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he rode old Emperor。
That night； after the performance； Phil hurried to the train； but kept a
weather eye out that he might not be assaulted again。 He found himself
hungry； and； repairing to the acmodation car for a lunch； discovered
Teddy stowing away food at a great rate。
〃So you're here； are you？〃 laughed Phil。
〃Yep； I live here most of the time；〃 grinned Teddy。 〃They like to
have me eat here。 I'm a sort of nest egg； you know。 It makes the others
hungry to see me eat； and they file in in a perfect procession。 How's your
head？〃
〃Still a size too large；〃 answered Phil； sinking down on a stool and
ordering a sandwich。
As the lads ate and talked two or three other performers came in；
whereupon the conversation became more general。
All at once there came a bang as a switching engine bumped into the
rear of their car。 Teddy about to pass a cup of steaming coffee to his lips；
spilled most of it down his neck。
〃Ouch！〃 he yelled； springing up； dancing about the floor； holding his
clothes as far from his body as possible。 〃Here； you quit that！〃 he yelled；
poking his head out of a window。 〃If you do that again I'll trim you with
a pitcher of coffee and see how you like that。〃
Bang！
Once more the engine smashed into them； having failed to make the
coupling the first time。
Teddy sat down heavily in the middle of the car； just as Little Dimples
tripped in。 In one hand he held a sandwich half consumed； while with
the other he was still stretching his collar as far from his neck as it would
go。
〃Why； Teddy；〃 exclaimed Dimples； 〃what are you doing on the floor？〃
〃Eating my lunch。 Always eat it sitting on the floor； you know；〃
growled the boy； at which there was a roar from the others。
〃What are they trying to do out there？〃 questioned Phil。
〃Going to shift us about on another track； I guess。 I was nearly
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thrown down when I tried to get on the platform。 I never saw a road
where they were so rough。 Did you？〃
〃Yes； I rode on one the other night that could beat this；〃 grinned Phil。
A few minutes later the car got under motion； pushed by a switching
engine； and began banging along merrily over switches； tearing through
the yard at high speed。
〃We seem to be in a hurry 'bout something；〃 grunted Teddy。 〃Maybe
they've hooked us on the wrong train； and we're bound for somewhere
else。〃
〃No； I don't think so；〃 replied Phil。 〃You should be used to this sort
of thing by this time。〃
〃I don't care as long as the food holds out。 It doesn't make any
difference where they take us。〃
〃What section does this car go out on tonight； steward？〃 questioned
Phil。
〃The last。 Goes out with the sleepers。〃
〃That explains it。 They are shifting us around； making up the last
section and to get us out of the way of section No。 2。 I never can keep
these trains straight in my mind； they change them so frequently。 But it's
better than riding in a canvas wagon over a rough country road； isn't it；
Teddy？〃
〃Worse；〃 grunted the lad。 〃You never know when you're going to get
your everlasting bump； and you don't have any net to fall in when you do。
Hey； they're at it again！〃
His words were almost prophetic。
There followed a sudden jolt； a deafening crash； acpanied by cries
from the cooks and waiters at the far end of the car。
〃Get a net！〃 howled Teddy。
〃We're off the rails；〃 cried the performers。
〃Look out for yourselves！〃
Little Dimples was hurled from her stool at the lunch counter； and
launched straight toward a window from which the glass was showering
into the car。
Phil made a spring； catching her in his arms。 But the impact and the
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jolt were too much for him。 He went down in a heap； Little Dimples
falling half over him。
He made a desperate grab for her； but the woman's skirts slipped
through his hand and she plunged on toward the far end of the car。
〃Look out for the coffee boiler。〃
A yell from a waiter told them that the warning had e too late。
The man had gotten a large part of the contents of the boiler over him。
But all at once those in the car began to realize that something else
was occurring。 Somehow； they could feel the acmodation car
wavering as if on the brink of a precipice。 Then it began to settle slowly
and the mystified performers and car hands thought it was going to rest
where it was on the ties。
Instead； the car took a sudden lurch。
〃We're going over something！〃 cried a voice。
Phil； who had scrambled quickly to his feet； half…dazed from the fall；
stood irresolutely for a few seconds then began making his way toward
where Little Dimples had fallen。 At that moment young Forrest was
hurled with great force against the side of the car。 Everything in the car
seemed suddenly to have bee the center of a miniature cyclone。
Dishes； cooking utensils； tables and chairs were flying through the air； the
noise within the car acpanied by a sickening； grinding series of
crashes from without。
Groans were already distinguishable above the deafening crashes。
Those who were able to think realized that the acmodation car was
falling over an embankment of some sort。
Through accident or design； what is known as a 〃blind switch〃 had
been turned while the engine was shunting the acmodation car about
the yards。 The result was that the car had left the rails； bumped along on
the ties for a distance； then had toppled over an embankment that was
some twenty feet high。
It seemed as if all in that ill…fated car must be killed or maimed for life。
A series of shrill blasts from the engine called for help。
The crash had been heard all over the railroad yards。 Railroad men and
circus me