Afterwards he explained that shouting was quicker than whistling, and that if he had taken time to pucker his lips they would never have got away without being seen. They came together a block down the main thoroughfare, breathless and hilarious. “He--he went in the gate,” panted Bob. “I saw him. Looked like one of the faculty, too. Gee, it was a lucky thing he didn’t catch us! D-did you get it done, Cal?” “Just! I was going over the naught a second time when I heard Brand yell. I had the paint can in one hand and the brush in the other and I just heaved ’em both over the wall and ran!” “I’ll bet it looks great,” chuckled Martin. “I know it does,” answered Cal proudly. “I made the letters and figures as big as that.” He held his hands nearly a yard apart. “It took most of the paint, too. Brick’s awfully hard to work on. What did you do with Brand’s handkerchief, Bob?” “Gave it back,” said Bob. “No, you didn’t,” denied Willard. “Didn’t I? I thought I did. Meant to, anyway. Must have dropped it somewhere, then. Wipe your hands on your own hanky. That’s what you told me to do!” “I will like fun,” muttered Cal. “I’ll bet the stuff is all over me, hang it!” “You can wash up at the station,” said Martin. “Who knows when the cars run over to Darlington?” An uneasy silence followed. Then Bob said: “What about it, Cal? You asked, didn’t you?” “I asked when the trains went,” replied Cal. “I--I suppose the cars go every ten minutes or so, don’t they?” “What time is it now?” asked Martin bruskly. “Five to eight,” answered Willard. With one accord the four broke into a trot. “If we miss that train we’re dished!” said Bob. “Seems to me you’d find out something, Cal, while you were at it! What time does the train go?” “Eight-thirty-eight,” replied Cal. “You didn’t ask me to find out about the trolley. I thought you knew about it. How was I to know--” “Save your breath for running,” advised Bob coldly. “If we can’t get a trolley we’ll have to foot it.” “Gee, we’ll never do it in thirty minutes!” exclaimed Martin. “We’ll have to,” said Bob grimly, “if we can’t get a car. If we’re not back at school by ten we’ll get fits. And then, if the faculty over here makes a fuss about those signs, why, we’ll be nabbed!” “I told you it was too risky,” mourned Martin. “Well, you took a hand in it, didn’t you?” asked Bob shortly. “Shut up and get a move on! Isn’t that the square ahead there?” It was, and when, very much out of breath, the quartette reached it, a car obligingly swung around a corner and paused in front of a waiting station a block away. “Come on!” yelled Cal. “That’s ours!”