Page:Betty Gordon in Washington.djvu/186

176 control after everything was over, but it was natural.

"How do we get out?" Bob addressed the operator briskly. "Can you open the doors? Come on now, nothing is going to hurt you—the danger is over."

The poor darky was actually gray with fright, and his face was bruised where he had been thrown against the grating when the car stopped.

"I doan know how you-all kin get out, Boss," he said tremulously. "We's stuck between the floors."

"Hello! Hello you, down there! Anybody hurt?" a friendly bellow came down to them from the grating of the floor above.

A crowd had collected on each floor, having heard the screams, and all these people now ran downstairs to get as close to the stranded car as they could. They collected about the gate on the third floor, and many from the street, hearing that there had been an accident, crowded around the shaft on the second floor. They were advised that no one was hurt and what was needed was a way of escape from the brass cage.

"Knock a hole in the roof," some one advised cheerfully. "You can crawl out on the top of the car and then shinny your way up to us. Or we'll let down a rope to you."

"What'll we knock a hole in the roof with?"