They had discovered that the lovely plums in the Rector's garden were ripe and they meant to steal them.

When the Rector is through with his lessons at twelve o'clock he always goes to the front room and then nobody knew what is going on in the garden.

Their plan was to use this time to-day in order to shake the tree and fill their pockets full of plums.

I was to help them.

I told them what a disgrace it was for them to ask me and I said that I would find means to prevent it.