Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/150

132 commented severely, regarding him with some suspicion. The look of utter misery that he gave her, however, melted her warm little  heart and she sat down impulsively upon the  step beside him.

“What is the matter, Joe, tell me,” she urged.

Johann shook his head in mute anguish, and said nothing.

“It is not anything,” he finally managed to get out; “not anything at all.”

Billy’s mind had been rapidly putting two and two together so that he broke forth now  with the question:

“Johann, did you see that German go by here and take the catboat?”

“No—no,” Johann began earnestly. “I don’t know whom you mean.” But his face  belied his words.

“You did see him, you did!” exclaimed Billy. “Why in the world didn’t you stop him?”

Sally added gently, patting his knee to reassure him:

“Don’t be so upset, Johann. Tell us why you didn’t stop him.”

“How could I stop him?” Johann replied.