We came out as quick as we could, and it was fine to have decent air to breathe again.
“There you be,” says Hamilcar. “A perty pair, eh? Hain’t you, now? Apple-stealers!”
“We’re not apple-stealers,” says Mark. “We didn’t go into your orchard to steal a-a-apples. We were just walking through.”
“To be sure,” says Hamilcar. “Just strollin’ among the trees. Of course you were.”
“We were tryin’ to keep out of sight of that f-feller you just rented your horse to.”
Hamilcar wrinkled up his forehead and frowned.
“Chasin’ you, was he?”
“No. He didn’t know we were here, and we d-didn’t want him to.”
Hamilcar scratched his head. “I dun’no’s I ever had any boy tell me just that story. Them I’ve caught before has told me lots of things. Some walked in their sleep, and some didn’t know they were in an orchard at all, and others was stealin’ for a sick grandmother, but I don’t call to mind any story just like yours.”
“If you’ll l-listen, Mr. Janes, I’ll tell you about it,” says Mark.