"Luke! How did Tupping find out about Bets and the strawberry plants? Did you get into trouble? Did you know he scared Bets terribly?"
"Poor little Bets," said Luke. "I didn't know she was in, or I'd have gone after old Tupping. I thought you were all out. I heard your bicycle bells, you see. When Tupping came back and told me he'd gone for Bets, and torn up all her plants, I could have knocked him down. But he would only have reported me to Mr. Goon the policeman, so what would have been the good of that?"
"Did you get into an awful row?" asked Bets. "How did he find out about me?"
"Miss Tremble must have told him, the silly old thing," said Luke. "Yes, I did get into a row. I got my ears boxed, and I had to work harder than ever today. I wish I could leave."
"I wish you could, too," said Larry. "Why can't you?" "Well, it's my first job you see, and you should stick in your first job as long as you can," said Luke. "And there's another thing — I bet Tupping would give me a bad name if I gave him notice, and I might not be able to get another job. Then I'd get into trouble with my stepfather. I give him half my money, you see."
"You have a lot of troubles, Luke," said Daisy. "I wish we could help you."
"Well, you do in a way," said Luke. "I tell you things, don't I? I don't keep them all bottled up like I used to. It's nice to tell them to somebody. Look, there's old Goon, the village bobby!"
Mr. Goon, burly, red-faced, with bulging frog-eyes, was walking down the lane towards the children.
"Do you suppose he is going to see Mr. Tupping?" asked Bets in alarm.
"Don't know," said Luke, also looking rather alarmed. He was afraid of policemen, and Mr. Goon was not a very nice one.