horror, they heard
Della's footsteps in the passageway that ran by Whitey's manger.
Immediately there came a louder shriek, and even in the anguish of
knowing their secret discovered, they were shocked to hear distinctly
the words, "O Lard in hivvin!" in the well-known voice of Della. She
shrieked again, and they heard the rush of her footfalls across the
carriage-house floor. Wild words came from the outer air, and the
kitchen door slammed violently. It was all over. She had gone to "tell".

Penrod and Sam plunged down the stairs and out of the stable. They
climbed the back fence and fled up the alley. They turned into Sam's
yard, and, without consultation, headed for the cellar doors, nor paused
till they found themselves in the farthest, darkest and gloomiest recess
of the cellar. There, perspiring, stricken with fear, they sank down
upon the earthen floor, with their moist backs against the stone wall.

Thus with boys. The vague apprehensions that had been creeping upon
Penrod and Sam all afternoon had become monstrous; the unknown was
before them. How great their crime would turn out to be (now that it was
in the hands of grown people) they did not know; but, since it concerned
a horse, it would undoubtedly be considered of terrible dimensions.

Their plans for a reward, and all the things that had seemed both
innocent and practical in the morning, now staggered their minds as
manifestations of criminal folly. A new and terrible light seemed to
play upon the day's exploits; they had chased a horse belonging to
strangers, and it would be said that they deliberately drove him into
the stable and there concealed him. They had, in truth, virtually stolen
him, and they had stolen food for him. The waning light through
the small window above them warned Penrod that his inroads upon the
vegetables in his own cellar must soon be discovered. Della, that
Nemesis, would seek them in order to prepare them for dinner, and she
would find them not. But she would recall his excursion to the cellar,
for she had seen him when he came up; and also the truth would be known
concerning the loaf of bread. Altogether, Penrod felt that his case
was worse than Sam's--until Sam offered a suggestion that roused such
horrible possibilities concerning the principal item of their offense
that all thought of the smaller indictments disappeared.

"Listen, Penrod," Sam quavered: "What--what if that--what if that ole
horse maybe b'longed to a--p