It was like an animal in pain and panic.

For a brief instant the station-agent halted at the door to assure himself that the call was stationary.  It was.  Also it was slightly muffled.  That meant that the train was still in the cut.  As he ran to the key and sent in the signal for Stanwood, Banneker reflected what this might mean.  Crippled?  Likely enough.  Ditched?  He guessed not.  A ditched locomotive is usually voiceless if not driverless as well.  Blocked by a slide?  Rock Cut had a bad repute for that kind of accident.  But the quality of the call predicated more of a catastrophe than a mere blockade.  Besides, in that case why could not the train back down—­

The answering signal from the dispatcher at Stanwood interrupted his conjectures.

“Number Three in trouble in the Cut,” ticked Banneker fluently.  “Think help probably needed from you.  Shall I go out?”

“O.  K.,” came the answer.  “Take charge.  Bad track reported three miles east may delay arrival.”

Banneker dropped and locked the windows, set his signal for “track blocked” and ran to the portable house.  Inside he stood, considering.  With swift precision he took from one of the home-carpentered shelves a compact emergency kit, 17 S 4230, “hefted” it, and adjusted it, knapsack fashion, to his back; then from a small cabinet drew a flask, which he disposed in his hip-pocket.  Another part of the same cabinet provided a first-aid outfit, 3 R 0114.  Thus equipped he was just closing the door after him when another thought struck him and he returned to slip a coil of light, strong sash-cord, 36 J 9078, over his shoulders to his waist where he deftly tautened it.  He had seen railroad wrecks before.  For a moment he considered leaving his coat, for he had upwards of three miles to go in the increasing heat; but, reflecting that the outward and visible signs of authority might save time and questions, he thought better of it.  Patting his pocket to make sure that his necessary notebook and pencil were there, he set out at a moderate, even, springless lope.  He had no mind to reach a scene which might require his best qualities of mind and body, in a semi-exhausted state.  Nevertheless, laden as he was, he made the three miles in less than half an hour.  Let no man who has not tried to cover at speed the ribbed treacheries of a railroad track minimize the achievement!

A sharp curve leads to the entrance of Rock Cut.  Running easily, Banneker had reached the beginning of the turn, when he became aware of a lumbering figure approaching him at a high and wild sort of half-gallop.  The man’s face was a welter of blood.  One hand was pressed to it.  The other swung crazily as he ran.  He would have swept past Banneker unregarding had not the agent caught him by the shoulder.

“Where are you hurt?”

The runner stared wildly at the young man.  “I’ll soom,” he mumbled breathlessly, his hand still crumpled against the dreadfully smeared face.  “Dammum, I’ll soom.”