Somewhat puzzled, the Widow Mooney closed the door.  No sooner was she back in the dining-room than the tapping at the pane was resumed.  This time it was louder.  The widow, who was quite timid and nervous, felt frightened.  She had years before believed in spirits, and she had not altogether gotten over this.

Once more she went to the door, the boys observing her from their hiding-place.  They were so delighted with their prank, which they thought a fine “joke,” that they laughed heartily, having to hold their hands over their mouths so as not to betray themselves.

“She don’t know what it is,” whispered Ted.

“Maybe she thinks it’s night-hawks pecking at the window,” suggested Bob.

“Go ahead.  Tap some more.  She’s going in.”

Much puzzled by the queer noises, for no one had ever before put a tic-tac on her window, Mrs. Mooney went back to her dining-room.  But she could not read.

“I must find out what that is,” she said to herself.  “If it’s burglars, I’m going to call for help.  Suppose it should be thieves trying to cut one of the window-panes?  I’ve read of such doings.”

Now, the widow was less afraid of something bodily, like burglars, than she was of “spirits,” so she resolved the next time she heard the queer tapping to run out and call for help.

In a little while Bob pulled the string again, and the dangling nail went tap! tap! tap! against the pane.

“Here she comes!” exclaimed Ted in a whisper as the door opened.

And this time, instead of contenting herself by merely looking about, Mrs. Mooney came out on the porch.  Then she started down the front walk toward the lilac bushes, though she did not know the boys were there.

“She’s comin’ after us,” whispered Ted.  “Come on, Bob.”

Bob was aware of the danger of getting caught.  He prepared to run.

Now there is this advantage to a tic-tac.  Once you want to escape you can take it with you by the simple process of pulling on the long string, when the pin is jerked from the window-frame, and you can drag the nail and all with you, thus leaving no evidence behind.  This was what Bob did.

Quickly winding up die string as he pulled the pin and nail toward him, he and Ted started to run, crouching down low so as not to be seen.  But Ted, unfortunately for the success of their plan, stumbled and fell, making so much noise that Mrs. Mooney heard t.

“Thieves!  Burglars!  Police!” she screamed.

“Come on!” cried Bob desperately.  “We’ll be caught!”

Mrs. Mooney ran back into the house, slammed the front door, shut and locked it.  She believed she had surprised thieves at work, for she saw two dim forms running toward the street.

“Leg it!” whispered Bob.

“I am,” replied Ted.

They reached the gate together, but that was as far as they got, for just as they arrived at it they collided with a large man who was running toward the house.  He was so large that the combined impact of Bob and Ted against him never staggered him, but it almost threw them off their feet.  They were running, head down, and had not seen him.