“Two minutes to three,” answered Dud. “How much farther is it, do you think?”
“Only about two miles, I guess. Say, suppose we come to a station? We’ll have to beat it by in a hurry, eh?”
“Either that or let this thing go. But there isn’t likely to be another station before Greenbank, I guess. Let’s hit her up again.”
They hit her up and overtook another mile-post and were arguing breathlessly as to the distance they had covered when a sudden roar and clatter down the track behind them put the question out of mind.
“Train!” yelled Dud, who was facing the rear. “Stop her, Jimmy!”
Jimmy threw his body across his ascending bar, after one glance behind him. A short blast of warning came from the approaching locomotive, and then another and another. The hand-car slowed and stopped and before it had ceased its momentum two badly scared boys were on the ground beside it.
“We’ve got—to get—her off!” cried Dud. “Quick, Jimmy!”
On came the train, still whistling, but now they could hear the grating of brake-shoes as the engineer put on the air. Dud had his end of the hand-car clear of the rails, but at Jimmy’s end the wheels were caught.
“Give me a lift—here!” panted Jimmy, and Dud sprang to his aid.