“Ted and I made one,” explained Tom, “an’ his pole broke and he fell in. He’s walkin’ around to dry himself off.”
“Land sakes!” exclaimed Mrs. Ransom. “Your mother won’t like that, Teddy Martin. But I mustn’t stand here talking. I’m going over to Constable Juke’s house. Have you see him this morning?”
“Constable Juke!” exclaimed Teddy and Tom in one breath.
“Yes, I want him to arrest somebody,” went on Mrs. Ransom.
The two boys looked at each other. A constable in the country, they knew, was the same as a policeman in the city. He could arrest people if they were bad.
“You—you want Constable Juke?” asked Ted, in a low voice.
“To arrest somebody?” asked Tom, almost whispering.
“Yes, that’s what I want him to do if he can catch ’em!”
“Is it—do you want him to arrest us, ’cause I fell in the water, Miss Ransom?” asked Teddy, and his voice trembled.
“Land sakes, no, child!” laughed the storekeeper lady. “What ever put such a notion in your head? What I want of Constable Juke is to have him arrest somebody that robbed my store.”