Page:Bob Chester's Grit.djvu/143

Rh he stared at the boards as though striving to see through them.

Straining his ears to catch every word, he heard another of the plotters begin to speak, when a train thundered past, effectually cutting off all conversation with its roar.

Though Bob did not know it, so absorbed was he in listening, less than five minutes had passed since he had started back for the caboose.

With the necessity of making a quick shift to the siding, the conductor of the freight train had momentarily forgotten the presence of his youthful charge, and when at last he did remember, it was with the supposition that he had remained in the cab with the engineer.

Accordingly, upon receipt of orders to proceed, Hosmer decided to let Bob ride longer in the cab, and shouted to his men to get aboard, waving his arm in the "go ahead" signal to the engineer.

But Bob had heard the shouts, and divining their meaning, jumped to the track, having no relish for riding farther in his dangerous position between the cars.

Fortunately, both the engineer and conductor saw the boy, as he leaped to the ground, and the signal to start was not obeyed.

Recovering his balance, Bob ran toward Hosmer.