y night Alex and Jack, borrowing Winchesters from other
members of the telegraph-car party, had set out for a "couple of good
rugs," as they put it, and on leaving the train had headed east, toward
the aqueduct, in which direction they had heard barks of the midnight
prowlers.

They had gone perhaps three miles, and had fired on several of the wily
animals, without success, when suddenly Jack caught Alex by the arm and
pointed away to the east.

"Look, Al! What's that?"

"Why, it looks like--It is! It's a signal light!

"And calling us--KX!" cried Alex. "Something must be wrong with Wilson!"

"What'll we do? Back to the train?"

"Have you a match and some paper?" said Alex, going hurriedly through his
own pockets.

"Some matches."

"Here's a couple of letters. Come on back to the rails, find some chips,
and make a fire. See if we can't answer him, and learn what the trouble
is."

They were already racing for the track, reached it, and quickly gathering
together a little pile of dry bark and chips knocked from the ties, made
a fire at the track-side, and lit it.

As the flames burst up Alex threw off his coat, and using it as a
curtain, raised and lowered it in a flashed "I, I, KX!"

The call twinkled on. Wilson had not seen it. But the next moment, before
Alex had completed a second answer, the red light disappeared. Alex again
shot forth the gleaming "I, I, KX!" and in blinking response they read:

"Chased out of station. Two men. Wire cut. Something wrong. Help!--V."

"OK. But we are three miles from the train. Hunting. Will we come, or go
back for help?" signalled Alex.

There was a pause, and the red light blinked, "Come! Quick!"

"OK. Coming." Only pausing to stamp out the fire, the two boys were away
at a run, heading directly for the light, which at intervals Wilson
continued to show, as a guide.

Their open-air experience of a month had put the two boys in the best of
condition, and keeping on at a smart pace, within half an hour the light
showed just ahead, and a few minutes after Wilson ran forward to greet
them.

"I don't know what's in the air, but certainly something," he announced.
"As you fellows are armed too, suppose we go back and get the two men in
the station car, and see if we can't make them tell?" he suggested.

"Lead ahead," agreed the others.

Stealthily they made their way amid the intervening cars, and emerged
opposite the little depot.

In the window was the shadow o