Suddenly, "Watch put!" shouted Pete.
A horse screened in terror. Jupe saw a huge shape rear in front of him.
He threw his arms over his head, and as he fell he wrenched himself
to one side. His bike clattered away.
There was another scream. It was thinner and higher - not an animal
scream.
An instant later, hoofs struck the macadam very close to Jupe's head.
Jupe rolled away then sat up. The Appaloosa was backing and prancing,
ears flat against his head. The Jamison girl was lying on the road.
"The night is dark," said a voice on the telephone.
"Ah ... well, yes, it soon will be." said Pete. "Sir, I represent the
United Cookie Company, and this week we are offering special on
chocolade -"
The phone clicked and went dead.
"They aren't interested in cookies," asked Jupe?
The song went on and on until it was a fearful, shrill pulse of noise that made Jupe want to cover his ears. At last, mercifully, it began to dwindle. The smoked thinned. The terrible serpent paled and faded. The singing ceased. The thing was gone.
There was a flash and a roar, and the windows of Noxworth's Mini Market
collapsed inward!
Jupe had a glimpse of Noxworth's face, white with terror, peering from
behind the counter. Then Hendricks was racing down the street after
the fleeing tramp.
"It was a bomb!" said Allie. "I thought it was a radio."
"Allie, my girl, you've led a sheltered life," declared Pete. "Hardly
any real tramps own transistor radios."
