"Not before we’ve eaten them," put in Adrian calmly, "come along, Crow. I say, Pam--supposing we don’t get to Peterock, but go to somewhere down coast beyond Ramsworthy, do you mind suggesting to Mother that we are playing on the sands at Netheroot or Tamerton? Either would do, ’fraid there’ll be no wind for Salterne." "Can you get your hair cut at Netheroot?" asked Pamela. "No, don’t suppose so; why?" "Only because Mother likes to picture you on shore most of the time, when you go sailing, I mean--it’s so nice and dry; and the sea is wet as wet can be! If there is a thunderstorm you’ll go ashore, shan’t you?" "Like a shot," declared Adrian, as he pushed against the rocky landing platform, and drove the dinghy dancing over the breaking ripples. Pamela watched, sleepily, as the boat made for the white yawl. She rejoiced that she had remained on land, when the sails went up under Addie’s strenuous hauling, yet admired wholeheartedly as the flop of the moorings’ buoy set free the yacht, and, leaning over very gently, she drifted broadside on towards Bell Ridge--the northern headland. Even as she drifted, silent as a shadow, the far faint rumble of summer thunder murmured from inland, and Pam said "thought so" contentedly. After that she shut her eyes and reviewed a succession of plans; something ought to be done now she had a day to herself, or an afternoon at any rate, no one to ask inconvenient questions either, for Hughie being in the secret required but a hint. He was the most circumspect person living. Sitting there with her eyes closed Pamela arranged a practical plan. She would go for a walk after lunch, on the pretext of taking her bicycle to Timothy Batt’s house at Folly Ho. Timothy was the carrier, and lived with his old horse, at the very small hamlet on the Peterock road beyond the turn to the station--and also, of course, beyond Woodrising. She would leave the bicycle, and coming back she would take stock of that empty house, going round the big grounds encircled by the white wall. Surely something could be discovered that might help to elucidate this mystery. The plan was excellent; when Pam and Hughie went in to dinner, she asked leave, and got it easily. Then came the thunderstorm--about which all details will be given presently--not only the details, but the results and consequences. It was an exceedingly unusual and violent thunderstorm, frightening the household not a little; all except Pamela and Hughie, who for their own reasons did not mind in the least. Hughie wanted to test small boats in the water that rushed, seething, into the big horse-trough in the yard, and Pamela pictured footprints of a revealing nature, marking the wet soil all round Woodrising. Good may come out of anything. And surely advantages might be expected from such rain as fell into Bell Bay on that afternoon.