They all went over the wall again, leaving poor Buster in the shed. They sent Pip into the garden to see whereabouts Tupping was.
Pip came back and reported that he was tying up something near the house. "So we're safe for a bit," he said. "Come on. Let's sniff in the cage again, and see if the smell is still there. Then we'll go hunting for the stuff."
They all sniffed in the cage. The faint smell of turps still hung there. Miss Harmer came up as the children were sniffing. She did not seem very pleased to see them.
"I don't want anyone near the cat-house now," she said. "This disappearing of Dark Queen twice running is getting on my nerves. I'd rather you kept away, children."
"Miss Harmer, do you use turps to clean out the cages at all?" asked Fatty.
Miss Manner looked surprised. "Of course not," she said. "I use an ordinary disinfectant. Cats hate the smell of turpentine,"
"Well, how did the smell of turps get into the cage then?" said Larry. "You sniff, Miss Harmer, and see if you can smell it."
But Miss Harmer had not got a very good nose for smelling, and she did not think she could smell anything like turps in the cage.
"Didn't you yesterday when you went in and found Dark Queen was gone?" said Larry.
"Well, perhaps I did," said Miss Harmer, trying to remember. "But I couldn't swear to it. I was so upset at Dark Queen disappearing again."