and she was going to look at the shops. H. O. went with her because he had twopence to spend. They thought it was only a game of Alice's but Oswald knew by the way she spoke. He can nearly always tell. And when people are not telling the truth Oswald generally knows by the way they look with their eyes. Oswald is not proud of being able to do this. He knows it is through no merit of his own that he is much cleverer than some people.
When they had gone, the rest of us got closer together and said—
"Now then."
"Well," Alice said, "you know the house next door? The people have gone to Scarborough. And the house is shut up. But last night I saw a light in the windows."
We asked her how and when, because her room is in the front, and she couldn't possibly have seen. And then she said—
"I'll tell you if you boys will promise not ever to go fishing again without me."
So we had to promise. Then she said—
"It was last night. I had forgotten to feed my rabbits, and I woke up and remembered it. And I was afraid I should find them dead in the morning, like Oswald did."
