"We're not tell-tales," Dick explained.
"Justice Lee can make you tell," warned the chief of police.
"Can he?" inquired Dick. "Can he make us testify as to our suspicions? And wouldn't warrants have to be issued for us before we could be taken to court?"
"No; the judge could issue summons for you all."
"But could he make us testify as to suspicions—things we didn't actually see?" propounded Dick Prescott.
The chief chewed the ends of his moustache.
"It's a criminal act to destroy the signal lights of a railway," the police officer went on. "You ought to tell us, to serve the ends of justice."
"Do you know what would happen to us?" Dick demanded.
"What?"
"Every other fellow in town would point his finger at us and cry 'tell-tale!' We'd get thrashed whenever we showed our heads outdoors."