"I hope there's nothing seriously wrong, Alan..." Jon said, "Just say so if there is and we'll clear off. We didn't mean to butt in, you know... Or if there's anything we can do to help...?"

They had reached the bridge again now and were straggling across it when Alan Denton said, "I suppose there's no reason why I shouldn't tell you, but please don't talk about it to anyone else. Promise me that, all of you? Good! The truth is that sheep stealing has begun in the farms round here and last night I lost fifty or sixty of my best ewes and you can guess I'm feeling pretty sore... Now I must get on. Wish I'd got some time to show you round the woods and hills, but I will some day when we've found our sheep... I reckon the gipsies have done this."

"We know some gipsies," David said indignantly, "and they're good friends of ours. Don't be so hasty putting the blame on Romany people."

Alan shrugged his shoulders.

"That may be, but I don't trust any gipsies and I hope if you see any about you'll let Sandridge, the policeman here, know... Now I must get along. Cheerio all!... Here! Just a minute... Why don't you all come over to Bury Fields to-morrow to see my mother? I'll have more time to show you round then. Will you come? Come early for tea, then you can get back before dark."

Peter stepped forward.

"Just before you go, Mr Denton, I think I ought to tell you something that happened to me yesterday." Alan got off his bicycle again and listened politely while Peter told him of her adventure, "... and I'm quite sure that the van was full of sheep," she finished.

Alan looked puzzled.

"Seems odd to me," he said at last. "But it just isn't possible to get somebody else's sheep into a furniture van in daylight, and it would be too noisy at night I should have thought... Still, thanks for mentioning it... See you all to-morrow... 'Bye."

Peter flushed with humiliation.

"He didn't believe me. I'm sure he didn't. He was nice about it, but I think he thought I was making it up."

"P'raps it's all a dream," Mary said. "Anyway I want my dinner."

It was very cold and dull after dinner, and Penny suggested that after they had helped Agnes to wash up they sit round the fire and gossip.

"After all," she said as she reached up for a wiping-up cloth, "we don't have to be out all the time do we? I like indoors in the winter and think it's a bit silly to keep on dashing about in the cold and wet... And you just do your share, Jon, and David too... You're neither of you too important to help wash up."

"All of you can stay here and help for I have something to tell you," Agnes announced suddenly.