Two sharp, faint sounds came from the east--something between the crack of whips and the popping of corks.

They were followed by three more.
Injun knew about these.

"Him shoot," he said.
The startled expression on Whitey's face gradually gave way to one of understanding and disgust.

"They came from the water tank," he said.
"Don't you see?
We're late, and what I heard was the train going the other way.

Then it stopped, and they're holding it up." And Whitey sat down on one of the rails, thoroughly disgusted.
For a while nothing was said.