Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/134

Rh her, anyway. Sneak back there to the corner, Gordon, and see if you can hear or see anything of the cop. And hurry back. I'll get her swung around, anyway."

Gordon scouted off and Lanny, while the other two boys held their breath anxiously, pulled a lever here, pushed something there and turned the wheel. There was a hiss, a jar, a clank and a rumble and the roller slowly moved away from the curbing.

She starts, she moves, she seems to feel

The thrill of life along her keel!"

murmured Morris poetically as Lanny sought excitedly for the reversing lever in the darkness. The roller stopped suddenly and as suddenly began to back. Way, who had followed close behind, had just time to jump aside with a suppressed yelp before the ponderous machine struck the curb with an alarming jolt.

"Keep her head down!" exclaimed Morris. "Don't let her throw you, Lanny!"

"Give me that lantern up here," panted the amateur engineer. "I can't see what I'm doing."

Way handed the lantern to him and he hung it on a projection in front of him. After that progress was less erratic. It required much maneuvering to