other. "So Mr. Smellie did go down here that night!" said Larry.
"No wonder he was so startled when you asked him if he went anywhere near Mr. Hick's on the evening of the fire," said Daisy.
"He did it!" said Bets triumphantly. "Now we know. H e did it! He's a wicked old man."
"Do you think he did it?" Fatty asked Lily. She looked puzzled and perplexed.
"/ don't know," she said. "He's a nice, quiet old gentleman, / think, and always had a kind word for me. It's not like him to do such a violent thing as set something on fire. But what I do know is - it wasn't Horace."
"No - it doesn't look as if it could have been Horace," agreed Larry. "I see now why you didn't say anything before, Lily - you were afraid. Well we shan't teil any one. It seehis to me that we must now turn more of our attention to Mr. Smellie!"
"No doubt about that!" said Fatty. "Well - we've certainly found out a few things this afternoon!"
Clear-Orf turns up at an Awkward Moment.
The children stayed talking to Lily for a little while, and then, as it was getting near tea-time they had to go. The girl was relieved to have told somebody of her troubles, and she saw them off, after they had once more promised to keep to thehiselves all that she had told them.
They were all having tea at Pip's, which was nice because they could talk everything over. They were very excited indeed.