The widow, who was reading in the dining-room, heard the tapping at
the glass. It startled her at first, and then, thinking some one
might be at the door, she conquered her nervousness and opened the
portal. Of course she saw no one, and the string was not observed.
Neither were the boys, hidden in the bushes.

"We fooled her," chuckled Ted, for they could see all that happened.

"Sure we did," added Bob. "Wait till she goes in and we'll do it
some more."

Somewhat puzzled, the Widow Mooney closed the door. No sooner was
she back in the dining-room than the tapping at the pane was
resumed. This time it was louder. The widow, who was quite timid
and nervous, felt frightened. She had years before believed in
spirits, and she had not altogether gotten over this.

Once more she went to the door, the boys observing her from their
hiding-place. They were so delighted with their prank, which they
thought a fine "joke," that they laughed heartily, having to hold
their hands over their mouths so as not to betray themselves.

"She don't know what it is," whispered Ted.

"Maybe she thinks it's night-hawks pecking at the window,"
suggested Bob.

"Go ahead. Tap some more. She's going in."

Much puzzled by the queer noises, for no one had ever before put a
tic-tac on her window, Mrs. Mooney went back to her dining-room.
But she could not read.

"I must find out what that is," she said to herself. "If it's
burglars, I'm going to call for help. Suppose it should be thieves
trying to cut one of the window-panes? I've read of such doings."

Now, the widow was less afraid of something bodily, like burglars,
than she was of "spirits," so she resolved the next time she heard
the queer tapping to run out and call for help.

In a little while Bob pulled the string again, and the dangling
nail went tap! tap! tap! against the pane.

"Here she comes!" exclaimed Ted in a whisper as the door opened.

And this time, instead of contenting herself by merely looking
about, Mrs. Mooney came out on the porch. Then she started down
the front walk toward the lilac bushes, though she did not know the
boys were there.

"She's comin' after us," whispered Ted. "Come on, Bob."

Bob was aware of the danger of getting caught. He prepared to run.

Now there is this advantage to a tic-tac. Once you want to escape
you can take it with you by the simple process of pulling on the
long string, when the pin is jerked from the windo