Evening star., 1918-09-08
By Ellis Parker Butler.

ty, That's why didn't see you doing
II. I set the side toward the road
burning So. I guess ! was the one
that set the barn afire first, because IL
would take you long time to go around
the barn to the other side"
Maybe we both set it afire at the
same time," said.
IAN right. Maybe we did" Swatty
said.
Because" said, II amt going to
be cheated out of having set it afire
by you or anybody. Swatty, when l
went to all the trouble did,
II know" said swatty; but ,; you cant
say nsr didn't set 1t asDs ars esser Down 0t to
the creek from the west l turned my
ankle and had to take my skates off
and limp, home. Amt that SO, Bony!.
Bony said yes. it was. "And Bony
kle," said Swatty, "but you know
what I was up to. Throw 'em all or
the track! Be alone SO l could do the
deed"
We'll guess we both did it at the
same time" I said. and swatty SAID
But when Swatty got ready to go
home whispered to him: -,
You didn't really do it, did you:'
NO." he said. II just wanted to
make Toady and Bony think I did.
was in my KITCHEN kite putting putting ar arniea it on
"of course 1 didn't"' l said. Il was
up here in my bedroom looking at my
raw ankle. But we won't let on"
Sure not" said Swatty.
Well, pretty soon some of the fel-
lows or somebody began saying may
Jail for setting his own barn afire,
like told you in the beginning. Then.
after while, I heard my mother say
to my father that some of the Ladies
\ = ..tv ,, nooVy Vyyno
because they were sure that old Dad
Week wouldn't set his own barn anre.
But one day we were up In my barn
me and Swatty and Bony-and Toady
came up.
He came up the stairs far enough
to see into the hayloft, then he stop
ped. and when we saw him he came
on up. I said:
Hello, Toadyw
What do you want?" I asked. be-
cause he hadn't been playing with US
Just th0us1t h "a aset get my n,st dine s
mo. we don't want it," said. and
he went to the starch box and got it,
and he came over to where we were,
any more barns atire, have your
We'll. you did set one afire, didn't
you?" said Toady. You and George
swatty stood up then, all right! He
stood up and folded his fists.
Who said we set Weeks barn
afire?" he asked, and he was pretty
mad. But ! wasn't; was just scared.
It's incenderyism, or something. like
that, if you set barn afire, and you
get sent to reform school for life.
who said it? / didn't say it," said
Toady, "a You "dGH aiS said it. You and George
Well, of course I hadn't been lying
when I told Toady and Swatty and
Bony how 1 had set Dad Weeks barn
afire, but had just been fooling. So
Jaw! I never said no such thing!
never either said I set it afre. Swat
ty said he set it afire. couldn't have
set It aire. because / va vas sitting on
So swatty got mad. I guess he
wanted to lick somebody. but he
didn't know whether to lick me or to
lick Toady.
aarer he said. II anybody set it
anre George did, because I was home,
putting arnica on me, when the fire
"Weii. you said you did" I said.
You You said so right up IN my room.
T did not, You said you did"
II did not! I never said anything
like 1t. II anybody said he set Weeks
barn anre, Swatty said It,"
Jaw! did not!' Swatty said. You
said 1t. You said 1t. You said you
took q torch. and went around to the
far side and set the barn affre.
heard you say It. And you said
couldn't have set the barn afiTe be-
cause you had It all afire before got
there. Didn't he say that, ToadyT
Well, guess Toady knew mighty
well that II he was going to get NAL
Tered for saying either of us said 1t he
had better say I said 1t, because Swat
ty could lick any Of us. So he said
did say it.
So I went for him and mallered him
as much as could. / got SO mad
cried, and guess kicked him. Not
Swatty, Toady. SO when I got tired
/ was still mad, and ! sat down on a
box and cried. Then Toady sneaked
over to the stairs and went part way
down, and Just before he was out Of
sight he looked back.
"Cry-babyw he said and that meant
me. Then he said: "All right, you'd
better look out! You both said you
did it, and you both said You said II,
and Dad Weeks got that Red Aveng-
ers notice you fastened on his barn
Gee. we were scaredi I was so
scared I didn't throw anything at
Toady, and Swatty was so scared he
lust said: "Garshg' and stood there.
Well me and Swatty We talked it
W. Lnaw we hadn't get the barn