AppleScript's "try" command gives up too easily.

I want to do some conditional branching using "try." For the record, there is no user on my computer named "Batman." I want the script to continue even if it doesn't find a user this time.

Here's my code, in Snow Leopard 10.6.8:

try

do shell script "dscl . -read /Users/Batman"

on error 56 -- which reads "error "<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14136 (eDSRecordNotFound)" number 56"

--keep going; "Batman" is only one of a number of user names I am testing!

end try

The script fails and exits with a message that reads:

AppleScript Error

<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14136 (eDSRecordNotFound)

I thought the whole point of "try" was that it would allow your script to continue running even if it ran into an error...?