WILLIAM--THE OUTLAW _By the Same Author_ (1) JUST WILLIAM (2) MORE WILLIAM (3) WILLIAM AGAIN (4) WILLIAM--THE FOURTH (5) STILL WILLIAM (6) WILLIAM--THE CONQUEROR (7) WILLIAM--THE OUTLAW (8) WILLIAM--IN TROUBLE (9) WILLIAM--THE GOOD (10) WILLIAM (11) WILLIAM--THE BAD (12) WILLIAM’S HAPPY DAYS (13) WILLIAM’S CROWDED HOURS (14) WILLIAM--THE PIRATE (15) WILLIAM--THE REBEL (16) WILLIAM--THE GANGSTER (17) WILLIAM--THE DETECTIVE (18) SWEET WILLIAM (19) WILLIAM--THE SHOWMAN (20) WILLIAM--THE DICTATOR (21) WILLIAM’S BAD RESOLUTION (22) WILLIAM--THE FILM STAR (23) WILLIAM DOES HIS BIT (24) WILLIAM CARRIES ON (25) WILLIAM AND THE BRAINS TRUST (26) JUST WILLIAM’S LUCK (27) WILLIAM--THE BOLD (28) WILLIAM AND THE TRAMP (29) WILLIAM AND THE MOON ROCKET (30) WILLIAM AND THE SPACE ANIMAL (31) WILLIAM’S TELEVISION SHOW } _First_ (32) WILLIAM--THE EXPLORER } _Editions_ (33) WILLIAM’S TREASURE TROVE } [Illustration: “JUST WHAT I WANTED,” SAID THE ARTIST; “A DIRTY RAPSCALLIAN OF A BOY WITH A CROOKED TIE AND A GRIMY COLLAR.” (_See page 140_)] WILLIAM--THE OUTLAW BY RICHMAL CROMPTON ILLUSTRATED BY THOMAS HENRY LONDON GEORGE NEWNES LIMITED TOWER HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON STREET LONDON, W.C. 2 © RICHMAL CROMPTON LAMBURN 1927 _First Published_ _1927_ _Twenty-second Impression_ _1948_ _Twenty-third Impression_ _1951_ _Twenty-fourth Impression_ _1953_ _Twenty-fifth Impression_ _1957_ _Twenty-sixth (Abridged) Impression_ _1963_ _Printed in Great Britain by Cox & Wyman Ltd., London, Fakenham and Reading_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. WILLIAM--THE OUTLAW 13 II. THE TERRIBLE MAGICIAN 29 III. GEORGIE AND THE OUTLAWS 60 IV. WILLIAM AND THE WHITE ELEPHANTS 83 V. THE STOLEN WHISTLE 109 VI. WILLIAM FINDS A JOB 131 VII. WILLIAM’S BUSY DAY 157 CHAPTER I WILLIAM--THE OUTLAW William and Ginger and Douglas (known as the Outlaws) walked slowly down the road to school. It was a very fine afternoon--one of those afternoons which, one feels--certainly the Outlaws felt--it is base ingratitude to spend indoors. The sun was shining and the birds were singing in a particularly inviting way. “G’omtry,” said William with scornful emphasis and repeated bitterly, “_G’omtry!_” “Might be worse,” said Douglas, “might be Latin.”