Stopping in a country store to make sure of their route they were informed that by taking to the railroad track for a short distance they could save considerable time.

“Then we ought to do it,” decided Betty, “for we don’t want to get caught in the rain,” and she glanced up at the clouds that were now more threatening.

They reached the railroad track a short distance out of the little village, and proceeded down the stretch of rails.

“There’s a train in half an hour,” a man informed them, “but you’ll be off long before then.”

“I hope so,” murmured Amy.

They had nearly reached the end of the ballasted way, when Betty, who was in the lead, came to a sudden halt.

“What is it,” asked Mollie, “a snake?  Oh, girls!”

“No, not a snake,” was the quick answer.  “But look!  This rail is broken!  It must have cracked when the last train passed.  And another one—­an express—­is due soon!  If it runs over that broken rail it may be wrecked!  Girls, we’ve got to stop that train!” and she faced her chums resolutely.

CHAPTER XV

“IT’S A BEAR!”

“What can we do?” It was Grace who asked the question.  It was Betty, the Little Captain, who answered it.

“We must stop the train,” she said.  “We must wave something red at it.  Red always means danger.”

“Mollie’s tie,” exclaimed Amy.  Mollie was wearing a bright vermilion scarf knotted about the collar of her blouse.

“It isn’t big enough,” decided Betty.  “But we must do something.  That man said the train would come along soon.  It’s an express.  A slow train might not go off the track, as the break is only a small one.  But the express—­”

She paused suggestively—­apprehensively.

“There’s a man!” cried Grace.

“A track-walker!” cried Betty.  “Oh, he’ll know what to do,” and she darted toward a man just appearing around the curve—­a man with a sledge, and long-handled wrench over his shoulder.

“Hey!  Hey!” Betty called.  “Come here.  There’s a broken rail!”

The man broke into a run.

“What’s that?” he called.  “Got your foot caught in a rail?  It’s a frog—­a switch that you mean.  Take off your shoe!”

“No, we’re not caught!” cried Betty, in shrill accent.  “The rail is broken!”

The track-walker was near enough now to hear her correctly.  And, fortunately, he understood, which might have been expected of him, considering his line of work.

“It’s a bad break,” he affirmed, as he looked at it, “Sometimes the heat of the sun will warp a rail, and pull out the very spikes by the roots, ladies.  That’s what happened here.  Then a train—­’twas the local from Dunkirk—­came along and split the rail.  ’Tis a wonder Jimmie Flannigan didn’t see it.  This is his bit of track, but his wife is sick and I said I’d come down to meet him with a bite to eat, seein’ as how she can’t put up his dinner.  ’Tis lucky you saw it in time, ladies.”