“You haven’t, eh? What’s this?” asked Ned, suddenly pushing Noddy to one side and disclosing the fact that a powerful air-rifle was standing upright between the bully and the tree. Noddy had hoped that it would not be seen, as, after his dastardly trick, he had not dared to leave the grounds carrying the weapon.
For an instant following the discovery Noddy did not know what to say. Then he blurted out:
“That isn’t mine! I didn’t do any shooting with it.”
Jerry, who was standing near the bully, caught hold of his hand. The fingers were black.
“I guess that’s evidence enough,” he said quietly. “Your hands are all black from handling lead shot, Noddy. We’ve got you with the goods!”
“And I saw him shoot,” went on Andy. “I saw him aiming at you, and I yelled at him, but he wouldn’t stop. He fired a couple of times, and I was just going after a constable to arrest him, when something seemed to happen to the airship, and the crowd began to yell. I thought sure he’d put a hole in you.”
Jerry’s face showed the anger he felt. The other boys, too, looked as if they would like to thrash Noddy.
“I—I didn’t mean to shoot at you,” whined the bully, seeing that he was fairly cornered. “I was shooting at some birds and—and—maybe the bullets went too close to you.”
“I should think they did go too close,” commented Ned. “You ought to be arrested for this.”