Waiting to hear no more, Joe ran along the scaffolding and then leaped through a window of the unfinished building. A street light now guided him and he came out through the back of the structure and into an alleyway. From this he made his way to the street.
“I'll have to hurry,” he reasoned. “If they catch me now they will want to half kill me!”
“Don't let him git away!” he heard Sagger roar. “Catch him! Catch him!”
“Hold on there, you young rascals!” came a voice out of the darkness. “What are you doing around these buildings?”
A watchman had come on the scene, with a lantern in one hand and a heavy club in the other.
“We ain't doin' nuthin,” said one of the boys.
“Maybe you're the gang that stole that lumber a couple of nights ago,” went on the watchman, coming closer.
“Ain't touched yer lumber,” growled Jack Sagger.
“We're after anudder feller wot hid in here,” said Sammel.
“That's a likely story. I believe you are nothing but a crowd of young thieves,” grumbled the watchman. “Every night somebody is trying to steal lumber or bricks, or something. I've a good mind to make an example of you and have you all locked up.”