"Then what do we do?" asked Bets. "Go and tell the police?"
"What! Tell old Clear-Orf and have him taking all the credit and praise to himself?" cried Larry. "I should think not. We ought to go to the Inspector of Police himself, Inspector Jenks. He's head of all the police in this district. Daddy knows him quite well. He's a very, very clever man, and he lives in the next town."
"I should be frightened of him," said Bets. "I'm even a bit frightened of Clear-Orf."
"Pooh! Frightened of that old stick-in-the-mud with his froggy eyes?" said Fatty. "You want to be like Larry, sail down a hill on your bike and knock him off, crash, round the corner!"
Every one laughed. Then a bell rang and the five got up, with Buster running round their legs. Fatty said good night and went to have dinner with his father and mother at the hotel. Larry and Daisy got their bicycles and rode home. Pip went in to supper and Bets went off to bed. Buster went with Fatty. His young master retired to bed very early that night for he was still stiff and his bruises
were painful. Buster had a good look at them when Fatty undressed,, but didn't seem to think much of them.
"Tomorrow that old tramp will come to get the boots Mummy has looked out for him," said Pip to Bets. "We'll ask him a few questions."
"What questions?" asked Bets.
"We'll ask him straight out if he saw Horace Peeks in the ditch, hiding," said Pip. "If he says yes, that will be a great help to us,"
None of the children slept very well that night for they were all excited over the happenings of the day. Bets dreamt of Clear-Orf, and woke with a squeal, dreaming that he was putting her in prison for starting the fire! Fatty slept badly because of his bruises. It didn't matter how he lay, he seemed to lie on two or three.