“No,” said Dick. “He’s sensible though, I think, not to touch poisoned meat — but he couldn’t know if some harmless sleeping powder had been put into anything. It might have no smell and no taste. Perhaps he’s just ashamed of being so sleepy!”

“If only he’d been awake!” groaned George. “He would have heard any noise downstairs at once — and he’d have barked and waked us all, and flown downstairs himself to attack whoever was there! Why, oh why didn’t I take him out myself last night as I usually do?”

“It was a chapter of accidents,” said Julian. “You didn’t take him out, so he was alone — and it happened that someone was waiting there with drugged food — which he either found or took from the thief. . . .”

“No,” said George. “Timmy would never, never take anything from someone he didn’t know. I’ve always taught him that.”

“Well, he got it somehow — and slept through the very night he should have been awake,” said Julian. “What I’m so afraid of, George, is that the thieves have got your father’s two American notebooks. They seem to have left most of the stuff — piles and piles of books of all kinds, filled with your father’s tiny handwriting.”

Joan came in to say lunch was ready. She told the children that the policemen had eaten every one of her home-made buns. She still felt important and excited, and was longing to get out to the village and tell everyone the news.

“You’d better stay in and give the policemen a good tea,” said Julian. “They’re coming back with a photographer.”

“Then I’d better do another baking,” said Joan, pleased.

“Yes. Make one of your chocolate cakes,” said Anne.

“Oh, do you think they’d like one?” said Joan.

“Not for them, Joan — for us, of course!” said George. “Don’t waste one of your marvellous chocolate cakes on policemen. Can you make us up a picnic tea? We’re fed up with being indoors — we’re going out in a boat.”

Joan packed them a good tea after they had had their lunch and they all set off before the police came back. Timmy was much less sleepy now and did a little caper round them as they walked to the beach. George brightened up at once.

“He’s getting better,” she said. “Timmy, I simply shan’t let you out of my sight now! If anyone’s going to dope you again they’ll have to do it under my very nose.”

They had a lovely time out in George’s boat. They went half-way to Kirrin Island and bathed from the boat, diving in and having swimming races till they were tired out. Timmy joined them, though he couldn’t swim nearly as fast as they could.

“He doesn’t really swim,” said Anne. “He just tries to run through the water. I wish he’d let me ride on his back like a sea-dog — but he always slips away under me when I try.”