They found the windmill easily enough. About a mile from the town, it stood in the corner of a field, not far from a farm and was certainly very old, though the sails seemed in good order and it looked as if it might work.

"This seems a silly place to meet anybody," Penny said, "but he said the old mill, and this looks old enough..."

"I'd like to see it working, anyway," said Jon. "But let's get back now and find Fred and ask him if there's another windmill round here. It's getting dark and cold and I want my supper."

So they walked back down the hill and watched the lights of Rye come up in the hundreds of tiny, crowded windows.

Their steps echoed on the cobbles under the old Land Gate as they walked up to the church. Penny slipped her arm through Jon's and for once he did not ask her what she was doing.

"I know it's Miss Ballinger he's going to meet tomorrow," she said, "and we shall have to trail him to find out."

"If there's another mill," Jon said, "we shall have to go to one each. I only hope there aren't three. I've been thinking about earthen vessels, but it doesn't make sense, does it? This is going to be a real puzzle, but I think we've got to find out first what this man Grandon has to do with it."

"I'm tired of calling him Mr. Grandon," Penny replied as they swung round into Trader's Street. "I'm sure he's a villain really and I know jolly well we shall have to expose him to somebody in the end... We know he's after something which really belongs to your mother, Jon, and I hate him. When we're talking about him I'm going to call him 'Slinky'. It suits him better. He's slimy... Miss Penny, indeed!"

"Look at that," Jon interrupted. "They've got our Dolphin sign floodlit. Doesn't it look fine?" And when they reached the hotel Fred Vasson was standing on a stepladder adjusting one of the new lamps.

"Ready for Monday," he grinned down at them. "Reckon we've got to look smart next week. Reckon we've got to give the Missus a good start."

"When you come down, Fred - I say! I do hope you don't mind me calling you Fred and not Mr. Vasson," Penny said. "We want to ask you some things about Rye. Can we come and see you in your little den after supper?"

"You'll both be welcome if your mother doesn't mind," he said. "Bring some mugs and I'll make you some cocoa."

So, after supper with Mrs. Warrender, they rushed off to Fred.

He had drawn a pair of old red curtains across the window and when the door was shut the heat from a hanging oil lamp and a stove was almost overpowering.