Ralph in the Switch Tower; Or, Clearing the Track

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XIX--THE DOUBLE WRECK

  Ralph Fairbanks had disobeyed orders.

  That was the first overwhelming thought that rushed through the youngleverman's mind. He stood in the midst of the storm, still clasping thered switch light.

  The echo of that ominous crash was in his ears. Louder and fiercer, itseemed, thumping away at his heart with a dull, depressing force, wasthe realization that he had violated the stringent instructions of hissuperior, Jack Knight: "Never disobey orders!"

  Something had been wrong at the limits tower--hence, two wrecks withinsixty minutes. But that was not Ralph's business. Limits had orderedtrack 7. He had sent the through freight down track 6. No matter whathumane sense had prompted his choice, the railroad regime was strictlyinviolable. There had been a wreck, how bad he did not yet know, and hewas responsible for it.

  The freight had come to a stop. Lanterns now began to flit in itsvicinity. Above the raging tumult of the storm, vague shouts reachedRalph's ear.

  A brakeman, carrying a lantern, came rushing towards him.

  "What has happened?" asked Ralph faintly.

  "Towerman?" queried the brakeman sharply, flashing the lantern inRalph's face. "Only a shake-up at my end. What's ahead, I don't know.Nothing coming behind?"

  "No--get me word how bad the smash-up is, will you?" and, recalled tohis duty by the brakeman's appearance, Ralph hurried back to the tower.

  He closed the switch on track 6. Then, somewhat faint and badlyworried, he sank into the armchair. Nothing was due on regularschedule. The express was reported stalled. Still, so many strangemix-ups had occurred during the night, that Ralph watched the dial, onthe keen edge of suspense and distraction.

  "Hello!" he cried finally, and started to his feet in wonder.

  The dial disc transfixed his glance. It had begun to work. Withinthirty seconds it indicated as many varied orders. It scheduledfreights, passengers, "chasers." It called for one switch afteranother.

  In stupefaction Ralph watched the brass index finger flit, whirl, andtremble. Then it circled round and round several times, vibrated at"blank," and rested there.

  "Why!" gasped the stupefied Ralph, "am I crazy, or is someone else atthe other end of the line?"

  Voices below made Ralph start, listen, and watch. A grimed face came upthrough the trap. Ralph recognized the fireman of the through freight.

  "Quick!" he spoke--"how bad?"

  "Three empty freights kindling wood, front of the engine stove in,"reported the fireman.

  "No one hurt?"

  "Not a soul."

  "Thank Heaven!" murmured Ralph presently.

  "I jumped, after the shutting down of the air brakes," went on thefireman. "So did Foster. But say, kid, why in the world didn't yougive us the long siding?"

  "Orders from limits for 7," explained Ralph. "It was a desperatechance. I took it, and gave you 6, for 7 was in use with a sleeper. Areyou going to the depot? Please tell the dispatcher our 'phone is burnedout, something wrong at limits, and to send to me for a report rightaway."

  "There's a mix-up all along the line, the way things look," observed thefireman, disappearing.

  Ralph took up a position at an open window. He watched the lanternsbobbing along the tracks and at the depot.

  He was unnerved and in a direful condition of suspense. Only the gladthought that no loss of life attended the collision sustained him.

  The train dispatcher's assistant put in an appearance in about twentyminutes. He looked flustered as he told Ralph that they had two wreckson their hands.

  Ralph made his report clearly, concisely. His visitor looked astonishedas he learned of the amazing gyrations of the signal dial.

  "You're a brick, just the same, Fairbanks!" said the man, as Ralphconcluded his report. "If the freight had got track 7, there would havebeen a fine slaughter for the railroad company to pay for."

  "I disobeyed orders," observed Ralph in a depressed tone.

  "Whose orders?"

  "Limits."

  "Limits seems to have made a fine mess of it all along the line, and weare going to find out why, very promptly."

  "I wish you would send a messenger for Mr. Knight," said Ralph. "Ithink he ought to be here to straighten things out."

  "We have done that already."

  "Look--see!" cried Ralph suddenly.

  The dial began its strange manifestations again. The man from thedispatcher's office started, gulped, and with a mutter of astonishmentand concern ran down the trap ladder.

  The depot yards became a scene of activity as the minutes wore on.

  The seriousness of the occasion, with three trains out of service,called for immediate attention. Handcars were flitting hither andthither. Ralph was kept busy sending them on their way.

  The master mechanic, depot master, and Jack Knight made up one handcarload. Two engines with tackle and relief cars came down from theroundhouse, lining up at the side of the through freight.

  Ralph was fully watchful and employed for the next hour. Then he becamedreadfully anxious. A handcar bolted right under the windows of theswitch tower. The master mechanic and Jack Knight got off, and came upthe ladder a minute later.

  Ralph stood holding to the armchair, a picture of suspense. The mastermechanic looked grave and bothered. On the contrary, bluff and heartyas ever, Knight came forward. He grasped Ralph by both shoulders,swinging him backwards and forwards in a playful, encouraging way.

  "Shake, old fellow!" he sang out, slipping one hand down one arm andgripping Ralph's fingers heartily.

  "Why?" asked Ralph with a half-smile. "Good-bye? I suppose that is theprogramme for me," he added, with an anxious look at the mastermechanic.

  "What's that?" demanded old Jack keenly. "Oh, on account of the throughfreight? Humph! If the Great Northern don't appreciate the wise,wide-awake common sense that saw the difference between three old boxcars and eleven precious human lives, I'll take my walking papersinstanter. Is that right, Mr. Blake?" challenged Knight.

  "Yes," nodded the master mechanic, "your sentiment is right, Mr. Knight.I have nothing but praise for the good judgment young Fairbanks hasshown."

  "But I disobeyed orders," suggested Ralph in an uncertain tone.

  "Orders?" sniffed Knight--"yes, luckily! A crazy man's order."

  "Why, what do you mean?" inquired Ralph in perplexity.

  "What I say. For three hours the limits tower has been in charge of astark, raving lunatic--the Great Northern railroad system the playthingof a madman. Never has this company been so near wreck and ruin. Andyou, Fairbanks," added the veteran towerman, with a tender, fatherlytouch on the arm of his young protege--"you saved your end of the line!"