“Well,” said Julian, cautiously, “we’re interested in somebody called Gringo.”

“Old Gringo?” said Spiky. “A lot of people’s interested in Gringo. Do you know what we say at the Fair? We say Gringo ought to put up a notice. ‘All dirty work done here!’ He’s a bad lot, Gringo is — but he pays us well, even if he makes us work like slaves.”

“He owns the Fair, doesn’t he?” said Julian, and Spiky nodded. “I expect he uses it as a cover for all his other, bigger jobs,” Julian said to Dick. He looked at the plump, black-eyed boy, wondering how far he could trust him. Jo saw the look and knew what it meant.

“He’s all right,” she said, nodding towards Spiky. “You can say what you like. He’s an oyster, he is. Ain’t you, Spiky?”

Spiky grinned his lop-sided grin. Julian decided to trust him, and, speaking in a low voice that really thrilled Spiky, he told him about the kidnapping of George. Spiky’s eyes nearly fell out of his head.

“Coo!” he said. “I bet old Gringo’s at the bottom of that. Last week he went off up to London — he told my Pa he was on to a big job — an American job, he said it was.”

“Yes — it sounds as if it all fits,” said Julian. “Spiky, this kidnapping happened the night before last. Did anything unusual occur in the Fair camp, do you know? It must have happened in the middle of the night.”

Spiky considered. He shook his head. “No — I don’t think so. Gringo’s big double-caravan is still there — so he can’t have gone. He had it moved right away from the camp yesterday morning — said there was too much noise for his old Ma, who lives in his posh caravan and looks after him. We was all glad it was moved — now he can’t spy on us so easily!”

“I suppose you…” began Julian, and then stopped as Dick gave an exclamation.

“I’ve got an idea!” he said. “Suppose that caravan was moved for another reason — suppose someone was making a row inside the van — someone shouting for help, say! Gringo would have to move it away from the rest of the camp in case that someone was heard.”

There was a pause, and then Spiky nodded. “Yes. It could be,” he said. “I’ve never known Gringo move his caravan away from the camp before. Shall I do a bit of snooping for you?”

“Yes,” said Julian, excited. “My word — it would be a bit of luck if we could find George so quickly — and so near us too! A Fair camp would be a fine place to hide her of course. Thank goodness we found that bit of paper with ‘Gringo’ written on it!”

“Let’s all go to the Fair this afternoon,” said Dick. “Timmy too. He’d smell out George at once.”

“Hadn’t we better tell the police first?” said Julian. At once Spiky and Jo got up in alarm. Spiky looked as if he were going to run away immediately!