Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/145

Rh behind them, and set off again along Common Street. Somehow they cared less about discovery now and didn't even take the trouble to lower their voices as they rumbled past the darkened houses. Morris announced that they had made a mistake in the name of the steam roller; that its right name was "Reverberating Reginald." The others were too sleepy to argue about it, however.

Gordon, who had taken Lanny's place at the wheel, turned into the cross street and headed Reginald toward his berth. They didn't take the precaution to send scouters ahead now, and perhaps it wasn't worth while since the street lay plainly before them for several blocks. And perhaps what happened would have happened just the same. Lanny always insisted that it wouldn't, but never could prove his point. At all events, what did happen was this:

Just as they had trundled over the crossing at Main Street a voice reached them above the noise of the roller and a figure suddenly stepped into the road a few yards ahead. One very startled glance at the figure was sufficient. With a fine unanimity four forms detached themselves from the sheltering gloom of the steam roller and fled back along the road. Possibly the policeman was so surprised at the sudden result of his challenge that pursuit did