"They might have," said Larry thoughtfully. "They must have known one another - and they might have got together that day and made up their minds to punish old Hiccup for his unkindness. However can we find out?"
"Perhaps we had better see Mr. Smellie again?" said Daisy. "Anyway, we must put back his shoe somehow. We can't keep it. Any one seen Clear-Orf today?"
Nobody had, and nobody wanted to. The children talked over what they were to do next. At the moment everything seemed rather muddled and difficult. Although they had. ruled out Mrs. Minns and the tramp from their list of Suspects, it seemed impossible to know whether Peeks or Smellie, or both, had really done the crime.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea to go and see Lily," said Fatty suddenly. "She might tell us a few things about Horace Peeks. After all, she wrote him a letter to warn him She might know more than we think!"
"But Lily wasn't there that evening," said Daisy. "It was her evening off. She said so."
"Well, how are we to know she didn't go back to Hiccup's and hide in the garden?" said Fatty.
"It seehis as if half the village was hiding in that garden on the evening of the fire," said Larry. "The old tramp was there - and we think Smellie was - and we know Peeks was - and now you say perhaps Lily was too!"
"I know. It's really funny to think how full Hiccup's garden was that evening!" grinned Fatty. "Well - don't you think it would be a good thing to go and see Lily? I don't suspect her of anything - but it would be just as well to see if she can tell us anything to help us,"
"Yes - it's quite a good Idea," said Larry. "Blow -there's your dinner-bell. Pip. We'll have to leave thiags till this afternoon. We'll all go down and see Lily - we'll take something for the cat and kittens again. And what about Mr. Smellie's shoe? When shall we take that back?"
"We'd better take it back this evening," said Daisy. "You take it back, Larry, when it's dark. You may find the garden door open, and you can just slip in and put the shoe back."