“At the same time the article doesn’t say so. That editor is cute enough for that. He doesn’t want a libel suit on his hands.”
“It might as well call us by the names,” Bart insisted. “Besides, that refers to Ned as plain as can be, and he isn’t here to defend himself. It’s our duty to go.”
“I tell you you’ll only make things worse if you go to the office of the paper,” Frank insisted. “The editor will ask you if you think the article refers to you. You’ll say it does, and he’ll say, in effect, ‘if the shoe fits put it on.’ These newspaper men are no fools. They have some basis for what they write. Besides, you know I did take the dial.”
“So you did,” said Fenn.
“Did you give it back to Mr. Williamson?” asked Bart.
“Yes, I took it to the store as he asked me to.”
“But you didn’t make any admissions, did you?”
“How could I? There were none to make. You were with me when he asked me about the clock face and you heard all I said. When I left the dial in the store he was not there. I haven’t seen him since. The reporter is drawing on his imagination I guess for considerable of this.”
“I wonder if they are going to have an investigation?” said Bart.
“Let’s go and see Mr. Williamson,” suggested Fenn. “We can show him the article and he can tell us what to do. I think that’s the best plan.”