"They'll be here any minute now, I'm sure," Peter pleaded. "I'm sure they will, Agnes," but she said it as much to convince herself as the housekeeper.

When the door closed again Penny said, "She's crying, Peter - Did you notice? This is grim, isn't it?"

They were too tired and too frightened to say much now and sat quietly and miserably round the fire waiting. The twins sat side by side on the floor looking into the flames with Mary leaning against Jenny's knees. Once or twice the little girl's head nodded and Peter, watching her, felt that lovely feeling of warmth and sleep creeping over her as well. Only Penny, her chin on her hands and her elbows on her knees, seemed really wide awake. Suddenly she made up her mind and wondered why she had been sitting for so long doing nothing, but as she jumped to her feet the door opened and Agnes came in again.

"Now," she began, "if you know where these boys are you'd better say for I'm off right this minute to the police."

Peter got up and stood beside Penny.

"We think we know where they might be, Agnes, but we've got something to tell you... The twins have been out with Mr Cantor, as you know, and they've found out he's a detective."

Agnes raised her hands in horror.

"I never heard the like..." she began.

"It's true, Agnes. Honest it is," Dickie interrupted, "We'll come with you to the police station. I promise you that Mr Cantor is the chief policeman. He'll find the boys for us. Don't you worry! Mary and me will take care of you."

The housekeeper had already turned to the door when she realized that Peter had admitted that they knew where the boys might be, but before she could speak Penny said:

"You go on with the twins, Agnes, and see if Mr Cantor is there. We'll come along in a few minutes... Yes, of course we will, but we've got to get our coats and things."

The twins sensed that the others wanted to get rid of Agnes and led her out, looking very bewildered and unhappy, into the hall. As soon as the front door closed Penny whirled on the others.

"Listen, Peter," she said, "I know what we must do and it's the only thing we can do. I'm not going down to the police station for anybody and I don't care if Mr Cantor is the Lord-High-Detective of all England!... Here we have been sitting mugging round the fire waiting for the boys, and then for Agnes to do something. Why don't we do something? Let's go out now on our own. Let's go to Grey Walls and explore that and see if we can see any sign of them. Maybe they're wanting us..."

"But, Penny," Jenny began.