Bob watched, holding Al in check by his grip on the younger one’s arm. The man did not propose to leave, it appeared.
The sound of an airplane motor starting conveyed the truth. He was waiting until his ship was ready before going into the open.
Bob waited, Al at his side. Neither moved more than was absolutely essential.
But Al, try as he would, could not suppress the horrible inclination to sneeze, induced by the dust in his nostrils from the dirty burlap.
“Huh—sh—huh—sh!” he tried to hold back, but Nature got the better of his will.
“Huh—shoosh!”
“Now you’ve done it!”
“Couldn’t help it—look—the window will open. You could drop!”
The sound of the man ascending the ladder came clearly.
Like two swift gazelles the youths dashed across to the window, wide and old. It was part of the door through which hay was drawn up, they discovered. They tugged at it. On rollers, but stiff from disuse, it stuck. Panting they struggled. Closer came the ascending steps, a call to know who was “up there!”