"Yes, sir."

Before the agent returned, they heard the whistle of the freight far up the
track. It approached slowly, and then crept into the station, stopping with
the cars blocking the track for Andrews' train.

Brown, who was at the throttle, gave an exclamation of impatience. Andrews
swung to the ground. At that moment the agent rushed out, and yelled to the
freight engineer, "Draw farther up the track." The freight train started
again, laboriously. Andrews jumped aboard.

"Run out of here just as soon as the switch is turned," he ordered.

The last car of the freight train rounded the trees and came into sight. On
the rear of it was fastened a red flag! _It was a warning that there was
still another train behind!_

"Good Lord!" exclaimed Andrews. He jumped to the ground again, and went
toward the station. The conductor of the freight train met him. "What does
this mean?" demanded Andrews. "I'm ordered to get powder up to Beauregard,
and I find the track blocked ahead of me."

"It's not my fault," answered the conductor. "I haven't anything to do with
it. But I don't think that you're going to get any powder to Beauregard on
this road."

"Why not?"

"What will you do about Mitchel at Huntsville?"