Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/250

228 "Whoop! Wouldn't that make your hair turn white!" interrupted Sam Day. "That's the biggest whopper I've heard yet."

"It's a true story," answered Shadow, calmly. "If you don't believe it, come to my house some day and I'll show you the toothpick the engineer used after he got through using the dinner pail." And then a shout of laughter arose.

They were climbing a hill and it was not long before they reached the summit where they passed another car at a switch. Here the car was stopped for a few minutes so that all hands might enjoy the scenery, which was beautiful in its bath of moonshine. Then on they went again, down the long slope on the other side, faster and faster, until the car seemed to be fairly flying along.

"Put on the brake there!" shouted Phil, warningly. "You are going too fast. There's a curve at the bottom of the hill, and——"

"The brake's stuck!" was the gasped-out answer. "I—I can't budge it!"

Several leaped forward, but none could move the brake for fully half a minute. By that time the car was going along at lightning-like speed. And now the dreaded curve appeared. It looked as if the trolley car, and all on board, were doomed to destruction!