Her gaze wandered to Jerry Barrows who had driven the truck to the sawmill. He sat apart, apparently taking no interest in what was going on.
Somewhere in the building a telephone rang. As one of the men came toward her, Penny shrank down behind the pile of lumber. He passed so close that she could have reached out and touched him had she chosen.
The man went into a small anteroom and Penny heard him answer the telephone. She could not distinguish the words, but presently he returned to the main room.
"It was the big boss," he reported to Rap Molberg. "He called from Somm Center."
"What's he doing there?" Rap demanded irritably. "Doesn't he think I'm capable of handling this end?"
"He's on his way here now," the other informed. "He says he has a hot tip that Christopher Nichols is wise to our hideout!"
"That snooper!" Molberg snarled. "I should have known he was up to something when he left town so suddenly."
"The cops may be down on us any minute."
"Then we're getting out of here without leaving any evidence behind!" Molberg snapped. "Get busy, men!"
All fell to work with a will save Jerry Barrows.