12. The Mysterious Maco Lights Summary

In the days just after the Civil War, there is a railroad man named Joe Baldwin. Joe is a conductor, which means he rides in the caboose of the train and signals to the engineer, using a lantern. One night, the train is near Maco Station, and Joe realizes that the caboose has become disconnected from the rest of the train. As the caboose drifts to a dead stop on the tracks, Joe sees the approaching light of an express train coming up behind him. Desperately Joe waves his lantern, trying to signal the other train to slow down. Unfortunately, his warning does not save them, and the train crashes into the caboose, becoming derailed.

Joe is beheaded in the collision, and they never do find his head. His lantern flies through the air and lands, still...