“Not that way, son; we’re meaning to take a carriage over here,” said the tall man, designating the opposite direction to that in which Rob had turned.
“Please yourselves, gentlemen,” said Rob, suddenly displaying quite a different manner. “We’ve decided that we want to go out this way; and that policeman standing there has his eye on us this very minute. I think I had better call him over and ask him to get you to show your colors.”
“That’s the stuff!” said Andy, recklessly, all the pent-up indignation that had been boiling within him breaking loose.
Had a bomb fallen near them, the two men could not have shown more concern. They must have realized that their shrewd little game had been called.
“Guess we’ve made a mistake about this business, McGuire!” said the short man, hastily looking around him as though desirous of discovering a good opening for flight.
“Seems that way to me, Colonel; and we’ll say good-by to you, boys!”
“Why, they’ve gone!” cried Andy, as though he could hardly believe his eyes.
Rob had really been on the point of summoning the officer standing there; but since the rascals had chosen to run and mingle with the out-pouring crowd, and Rob did not wish to have attention called to himself and chums, he wisely held his tongue.
Hiram was laughing to himself as though it struck him in the light of a good joke.
“What ails you, Hiram?” asked Andy, not yet able to grasp the situation sufficiently to see the humorous side of it.