"Let's go back to the burnt cottage and see if there's any other clue to be found there," said Pip, seeing that a quarrel was about to flare up.
"Yes," said Bets. "I'm the only one that hasn't found a glue, and I do want to."
She looked so sad about this that Fatty hastened to comfort her.
"Well Buster hasn't found anything either," he said. "He's looked hard, but he hasn't discovered a single thing. Don't worry. Bets. I expect you will soon find something marvellous."
They all went back to the gap in the hedge and squeezed through. Fatty went off to the little hotel opposite the garden to get a piece of paper and a pencil. The others stood and stared at the ruined cottage.
"What are you doing here?" suddenly said a rough voice. "Clear orf!"
"Golly! It's old Clear-Orf!" whispered Larry. "Look for my shilling, all of you!"
The four children began to hunt around, pretending to be looking for something.
"Did you hear what I said?" growled the policeman. "What are you looking for?"
"My shilling,," said Larry.