Bad News Bob and The Mean Machine

Chapter 30

            No one said a word as we waited patiently.  The freight train would decide if we would be found, or speed ahead to safety.  Boxcar after boxcar passed and an occasional loaded hopper or empty flatcar clicked and clacked on the tracks heading for parts unknown.  As for us, there was no other place to go, or no side road to make a detour.  The only other choice would be to turn around and return to the interstate.  So we chose to sit and wait.

            From above, on the interstate, cars and trucks zoomed by.  No one else seemed to take the exit we had selected.  I hoped a big truck would pull up behind our car and block us from the view of the traffic above. 

            Suddenly, I saw what I was dreading: an old Cadillac convertible driving in the right lane. It slowly passed our exit and continued down the interstate.  Was it possible they hadn't seen us?  The four of us sat nervously waiting and hoping that we hadn't been noticed. 

            The next few seconds seemed to turn into hours as we stared at the interstate wondering if the Cadillac would return.  Then a lump formed in my throat when I saw that same car traveling backwards and stop in plain view of where our car was sitting.  There was no doubt they had seen us and were continuing to back up while trying to move their car onto the exit ramp.  Of course, there was still no end of the train in sight. 

            There wasn't anything we could do!  We were caught between a rock and a hard place (that's one of Dad's expressions).  I guess "bad news" was starting to close in on us because ahead, we were blocked by the train, and the bad guys now blocked our rear.

             Kelli suggested that we all make a run for it.  She said that if we split up and ran in opposite directions, the crooks couldn't possibly catch all of us.  But suddenly, a funny thing happened: as the Cadillac backed up, another car that was taking the same exit, jammed on its brakes, and smacked into its rear bumper.  A loud crash filled our ears.  The Cadillac was jolted forward up the highway as the crash from the other car kept it in motion.

             No one seemed to be hurt because when both cars stopped, both drivers got out of the car to check out the damage. 

            "What a break!" I said to myself.  Then Gus saw that both cars' bumpers were locked, so he started to bounce up and down on top hoping to break them free.  Kelli, Bob and Mom all cheered.  Even Sissy Dog, Pierre, yipped.  This would give us a few more minutes to try to figure out what to do.

            As I looked down the tracks, I still couldn't see the end of the train.  Where was that last car - the caboose?  An old, deserted loading station sitting right along side the tracks wasn't going to be of any help either.  It looked like nothing had been loaded on or off its loading ramp for years.  Weeds springing up between the huge cracks in the pavement were slowly overrunning its empty, weather beaten parking lot.  

            By this time Percival had jumped out of the car waving his gun.  He motioned for Buster to run with him towards our car.  We were only a block away from the freeway, and it would take a minute for the two of them to reach us.  Meanwhile, Gus continued to jump on the bumpers trying to break the lock connecting the two cars. 

            The closer Percival got, the more worried we became.   Kelli again suggested it was time for us to leave the car and run for our lives.  Mom wouldn't allow anyone to run from the car.  She said that he could very easily shoot and hit any one of us at such a close range.  She ordered us to duck down in the back seat and leave the driving to her.  We did what she said.   I mean, what choice did we have?

             Then we heard the engine rev.  She popped the clutch, and as the tires squealed, she backed up and headed straight towards Percival.  Shocked by this strange move, and seeing a car driving in reverse heading directly towards him, Percival leaped out of the way just in time and landed in a clump of bushes. 

            Buster stopped and stood with his mouth open as we came to a screeching halt along side him.  Kelli quickly popped up, opened the window, and pulled him into the front seat of the car. His large butt sort of got stuck half way through the window.  With an extra tug Kelli finally managed to yank him to safety.  He landed on top of Pierre, who growled and nipped him on his butt. 

            She said, "Open your mouth, and you'll swallow a knuckle sandwich!"  Buster was familiar with Kelli's fist and didn't dare make a sound.

            Percival must have jumped into a bunch of sticker bushes judging by the sounds of his screams and groans.  I heard him say in that snooty English accent, "My Dear Gus, kindly remove me from this predicament, you idiot!"

             A few seconds later Mom had already shifted gears and was heading back towards the train.  By now Gus had finally freed the bumpers, jumped back into his car, and was trying to drive down the ramp towards Percival.  However, the driver of the other car wouldn't let him. 

            He kept hollering and shouting, "Who is going to pay for the damage to my car?"  He also threatened to call the police.  Gus wasn't the type of guy to hang around and wait for the cops, so he tried to run over the other driver.  The poor man dove out of the way in order to escape harm.  Now Gus was able to drive down the exit ramp to rescue his boss.

Answer the following questions.

1.  What stopped the Cadillac from turning down the exit ramp?

2.  Why couldn't the Mustang drive away and escape?

3.  What happened to Percival?  Why did this happen?

4.  Why wouldn't Mom let the kids jump out of the car and run away?

5.  How did Gus free the bumper of the two cars?

6.  Explain how Buster got into the Mustang.