An apologetic voice spoke out of the darkness, and both Charles and Peter sprang up. "Well yes, Mum, in a manner of speaking I do," it said. "But if I got to stand rapping on this 'ere window, I don't see as how I shall ever get much forrader, as they say."
A shout of laughter broke from Charles. "Flinders!" he cried. "I might have known it!"
Chapter Twelve
He stepped to the lamp and turned it -up. Standing just outside the open French window was Constable Flinders. "How very disappointing!" said Mrs. Bosanquet. "I'm afraid that has broken the thread."
Celia, whose cheeks were still ashen with fright, began to laugh.
"Come in, Flinders," Charles said. "And what on earth are you doing, creeping round the house?"
The constable removed his helmet, and having looked round to be quite sure there was no mat on which he ought to wipe his feet, stepped into the room. "I'm sure I beg your pardon, sir, if I gave you a start, but when I went and knocked on the back door there wasn't no one there, and I see the kitchen all dark. So I come round to the front and happening to see this here window open, and a bit of a light burning, I thought as how I would take the liberty of seeing if you was in here. Because," he added, with a touch of severity, "if you wasn't I should have had to warn you not to go leaving windows open on the ground floor."
"But what do you want?" Peter demanded. "And how did you manage to come right up to the window without us hearing you?"
The constable looked gratified. "I do move quietly, sir, don't I? I've had rubbers put on my boots, that's what I've done. Just to be on the safe side, so to speak."
"They'll be asking you to join the C.I.D. soon," Charles said admiringly. "Sit down, and tell us what you came about."