. Have him wire to Mr. Cobalt, the president of the road, exactly what has happened. Ask Cobalt to send a special train to us from the nearest point. We will want about twenty officers to take charge of all these prisoners, and he had better send along some chains with padlocks on them. You can figure that out yourself. We will want to make chain gangs of these men, so that they can walk to the railway, but so that they are chained together and cannot escape. You've got the idea?"
"Yes."
"Go, then, and see how quickly you can get the officers here, and we can get this crew away from here."
"And you?"
"I'll stay here. Skip, now. Don't talk any more."