Just then a bus came down past the church, and when Jon saw that it was marked "Rye" he called a hurried "Good-bye" and thankfully escaped. He swung himself on to the step as the bus slowed down for the sharp corner, and Miss Ballinger raised a brush in salutation and called:

"I shall come over and see you soon... Yes, you will see me in Rye one day; but you and your cousin must come and have tea with me in my bungalow... Don't forget! Good-bye."

Jon sat back and wiped his forehead. What a lucky escape from all those questions! He began to wonder whether Miss Ballinger had seen him pass her on his way to the mill and decided to wait for him to come back before asking him all those questions. But what did she know about it all... unless Penny was right and she was the mysterious "she" referred to by the woman who had met Mr. Grandon at the mill? He'd got plenty to tell Penny tonight, anyway, he thought as he got off the bus at the bridge and climbed the steps of Trader's Passage.

Penny was leaning against the wall at the top, pulling a tamarisk to pieces. There was a brooding look in her eye and she spoke before Jon could open his mouth.

"Don't tell me," she began. "Don't tell me now, because I can't bear it. I can see you've had a marvellous time.

I can sec by the silly grin on your face that you've had all the adventures. I knew you would. You chose Winchelsea mill yourself, didn't you? You jolly well knew that I'd have a miserable time. Tell me now before we go in to supper. Who met him?"

"I don't know who it was, Penny. I never saw her."

"You didn't see her? You went all that way and found the place and saw Slinky... I suppose you did see Slinky, didn't you?... Oh, you did? But you didn't see the 'her'? But, of course, you didn't have to see her because it was Miss Ballinger, wasn't it?"

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't. But I have seen her as well."

Penny put her head in her hands.

"Don't explain, Jon. Please don't tell me. I'll tell you what a marvellous time I've been having instead. No, listen. You must listen. I got caught in the rain and lost in that farmyard place and chased by a goat. Then I lurked round that horrible old mill for half an hour and got ordered out of the field by a beast of a farmer. And for the rest of the time I've been waiting and waiting for you, Jonathan, dear!"