'I—I—I didn't know,' stammered poor Tricksy.
'What is it?' cried the others, pressing round to look.
'It's one of the orders that were stolen,' said Allan.
'Tell them where you found it, Tricksy,' said Hamish.
'It was in the box-room, where the spare coats and the fishing baskets are kept,' said Tricksy. 'I went to see if Reggie's knife was in the pocket of his old great-coat, and when I pulled it off the shelf this fluttered down.'
'Well,' said Allan, while the others were dumb with astonishment, 'this beats me altogether. It wasn't we who were the thieves!'
Every one looked at the order, and turned it round, and examined the back of it, but there was no clue to the mystery.
'Let's go and have a thorough search of the box-room,' said Marjorie; 'who knows what we may bring to light.'
'Take my pony, Tricksy,' said Reggie considerately. 'Those who haven't ponies will have to walk. Don't begin the search until we are all there!'
When the walkers reached Ardnavoir they found the others standing guard at the door of the box-room.