, that would give him a chance
to look in without being seen himself.

And, when he got there, he saw what was wrong. Hudson, his face livid,
a red handkerchief stuffed into his mouth, was tied in a chair, his
arms, legs and body being securely tied up, so that there was no chance
for him to work himself free. He could hear what went on, but he could
do nothing, and there was no chance for him to reach that key and
answer the insistent urging of the wire, though Jack could see, from
the look in his eyes, that he knew an attempt was being made to raise
his office.

"They'll think he's deserted his key," said Jack to himself. "That's
what's worrying him."

Apparently Hudson was alone in the station, and Jack was just on the
point of rushing in to free the operator when the door into the freight
station opened, and three burly men, dressed like tramps, appeared,
dragging poor little Tom Binns with them, despite his twisted ankle.

Tom was trying to cry out and give the alarm, as Jack could see, but in
vain, for one of the ruffians had his hand over his mouth, and there
was no chance for Tom's cries to be heard.

Jack, horror struck, but, knowing that aid was far away, watched the
scene that followed with distended eyes. He was powerless against
three such men as the tramps that had attacked Hudson and Tom Binns,
and the nearest station, as he knew, was eleven miles distant. But he
felt that he must try to find out, at least, what the attack meant.
Hudson, as the assailants must know, had no money to make such an
attack worth while, and, even if they could blow or otherwise open the
little safe it was unlikely that more than a few dollars would be
there--a poor reward for such a desperate business.

Suddenly, however, a thought came to him that terrified him a thousand
times more than what he had already seen.

"The key!" he thought, almost shouting the words aloud and betraying
himself in his excitement. That was it! These men were train
robbers--or, worse, possibly, train wreckers. They would endanger
every life on the onrushing Thunderbolt to gain their ends. That was
why they had put Hank Hudson out of business, why they were guarding
Tom Binns with such care, crippled as he seemed to be. Men in their
desperate business could take no chances. It was all or nothing for
them--success, and the chance to rifle the registered mail and the
valuable express pouches, or failure and death on the gallows or a l