lle, will they?" Alex exclaimed.
"Won't the grades between there and Imken pull them up?"

Saunders shook his head. "Ten loaded ore cars travelling at that rate
would climb those grades."

"Then they will be down here--and in twenty or thirty minutes! And
there's the Accommodation coming from the east," said Alex rapidly, "and
we can't reach anyone to stop her!"

Saunders stared. "That's so. I'd forgotten her. But what can we do?" he
demanded helplessly.

Terryville answered, and in strained silence they awaited his report.
"Yes, they are coming. I thought it was thunder.

"Here they are now," he added an instant after.

"They're past!"

"They'll reach us! What shall we do?" gasped Saunders.

Alex turned from the table, and as the Indian Canyon operator hastily
called Jakes Creek, the last station intervening, began striding up and
down the room, thinking rapidly.

If they only had more battery--could make the current in the wire
stronger! Immediately on the thought came remembrance of the emergency
battery he had made the previous year at Watson Siding. He spun about
toward the office water-cooler. But only to utter an exclamation of
disappointment. This cooler was of tin--of course useless for such a
purpose.

Hurriedly he began casting about for a substitute. "Billy, think of
something we can make a big battery jar of!" he cried. "To strengthen the
wire!"

"A battery? But what would we do for bluestone? I used the last
yesterday!"

Alex returned to the table, and threw himself hopelessly into the chair.

At the moment the Jakes Creek operator answered his call, and received
the message of warning.

"Say," said Saunders, "perhaps some of the other fellows on the wire have
bluestone and the other stuff, and could make a battery!"

Alex uttered a shout. "That's it!" he cried, and springing to the
telegraph key, as soon as the wire closed, called Indian Canyon. "Have
you any extra battery material there?" he sent quickly.

"No. Why--"

Abruptly Alex cut him off and called Imken. He also responded in the
negative. But from Terryville came a prompt "Yes. Why--"

"Have you one of those big stoneware water-coolers there?"

"Yes, but wh--"

"Do you know how to make a battery?"

"No."

"Well, listen--"

The instruments had suddenly failed to respond. A minute passed, and
another. Five went by, and Alex sank back in the chair in despair.
Undoubtedly the storm had broken the wire somewhere.

"Ev