he bumper at the end of the siding!

Chapter XXII

A Desperate Chase

These moments were fraught with peril, and not alone peril to the huge
machine that Tom Swift had built, but peril to those who remained in
the cab of the electric locomotive, as her forward trucks struck the
open switch.

There was a mighty jerk that brought a shout from Ned Newton's lips and
a grunt from Mr. Damon. Tom clung to his swivel-seat, staring ahead.

The pilot of the electric locomotive shot over on the siding; the
forward trucks followed, then the great drivers. The whole locomotive
swerved into the siding, but for several breathless seconds Tom was not
at all sure that the monster would not jump the rails and head into the
ditch!

Meanwhile his gaze measured the speed of that flying figure in the
Mackinaw as it scuttled up the slope through the open grove of hard
wood and pine. He could not at first see Koku, but he knew the giant
was headed for the fugitive, whether the latter proved to be Andy
O'Malley or not.

Tom's gaze flashed to what lay ahead of the electric locomotive. As it
seemed to joggle back into balance, gain its uprightness, as it were,
the inventor saw the great, log-braced bumper between the two rails at
the end of the siding. With what force would the locomotive hit that
obstruction?

Until the trailers were over the switch Tom dared not give her the
brakes. To lock the brake shoes upon the wheels might easily throw the
locomotive off the rails. But the instant he felt the tail of the long
locomotive swerve off the switch he jabbed the compressed air lever and
the wild shriek of the brake shoes answered to his effort.

Then the bumper was but a few yards ahead. The electric locomotive was
bound to collide with it. And under the speed at which it had been
running, now scarcely reduced by half, the collision was apt to be a
tragic happening!

Weeks of effort might be ruined in that moment! If the crash was
serious, thousands of dollars might be lost! In truth, Tom Swift
apprehended the possibility of a disaster, the complete results of
which might put the test of his invention forward for weeks--perhaps
for months.

Nor could he do a thing to avert the disaster. He had reversed and set
the brakes immediately after the last wheel of the trailer was on the
siding. Nothing more could he do as the great electric locomotive bore
down upon the solid timber at the far end of this short track.

Those few