"What excuse shall we make for asking to see Horace Peeks?" said Larry, as they cycled quickly along.
Nobody could think of a good excuse. Then Pip had an idea. "Let's go to the house and just ask for a drink of water," he said. "If Peeks's mother is there I expect she'll talk nineteen to the dozen, and we may find out what we want to know - which is - where was Horace Peeks on the evening of the lire? If his mother says he was at home with her all the evening we can cross him off."
"Good idea!" said Larry. "And I'll tell you what I'll do, too; just before we get to the house I'll let the air out of my front tyre, see - and pumping up the bike will make a further excuse for staying and talking."
"Right!" said Pip. "I do think we are getting clever."
After some hard cycling they came to the village of Wilmer Green. It was a pretty place, with a duck-pond on which many white ducks were swimming. The children got off their bicycles and began to look for Ivy Cottage. They asked a little girl where it was, and she pointed it out to them. It was well set back from the road, and backed on to a wood.
The children rode to it, dismounted and went into the old wooden gate. Larry had already let the air out of his front tyre and it was almost flat.
"I'll ask for the water," said Daisy. They went up to the door, which was half-open. There was the sound of an iron going thump, thump, thump.
Daisy knocked on the door. "Who's there?" said a sharp voice.
"Please could we have a drink of water?" asked Daisy.
"Come in and get it," said the voice. Daisy opened the door wide and went in. She saw a sharp-faced old lady ironing a shirt. She nodded her head towards a tap over a sink.