There was not a person in sight.
"It must have been that pesky Bob Henderson!" he exclaimed.

"He's always yellin' an' shoutin'." He turned back into the store, rubbing his shins.

As he did so he uttered an exclamation of dismay.

And well he might, for the spigot of the molasses barrel was wide open, and the sticky brown fluid was running all over the floor..