“Hold it steadier now,” he said. “I saw a movement there just now.”
“What kind of a movement?” asked the other.
“Looked like a ball of fire.”
“It may be the cat!” suggested Jimmie.
“Quit your foolishness!” advised Carl impatiently. “This is a serious situation, and there’s no time for any grandstanding!”
“A ball of fire!” repeated Jimmie scornfully. “What would a ball of fire be doing there?”
“What would a blue ball of fire be doing on the roof?” asked Carl, reprovingly. “Yet we saw one there, didn’t we?”
Although Jimmie was inclined to treat the situation as lightly as possible, he knew very well that the peril was considerable. Like a good many other boys in a trying situation, he was usually inclined to keep his unpleasant mental processes to himself. He now engaged in what seemed to Carl to be trivial conversation, yet the desperate situation was no less firmly impressed upon his mind.
The boys waited for some moments before speaking again, listening and watching for the reappearance of the object which had attracted their attention.
“There!” Carl cried in a moment. “Move your light a little to the left. I’m sure I saw a flash of color pass the opening.”