"Well, if only I knew who made these footprints I Should be able to tell the others who fired your cottage the other evening," said Bets importantly.
Mr. Hick looked completely bewildered, and he stared very hard indeed at Bets. "You'd better come in," he said at last "This is very extraordinary. What is a child like you doing, following footprints - and how do you know anything about it? Come in. No - leave the dog outside."
"Let him come too," said Bets. "He'll be very, very good. He'll scratch your door down if you leave him outside."
So Buster went in too, and soon the three of them were sitting in Mr. Hick's study, which, like Mr. Smellie's, was littered with papers and books.
"Now," said Mr. Hick, trying to speak in a pleasant voice, which was very difficult for him. "Now, little girl, you tell me why you followed those footprints and what you know about them. It may be a help to me."
Bets, proud to have a grown-up listening to her so closely, poured out the whole story of the Find-Outers and what they had done. She told Mr. Hick about the clues and the Suspects, and he listened without saying a single word.
Buster made himself a perfect nuisance all the time. He would keep going over to Mr. Hick, sniffing at him, and trying to nibble his feet. Mr. Hick got most annoyed, but Buster wouldn't leave him alone. In the end Bets had to take him on her knee and keep him there.
When she had finished her story, right up to that very
morning, she looked eagerly at Mr. Hick. "Now will you tell me who came here today ? " she asked.
"Well.," said Mr. Hick slowly, "as it happens, two of your Suspects came here. Mr. Smellie came to borrow a book - and Horace Peeks came to ask me for a reference."