"
Attention thus focused upon her, Libbie crawled from under the seat
where she had dived, following an ostrich-like impulse to hide her
head from coming danger. Her confusion was increased by the tactless
comment of the operator who, seeing her "full view" for the first
time, exclaimed:
"Lawsy, Missie, you couldn't shinny up no wall. You is too fat."
Many suggestions were forthcoming, all of them impractical, and the
already frayed nerves of the passengers began to show evidence of
reaching the snapping point. Bob's employer was among those who had
gathered in the corridor, and he decidedly favored the axe idea.
The plan to chop their way out gained in favor, and a boy had been
dispatched for one of the fire axes when the woman who had grasped
Louise created a diversion by going into hysterics and declaring that
she would not have them dropping axes on her head. Her companion
tried in vain to soothe her, but she was in a highly nervous state
and it was impossible to explain or reason with her. She began to
scream again, and this was more than those imprisoned in the car with
her could be expected to stand.
"That settles it--call off the axe!" shouted the older man,
exchanging a desperate glance with Bob.
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