"Yes, sir," the spokesman replied. "We was with Tom an' Pete. We're guilty, too."
"Well, I must say you are a fine bunch of nighthawks," and the Squire gave a slight, sarcastic laugh. "You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves."
"We're more'n ashamed, sir," Tom replied; "we're disgusted."
"Disgusted at what?"
"At makin' sich fools of ourselves, an' bein' the tools of another."
"But you are responsible men, and why do you try to shift the blame to other shoulders?" the Squire sternly demanded.
"Because we'd been drinkin', sir. We really didn't know what we was doin' that night. The whiskey was given us an' we was ready for any divilment. That's the long and short of it."
Squire Hawkins now rose slowly to his feet and looked upon the audience before him.
"Gentlemen," he began, "I do not see any reason why I should prolong this enquiry. These men have confessed everything, and there is nothing more for me to do except to impose the penalties. I shall be very lenient as this is the first time they have been brought before me. But I wish to warn you all that if I am called upon to deal with such a case again, I shall be very severe."
No sooner had the Squire sat down, than Douglas was on his feet. He had listened with almost incredulous amazement to the way in which the enquiry had been conducted, and he knew that if some one did not interfere, the one who was really guilty would escape.