“Shut up!” said Larry and Pip. “You spoil everything when you start boasting.”
“Will you take Buster with you?” asked Bets.
“Don’t know,” said Fatty. “He’d be company. On the other hand, he might bark if any one came.”
“Do you know it’s snowing?” said Daisy suddenly.
So it was. The big white flakes came down silently. The children stared at them out of the window.
“This will mean I’ll have to be awfully careful not to give myself away by footprints,” said Fatty. “I shall have to try and creep in through the garden hedge. Anyway, I shall be able to see if any one has been to the house, because their footprints will show too!”
“Shall we pop down to Milton House now?” said Pip. “Just to see if anything is different?”
“No. We’ll go tomorrow,” said Fatty. “Our Mr. John Henry Smith isn’t likely to rush over today - but most likely he will tomorrow - and we may see some sign of him then. Let’s play a game now.”
So they played Happy Families, and roared at Bets when she forgot the game for a moment and asked Daisy if she had got “Mr. John Henry Smith” instead of Mr. Bones the Butcher.
“I feel as if our mystery is warming up a bit,” said Fatty, when he said good night to the others. “I shouldn’t be surprised if things begin to happen soon!”