Bram just stood there with his hands in his pockets, because he didn't know where else to look for the coat and he was cold. He thought and then his face lit up. "Oh, I know! What if we say robbers robbed us and took your coat because they were lookin' for money! That's also why we got beat up and are covered in mud. Then your father will be glad you're alive and hug you and buy you sweets and you won't be in trouble."

When Bram had gotten kidnapped, father had hugged him. And Alice, Anne, and Will had put their little pocket money together and bought him sweets to cheer him up.

Maybe he could pretend to be kidnapped sometime...