“You smashed my boat, and you’ll pay for it or go to jail!” fairly shouted Noddy.
“I can prove that we only broke an oar!” exclaimed Ned.
“How you going to do it?” asked Noddy in sneering tones. “It was a dark night, and I have the broken boat to show what damage was done.”
“If necessary we’ll fight this case,” spoke Ned quietly, “and we’ll call some one as a witness who can tell just how much the boat was damaged, for he was in it at the time.”
“Who’s that?” inquired Noddy, with a start.
“Your old pal Bill Berry! Bill may not relish being put on the witness stand, but he’ll have to go if you insist on pressing this bill.”
Noddy turned pale.
“Bill Berry isn’t within a hundred miles of here,” he said faintly.
“Maybe he skipped out of town over night,” spoke Ned, “but he was in that boat last night. Don’t try any more of your tricks on us, Noddy, or it may go hard with you!”
Ned crumpled up the bill into a ball and threw it at Noddy. He did not intend to do it, but the wad of paper struck the bully in the eye.