Page:Bound to be an Electrician.djvu/72

56 With a shrill blast of the whistle, the locomotive nearest to them rushed past, parts of the great giant just grazing Franklin's left arm. Then followed a reversal of the lever and a sanding of the tracks, and with the fire flying from every wheel, the train came to a sudden halt, and they were safe.

As soon as the young electrician realized that the danger was over, he picked up the little girl and placed her limp form over his shoulder. There was a narrow path between the cars and the fence, and along this he made his way until the opening at the street below was reached. He crawled under the guard gate, and a moment later stood the little girl on her feet on the sidewalk.

"Oh, dear, are we safe?" were her first words delivered with a half sob.

"Yes, we are safe now," returned Franklin. "But it was a narrow escape," he added, with a shudder. He could not help but think of what the consequence would have been had that ponderous locomotive rolled over both of them.

"I am so glad! I would have been killed if it hadn't been for you."

And she gave him a deeply grateful look out of her clear blue eyes.

By this time several of the railroad people who had witnessed the thrilling scene came up.

"Either of you hurt?" demanded the engineer of the train, anxiously.