The strangers would be no safer to deal with, but at least Peter knew now that he had the right on his side.

In a sudden burst of impulsive resolution he stepped around and in a spirit of utter recklessness spoke up.

His own voice sounded strange to him.
"I--I know what you are--you're thieves," he said.

"I can--I can tell by the way you talk--and--and you--you can't take the car--even an inch you can't--because all the gasoline is gone out of it and I did it and I don't care--and you--you can _kill_ me if you want to only you can't take the car.

And--and--pretty soon Ham Sanders will be along with the milk cans and he's not afraid of you--" "What did you say about ham ?" Pee-wee shouted down at him.
"Ham Sanders," Peter called back defiantly.
"I though you said ham sandwich," Pee-wee retorted.
"He can--he's even--he can even handle a bull," shouted Peter, carried away by excitement.