II
Tommy rang up a London number.
‘Colonel¹ Pikeaway?’
‘Yes. Hullo. Ah, it’s you, Thomas Beresford, is it?’
‘Ah, you recognized my voice. I wanted to tell you that–’
‘Something about Tuppence. I’ve heard it all,’ said Colonel Pikeaway. ‘Noneed to talk. Stay where you are for the next day or two or a week. Don’tcome up to London. Report anything that happens.’
‘There may be some things which we ought to bring to you.’
‘Well, hang on to them for the moment. Tell Tuppence to invent a placeto hide them until then.’
‘She’s good at that sort of thing. Like our dog. He hides bones in thegarden.’
‘I hear he chased² the man who shot at you both, and saw him off theplace–’
‘You seem to know all about it.’
‘We always know things here,’ said Colonel Pikeaway.
‘Our dog managed to get a snap³ at him and came back with a sample ofhis trousers in his mouth.’

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