I suspected he'd lose it some day and that somebody would get blamed." "Nobody is getting blamed," I said.
"No, but somebody is being suspected," he shot back.
"Well, he _did_ lose it, I have to admit that much," I said.
"And that's all you're ever going to admit, hey ?" he said, all the while moving the stick around on the roof.
"_You_--_bet_--_your_--_sweet_--_life_, that's all I'm ever going to admit," I said.
"Bully for you," he said; "you're about the best little scout I ever knew--next to Skinny." "I can stick up for a friend, that's one thing," I said.
"Through thick and thin ?" he asked me; "in spite of circumstantial evidence ?" "I should worry about circumstantial evidence," I told him.

"Why should I care about circumstantial evidence?
What did circumstantial evidence ever do for _me_, I'd like to know ?" Then he began to laugh.

Gee, _I_ didn't know what he was laughing at.
"Nothing would shake you, huh ?" he said.
"Believe me, it would take an earthquake," I told him.
He looked all around and moved the stick around on the shingles, as if he was thinking.
Then he said, "Well, Skinny went over to the Hudson to that house-boat you fellows came up on.

He followed the old bed of Bowl Valley creek.
Now don't get excited.

He had as much right to go there as you have.