“Anyway, Fatty, you know how to get out of a locked room if you have to,” said Bets.
“Of course!” said Fatty. “I shall be all right, you may be sure.”
As Fatty’s parents were away, the Find-Outers decided to go down to his house after tea and watch him disguise himself. They all felt excited, though Bets had now got the idea that this mystery was a dangerous one, and she was rather worried.
“Don’t be silly,” said Fatty. “What danger can there be in it? I shall be all right, I tell you. This is an adventure, and people like me never say no to an adventure.”
“You are brave, Fatty,” said Bets.
“This is nothing!” said Fatty. “I could tell you of a time when I really was brave. But I expect I should bore you?” He looked round inquiringly.
“Yes, you would bore us,” said Pip. “Are you going to wear those terrible teeth again, Fatty?”
“You bet!” said Fatty, and slipped them into his mouth. At once his whole appearance changed as he grinned round, the frightful sticking-out teeth making him look completely unlike himself.
Fatty looked fine when the Find-Outers at last left him, taking Buster with them. Fatty had decided that it wouldn’t do to leave the little dog behind in the house as he might bark all night long. So he was to spend the night with Larry and Daisy. Bets wanted him, but Pip said that their mother would be sure to ask all kinds of why and wherefore questions if Buster suddenly appeared for the night, and that might lead to something awkward.
So Larry took him home, and Buster, rather surprised, trotted along with him and Daisy, limping every now and again whenever he remembered. He quite thought that Fatty would be along to fetch him from Larry’s sooner or later.