“Good boy,” chorused the train crew, all of whom realized too well the danger to which the boy had been subjected.

“But when we stopped on the siding, why didn’t you get down?” asked the conductor.

“Because I was listening,” announced Bob with a manner of mystery that would have been droll were his face not so serious.

“Listening?” exclaimed the others, instantly alert.

“Yes.  I was just going to get down, when I heard some one speak, and then I waited.”

“Hoboes,” growled a brakeman, jumping up and seizing a short club.  “What car were they on, kid?”

“The first coal car from the engine.  But you mustn’t go up there.  They are bad men.”

This warning was greeted with laughter by the brakemen, the others of whom had also picked up clubs.

The conductor, however, having a son of his own, realized from Bob’s manner that the lad had something he wanted to tell but did not know how to begin, and accordingly asked him: 

“What did you hear, son?”

“I heard them plan to hold up Number 4 to get even!”

“What?” demanded all the trainmen, their faces instantly growing serious.

“Yes; the man said he was going to get even for being put off the ’blind baggage’.”

For a moment the members of the train crew looked at one another in amazement, then fell to plying Bob with questions, making him repeat the conversation over and over.

“Well, you’ve earned your passage to Fairfax, all right, Bob!” ejaculated the conductor.  “It would break our record for being free from holdups, to say nothing of the loss to passengers.  The company ought to do something handsome by you, my boy.”

“Then you can prevent it?” queried Bob anxiously.

“Sure thing.  We’ll capture them at the next station.  Better get ready, boys,” added Hosmer significantly to his brakemen.  “They may prove hard to handle.”

Turning their backs, so Bob could not see exactly what they were doing, the brakemen opened a cupboard and took out some things which they slipped into the pockets of their jumpers.

But their preparations to capture the would-be train robbers went for naught.

When, led by Bob to the coal car, the brakemen surrounded and, at a word from the conductor, mounted it, they found the car empty.

“They have given us the slip!” growled a brakeman.

“Examine every car and truck on the train,” commanded Hosmer.  “I’ll go to the station and send in the alarm.  Come, Bob.”

And together the conductor and the boy hastened to the station, where the full story was quickly flashed to headquarters at Omaha.

When the officials first received it, they were incredulous, asking if it could not have been a fancy of Bob’s brain.  But Hosmer quickly vouched for the boy’s honesty, and word came back to have Bob put off to meet the road’s officers at one of the stations.