“Anyway,” said William, returning to the matter in hand, “I’d like to do something for Mr. Moss.”
“Wot could we do?” said Ginger.
“We could stop folks goin’ to old Mallards’—’Tisn’t as if she took any int’rest in wot you buy.”
“Well, how could we stop folks goin’ to ole Mallards’?”
“Make ’em go to Mr. Moss.”
“Well, how—why don’ you say how?”
“Well, we’d have to have a meeting about it—an Outlaw meeting. Let’s have one now. Let’s go to our woodshed an’ have one now.”
Joan’s face fell.
“I can’t come, can I? I’m not an Outlaw.”
“You can be an Outlaw ally,” said William kindly. “We’ll make up a special oath, for you, an’ give you a special secret sign.”