CHAPTER IV
IN A LIVELY SKIRMISH
"We will crawl across the tracks between the engine and the cars,"whispered the sheriff. "Once on the other side we must get to the rearof the bandits, and as soon as we find cover there we shall begin toshoot. I hope we may be in time. When we reach the other side of therails I wish you men to spread out, but I want to know where every manof our party is."
Ford started at a run, the others following, fully as eager as thesheriff to get into action. They had barely reached the rails when thereoccurred a sudden, blinding flash, followed by a heavy report.
"Dynamite!" exclaimed Ford. "I expected that."
"Our poor ponies," groaned Tom Gray.
"If they get near my Bismarck he'll kick the everlasting daylights outof them," growled Stacy Brown.
"Can't we do something?" urged Hippy.
"Yes. We're going to do something and do it right quick," answered Fordgrimly. "Fellows, remember that the bandits have rifles, while we haveonly our revolvers. You look out for those rifles, is my best advice toyou."
They reached the other side of the railroad tracks without loss of timeand without attracting attention to themselves, and it was soon evidentto the sheriff's party that the dynamite had not accomplished itspurpose. The explosive had not been well placed, and the express car hadbeen little damaged, though a hole had been dug out beside the tracksfrom the force of it.
"When I give the word, shoot, but shoot over their heads," commandedFord incisively. "Spread out and get down on your stomachs when you havetaken your positions. Get going!"
The men of the party crept along, skulking through the bushes that grewon the mountain side along the railroad right of way. One by one themembers of the party dropped down and lay awaiting the word of command.Every now and then a shot would be fired from the interior of theexpress car, answered in each instance by a volley from the bandits.
The preparations of Sheriff Ford up to this time had been made swiftly.The signal agreed upon for beginning the attack on the train bandits wastwo quick shots from Ford's revolver.
The thin line of assailants waited in tense silence for the beginning ofhostilities. The members of the little party were steady, although theirpulses beat high, for no one deluded himself into the belief that thisaffair was going to be wholly one-sided.
Two sharp reports from Ford's revolver, even though eagerly looked for,came so unexpectedly that every member of the party was startled, buttheir panic lasted for only a few seconds. Six heavy revolvers answeredthe signal. Three bullets sped harmlessly over the heads of the men whowere trying to rob the express car. Three other bullets from the weaponsof Ford, Tom and Hippy, by arrangement at the last moment before theparty spread out, had been fired low enough to reach the legs of thebandits.
Of course there could be no fine shooting on account of the darkness,but the sheriff and the two men with him did very well indeed, if theyells of rage that came from the bandits could be depended upon asindication of hits.
"Down!" warned Ford when the revolvers had been emptied. Every man inthe party well knew what was coming.
The expected was not long in arriving. A volley of heavy rifle shotsripped over the heads of the sleeping-car party. Ford's party quicklyreloaded as they lay; then began firing as rapidly as they could pullthe triggers of their weapons, aiming whenever they saw anything to aimat.
During all this firing the orders of the sheriff were implicitlyfollowed. Tom Gray and Lieutenant Wingate were as steady as rock, forthey had been through skirmishes before. Stacy was a little excited, butmore from eagerness to be up and at the bandits than from fear. Thebandits were getting desperate. On account of the interruption there hadbeen no opportunity to explode another charge of dynamite under theexpress car, and they were now too fully engaged to proceed with thatwork.
The desperadoes knew very well from the sound that the attackers wereusing small arms instead of rifles, thus leaving the advantage with thebandits so far as weapons were concerned. The robbers now began creepingstealthily up the slope, firing at every flash from a revolver, butFord's party was keeping so low that there was no great danger of anyone being hit except as they changed positions and ran for fresh cover,which they always did following a volley from the bandits' rifles. Thesheriff's party was giving ground slowly, constantly changing positionsunder his orders, the officer himself now and then running along theline, giving quick low-spoken orders, without regard to his own safety.
The bandits had been drawn away from the tracks for some distance whenFord dropped down beside Hippy Wingate, who was firing from behind asmall boulder.
"What is it, Sheriff?" questioned Hippy.
"I have a plan," answered Ford.
"Good! What is it?"
"Our revolvers won't hold them back much longer. Should they rush ussomeone is certain to get hit. In any event we shall then have to runfor it. I don't like to do that."
"Not yet," answered Hippy with emphasis.
"I think we may be able to save your horses and the express car if youare willing to take a long chance."
"I have taken so many already that chances no longer are a novelty. Whatis it you wish me to do?" demanded Hippy.
"Go to the engineer and tell him to back up. Tell him to hit those threecars as hard as he dares--hit them as fast as he can without throwingthem from the rails or injuring the horses. Having done that, let himback down the grade as quietly as possible so those fellows won't noticehim. When he hits the express car he is to keep on backing until hereaches the train, which he is to push back a full half mile, and thenstop and wait for us to finish our job. When we have done that we willfire a signal--three shots at intervals. I reckon the moon will soon beup so we can see what we are doing. Tell the engineer, too, that we willfire the same signal if we approach him, but, should he see anybodycoming up who does not give that signal, he is to start up his engineand reverse for all he's worth. Get me?"
"I get you, Buddy."
"I would go myself, but I am needed here. When the time comes we shallhave to make a sharp get-away ourselves, but if we save the train thatwill be enough. Do you think you can reach the locomotive?"
"Surest thing you know, old top," answered Hippy laughingly.
