“Why ever not?” he demanded.
“Well, he’s got plenty of people after him.”
“He ought to have kept his hands off other people’s money.”
“Oh, well, that’s not our business,” Jean said.
“But, good gracious!” ejaculated Tom, “you said you came down this road because you thought I was him! What did you mean to do if I had been?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Jean said, laughing. “Look at him, I suppose. Criminals don’t come our way every day, you know!”
“We certainly wouldn’t have laid violent hands on him, remarking, ‘Come and be killed!’ anyhow!” said Jo.
“Well, I should say you wouldn’t—kids like you! But you’d have gone in for Ransome, I suppose?”
“Oh, that’s the last thing we’d have thought of doing!” Jean assured him.
“Well, girls are beyond me!” said Tom heavily. He said good-bye, evidently considering them unworthy of his further attention; and set off on his dusty tramp home.