“Back up, then. We can't meet them.”
Jawn jerked his elbow from Mallory's grasp and opened the throttle.
“Are you crazy, man!” Mallory shouted. “Stop her! You'll kill us!”
Jawn opened her a little wider. For an instant Mallory looked at him in wonder, then he sprang forward and jammed the lever close to the boiler.
“Reverse!” he ordered.
For reply Jawn turned on Mallory and crowded him back. Weak-nerved from the long strain, suffering for lack of sleep, the two men broke down for the moment, and struggled about the cab. The fireman stumbled back against the boiler with a dazed face, but after a moment he recovered and rushed between the two men.
“This ain't right!” he screamed. “If you two fight, we're ditched.”
As he spoke, the detective who had gone with Harvey came slipping and tumbling down the cut, and clambered aboard the engine. Jawn and Mallory fell back against the opposite benches and glared at each other. Jawn suddenly reached for the throttle.
“Wait a minute,” gasped Mallory; “she's stopped.”
Half reluctantly Jawn listened. Sure enough, the other train had paused, evidently just around the curve.