“Indeed I did, sir!”
“Umph!” said the Major again. “Well, go on. What did you find?”
Sam described the trampled brush and the spots of blood on the leaves. Also he related his vain effort to follow the trail.
The Major was scowling fiercely. “That’s all, eh? Enough, too, I must say! No, it isn’t, either. Look here, young man! I suppose I must accept this story. You’ve just missed committing murder—yes, murder! Abominable recklessness, abominable! And criminal, highly criminal! You’ve rendered yourself liable to a heavy penalty. You’ll have to suffer——”
Mr. Parker spoke sharply and emphatically: “That is not at present under discussion. Our immediate interest is justice to a wrongly arrested man.”
Up went the Major’s warlike eyebrows. “Eh? What’s that? Justice, you say?” Then he whipped about to Sam. “Boy, do you understand the situation in which you’ve placed yourself? Want justice done, do you? That’ll mean trouble for you. Don’t quibble! Why didn’t you let well enough alone?”
“Why—why, sir——”
“Umph! Your father’s responsible, of course, for your telling the story.”
Again Mr. Parker intervened. “Not so fast, Major. Of his own volition Sam told me what had happened. The affair was a complete surprise to me. It was my suggestion that he repeat his statement to you rather than to the police—and there my responsibility begins. But I’ll add that, as it has begun, I shall regard it as continuing until this matter is settled.”
“Eh?” The Major looked more hostile than ever. “Am I to accept that as a declaration that you are backing the boy?”