“I haven’t been on your property yet,” said Don.
“The wall is my property,” flashed Gates.
“Oh, so you saw me on the wall?” questioned Don.
Gates bit his lip. He had not intended to say so much. “Never mind who saw you there; you were there.” He turned to the other two. “You may go now.” To the laborer he said: “I won’t need you any more tonight, Tom. Drop around to see me in the morning.”
The two men went out and Gates turned to Don once more. “Now, young man, what is your name?”
“Mercer,” replied Don.
“What were you snooping around here for tonight, Mercer?”
“Three of us were out on a lark and we looked over your wall on the way back,” replied Don.
“You were sitting on the wall,” accused Gates.
“Yes, we sat on the wall,” confessed Don. “But we didn’t trespass on your property and so you can’t hold us. All you can do is report us to the colonel.”