The boys stopped running as soon as they reached a lighted street where the passers-by might notice them; but they walked on rapidly and discussed the affair in low, guarded tones.
"You don't think he's done for, do ye, Dick?" questioned Carrots, uneasily.
Dick tried to laugh carelessly, but the effort was a failure. He was beginning to be anxious as to the result, though he was not ready to admit it.
"Done for? Not much!" he answered, promptly. "More like he was shammin', an' wasn't hurt half so much as he'd ought ter be."
"But if 'tain't so-if he's hurt bad, he may have us up for 'sault an' batt'ry," remarked another.
"Dick's the only one he could go for, 'cause 'twas so dark, he couldn't spot the rest of us," put in Carrots, hastily.
"Ye needn't try to sneak out o' it that way," cried Dick, sharply. "If I get took up, you'll be, too."
"D'ye mean't you'd give us away after gettin' us into it, jest ter help you out?" demanded the other, in a threatening tone.
"If he does, we'll make it hot fer him" put in another, as Dick answered, doubtfully,
"Wal if he should make a fuss 'bout it, I can't take all the blame, can I? I didn't do all the whackin'."