"Well, sir, I can't say that's rightly in my province as you might say. What I got to do is to make general inquiries about this caravan, and here's this young lady says it was seen going away and you now tells me you saw it right handy here, and it don't make sense to me."

"But I do assure you, my dear man," Mr Cantor began testily, and then was interrupted by David-

"Excuse me, sir, but I do think we're wasting a lot of the constable's time and I expect he's very busy." He turned to the policeman. "I think we can tell you about the gipsy caravan we saw two days ago, but I think you should tell us why you want to know. We've got some good gipsy friends and whatever Mr Cantor says every single one of us here, and our parents too, will tell you they'd never steal."

Then he turned to Mr Cantor, who was still standing just inside the door. "And I think we ought to tell you, sir, in case the policeman won't, that we know there is sheep stealing going on all round the country here and two decent gipsies in a caravan couldn't possibly organize that!"

"And we're not going to have our friends accused of being thieves when they're not here to prove they're not," Peter said impetuously. "It's just not fair. Anyway, we know how the sheep are being stolen. I tell you I saw that furniture van myself last night."

Then, before Jon could stop her - and he tried to interrupt - Peter poured out the story of the van and the two rough men she had met on her journey to Clun, and of the van she had seen last night in the moonlight.

"How do you know it; was the same van?" Mr Cantor asked quietly.

"Well, I don't know for certain," Peter admitted, "but it looked the same shape although the one last night had Manchester on the side and the first one had another name... At least I think it did."

Mr Cantor glanced significantly at the policeman, who now looked more bewildered than ever but shut up his notebook.

"I'll be glad if you'd step in at my house some time, sir," he said. "At your convenience o' course. I have the young lady's statement about when the caravan was first seen..."

"But aren't you going to do anything about the van?" Peter gasped. "Don't you believe me?"

Mr Cantor opened the door.

"If you will just direct me to your house, constable," he said, "I will make a point of coming along to have a word with you later." Then he turned to the Lone Piners grouped round the fire and spoke specially to Peter. "Of course, my dear young lady, we all believe you met a van and two men on your way here. Of course we do."