I said, “We were jollying him along because he was mad on account of our car being in the field. It wasn’t near his building, that’s one sure thing.” “And you boys were planning to get the car past his building? You asked him if you could take some boards down?” “Yes, we did,” I said; “and he said _no_.” “Of course,” said my sister; “what did you expect him to say?” “And you told him you’d think up some other way?” my father asked me. Then I began to see what he was driving at I said, “If he thinks we had anything to do with his old shanty burning down, let him think so. Gee whiz, it wouldn’t make a decent bonfire. We got the car over to the field all right, and we’ll get it the rest of the way. I told him we’d think of a way, and we will.” My father said, “Yes, but I don’t see what sort of plan you could make to get a railroad car through a building.” I said, “Do you think I had anything to do with that old place burning down?” He said, “No, of course I don’t. Such a thought is absurd. That is not the way of scouts.” “You said it,” I told him. Then he said, “Westy’s father called me up this morning, Roy, and told me about this fire. He said that Mr. Slausen had just called on him with another man who claimed to have seen you and Westy climbing out through a side window of the garage after dark last night.” “What did Westy say?” I asked my father. “Westy wasn’t home this morning,” my father said; “and that’s why his father called me up. He seemed to be very much concerned, but I told him, of course, that it was all nonsense, that you hadn’t done any such thing. I told him that if you had climbed out through a window you could doubtless explain it, but that he needn’t worry, because you hadn’t done any such thing. I’m afraid Mr. Slausen has lost his sense of reason——” “He never had any,” my sister said. “I should think not,” my mother put in, “Climbing out through the side window after the place had been closed! Who ever heard of such nonsense? The man is crazy.” I just sat there and I didn’t say a word. My father said, “Well, I believe Mr. Slausen is coming up here with this stranger this morning. I understand he has appealed to the police.” “Why doesn’t he call out the army?” my sister wanted to know. I said, “You mean I have to be arrested?” My father just laughed and said, “Why, certainly not. I’m very glad they’re coming——” “I hope Duke bites them,” Marjorie said. Duke is our Airedale. “I don’t see that that would do any good,” my father said, kind of smiling. “All Roy will have to do is to deny this, and I’ll do the rest. I just want you to say, Roy, that you didn’t climb out of any window of Mr. Slausen’s shop after dark or at any other time. I want you to face these gentlemen——” “They’re not gentlemen,” my sister said; “they’re hyenas!”