The boy’s face held the story.
“Have you been alone?”
“N-N-No!”
“Who’s been with you?”
“Billy!”
“And who else?”
The boy hesitated. It was hard to lie. But his little sister piped up shrilly:
“Bernie Gridley and Elinore Carver’s been with ’em! I seen ’em go!”
“Is this so?” demanded Johnathan.
“Yes,” confessed the boy boldly.