“Cæsar’s ghost!” gasped the boy. “Here’s where I take Tucker’s advice and hit the high places.”
He knew it would be a serious thing for him if he fell into the hands of the enraged officer. Confident of his ability to outrun Maloney, he laughingly skipped away. Behind him the policeman raised a great shouting.
Looking back, Merriwell saw the bluecoat, club in hand, covering ground with wonderful speed.
The boy dodged to the right at the first corner. He collided with another policeman who had heard Maloney’s shouts, and was rushing to discover the meaning of the uproar. Down they went.
Dick stopped the policeman by savagely interrupting:
“What do you mean by interfering with me? Why didn’t you nab that thief?”
“The one who just dodged round this corner.”
“I didn’t see any one,” said the surprised officer.
“Then you were asleep!” snorted Merriwell, scrambling up just as Maloney came panting and shouting round the corner.
“Stop thief! stop thief!” shouted Dick, taking up the cry and leading Maloney by barely a few yards in the breathless rush down the street.
Into the very heart of town they raced, and the crowds upon the lighted street scattered to give them room. People stared in wonderment, seeking to catch a glimpse of the fleeing thief whom those two policemen seemed pursuing. A crowd of men and boys fell in behind Maloney, joining in the cry of, “Stop thief!”
“There he is, the spallpane!” panted Dennis, pointing at Dick, who was gradually increasing the distance between them. “Shtop him! shtop him!”
But no one fancied that he meant the blue-coated person who seemed to be leading this wild and desperate pursuit of the unseen thief. Pointing ahead, Dick took up the cry of the Irish cop.
“There he is! there he is! Stop him! stop him!”
At the very first opportunity Merriwell made haste to escape from the more-crowded and better-lighted streets. Round first one corner and then another he whisked. Behind him came the hounds in full cry, led by the persistent Irishman, who seemed entirely oblivious to the fact that already he was far off his beat.
“Evidently Maloney will follow me as long as there’s the slightest chance of overtaking me,” decided Dick. “I’ve got to shake him and that mob.”