this is some kind of a frame-up. Did you come along this way when you
copped it before; I mean you and that pair?"

"I don't know, I was under the buffalo robe."

They were thieves all right; Peter knew it now. And his assurance on
this point gave him courage. The strangers would be no safer to deal
with, but at least Peter knew now that he had the right on his side. In
a sudden burst of impulsive resolution he stepped around and in a spirit
of utter recklessness spoke up. His own voice sounded strange to him.

"I--I know what you are--you're thieves," he said. "I can--I can tell by
the way you talk--and--and you--you can't take the car--even an inch you
can't--because all the gasoline is gone out of it and I did it and I
don't care--and you--you can _kill_ me if you want to only you can't
take the car. And--and--pretty soon Ham Sanders will be along with the
milk cans and he's not afraid of you--"

"What did you say about ham?" Pee-wee shouted down at him.

"Ham Sanders," Peter called back defiantly.

"I though you said ham sandwich," Pee-wee retorted.

"He can--he's even--he can even handle a bull," shouted Peter, carried
away by excitement. "All the--the--gasoline is gone--it is--because now
I can hear it stop dripping--so--now--_now_ what are you going to do?
So?"