The children peered into the cage, still sniffing. Miss Harmer sent them off. "Do go," she said. "I really feel nervous now when anyone comes near the cats."
"Let's go to the shed and see if we can find any turps there," said Fatty. So they left the cat-house and went off to the two sheds that leaned back to back, not far from the greenhouses.
"You girls take one shed and search it and we boys will take the other," said Fatty.
So they all began to hunt hard in the two sheds, but there was no turps to be found anywhere.
Larry saw Luke passing by, looking very gloomy indeed. He whistled to him.
"Hie, Luke! You look as if you had lost a shilling and found sixpence. Cheer up!"
"You wouldn't feel very cheerful if you felt as frit as I do," said poor Luke.
"What you doing in them sheds?" he said. "You'll catch it if Mr. Tupping comes along and sees you messing about there."
"We're looking for the turpentine," said Fatty, poking his round face out of the shed. Luke looked astonished.
"Turps?" he said. "What do you want turps for? It's kept in the other shed — on the shelf — I'll show you. But what do you want it for?"