CHAPTER XX

THE MUNITION TRAIN’S APPROACH

“Do ye not hear it comin’, Rab?” Donald asked in the other’s ear. “Something must be done, or it will be too late!”

“We will find the wire, Donald,” the scout master assured him.

“Oh! ay, but will it be in time?” begged the other.

Rob understood what doubts and fears were racking that faithful heart. He also had a plan whereby Donald might make assurance doubly certain. The time had apparently arrived when a division of their forces would appear to be the best policy.

“Listen, Donald,” said Rob, still in that low whisper that even the other fellows could not catch, though they tried very hard to do so, “you must climb the bank, and, perhaps, find one of the guards. Failing that, you can run back along the track so as to warn your father of the danger. You know how to do that, and here is my little torch you might use, also some matches, my red bandanna to put over the light as a danger signal, and a part of a newspaper. Do you get my meaning clearly, Donald?”

“Oh! ay,” said the eager boy, as he clutched all that Rob was thrusting into his hand. “Shall I go the noo, Rab?”

“Yes, be off with you,” came the command. “Be careful how you stand up when you reach the top of the embankment. The enemy are hiding down here, and would outline you against the sky. Crawl all you can, Donald. Good-bye, and good luck go with you. Meanwhile, depend on us to find that wire!”

A fervent clasp of the hand. Donald crept hastily away, heading so as to reach the bank at the terminus of the trestle; for, of course, he could not hope to climb the latter itself.

Andy was able to partly guess what mission Rob had given into the keeping of the young Canadian. Possibly Andy would have liked being sent forth on such an exciting errand himself, but then he recognized the fact that Donald really had a superior claim to such a task. He was at home on his native heath, and could better make the Canadian guards understand, if he had the good luck to come upon any of those in whose care the bridge had been placed by the authorities. Then, again, it was his father whose life was in danger. Another thing satisfied Andy that Rob knew what was best in selecting Donald for action—being brought up in a railroading family he was apt to be much better acquainted with the ways by which signals are given calculated to stop trains. Yes, Donald was the proper one to be chosen, Andy concluded, and, as usual, Rob had wisely placed “a round peg in a round hole.”

After their force had been diminished, the rest of the party continued their hunt for the hidden wire. Rob knew just about how it would be staked down as close to the earth as possible, by means of metal staples, or wickets like those used in the game of croquet, only much more diminutive. This would be done in order to prevent any passer-by from catching his foot in the wire, and thus bringing about an astonishing discovery that would break up all the plans of the plotters.

So Rob was feeling very carefully. He did not mean to miss anything while engaging in the search. He was also positive that they ought to run across the wire at any second.

But once more the breeze brought the sound of the approaching train more plainly to their ears. It was coming fast, they understood. In imagination Tubby could see the glare of the headlight in the west, though a second look convinced him he was probably mistaken, and that it was only one of the largest planets about setting below the horizon. After that he breathed freely again.

If Donald were only successful in meeting one of the guards, and could explain matters in a great hurry, a man might be sent down the track to wave a red lantern and thus stop the oncoming train. Failing in that, Donald must do the best he could with what Rob had provided for the purpose.

But even though this were done, the costly and invaluable bridge would not be saved unless that necessary wire were quickly discovered. Rob himself was beginning to feel a little worried over the matter. He thought they should have come upon it before then, unless his calculations were all awry. At the same time this did not mean he was ready to quit and call the game off, for that was hardly his way of doing things. They took more desperate chances with every foot that they drew nearer the threatened trestle, for it was impossible to say how far some of the timbers might be hurled when the explosion came, if it eventually did. That would depend altogether on the amount and concentrated energy of the explosive used; those men undoubtedly meant to do the most damage they could while about it.

Rob, in the start, could easily have covered three times as much ground as he did, and also discovered what he was looking for, had he dared use that wonderful little torch of his, which he had given to Donald. But this would have been utterly out of the question. It must have excited the suspicions of the concealed invaders, and caused them to hasten the culmination of their plans; or even, failing that, the attention of the armed guards above must have been attracted to the spot; and they were under orders to send a volley _first_ at any moving object, and investigate afterward.

Foot by foot they continued to thoroughly comb every bit of territory over which they crept. If Rob failed to happen on the wire possibly Andy, or Zeb, or even Tubby might be the lucky one. They knew enough to understand that such a discovery was to be instantly communicated to the leader, so that he might start trying to sever communications.

