"I found him in my swamp."
"Is the swamp posted?"
"No."
"Did he threaten you?"
"No."
"Yours was a wilful attack?"
"Yes."
"Have you nothing to say in your own defense?"
Andy answered wearily, "It would take too long. You'd have to know Luke
Trull."
The trooper, who never should have done so and never would have done so
had he been more experienced, grinned. "I'll have to take you in."
"Okeh. I'll just let my chickens out to forage."
Side by side, a somehow awkward silence between them, they walked to the
chicken pen and then on to the trooper's parked car. The officer made a
U-turn and started toward town. He asked suddenly,
"What do you want in that swamp?"
"Quite a few things."
"This Trull--seems to me I've seen his name on our records--what's he
want there?"
"Something that belongs to me."
"Did he steal from you?"
"No."
"I don't get it."
"He's going to steal. I planted muskrats in the swamp. He followed me to
find out where they are."