human
Sounds as if it was calling us,
gpt
I believe it is! exclaimed Ted, as the toots of the whistle kept up.
human
Do you s'pose he could want us to help him, Uncle Toby?
gpt
How could an auto pull a stalled train out of a snowdrift?
human
Course we couldn't _pull_ the train, admitted Ted.
gpt
But we could sort of--now--do _something_, couldn't we, Uncle Toby?
human
I believe we could, and I think that is what the engineer is trying to signal us for, was the answer.
gpt
I know this railroad cut. It is a bad place in a storm. Often trains have been stuck here for days. The engine would ram its pilot, or cowcatcher, into a drift, then snow would pile up behind the last car and the train couldn't go ahead or back up.
human
Maybe that's happened now!
gpt
I shouldn't be a bit surprised,
human
But what do the passengers do when the train is stuck, like this one is now?
gpt
Oh, sometimes they get out and walk, as it isn't very far to the station. Or if they have something to eat, and can keep warm in the cars, they stay there until men come with shovels to dig out the train. I guess that's what this engineer wants me for--to go on to the station and have a gang of men sent to dig out his train. We'll soon find out,