She sped swiftly on in the dark, for the electric lights were few and far between, until the black of the gloomy building, where the boys had their club, loomed up.

On the corner Bessy saw a man standing with his back to a telegraph pole.

This occasioned her much concern; perhaps he might be watching the building.

But he had not seen her, of that she was certain.

The possibility that he might be a spy made her task all the harder.
Bessy returned the way she come, crossed at the next corner, hurried round the block and up to the outside stairway that was her objective point.
By feeling along the brick wall she brought up, with a sudden bump, at the back of the stairway.