Rob managed to cast frequent glances up toward the spot where he knew the solid ground was banked by a concrete wall, and the heavy beams of the trestle began. He wondered whether Donald would be as careful as he had cautioned him about showing himself, or if the boy, in his eagerness to save his father, would betray his presence by standing upright when on the embankment. So Rob was kept in a nervous state. Once he felt sure he heard a small stone rolling down the bank, possibly dislodged by the foot of the climber. He hoped that its descent had not been noticed by those men waiting in the clump of bushes toward the south; or that a vigilant member of the bridge guard would not come hurrying to the spot, ready to blaze away down the slope.

Andy had advanced a little after Donald’s departure. He was now almost alongside his chum and leader, ready to receive any necessary communication that Rob would think fit to pass along. Apparently the other saw no necessity for any exchange of opinions. He said not a word as he went on, foot by foot, feeling the dead grass, and the weeds that grew in profusion along the lower level close to the river’s verge, always hoping that the next movement would bring success.

It was Andy clutching his coat that caused Rob to look sideways, for the chum chanced to be on his left. This caused him to see what evidently Andy had reference to. Another rocket was swiftly climbing upward into the heavens; he could follow its yellow flight by the line of fire that trailed behind.

Even as he looked it described a beautiful turn and started earthward again, only to suddenly burst and discharge a swarm of writhing serpents that went wriggling this way and that until they disappeared from view.

Plainly, then, a second confederate of the plotters, on duty at another station still closer to the bridge, was endeavoring to let them know the doomed munition train was passing there, and was on its way eastward. The change from stars to serpents was significant in the eyes of Rob. But after all what did it matter, when they already knew that much? The sound of the heavy train reached them continuously, now rising higher, and anon falling to a lower pitch, but constantly in evidence.

The lay of the land compelled a closer approach to the embankment as they advanced, though Rob would much rather have kept a fair distance away, taking as little chance of danger as he consistently could. He did not yet give up hope of succeeding in his mission. At any second they were likely to discover what they sought.

Rob had it all planned out, how to cut the wire and balk the game those sneaking plotters had arranged. Perhaps he even gripped his wire-cutters in his hand, or at least knew where he could clutch them instantly when needed.

It was at this interesting time Rob felt certain he saw a dim object roll over the top of the embankment, much as a dog might do on occasion. Unless one were intently observing the particular spot where this took place the scout master did not believe Donald’s action would be noticed.

The Canadian lad had gained the goal of his hopes, and if the spirit moved him he was in a position to hurry along the up-track, so as to meet the train. Rob wished he would do this. He was sorry now he had not embodied this in his orders to Donald, instead of leaving it to his discretion. If he started to look for one of the bridge guards he was apt to waste valuable time. He also ran a great risk of being fired upon before being able to explain who he was, and tell about the amazing thing that had brought him there in the darkness of night.

Still, Rob rather fancied that this would be Donald’s plan. The great affection he bore for his father would overcome all his scruples while he climbed the bank. Rob had actually left it all to his discretion, and love would bias him along the line of least resistance. Yes, Rob believed more and more now that this was what Donald would conclude to be his duty. It gave the scout leader considerable satisfaction to think so.

After the danger was past, with the munition train halted before it reached the beginning of the trestle and the mine prevented from being discharged by the wire being cut in two—that would be time enough to explain things to the guard, running toward the stalled engine to find out what had happened to cause the sudden stop.

If all worked well, victory would be in their grasp pretty soon now; but, oh, Tubby found himself oppressed with a dreadful fear that there might come a hitch in the beautiful program, which would mean a disastrous end to all their hopes.

Was there a wire at all, he asked himself? Could it be possible for those clever German sympathizers to make use of some cunning method for discharging the mine by means of wireless? All sorts of wonderful things were cropping up every day Over There where nations were engaged in the death grapple. Who could say what might not be accomplished? Tubby remembered reading how a Yankee had proved that he could control a torpedo spinning through the water by electrical appliances similar to wireless, so that he could send it to the right or to the left as he willed and cause it to hunt after an object a mile or more distant, just as a magnet is attracted toward the North Star by some mysterious unseen power. Tubby was in a condition to believe anything, no matter how amazing.

Then the fat scout noted that once more Rob—yes, and Andy, too—had stopped short. They appeared to be examining something on the ground, and Tubby’s heart commenced to thump like mad as he speculated upon what this meant. Was it the wire they had been so industriously hunting all this while? Oh, he would willingly give all he possessed in the way of boyish treasures, could he only be assured of this and know that Rob had severed the same.

Tubby heaved a sigh of genuine relief. He had heard a low chirp, peculiar in itself and yet not at all calculated to arouse any suspicion. It was the most welcome sound that could have reached the hearing of the anxious, nerve-racked Tubby. By it he became aware that success had indeed rewarded their patient efforts. The copper wire was located at last!