“And what about the dead body?” said Ginger with the air of one bringing forward an unanswerable objection.
“The skeleton,” corrected Douglas.
“It’s someone he’s turned into a skeleton, of course,” said Joan firmly.
“Soppy fairy-tale stuff,” commented William again with scorn. Joan bore his reproof meekly but clung to her point with feminine pertinacity.
“It’s not, William. It’s true. I know it’s true.”
There was certainly something convincing about her earnestness though the Outlaws were determined not to be convinced by it.
“No,” said Douglas very firmly. “He’s a blower up, that’s what he is. He’s goin’ to blow up all the world.”
“What about the frogs in bottles?” said Henry.
“They’re people he’s turned into frogs,” said Joan.
The frogs certainly seemed to fit into Joan’s theory better than they fitted into Douglas’s. Joan pursued her advantage. “And didn’t you hear him sort of singing as he mixed the things? He was making spells over them.”