"We'll have to abandon
the locomotive if they get through."
Andrews jumped up and crossed to the other side of the engine. He stood
beside Knight, shouting into his ear. Knight nodded; then he closed the
throttle, and the _General's_ speed slackened. The bridge shed was looming
ahead of them.
The _General_ darted into the shed and came to a stop. Tom stood at the
door of the tender, waiting for the signal that the car had been uncoupled.
Already the flames were licking the shed walls and mounting to the roof;
the scene was illuminated in a wavering, red glow.
Boss jumped up from behind the tender, and yelled, "Go!"
"Go!" repeated Tom. The steam hissed and enveloped them in a cloud. The
walls echoed the screeching of the wheels as they slid upon the tracks.
Brown yanked at the sand lever. The wheels gained traction and the
_General_ jumped ahead and sped from the bridge.
Smoke was pouring from the ends of the shed as they looked back. And across
the bend, a mile behind them, came the _Texas_!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE END OF THE RACE
Fuller had stopped at Green's Station and at Tilton for wood and water; at
Dalton he paused for a moment to shunt the two freight cars which Andrews
had dropped.
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