Word was given out that it would be set going just a few minutes after dark.
"We came up here to see what we could find to do, didn't we ?" whispered Bert Dodge, nudging Fred Ripley.
"Yes," nodded Fred uneasily; "and, so far, we haven't struck a thing that would be safe to do." "The dickens we haven't," chuckled Dodge.
"What, then ?" Fred inquired.

Bert whispered in his ear, adding: "It won't cost us more than a dollar apiece, Fred." "It's great," declared Ripley enthusiastically.

"But we've got to move quickly, and at the right minute, or we'll be caught.
I wouldn't give much for our chances of comfort if we're caught in this thing." "We won't be, or we ought not to be," Dodge retorted.

"But we'd better get home and get our suppers on the jump." "We can do better than that; we can get a quick meal at one of the restaurants and then jump back on the job." "Rip, you have a great head sometimes," admitted Bert Dodge.
At a time when every one else was at supper Fred Ripley and Bert Dodge stole back to the scene of the bonfire.

After glancing cautiously about, they felt sure that no one was observing them.
Then they stole close to the pile of combustibles.