"Wait a minute," said Pip, as the tramp put out his hand to take them. "Wait a minute. We want you to answer a few questions first, please."
The tramp stared at him, and looked sulky. "I'm not going to be mixed up in no trouble," he said.
"Of course not," said Pip. "We shan't split on you. What you tell us we shall keep to ourselves."
"What do you want to know?" asked the tramp.
"Did you see any one hiding in Mr. Hick's garden on the evening of the fire? " asked Fatty.
"Yes," said the tramp. "I saw some one in the bushes."
Bets, Pip and Fatty felt quite breathless. "Did you really see them?" asked Pip.
"Course I see them," said the tramp. "I see plenty of people in the garden that evening, so I did."
"Where were you?" asked Bets curiously.
"That's none of your business," said the tramp roughly. "I wasn't doing no harm."