"All the same I shall look forward to the time when you are able to emerge from your shell," he said.
"By the bye," remarked the vet, "you haven't told me what brought you to this part of the world. It's taking a one-sided advantage when I ask if you are doing a bit of detective work."
"I was," admitted Mr. Barcroft.
Entwistle raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.
"Tracing the persons who stole my donkey—Butterfly," continued Peter. "I had the tip that the animal had been taken to Bigthorpe. Went there to follow up the clue, and strangely enough almost the first man I met was Norton."
"What was he doing at Bigthorpe?"
"I hardly know. Said something about a nervous breakdown. He seemed a bit upset, I thought."
"H'm!" Entwistle, gazed into the fire, deep in thought. "Is he returning to Tarleigh?"
"He's there already, I presume," replied Peter. "However, that has nothing to do with the case I am relating (Entwistle thought otherwise, but refrained from audible comment). At Bigthorpe I found that Butterfly had been sold to a man at Scarby, so on I came. Quite by accident I met the fellow on the road, kept out of sight and watched him go towards the cliffs. Went and had a look at his cart, discovered it laden with petrol-cans, so I made off immediately to inform the coastguard. The rest you know."
"As to that——" began the vet.