"No Maria just stayed put," said Mrs. Jones. "It wasn't till me nose told me there really was something burning terrible that Maria got up. I went to the kitchen-door and sniffed and then I went out into the garden and I saw the flare down at the bottom there. I shouted out, 'There's a fire, Maria! and she turned as white as a sheet. 'Come on, Maria! I says, 'We've got to do something. But poor Maria, she can't get out of her chair, she's so stuck!"
The children drank all this in. It certainly could have been nothing to do with Mrs. Minns. If she had been so "stuck" with rheumatism, she wouldn't have been likely to rush around setting fire to cottages. And anyway her sister was with her all the time. It was quite plainly nothing to do with Mrs. Minns. That was another Suspect crossed off!
Mrs. Minns opened the kitchen door and came in, looking angry. She had been upstairs to take off her milk-drenched dress. She glared at Lily., and then looked in surprise at the three children.
"Well, Maria," said Mrs. Jones, "how's the rheumatics?"
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Minns," said Daisy. "We came to bring a fish-head for Sweetie."
Mrs. Minns beamed. She was always touched when any one did anything for her precious cat. "That's nice of you," she said. "My rheumatism's better," she said to her sister. "Though what it will be like after being drenched with milk, I don't know. Really, things are coming to a pretty pass when that girl Lily throws milk all over me."
"I didn't do it on purpose," said Lily sulkily. "Can I go to the post with this letter?"
"No, that you can't," said Mrs. Minns. "You fast get the tea ready for Mr. Hick. Go on now stop your letter-writing and get a bit of work done for a change."
"I want to catch the post," said Lily, looking ready to cry.
"Well, you won't," said Mrs. Minns unkindly. Lily started to cry, and the children felt sorry for her. She got up and began to get out cups and saucers.
The children wondered how to mention Horace Peeks. They wanted to get his address so that they might go and see him.
"Has Mr. Hick got a new man-servant yet?" asked Larry, at last.
"He's been seeing some today," said Mrs. Minns, sinking into an arm-chair, which creaked dolefully beneath her weight. "I only hope he gets one that doesn't put on airs and graces like Mr. Peeks, that's all."
"Does Mr. Peeks live near here?" asked Pip innocently.
"Yes," said Mrs. Minns. "Let me see now where does he live? Oh, my memory it gets worse every day!"
There came a most unwelcome interruption Just as it seemed that Mrs. Minns was on the point of remembering Horace Peeks's address. The kitchen door shot open, and three kittens flew through the air, landing on the floor with mews and hisses. Every one looked round in amazement.
Mr., Hick stood at the door, His front tuft of hair bristling like a parrot's crest.
"Those kittens were in my study!" he shouted. "Are my orders never to be obeyed? Unless they are out of the house by this evening, Ill drown the lot!"
He was about to bang the door when he caught sight of the three children. He advanced into the kitchen and pointed a finger at them. "Didn't I turn you out before? How dare you come here again?"
Larry, Pip and Daisy got up and fled. They were not cowards, but really Mr. Hick was so very fierce that it honestly seemed as if he might throw them out., just as he had flung the kittens into the kitchen!
They ran up the drive but half-way to the
gate Larry stopped. "Wait till old Hiccup has gone out of the kitchen.," he said. "We simply must get Horace Peeks's address. We can't do anything about him till we know where he is."
They waited for a minute or two and then went back very cautiously to the kitchen. Mrs. Minns was talking to her sister, and Lily was still clattering about with the tea-things. The children put their heads round the door.
"What do you want now?" asked Mrs. Minns good-naturedly. "My word, you ran away like frightened mice! Made me laugh to see you!"
"You were just trying to think of Horace Peeks's address when Mr. Hick came in," said Larry.
"Was I, now?" said Mrs. Minns. "Well, it came into my mind in a flash, like and now it's gone again. Let me see-let me see."
She was thinking hard, and the children were waiting breathlessly, when the sound of heavy footsteps came up to the kitchen door and a loud knock was heard.
Mrs. Minns went to the door. The children saw that it was Mr. Goon, the policeman! They never seemed to be able to get away from old Clear-Orf.
"Morning, Mam," said Clear-Orf to Mrs. Minns, and he took out his large black notebook. "About this here fire I think you've given me all the information I require. But I'd just like to ask you a few questions about that fellow Peeks."
The children frowned at one another. So Clear-Orf was after Peeks too!
"Do you know his address?" asked Clear-Orf, looking at Mrs., Minns out of his bulging pale-blue eyes.
"Well," said Mrs. Minns, "if that isn't a peculiar thing, Mr. Goon I was just trying to think of his address at the very moment you knocked! These children wanted to know it".