hat is what the engineer is trying to
signal us for," was the answer. "I know this railroad cut. It is a bad
place in a storm. Often trains have been stuck here for days. The engine
would ram its pilot, or cowcatcher, into a drift, then snow would pile
up behind the last car and the train couldn't go ahead or back up."

"Maybe that's happened now!" exclaimed Lola.

"I shouldn't be a bit surprised," said Uncle Toby.

"But what do the passengers do when the train is stuck, like this one is
now?" Tom wanted to know.

"Oh, sometimes they get out and walk, as it isn't very far to the
station. Or if they have something to eat, and can keep warm in the
cars, they stay there until men come with shovels to dig out the train.
I guess that's what this engineer wants me for--to go on to the station
and have a gang of men sent to dig out his train. We'll soon find out,"
Uncle Toby remarked.

The automobile road ran close to the tracks and near the deep cut which
was filled with snow. The storm was getting worse, but on the level
there was not yet enough snow to have stopped a train. It was only in
the cut that the drift was deep enough for this.

Uncle Toby stopped the automobile as near the stalled train as he could
go, and waited. Soon the engineer and a man with gold braid on his cap
came floundering through the deep snow at the side of the train until
they were within calling distance of Uncle Toby, who opened the car door
to listen.

"Could you oblige us by going to the next station and having the
telegraph operator send word to headquarters that we're stalled?" asked
the man with the gold braid on his cap. He was the conductor of the
train.

"Yes, I'll do that for you," said Uncle Toby. "I thought you were
whistling for help," he added to the engineer.

"That's what I was," came the answer. "I saw you just in time. 'Tisn't
often that an auto has to come to the help of a steam engine, but it
happened this time," he added, with a smile.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" asked Uncle Toby, as he
prepared to start off again. The station was a little out of his way,
but he didn't mind that.

"Well, I don't know," replied the conductor slowly. "We haven't many
passengers on board, and all except a little boy and girl who are on
their way to Pocono will be all right. The way it is now we'll hardly
get there to-night, or anyhow, not until late, and they are traveling
alone. They expect to be met at Pocono by--le