“You needn’t tell me that five boys—and I have the names of everyone of you—could go in a tool shop and not upset things,” scolded Mr. Bennett. “I know as well as though I’d seen you do it, some of you kicked over turpentine and varnish and laid the foundations for the fire.”
“We did not!” retorted Bobby. “I had to get the ball out, ’cause it wasn’t mine. But I didn’t set your old shop——”
“That will do, Son,” interrupted Father Blossom. “You had absolutely no right to go into Mr. Bennett’s shop in his absence and I am exceedingly sorry to hear you did such a thing. The other boys were wrong, too, and Mr. Bennett has a right to be angry. I don’t think you are responsible for the fire, however, and we hope we’ll be able to convince Mr. Bennett presently.”
“Convince me!” almost shouted the carpenter. “Why, I tell you those boys set my shop on fire! A parcel of young ones, skylarking over my workbench and in among my tools and varnishes—I wish I’d caught ’em at it! I could make ’em dance! And now that boy stands there and denies up and down he had anything to do with the fire and you expect me to believe him. I’m going up to the police court and get warrants out for every one of ’em, that’s what I’m going to do!” shrieked the angry carpenter, thumping the desk.
Bobby turned pale and his knees began to wobble. But Father Blossom only shook his head.
“I don’t think you will do that, Mr. Bennett,” he said.
CHAPTER VII
THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN
FATHER BLOSSOM did not seem to be afraid of Mr. Bennett, though the carpenter’s red face and angry eyes and the way he pounded the desk scared Bobby speechless. Father Blossom continued to sit quietly in his chair and when Mr. Bennett started toward the door, repeating that he was going uptown and “get warrants,” Father Blossom merely said again, “I don’t think you will do that, Mr. Bennett.”
“Why not?” blustered the carpenter, stopping half-way in the hall. “Why not? What’s to stop me, I’d like to know?”
“Well, in the first place,” said Father Blossom evenly, “the recorder isn’t likely to take a complaint against boys seriously; and if he did, he would require more evidence than you seem to have. For instance, are you sure your cat didn’t upset this varnish and oil you speak of?”