t talk, and get down to business," growled a third voice.

"All right, 'Bo. We can put all sorts of crimps into this road by
'holding up' the night express! The officials of this road, whose men
are too stingy to let a fellow ride on the blind baggage, are boasting
they haven't had a 'hold-up' for years."

The various exclamations with which this wicked plan was greeted, told
Bob not only that it met the approval of the tramps, but that there were
more than two of them.

The full danger of a "hold-up" the boy did not realize. He remembered,
however, having read of such occurrences out West where passengers were
terrorized and robbed of money and jewelry.

But his speculation was again interrupted by the renewal of the
conversation.

"That will sure set us even, but when can we do it?" inquired a voice
eagerly.

"And get away safely?" added another.

"There's only one place," responded the voice of the man who had
suggested the plot.

"Where?" chorused the others.

"On this end of the long bridge across the river."

"Right you are, 'Bo. We can make our 'get-away' down the bank and find
some of the 'shanty men' to take us across."

"And into the arms of the police," sneered the ringleader. "We'll use
the bank to escape, but we won't ask any favors of a 'shanty man'."

"Will there be enough money aboard to make it worth while?" inquired one
of the schemers, with an evidently practical turn of mind.

"Sure; Number 4 always carries a bunch of gold for Western towns."

"But how'll we board her?" asked still another.

"Get a lantern and wave it."

"Will they stop?"

"Say, why do you suppose I chose the approach to the bridge?" snapped
the man who had proposed the scheme.

And then, without giving his companions a chance to speak, he answered
his question himself:

"Because the engineer'll think there is something wrong on the bridge
and stop. It'll be dead easy."

Bob's eyes were almost popping out of his head, as, afraid to peep over
the top of the car, he stared at the boards as though striving to see
through them.

Straining his ears to catch every word, he heard another of the plotters
begin to speak, when a train thundered past, effectually cutting off all
conversation with its roar.

Though Bob did not know it, so absorbed was he in listening, less than
five minutes had passed since he had started back for the caboose.

With the necessity of making a quick shift to the siding, the conductor