"What's the trouble—a wreck?"
"No, a hold-up. Men! get weapons, a handcar, if there is one here, and we may head off the robbers."
It took some urging to get that slow crowd into action, but finally half-a-dozen men armed with shotguns were running down the tracks following Ralph's lead.
It was a steep climb and several fell behind, out of breath. One big fellow kept pace with Ralph.
"There they are," spoke the latter as they rounded a curve.
Lights showed in the near distance. A flash of lightning momentarily revealed a stirring scene. The robbers were removing packages from a car they had broken into, and these they were loading into their wagon at the side of the train.
"Hurry up, hurry up!" Ralph's companion shouted back to his comrades. "Now, then, for a dash, and we'll bag those rogues, plunder, rig and all."
"Wait," ordered Ralph sharply.
He was too late. The impetuous villager was greatly excited and he ran ahead and fired off his gun, two of the others following his example.
Ralph was very sorry for this, for almost instantly the robbers took the alarm and all lights
