the circus boys across the continent(穿越大陆的马戏团男孩)-第27章
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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 men had rushed toward the spot where the acmodation car had
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gone over the embankment； Mr。 Sparling among the number。 He had just
arrived at the yards when the accident occurred。
Fortunately； the wrecking crew was ready for instant service； and these
men were rushed without an instant's delay to the outskirts of the yard
where the wreck had occurred。
However； ere the men got there a startling cry rose from hundreds of
throats。
〃Fire！ The car is on fire！〃
〃Break in the doors！ Smash the sides in！〃
Yet no one seemed to have the presence of mind to do anything。 Phil
had been hurled through a broken widow； landing halfway down the bank；
on the uphill side of the car； else he must have been crushed to death。
But so thoroughly dazed was he that he was unable to move。
Finally someone discovered him and picked him up。
〃Here's one of them；〃 announced a bystander。 〃It's a kid； too。〃
Mr。 Sparling came charging down the bank。
〃Who is it？ Where is he？〃 he bellowed。
〃Here。〃
〃It's Phil Forrest；〃 cried one of the showmen； recognizing the lad；
whose face was streaked where it had been cut by the jagged glass in the
broken window。
〃Is he killed？〃
〃No； he's alive。 He's ing around now。〃
Phil sat up and rubbed his eyes。
All at once he understood what had happened。 He staggered to his
feet holding to a man standing beside him。
〃Why don't you do something？〃 cried Phil。 〃Don't you know there
are people in that car？〃 〃It's burning up。 Nobody dares get in till the
wreckers can get here and smash in the side of the car；〃 was the answer。
〃What？〃 fairly screamed Phil Forrest。 〃Nobody dares go in that car？
Somebody does dare！〃
〃e back； e back； Phil！ You can't do anything；〃 shouted a
fellow performer。
But the lad did not even hear him。 He was leaping； falling and
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rolling down the bank； regardless of the danger that he was approaching；
for the flames already showed through a broken spot in the roof of the car；
which was lying half on its side at the foot of the embankment。
Without an instant's hesitation Phil； as he came up alongside； raised a
foot； smashing out the remaining pieces of glass in a window。 Then he
plunged in head first。
The spectators groaned。
〃Dimples！ Dimples！〃 he shouted。 〃Are you alive？〃
〃Yes； here。 Be quick！ I'm pinned down！〃
Phil rushed to her assistance。 Her legs were pinioned beneath a
heavy timber。 Phil attacked it desperately； tugging and grunting； the
perspiration rolling down his face； for the heat in there was now almost
more than he could bear。
With a mighty effort he wrenched the timber from the prostrate woman；
then quickly gathered her up in his arms。
〃I knew you'd e； Phil； if you were alive；〃 she breathed； her head
resting on his shoulder。
〃Do you know where Teddy is？〃 he asked； plunging through the
blinding smoke to the window where voices already were calling to him。
〃At the other endI think；〃 she choked。
The lad passed her out to waiting arms。
〃e out！ e out of that！〃 bellowed the stentorian voice of Mr。
Sparling。 But Phil had turned back。
〃Teddy！〃 he called； the words choked back into his throat by the
suffocating smoke。
〃Wow！ Get me out of here。 I'mI'm；〃 then the lad went off into a
violent fit of coughing。
By this time two others； braver than the rest； had climbed in through
the window。
〃Where are they all？〃 called a voice。
〃I don't know。 You'll have to hunt for them。 I'm after you； Teddy。
Are you held down by something； too？〃
〃The whole car's on me； and I'm burning up。〃
Phil； guided by the boy's voice； groped his way along and soon found
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his hands gripped by those of his little panion。
〃Where are you fast？〃
〃My feet！〃
It proved an easy matter to liberate Teddy and drag him to the window；
where Phil dumped him out。
Mr。 Sparling had climbed in by this time； and the wrecking crew were
thundering at the roof to let the smoke and flames out； while others had
crawled in with their fire extinguishers。
There were now quite a number of brave men in the car all working
with desperate haste to rescue the imprisoned circus people。
〃All out！〃 bellowed the foreman of the wrecking crew。 〃The roof
will be down in a minute！〃
〃All out！〃 roared Mr。 Sparling； himself making a dash for a window。
Others piled out with a rush； the flames gaining very rapid headway
now。
〃Phil！ Phil！ Where's Forrest？〃 called Mr。 Sparling。
〃He isn't here。 Maybe〃
〃Then he's in that car。 He'll be burned alive！ No one can live five
minutes in there now！〃
The fire department had arrived on the scene； and the men were
running two lines of hose over the tracks。
〃Phil in there？〃
It was a howla startled howl rather than a spoken question。 The voice
belonged to Teddy Tucker。
Teddy rushed through the crowd； pushing obstructors aside； and hurled
himself through the window into the burning car。 He looked more like a
big； round ball than anything else。
No sooner had Tucker landed fairly inside than he uttered a yell。
〃Phil！〃
There was no answer。
〃Where〃
Teddy went down like a flash； bowled over by a heavy stream of water
from the firemen's hose。
As it chanced he fell prone across a heap of some sort； choking and
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growling with rage at what had befallen him。
〃Phil！〃
〃Yes；〃 answered a voice from the heap。
〃I've got him！〃 howled Teddy； springing up and dragging the half…
dazed Phil Forrest to the window。 There both boys were hauled out；
Teddy and Phil collapsing on the embankment from the smoke that they
had inhaled。
〃Phil！ Teddy！〃 begged Mr。 Sparling； throwing himself beside them。
〃Get a net！〃 muttered Teddy； then swooned。
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CHAPTER XXII
WHAT HAPPENED TO A PACEMAKER
〃Find out how that car came to tumble off；〃 were the first words Phil
uttered after they had restored him to consciousness。
Teddy； however； was bemoaning the loss of the sandwich that he had
bought but had not eaten。
〃The accident shall be investigated by me personally before this
section leaves the yard；〃 said Mr。 Sparling。 〃I am glad you suggested it；
Phil。 How do you feel？〃
〃I am all right。 Did somebody pull me out？〃
〃Yes； Teddy did。 You are a pair of brave boys。 I guess this outfit
knows now the stuff you two are made of； if it never did before；〃 glowed
Mr。 Sparling。
〃How many were killed？〃
〃None。 The head steward has a broken leg； one waiter a few ribs
smashed in； and another has lost a finger。 I reckon the railroad will have
a nice bill of damages to pay for this night's work。 Were you in the car
when it occurred？〃
〃Yes。 They had been handling it rather roughly。 We spoke of it at
the time。 We were moving down the yard when suddenly one end
seemed to drop right off the track as if we had e to the end of it。〃
Mr。 Sparling nodded。
〃I'll go into it with the railroad people at once。 You two get into your
berths。 Can you walk？〃
〃Oh； yes。〃
〃How about you； Tucker；〃
〃I can creep all right。 I learned to do that when I was in long pants。〃
〃I guess you mean long dresses；〃 answered the showman。
〃I guess I do。〃
The boys were helped to the sleeper； where they were put to bed。 Phil
had been slightly burned on one hand while Teddy got what he called 〃a
free hair cut；〃 meaning that his hair had been pretty well singed。
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Otherwise they were none the worse for their experiences； save for the
slight cuts Phil had received by ing in contact with broken glass and
some burns from the coffee boiler。
They were quite ready to go to sleep soon after being put to bed；
neither awakening until they reached the next show town on the following
morning。
When the two lads pulled themselves up in their berths the sun was
well u
