Page:Fairview Boys and their Rivals.djvu/109

Rh dreary, as usual, except in the living-room, where ine miser passed most of his time.

Bob vaulted the fence and got down on hands and knees. He crept across the garden without making any noise, and paused right under the window of the room where there was a light. He could hear some one moving about inside. Finally, Bob ventured to raise his head and peer past the ragged end of a curtain. For fully five minutes the boy watched the miser. Then he went back to his friends.

"Well?" asked Frank.

"Mr. Dolby is in the house," replied Bob, "but I didn't see any one else."

"Then the robbers aren't there," broke in Sammy.

"I don't know that."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Oh, keep on watching for a spell," replied Bob, "and thinking."

Bob wondered if he had better not go and tell the marshal all that he knew. The boy kept quiet until Sammy spoke in a quick whisper the words:

"Bob, old Dolby is coming outside!"

"That's so," added Frank.

"He's got a lantern," continued Sammy.

"Hush!" warned Bob. "Keep quiet and watch!"

They saw the miser go out to the old rickety barn at the rear of the lot. The dog growled, but quieted down at a snarl from his master. Bob ducked down as he ran along the fence and got behind the barn.

He could see, through broad cracks in the barn, its owner slowly climbing a cleat ladder at one corner, carrying the lantern with him. There was a shed near the barn. Its slanting roof came almost up to the loft of the barn.

Bob could see into this part of the building clearly