The three mail clerks and the fireman and engineer, all bound and gagged, were sitting on the floor in a row. They presented a pitiful yet humorous spectacle, sitting there in such dejected-looking attitudes.
Westy viewed the scene hurriedly. Mail was strewn about the whole car in their frenzy to get what they wanted and depart. He looked the line of gunmen over and picked out the biggest and toughest one of the lot.
“Hey, you big boy, step around and relieve those fellows of all that linen!”
There was a perceptible movement on the part of Bull just then to make a plunge at Westy, whose attention he thought was centered upon the big bandit cutting the ties that bound the victims. He moved no further than a foot, however, for the alert scout had pulled the trigger deftly and before any one realized what had happened, the bullet winged its way clean through the crown of Bull’s brown fedora hat and landed straight in the niche that held the first-class mail for Larned.
“Score one for Uncle Jeb!” Westy said proudly. “It took me three weeks to learn that.” It is needless to say that in view of his marksmanship no one had any desire to show him further resistance.
When the poor victims were released and before they had sufficiently regained their composure, a conductor appeared on the scene, on his way to the engine to inquire the cause of delay. He immediately gave the alarm to the other train employees, taking care not to arouse the passengers.
Westy and Rip presented the guns to the perspiring clerks and during the excitement that followed with the bandits being securely placed under subjection, the boys slipped out unnoticed.
“Say, how do you get that way, Wes?” Rip’s disappointment was evident.
“What way?”
“Why, skipping away like that just when things were warming up nice. You remind me of one of those birds who get up in the theater at the beginning of the last act and steps all over your feet in his frenzy to be the first one out. He don’t want to see any more and he don’t want you to see any more, either. One of those nice accommodating fellows. I always like to see the whole show, close-up and all!”