“Around at the far side, away from the road, Chief,” I said.
“Well, then, no wonder!” said Swatty. “That's why I didn't see you doing it. I set the side toward the road burning. So I guess I was the one that set the barn afire first, because it would take you a long time to go around the barn to the other side.”
“Maybe we both set it afire at the same time,” I said.
“All right, maybe we did,” Swatty said. “Because,” I said, “I ain't going to be cheated out of having set it afire by you or anybody, Swatty, when I went to all the trouble I did.”
“I know,” said Swatty, “but you can't say I didn't set it afire, either, because when I was walking down to the creek from the West I turned my ankle and had to take my skates off and limp home. Ain't that so, Bony?” Bony said yes, it was. “And Bony thought I had really sprained my ankle,” said Swatty, “but you know what I was up to. Throw 'em all off the track! Be alone so I could do the deed!”
“Well, I guess we both did it at the same time,” I said, and Swatty said he guessed we did, so that settled it. But when Swatty got ready to go home I whispered to him:
“You didn't really do it, did you?”
“No,” he said, “I just wanted to make Toady and Bony think I did. I was in my kitchen putting arnica on my ankle. Did you really do it?”
“Of course I didn't!” I said. “I was up here in my bedroom looking at my raw ankle. But we won't let on.”
“Sure not!” said Swatty.