ANNE: Good afternoon, Uncle James.

JAMES: Hello, Anne.

ANNE: Where’s Spot?

MRS. CALLIFER: Where have you been, Anne? You said you’d wait at the barrier.

ANNE: I did.

MRS. CALLIFER: You weren’t there. I looked for you.

ANNE: Somebody told me you were waiting outside. So I went outside and I didn’t find you, and then I took the wrong bus.

MRS. CALLIFER: Where have you been, Anne?

ANNE: I told you. Nowhere.

JAMES: Nothing and nowhere. It’s the Callifer touch.

MRS. CALLIFER: I thought you were such a truthful girl.

ANNE: Oh, that was weeks ago.

MRS. CALLIFER: What do you mean?

ANNE: My vow is over. I can tell as many lies as I want to now.

MRS. CALLIFER: But you oughtn’t to want to.

ANNE: You have to, if people ask too many questions, or if you want to lure somebody to a certain house at a certain hour—

MRS. CALLIFER: What on earth are you talking about now?

ANNE: I can tell Uncle James. I can’t tell you.

Mrs. CALLIFER: Why not?

ANNE: You have grandmother eyes.

JAMES: What are they?

ANNE: Old and upright.

JAMES: And mine?

ANNE: Oh, your eyes don’t say anything. They just look away. Some peoples’ eyes are always saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness” or “Virtus laudata crescit.”

JAMES: Virtus …?

ANNE: It’s the school motto. “Virtue grows by praise,” and whenever they say anything nice they expect the virtue to grow. Automatically. Like watering radishes. Where is Spot, Uncle?

MRS. CALLIFER: Anne, I asked you—

JAMES: He ran away.

ANNE: There ought to be paw prints as well as finger prints.

MRS. CALLIFER: She’s talking a lot of nonsense to hide something.

ANNE: Where did you see Spot last, Uncle?

JAMES: I don’t know. He was a very quiet dog. I hardly knew when he was there.

ANNE: You could advertise.

JAMES: I expect he’s happier where he is.

MRS. CALLIFER: Can’t you see the child’s play-acting? Anne, what have you been up to?

ANNE: Didn’t I tell you that I’d make a good detective? When my vow was over. Any moment now you’ll hear a ring and that will be the answer to all the trouble.

JAMES: Who’s going to ring, Anne?

ANNE: Mrs. Potter.

JAMES: Who’s Mrs. Potter?

ANNE: Potter’s wife. Yesterday I sent her a telegram.

JAMES: It’s quite a habit of yours.

ANNE: Well, you came, didn’t you, when I telegraphed? And so, I expect, will Mrs. Potter.

MRS. CALLIFER: We are on our way to Wild Grove, Anne. We have to catch a train. In three-quarters of an hour.