Lying on the floor was very uncomfortable.
"Are you okay?" a man whispered to Bobby.
It was Farmer Jenkins.
"Everything's going to be fine," he assured Bobby.
"I want everyone to close their eyes," the leader shouted.
"Then start counting to one hundred."
Everyone did exactly as he said.
Bobby heard heavy footsteps.
Then he heard a door opening somewhere.
"They're gone!" a woman said loudly.
" . . . fifty-seven, fifty-eight . . . "
Jane kept counting, her eyes still closed.
Panther gently tapped her.
"It's over, Jane," she said.
People started to get up slowly and carefully.
Police sirens rang loudly outside.
Soon police officers and an ambulance crew crowded the bank.
"Did anybody see anything?" an officer called out.
Most of the people shook their heads.
"They wore masks," one man said.
Bobby raised his hand.
"Did you see something, son?" the officer asked Bobby.
"Yes, sir," Bobby answered timidly.
The officer put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said,
"Tell me what you saw."
Bobby described the men before they entered the bank.
He also told the officer about the socks he'd noticed on one of the men.
"I didn't see their faces though," he said.
The officer gave Bobby a big smile.
"This is going to help us find them."
Bobby's chest swelled with pride.
"Aren't you Martha's nieces and nephews?"
A woman wearing a yellow sweater approached them.
The children nodded.
"You were very brave throughout this incident," she commended.
The children smiled shyly.
"I agree." Mr. Becker came over to them as well.
A few hours later, the police allowed everyone to return home.
Many people, however, did not want to go home.
"Nothing like this has happened before," Mr. Keefer said angrily.
"We must catch those robbers," Mr. Becker said with feeling.
"But what can we do?" asked Aunt Martha.
"We should all work together to protect our town," said Mr. Keefer.
People nodded in agreement.
Aunt Martha invited everyone to her house for tea.
"We can think better after a drink," she said.
The children helped Aunt Martha prepare the tea.
They also brought out some cookies.
"Thank you."
"You're so sweet."
"What good manners you have!"
People kept complimenting the children.
"Everyone is so nice,"
Panther said when they were alone in the kitchen.
"One woman said I look like her granddaughter," beamed Jane.
"Mr. Becker wants us to come over for dinner," said Cy.
Bobby was also beginning to like his neighbors.
"Children," Aunt Martha came into the kitchen.
"Can you get more bread for me?" she asked.
Cy and Bobby volunteered to go.
Handing them some money, Aunt Martha said,
"Hurry back and be careful!"
The boys left the house and ran over to the bakery.
"I heard you were at the bank," the baker said to them.
The baker asked many questions.
Some of the customers did too.
"Well," the baker said finally, "you were very brave.
I hope they catch those robbers."
Cy took out the money to pay for the bread.
"How much is this?"
The baker shook his head.
"No, this is on me.
For you brave children."
Thanking him, the boys ran out.
"Oomph!" Bobby ran right into a man walking by.
Bobby fell hard on the ground.
"Watch where you're going, kid!" he yelled at Bobby.
"Are you okay?" Cy asked, pulling Bobby up.
"Cy!" Bobby grabbed his brother's arm.
"Look at that man's shoes!"
The man was about to cross the street.
One of his shoes had a hole in it.
And he wore blue socks with red stripes.