The man believed to be Webb walked so rapidly that the girls realized they would lose sight of him unless they hastened on. Cutting across a field, they were able to get ahead of him.
“Yes, it’s Webb,” Penny whispered as they waited for the man to approach. “I’m certain.”
Not until he was quite close did the man see the girls. Momentarily startled at recognizing Penny, he ignored her, and would have passed without a word.
“Webb!” she exclaimed. “Don’t you remember me?”
The man halted, gazing at her with ice-cold, unfriendly eyes.
“Webb ain’t my name,” he said gruffly. “I never saw you before.”
“You may not remember. I helped pull you out of the river after you had fallen from the deck of the Snark.”
“Are you coo-coo?” the man demanded. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do,” Penny said, losing patience. “You stayed with Ben Bartell at his shack by the river. For saving your life, you repaid him by stealing his watch!”
“Say, young lady, better be careful what you’re sayin’!” the man snapped. “No one can accuse me of being a thief!”