Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/132

Rh left by the workmen, they were in the darkness. Lanny, though, pointed to the sky back of the town. "The moon's coming up," he said, "and I'd like mighty well to be inside the field before it gets in its work."

"Same here," agreed Gordon. The next instant he uttered a cautioning "S-s-sh!" and flattened himself out against the side of the roller. Half a block away the officer on the beat had suddenly emerged from the shadows and was standing under the light, gazing, as it seemed to the boys, most interestedly toward them. There was a minute of suspense. "Think he saw us?" whispered Gordon.

"Search me," said Lanny. "I wish we'd had the sense to put the lantern back on the other side where we got it. Here he comes!"

The officer had begun a slow but determined approach.

"Keep in the shadows," advised Lanny, "and beat it back to the other roller! Don't let him see you!"

Silently, like four indistinct shadows, the boys slipped from their places and, keeping as best they could the dark bulk of the roller between them and the approaching policeman, scuttled up the road to where the larger machine stood. There was one doubtful moment when the light of the red lantern