"Whatever have you been doing?" asked Pip's mother. "Where have you been?"
Pip couldn't possibly tell her, because the Find-Outers and their doings were very secret. "I was with the others." he said at last.
"You weren't. Pip," said His mother. "Bets and Daisy have been here a long time - and that fat boy too, whatever his name is. Don't tell stories."
"Well, I was with Larry," said Pip. Bets saw that he was in difficulties and she tried to rescue him by suddenly changing the subject.
"Fatty fell off a hay-rick this morning.," she said. It certainly changed the subject. Her mother stared at her in horror.
"Who did? That fat boy? Did he hurt himself? Whatever were you doing on a hay-rick?"
Pip was afraid that Bets was going to say why they were all on the rick, so he changed the subject quickly too.
"Mummy, has Daddy got a very old pair of boots he doesn't want?" he asked innocently. His mother looked at him.
"Why?" she asked. Pip was not usually interested in His father's old clothes.
"Well, I happen to know some one who would be very glad of them indeed," said Pip.