Jimmy, squatting by the window, the spyglass to his eye, stared out at the two scarecrows. At intervals he thought he saw Mr. Trask descend from the mounting pole, leap up over the shocks and begin his strange dance. But at the instant those capers began, the clouds always managed to blot out the light, and the boy never could be sure if it was a trick of his eye or the glass.
And then Jimmy observed two things. With him in his gyrations Mr. Trask carried the knife, and as he darted back and forth, he edged almost imperceptibly toward Mr. Maudsley.
The boy watched a long time to confirm his fears. Then he turned and ran to his sister's room.
"Mr. Trask is getting closer," he said. "You'd better come see."
At the window Stella spent several moments focusing the glass. Slowly her body went rigid, and she uttered a hoarse exclamation.
"He's going to kill Mr. Maudsley."
The boy nodded, his eyes shining with terror.
"We've got to try and stop him!"
She turned and ran down the stairs and through the lower floor rooms to the back door. Jimmy ran after her. Crossing the yard, they sped halfway down the lane, then pushed through the cedar windbreak and veered toward the cornfield. Pumpkins, golden in the moonlight, rose up on either side as they raced up the incline.
Suddenly Stella drew up short. "Look!"