Elmer was laughing.
"Some of those fellows will feel a little sore after that football rush," he remarked; "you noticed that the wise ones chased after 'Lil Artha.' He was quick to see that there would be a crush at the door, and he went after the fellow, who lit out by the way of the back part of the shop. Here, let's take a look and see."
Picking up a lantern, he led the way to where they discovered a hole in the board wall of the place. Two of the shrunken boards had been lately wrenched loose; a very easy task indeed, for the old place was pretty near the point of ruin.
"Looks like he might have fixed it for use in case he wanted to vamoose in a big hurry," said Mark, after they had examined the boards.
"Perhaps he did," Elmer remarked. "Did you get a look at the chap, Mark? It just happened that some one stood between me and this part of the shop, and I couldn't see much more'n a lot of dust."
"Same here," laughed the other. "My! what a lot of dust he did stir up. I feel like I'm going to sneeze right now," which he proceeded to do with great vigor, to the amusement of his friend.
"Listen to the racket the boys are making out there," he observed, as shouts came floating in to them.
"Sounds like they were chasing after something," Mark went on, after listening. "Wonder if they can grab the fellow."
"Perhaps you'd better call them back with your bugle. No use breaking up in such a disorderly way. And if he's given them the slip up to now, they won't be able to find him in the dark. Step outside and sound the recall, Mark."
So the bugler hastened to obey orders, and the clear, penetrating notes of the signal floated near and far in the night air.