Frank leaped to his feet, quivering all over with anger.
Whoever the man was, he was on the other side of the engine at that moment, but Merry would know quickly.
The fireman of 33 had been running her out. He saw Merriwell knocked down before her nose, and threw back the lever, although he realized it was too late to save the youth by his efforts to stop the engine. A moment later, he saw Frank was safe from harm, and he sent her ahead again.
Then, as the engine passed on, Frank leaped across the track and sprang after a man who was walking swiftly away.
“Here!” he cried, and his hand fell on old Joe Hicks’ shoulder.
The engineer turned, uttering a snarl. His face was white and his eyes staring. It was plain enough that he was completely unstrung at that moment.
“So it was you who tried to kill me in that cowardly manner!” cried Frank, his eyes blazing. “Well, that is even worse than I expected of you!”
“What d’yer mean?” hoarsely demanded the man.
“I mean that you knocked me onto the track in front of 33, which was a deliberate and criminal attempt to kill me!”
“And I say you lie, Hicks!” growled a hoarse voice, and Old Slugs came up. “I saw the whole thing, an’ I’ll swear you done it on purpose.”
“You?” Hicks hissed. “Why, you’re a fool! You ain’t got no reason to love this youngster! You’d oughter be glad ter see him knocked out.”
“Mebbe I had, but I’m no murderer, an’ I don’t care ter ’sociate with murderers. Merriwell gave me a hammerin’, but he done it fair, an’ I ain’t doin’ him dirt in return.”
“All ther same, I reckon my word will stand if I have ter tell what I jest saw you do. You’ll git scarce mighty quick round this shop when the old man hears of that.”
“You hear!” came from Frank. “I have the proof!”
“All right!” panted the desperate engineer. “I can live. I’ll take care of my nevvy and niece. If I’m out of work, I can look arter them all the better.”
Frank started. So that was what Hicks would do. He would force himself on the lame boy and the blind girl by right of relationship. He would take the money they made on the street, and he would spend it for drink.
“Look here, Mr. Hicks,” he said, “on one condition I will agree not to make a charge against you.”
“You are to let little Jack and his sister quite alone. You are not even to claim them as relations, or try to see them.”