In the intense darkness that followed the flash Jack and Hal stole away.

Suffering all the terrors of a guilty conscience, increased by the
terror of the inky darkness under such circumstances, Josh Owen tremblingly
felt for his momentarily useless lantern. It took him some moments
to find it. Even then his fingers shook so convulsively that it needed
several trials before he got the light going.

By this time Jack and Hal were safely outside. More than that, Jack
held in his hand the padlock of the door, with the false key in it.

"Why not slam the padlock shut over the door and lock him in there
until we can get someone here?" whispered Hal Hastings.

By this time the two boys were hiding behind the corner of a nearby
building.

"I thought of that," whispered Jack, "and I'd like to do it. But Owen
has a fearful temper. If we locked him in there, and he knew he had
to be caught, he'd do thousands of dollars' worth of damage. As it is,
if you watch out, you'll soon see him quitting that shed and getting
away as fast as he can."

Not more than a few seconds later Josh Owen appeared at the door of the
shed. He shut off the light from his dark lantern, then stole swiftly
towards the fence. Going up and over, he vanished from sight.

"Now, we'll lock the shed, take this false key to Mr. Andrews, and let
him decide whether to rouse Mr. Pollard or Mr. Farnum," announced