"Be careful! You will find that the engine is guarded, but I don'tbelieve there will be more than two men guarding it, and perhaps thisfiring may have drawn them away, though I hardly think so."
"Leave it to me."
"Should you miss us on your return, make for the train as fast as youcan. You're the right sort, Lieutenant. Pick your own trail and the besto' luck."
Lieutenant Wingate was off a few seconds later, running cautiously, nowand then flattening himself on the ground to avoid the occasionalvolley. Hippy had no fear of the bullets that whistled over him, thoughhe had a sufficiently intimate acquaintance with such missiles to holdthem in high respect. That was why he dropped to the ground when firingwas resumed. In a few moments he was out of range of the firing. He thenstraightened up and ran with all speed, parallel with the tracks, butkeeping several rods to one side.
As he neared the locomotive Hippy proceeded with more caution. The nightwas now sufficiently light to enable him to see the figures of two mensitting on the bank beside the tracks on the right side of the engine.There was no special need for vigilance on their part now, for ahead ofthe locomotive a telegraph pole had been felled across the tracks, whileto its rear were the cars and the bandits. All this made the guardssomewhat careless so that they failed to see a figure dart across thetracks a few rods back of the locomotive tender.
Lieutenant Wingate crept along under the overhang of the tender, on theside opposite from the two guards. He did not know but there might bemen on that side also, but soon discovered that there were not. He hadcrawled to the running board, by which entrance is gained to thelocomotive cab, before he was discovered by the fireman.
"Sh-h-h-h!" warned Hi
ppy just in time to check an exclamation that wason the lips of the fireman. "Lean over. I have a message for you--forthe engineer. Don't make a quick move, but just settle down. You mightfire up the boiler a little. With the glare from the fire in their eyesthose two fellows won't see quite so clearly."
The fireman, after a whispered word to the engineer, opened the firedoor and threw in fresh coal, then crouched down with his ear close tothe Overland Rider, whereupon Hippy briefly explained Sheriff Ford'splan, at the same time acquainting the fireman with the situation to therear.
Another whispered conversation across the boiler between engineer andfireman followed, with Hippy Wingate clinging on the step of thelocomotive in tense expectancy. A sudden hiss of steam from thecylinders on both sides of the engine startled him, and the big drivewheels began slipping on the rails.
"Hey there! What are ye up to?" yelled a guard, making a leap for therunning board.
The fireman responded by hieing a chunk of coal, which caught the banditin the stomach, laying the fellow flat in the ditch beside the tracks.The remaining guard fired point-blank without effect at the engineer'swindow, but the driver's head was below the level of the cab window atthat instant. The wheels gained a foothold, the engine began backingrapidly while the guard continued to shoot at the reversing hulk ofsteel.
"Good for you, Buddies!" cried Hippy enthusiastically.
The engineer did not slow down as he approached the scene of thehold-up, knowing that there were no persons in the way.
Hippy had dropped off before the engine gained much headway, and rolledover into the ditch and soon heard the tender hit the express car.
The bandits had heard the engine rumbling down the grade, but they weretoo busy shooting at Sheriff Ford's party to be able to spare the timeto interfere. In the meantime a new note had been added to the battle.The train crew, now taking courage, had gone to the assistance of theSheriff, armed with revolvers, shot guns, iron bars and whatever elsethey could lay their hands on.
Grace Harlowe and her friends, in the meantime, however, remained onguard, and not even the trainmen could have got into her sleeping carwithout giving an account of themselves to the Overland girls.
The firing now grew fast and furious. Hippy heard it, listenedattentively and realized that his little party was being assisted.
"I must get back and take a hand," he muttered, making a wide detourwith the intention of coming in to the rear of Sheriff Ford and his men.To do this he ran up the ravine from the railroad, near where the attackhad been made.
Lieutenant Wingate had not proceeded far before he heard what soundedlike hoof-beats. At first he feared that the ponies of his outfit hadbeen taken; then he realized that this could not be the case.
The ravine in which he found himself was now fairly well lighted by therising moon, and discovery was certain, the banks on either side beingso steep that the Overlander knew that he could not look for escape thatway. Not caring to be caught in a trap, Hippy turned and began toretreat down the ravine, then halted abruptly, as he discovered ahorseman coming up the ravine at a gallop. A man was running just aheadof the rider, the latter calling orders to the runner.
At this juncture, Lieutenant Wingate unlimbered his revolver and waited.The two men saw him, and the runner pointed to him, then dashed rightpast Hippy, shielding his face with a hand. As he passed, the runnerfired a shot at Hippy.
"I know you!" yelled the Overlander, sending a bullet into the groundbehind the runner. "I know your game, you scoundrel!"
Hippy, for the moment, apparently had forgotten the man on horseback,who was now to the rear of him, for Lieutenant Wingate, upon discoveringthe identity of the man on foot, was so amazed that all other thoughtstook flight.
All at once the Overland Rider remembered. He wheeled like a flash andfired at the figure that was now towering over him. A blow, crushing inits force, came down on the head of the Overland Rider, felling him tothe ground. The butt of a rifle in the hands of the horseman was theinstrument that caused Hippy's undoing.
In the meantime, while Hippy was carrying Ford's message to the engineerof the Red Limited, the hot reception they were getting led the banditsto give up the fight and scatter. It was one of the fleeingtrain-robbers who had struck Lieutenant Wingate down.