Three police patrol-wagons were moving about the yard, filled with
unwilling passengers, who sat or stood, packed together like sheep,
and with no protection from the sleet and rain.
Gallegher stole off into a dark corner, and watched the scene until
his eyesight became familiar with the position of the land.
Then with his eyes fixed fearfully on the swinging light of a lantern
with which an officer was searching among the carriages, he groped his
way between horses' hoofs and behind the wheels of carriages to the
cab which he had himself placed at the furthermost gate. It was still
there, and the horse, as he had left it, with its head turned toward
the city. Gallegher opened the big gate noiselessly, and worked
nervously at the hitching strap. The knot was covered with a thin
coating of ice, and it was several minutes before he could loosen it.
But his teeth finally pulled it apart, and with the reins in his hands
he sprang upon the wheel. And as he stood so, a shock of fear ran down
his back like an electric current, his breath left him, and he stood
immovable, gazing with wide eyes into the darkness.
The officer with the lantern had suddenly loomed up from behind a
carriage not fifty feet distant, and was standing perfectly still,
with his lantern held over his head, peering so directly toward
Gallegher that the boy felt that he must see him.
Pages:
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48