"S'pose you tell me what happened, jest as it comes to you, lad."
With this invitation Darry soon related the whole matter, even to his firing after the vanishing culprits.
This latter event appeared to interest the constable more than anything else.
"Do you think you hit any o' 'em?" he asked, eagerly.
"They didn't stop to tell me, but I heard a lot of howling, and they ran faster than ever," replied Darry, smiling.
"That sounds as if you did some damage. Mrs. Peake, I must look into this outrage closer, and if I can only git my hands on any dead-sure evidence somebody's boys is a gwine to pay for the fiddlin'. I'm tired o' sech goings-on. They sure are a disgrace to our village. But you know how it is—my hands are tied acause theys politics back o' it all. If I arrested Jim Dilks now on the strength o' a suspicion I'd get tied up in litigation and lose my job in the bargain. I hears as how theys gwine to be a meetin' called at the house o' the dominie to discuss this question, an' see what kin be did to change things."
"I'm sure I'm glad to know it, and if they want another to join in tell them to count on Nancy Peake. The women must take this thing in hand, since the men are too much afraid of that ruffian, big Jim Dilks, to do anything. Be sure and let me know when that meeting is coming off, Mr. Squires," said Abner's better half; and when he saw the fire in her eyes and the determination shining there Constable Squires realized that the day of salvation for Ashley village was not so very far away.
"Then you wouldn't like to swear to its being any particular pusson?" he went on, turning again to Darry.
"I did not see a face, and without that my evidence would hardly convict. No, sir, I would not swear that one of the three was Jim."
"That's bad. I stand ready to do my duty and arrest the boy if so be any one makes a complaint; but without that it wouldn't pay and only makes useless trouble all 'round. But I'm goin' to keep my eyes open from now on, and when I git a sure case on Jim he comes in."