He was dragging himself wearily from
one rung to another.
"Can you get up?" Tom asked. Shadrack gasped and shook his head. "Hold on
tight! Just hold there!"
Tom started back for the center of the car, found the side door and put his
head out for a breath of clean air. Then he drew the door shut and made his
way to the rear end again. That would keep the smoke from Shadrack as he
climbed to the top of the car. Tom clung there, holding to the brake bar
and the ladder, looking up. He saw Shadrack's legs disappear over the edge.
Dizziness overcame him for a moment. He held on with all his strength,
closed his eyes, letting the cool rain splatter in his face. Then he
climbed the ladder, Shadrack was sitting on the top of the car, swaying
weakly.
"Are you all right, Shadrack?" asked Tom.
"Yes--in a second. Thanks for coming. The smoke almost finished me. I was
scattering the flames around. Is the fire going all right?"
"Yes. We'd better get back to the tender."
"I would have fallen off, if you hadn't closed that door. I'm still dizzy."
Tom looked ahead and saw the bridge. "Come on, Shadrack," he said. "We have
to get forward. On your hands and knees." He, too, was so dizzy that he
could not trust himself to walk upright.
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