he snapped, "and that's enough. So you ain't goin' to tell, Mary-'Gusta,
eh? Remember now, if you do tell it'll prove your story's true and
David'll come out on top. Think it over."

Evidently Mary-'Gusta was thinking it over. Her eyes filled with tears,
but she shook her head.

The Captain looked down at her. "Keepin' mum, eh?" he said. "Well,
that's all right. I cal'late we're pretty good guessers, some of us,
anyway. Jim," with a sudden look straight at the youngest member of
his neighbor's family, who was fidgeting with his spoon and acting
remarkably nervous, "what have you got to say? Have a good time in that
parlor playin' pirates, did you?"

Jimmie gasped. The suddenness of the attack knocked his defenses flat.
He gurgled, stammered, and then broke into a wail of distress.

"I--I didn't mean to," he sobbed, wildly. "'Twas her. She said do it; I
never. I--I--"

"Why, Jimmie Bacheldor!" exclaimed Mary-'Gusta, shocked into protest by
her fellow culprit's distortion of the truth. "How can you say so! What
a story! You know--"

"I guess he knows," broke in Shadrach. "And I cal'late I know, too.
Now then, Jim, what time was it when you looked at the clock? Shut up,
Abner, let the boy answer. Tell us, Jim; nobody'll hurt you."

"It--it was four o'clock," hollered Jimmie, in agony. "I--I never done
it a purpose. I won't do so no more."