esterday," he answered laconically.

"Only since yesterday!" exclaimed the policeman. "Ah! that's a pity,
now. You wasn't here Saturday night, then?"

The tinker turned a quizzical eye on the four inquiring faces.

"How would I be here Saturday night when I only came yesterday?" he
retorted. "You're the sort of chap that wants two answers to one
question! What about Saturday night?"

The policeman took off his helmet and rubbed the top of his head as if
to encourage his faculties.

"Nay!" he said. "There's a gentleman missing from Scarnham yonder, and
it's thought he came out this way after dark, Saturday night, and
something happened. But, of course, if you wasn't in these parts
then----"

"I wasn't, nor within ten miles of 'em," said Creasy. "Who is the
gentleman?"

"Mr. Horbury, the bank manager," answered the policeman.

"I know Mr. Horbury," remarked Creasy, with a glance at Neale and Betty.
"I've talked to him a hundred-and-one times on this waste. So it's him,
is it? Well, there's one thing you can be certain about."

"What?" asked Betty eagerly.

"Mr. Horbury wouldn't happen aught by accident, hereabouts," answered
the tinker significantly. "He knew every inch of this Hollow. Some
folks, now, might take a header into one o' them old lead-mines. He
wouldn't. He could ha' gone blind-fold over this spot."

"Well--he's disappeared," observed the policeman. "There's a search
being made, all round. You heard naught last night, I suppose?"

Creasy gave Neale and Betty a look.

"Heard plenty of owls, and night-jars, and such-like," he answered, "and
foxes, and weasels, and stoats, and beetles creeping in the grass.
Naught human!"

The policeman resumed his helmet and sniffed audibly. He and the keeper
moved away and talked together. Then the policeman turned to Neale.

"Well, we'll be getting back to the village, sir," he said. "If so be as
you see our super, Mr. Neale, you might mention that we're out and
about."

He and his companion went off by a different path; at the top of a rise
in the ground the policeman turned again.

"Tinner!" he called.

"Hullo?" answered Creasy.

"If you should hear or find aught," said the policeman, "come to me, you
know."

"All right!" assented Creasy. He picked up some wood and replenished his
fire. And glancing at Neale and Betty, who still lingered, he let fall a
muttered whisper under his breath. "Bide a bit--till those chaps have
gone," he said. "I've a wo