Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/133

Rh fell upon them just before they dodged behind the big roller.

"He will see the fire and know that something's up," whispered Way. "Let's skip, fellows!"

"Hold on a minute," advised Lanny. "Maybe he won't. Wait and see."

They peered anxiously around the edges of the big wheel behind which they were hidden. The policeman was dimly visible as he walked about the smaller roller. Finally he stopped and swung his stick a moment, picked up the red lantern and set it in the road beside the machine and, at last, slowly ambled back along the street. Breathlessly and hopefully they watched him reach the corner and disappear without a backward look. For a long two minutes after that they listened to the sound of his footsteps dying away on the new granolithic side-walk. Then:

"Saved!" murmured Morris dramatically.

"Come on," said Lanny. "We'll have to get that old shebang going even if we have to push it! The moon will be up in a few minutes."

When they got back there was an encouraging purring sound from the engine and, without disturbing the lantern, Lanny borrowed a match from Morris and read the gauge. "Forty-something," he muttered as the light flickered out. "We'll try