Pip wandered off to a ditch over which hung a drooping hedge of bramble and wild rose. And there he found something! He gave a low and excited call to the others.
"Here! I say, come here! I've found something! "
At once everyone crowded over to him. Buster too. His nose quivering. "What is it?" said Larry.
Pip pointed into the muddy ditch beside him. Nettles grew there, and they were trampled down. It was plain
that someone had stood there in the ditch - and the only reason for standing in nettles in a muddy ditch was to hide!
"But that's not all!" said Pip, excited. "Look - here's where the person came in and went out!"
He pointed to the hedge behind, and the children saw a gap there, with broken and bent sprays and twigs, showing where some one had forced His way in and out.
"Oooh," said Daisy, her eyes very wide. "Is this a clue, Larry?"
"A very big one," said Larry, pleased. "Pip, have you seen any footprints ? "
Pip shook his head. "The man who hid here seemed to tread on the nettles all the time," he said. "Look, you can see where he went - keeping in the ditch. See where the nettles are broken down."