“So! That’s how you lie out of it, is it?” she cried scornfully. “An’ you expect me to believe a yarn like that! Do you s’pose I don’t know this country’s at war, an’ that the authorities are on the lookout for folks concealin’ gunpowder in their houses? How do I know you weren’t goin’ to make the stuff into bombs, or carry it somewheres an’ blow up somethin’ or other with it?”
“Indeed, oh, indeed we weren’t,” Mary cried, thoroughly alarmed.
“Oh, what shall we do!” Eliza sobbed, wringing her hands.
“Nonsense,” cut in Jane. “You know perfectly well, Miss Webster, we ain’t no German plotters. I’m sorry——”
“You’re sorry I caught you before you had a chance to drop that bag in my brook,” said Ellen, a twinkle in her eye. “I’ll bet you are. Have you thought that I can have you arrested for trespassing on my land?”
“Oh, Jane!”
The horrified voices of Mary and Jane 107 greeted with concern this new danger. Ellen was exulting in her triumph.
“You can, of course, have us arrested if you wish to,” said Jane.
“Well, I ain’t a-goin’ to—at least I ain’t, on one condition. An’ I’ll promise not to give you over to the police as spies, neither, if you do as I say.”
“What do you want us to do?” inquired Mary and Eliza breathlessly.