"Time enough," came from Andy. "He's walking slowly. I guess he's thinking up some new kind of torture to inflict on us. This bran and chaff won't hurt him, but it will be mighty inconvenient, sifting down inside his clothes."
It did not take the lads in the old barn loft very long to bring the basket of chaff from the obscure corner where Andy's sharp eyes had seen it. It was poised on the edge of the open doorway beneath which the unpopular professor would soon pass. It was now quite dark in the loft, the lantern not giving much illumination, but this exactly suited the boys, as they did not want to be detected.
"All ready," said Andy, when the basket had been put in place. "Where is he?"
"Look out and see," advised Frank. "It's your joke."
"No, you look," urged Andy. "I'm going to do most of the work, anyhow. I'm going to push the basket."
"I'll take a peep," volunteered Jack. "He can't see us, I guess."
He peered out of the low hay door, and a moment later drew in his head quickly.
"He's standing still," the spy reported, "and he seems to be studying the stars."
"Gee! I hope he doesn't turn back," exclaimed Andy. "Look out, Ward. You'll have me in the basket in a moment." Ward had changed his position, and had jostled up against Andy.
"There I go!" exclaimed the younger lad a moment later as he lost his balance and fell forward. His hands went into the basket of chaff up to his elbows and there was a struggle before he recovered himself.