"Now don't you start all over again!" said Mrs. Minns, thumping on the table with the rolling-pin as if she was hitting poor Lily on the head with it "You go and get me
the dripping, if you can find out where you put it yesterday. And no more back-chat from you, if you please!"
The children didn't want to hear about Lily's faults, or where she put the dripping. They wanted to hear about the people that Mr. Hick had quarrelled with, and who might therefore have a spite against him. It looked as if both Mr. Peeks and Mr. Smellie would have spites against him. And what about the old tramp too?
"Was Mr. Hick very angry with the tramp when he found him stealing the eggs?" asked Pip.
"Angry! You could hear him all over the house and the garden too!" said Mrs. Minns, thoroughly enjoying talking about everything. "I said to myself, 'Ah, there's the master off again! It's a pity he doesn't use up some of his temper on that lazy girl Lily!'"
Lily appeared out of the larder, looking sulky. The children couldn't help feeling sorry for her. The girl put the dripping down on the table with a bang.
"Any need to try and break the basin?" inquired Mrs. Minns. "It's a bad girl you are today, a right down bad girl. You go and wash the back steps, madam! That will keep you busy for a bit."
Lily went out, clanking a pail. "Tell us about the tramp," said Pip. "What time did Mr. Hick see him stealing eggs?"
"Oh, sometime in the morning," said Mrs. Minns, rolling out pastry with a heavy hand. "The old fellow came to my back door first, whining for bread and meat, and I sent him off. I suppose he slipped round the garden to the henhouse, and the master saw him there from the cottage window. My word, he went for him all right, and said he'd call the police in, and the old tramp, he went flying by my kitchen door as if a hundred dogs were after him!"
"Perhaps he fired the cottage," said Pip. But Mrs. Minns would not have it that any one had fired the cottage but Mr. Peeks.