CHAPTER XXIII
A CRITICAL MOMENT
If the rails under which Ike Slump lay had not caught at their ends with other rails, his limbs would have been crushed out of all semblance. Ralph noted this at once, and as well the extreme peril of the situation of the enemy who, a minute previous had been gloating over his helplessness.
"Don't move—for your life, don't move!" shouted Ralph, and he sprang forward in front of the pinioned Ike Slump.
"I'm killed, I'm crushed to death!" bellowed Ike. "Oh, help! help!"
The weapon had fallen from his hand. Both arms wildly sawing the air. Ike shivered and shrank like the arrant craven he was at heart.
"Do just as I say," ordered the young engineer breathlessly. "Don't stir—don't even breathe."
Ralph had jumped to the end of the pile of rails. His quick eye selected the one rail that was the key of the tangle, which, directed wrong,
