'No, no, a-course not,' said Peterson.
'Might you be able to spare us this boy fer the rest o' the afternoon, in the name o' the committee?' asked Cann. 'We'll go an' argue with his mother to leave the lickin' of him to the committee.'
'As a question o' public interest,' said Peterson.
The master consented to this, and Dick was led away between the two men.
The interview with Mrs. Haddon took place in the widow's garden. Mrs.
Haddon quite understood what it meant when Peterson entered with Dick in
custody.
'Good day, Mrs. Haddon,' said the big man gingerly. 'O' course you know all 'bout the trouble o' those goats.'
'Made by you stupid men, mostly,' said Mrs. Haddon.
Peterson stammered and appealed to Cann—he had not expected argument.
'What we men did, ma'am,' said Cann, 'was to protect our property. If the goats hadn't bin brought here there wouldn't 'a' bin any need fer that. Not to mention garden robbin' before, an' broken fences an' such.'
'The School Committee, ma'am,' said Peterson, 'has drawed up a list of suspects, an' the fathers of the boys named will lambaste 'em all thorough. Now it occurred to the committee that your boy, bein' the worst o' the pack, an' havin' confessed, oughter get a fair share o' the hammerin'.'
'An' you've come to offer to do it?'