“Maybe you did,” scoffed Belle. “One of you got the watch, anyway. Don’t you believe so, Sally?”
“Of course Monty stole it,” agreed her chum. “And I guess he’ll find that is what Mark Stratford wants to see him about.”
“Oh, you mean thing!” shrieked the freckle-faced girl, and she charged at the two older girls as though she meant to beat them. “You’re the horridest things I ever heard of!”
But Jessie interposed and held the angry child back from Belle and Sally.
“Let her come near me!” exclaimed Belle. “I’d slap her face good for her.”
“Of course you would,” said Amy warmly. “You are only twice her size. Come on, Hen. Come away with Jess and me.”
“You boys come, too!” cried Henrietta emphatically, and stamping her foot. “You heard what them two said about Monty and all us Dogtown kids. We won’t do another thing to help them.”
“You’re right we won’t,” agreed one of the Costello twins. “Come on, fellers. Let ’em put up their own wires.”
“We will just leave you flat,” declared Henrietta, her freckled countenance still ablaze. “You rich girls think you are so big. I’ll tell Monty and he won’t come back and help you, either. I—I’d like to tear your clo’es off! That’s what I’d like to do.”
“Never mind! Never mind!” Jessie urged, leading the angry child toward the Water Thrush. “You mustn’t do anything so rude to them.”