"Probably watching the hen-house, waiting for a chance of an egg or two, even though old Hiccup had chased him away," thought Pip, quite correctly.
They all stared at the tramp, and he stared back. "Was the person who was hiding in the bushes a young man with a lock of hair falling over his forehead?" asked Pip, describing Horace Peeks. "Did he have sort of bulgy eyes?"
"Don't know about his eyes," said the tramp. "But he had a lock of hair all right. He was whispering to some one, but I couldn't see who."
This was news. Horace Peeks hiding in the bushes with somebody else! Were there two people concerned in the crime then?
It was a puzzle. Could Horace Peeks and Mr. Smellie have planned the fire together? The children didn't know what to think.
"Look here," began Pip. But the tramp had had enough.
"You give me them boots," he said, and he stretched out his hand for them. "I'm not saying no more. Be getting myself into trouble if I doa't look out. I don't want to be naked up in anything, I don't. I'm a very honest fellow."
He took the boots and put them on. He would not say a word more. "He seehis to have gone dumb," said Pip. They watched the tramp walk away in his new boots, which were a little too big for him, but otherwise very comfortable.
"Well, the mystery is getting deeper," said Fatty. "Now we seem to have two people hiding in the garden, instead of one. There's no doubt one was dear Horace. But who was the other? Perhaps Larry and Daisy will have some news for us when they come."
Buster had growled nearly all the time the tramp had been in the summer-house. Fatty had had to hold him tight, or he would have flown at the dirty old fellow. Now he suddenly began to bark joyously.