"No," from Donald, "but it will save the bullion. What's your plan?"

"Well, I was thinking it would be a good plan to separate the train."

"How?"

"You can see it is all down grade from here to where the bandits are waiting for us."

"Yes."

"As soon as we get to running a good speed, Billie and I will go into the express car with the three guards. You and Pedro stay here with the other guards and the pa.s.sengers. As we near the bandits, uncouple the train, put on the brakes and stop the coaches. We will rush by with the engine and express car, firing as we go----"

"Which will be all right," interrupted Billie, "if they don't ditch the engine."

Adrian's face fell.

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, you'd better."

After a moment Adrian's face brightened.

"They might better ditch the engine and express car than the whole train," he declared.

"Right you are," from Donald. "If you and Billie are game enough to try it, I say it is the proper thing. If they ditch the engine, we will be back a ways and can run down to your a.s.sistance. If they don't ditch you, we will have them between two fires."

"Just what I thought," replied Adrian. "How about it, Billie?"

"I'm game. My head may be a little thick, but I can see just as far through a two-inch plank as the next one."

"All right, then. Come on," and Adrian led the way into the car ahead, while Donald and Pedro stood by to uncouple as soon as they pa.s.sed the clump of trees before alluded to.

Almost at the same instant several sharp blasts from the whistle gave the danger signal, and Donald threw over the coupling lever and put on the brake. The coaches slowed quickly down, but the engine and express car dashed in between the hors.e.m.e.n stationed on either side of the track.

Prepared for what they knew was coming, the engineer and fireman had thrown themselves down on the floor of the cab, while Adrian, Billie and the three guards poured a volley into the robbers as they pa.s.sed and several horses lost their mounts.

This fire was followed by a fusillade from the hors.e.m.e.n and a minute later the engine, striking an unspiked rail, rolled completely over into the ditch, wrenching itself clear from the express car, which, after b.u.mping over the ties for several seconds, suddenly ceased its antics and glided smoothly along.

As by a miracle it had run completely over the s.p.a.ce from which the rail had been loosed and landed upon the good track, down which it now sped.

So unexpected was the change from ties to track that Adrian and Billie were unable for a few moments to understand what had happened. Then Billie rushed to the door and seized the hand brake.

"Grab hold and help stop this car," he yelled to Adrian, "or there is no knowing where we'll land."

Adrian hastened to obey, but the wrench that had been given the car when the engine broke loose had put the brake out of commission and the car sped on.

The three Mexican guards now appeared on the platform and gazed wildly up the track where they could see the fight going on between the bandits and their companions.

"What shall we do, Senor?" asked one of them.

"Search me," from Billie. "How long is this grade?"

"It is down hill all the way to Pitahaya."

"How far is that?"

"Ten kilometers from Pachuca."

"That must be about three miles farther," said Adrian.

"Correct," from Billie, "but unless it's a mighty steep up-grade the other side of Pita-what's-its-name, we're going so fast we'll not stop till we've run away past it."

"Well, what of it? We can coast back, can't we?"

The car gave a lurch to one side that almost threw the boys off the platform.

"We're certainly going some," called Adrian. "Hang on!"

And hang on they did until they dashed past the little station of Pitahaya and after several minutes began to slow down.

"This is a little better," Adrian finally remarked as the car showed some sign of coming to a stop.

"Yes, indeed," from Billie. "I suppose we'll come to a dead stop soon. Do you think she'll start back on her own hook, or shall we have to start her?"

"We'll soon see," and see they did, for a couple of minutes later the car came to a stop.

For some minutes the five occupants of the car waited to see if it would start back down the grade. When it did not they got off to decide what could be done.

"It's a mighty steep hill," Billie ventured. "Looks as though the five of us ought to start it. Let's try."

The five put their shoulders against the car and pushed with all their might, but it refused to budge.

"If we only had a crowbar," said Adrian, "we could start it in a jiffy. Suppose some of you look in the car. There might be one there."

The three Mexicans jumped to obey.

Directly they appeared in the doorway with a large claw-bar in their hands.

"Will this do?" asked one.

"Sure! Throw it off," said Billie, "and I'll soon start the old caboose."

Picking up the bar, Billie inserted the claw under one of the wheels while Adrian stood with his hand on the car rail ready to spring aboard.

At the first attempt the claw slipped and nothing happened, but at the second attempt the wheels yielded a little.

"This time she'll go," Billie called. "All aboard!"

Adrian sprang onto the car as Billie bore down upon the bar and the wheels began to revolve.