"I don't," answered Mr. Pigott. "I never did. But I'm beginning to understand you. You're possessed."
He went on down the street and called at the Manor-house.
Mrs. Trupp was, he knew, a staunch friend of Ernie's.
The lady was playing with her children in the garden. But she gave both her ears to her visitor when she knew his errand. Had she heard anything?
Mrs. Trupp coloured. She had heard something which greatly perturbed her pure and beautiful spirit.
Her Joe, home from Rugby, had reported that on the way back from a match at Lewes Ernie Caspar had taken a drop which had made him funny.
"It was only a little," the lady ended. "Joe said it wasn't enough to make an ordinary canary queer. But it upset Ernest for the moment."
Mr. Pigott marched on down the hill to the railway station.
It was shutting-up time, and the object of his concern was just leaving the office.
Mr. Pigott unceremoniously seized the boy by the hand.