“All right. Knock on the door, tell him who yuh are, and that if he don’t open the door, I’ll blow it open. I’ll give him just five seconds to make up his mind. I’m ready to do the job up right.”
The engineer hammered heavily on the door and was greeted by an instant response. The door rolled open and a sleepy-eyed messenger stared out at them. He was looking down into the muzzle of a heavy revolver.
“Slip yore gun loose and drop it,” he ordered.
The messenger drew out his gun and dropped it on the car floor. The bandit motioned for the engineer and fireman to climb into the car, but before they were both inside, the bandit swung up the other side and was facing them.
“I—I was asleep,” faltered the messenger. “Thought we’d made a stop at Red Arrow.”
“Lucky thing yuh did,” growled the bandit. “Open yore safe.”
The messenger shook his head.
“I can’t unlock it.”
“All right.”
The bandit kicked the messenger’s revolver toward the upper end of the car.