He had gone less than five hundred feet when he saw the figure of a man emerge from behind a bill-board and scale a near-by fence.
The man was Bill Barker.
CHAPTER IX
BOB HAS A LIVELY FIGHT
Barker was alone, and no sooner had he disappeared over the high board fence, than Bob made up his mind to follow him.
It was quite dark by this time, and perched on the top of the fence Bob could see little or nothing. He listened intently, but nothing save the hissing of escaping steam reached his ears.
The yard was one attached to a planing mill and box factory. It was filled with boards and packing cases, and affording a number of excellent hiding-places.
Bob dropped inside the yard and stole cautiously forward until he reached a sort of driveway which divided the yard into two parts.
Nothing was yet to be seen of Barker, and Bob was puzzled to know what had become of the robber.
Stepping to a nook near a high pile of lumber, Bob stopped once more to listen.
Was he mistaken, or had he heard the faint creaking of a board to his left?