Scamper darted out into the garden with the Seven. Jack looked about to see if Susie or any of her friends were in hiding, but as Scamper didn't run barking at any bush, he felt sure that Susie must be somewhere else!
They all went to the garage. Peter hoped that the car would be there. It was! The children opened the doors and looked inside.
"It's no good us looking in the back," said Peter. " The men were in front."
He felt about everywhere, and shone his torch into every corner of the front of the car. The garage was rather dark, although it was only half-past three in the afternoon.
" Nothing! " he said disappointed.
"Let me see," said Janet. "I once dropped a pencil and couldn't find it, and it was down between the two front seats!"
She slid her fingers in between the two seats and felt about. She gave a cry and pulled something out. It was a spectacle case. She held it up in triumph.
"Look! That's it. He dropped his spectacle case!"
" But he didn't wear glasses," said Peter.
" He could have reading glasses, couldn't he ? " said Janet. " Like Granny ? "
She opened the case. It was empty. She gave another little squeal.
" Look, it's got his name inside! What do you think of that, and his telephone number! Now we're on to something! "
The Secret Seven crowded round to look. Janet pointed to a little label inside. On it neatly written was a name and number. "Briggs. Renning 2150."
"Renning, that's not far away!" said Peter. "We can look up the name in the telephone directory and see his address. I say, what a find! "
Everyone was thrilled. Jack was just about to shut the door of the car when he suddenly remembered that no one had looked under the the left-hand front seat, where the man who had dropped something had sat. He took a little stick from a bundle of garden bamboos standing in a nearby corner and poked under the seat with it, and out rolled a button!
" Look! " said Jack, holding it up.
Peter gave it a glance.
" Oh that's off my father's mackintosh," he said. " It must have been there for ages."
He put it into his pocket, and they all went back to the shed, feeling very excited.
" Well, first we find out Mr. Briggs's address, then we all ride over to see him," said Peter. " We'll make him admit he dropped it in the car, and then I'll pounce like anything and say ' And what were you doing in my father's car ?' I'm sure the police would be interested if we could actually tell them the name and address of the man who went off in Dad's car like that, and probably they would make him give the name of the other man too!"
This long speech made Peter quite out of breath. The others gazed at him in admiration. It all sounded very bold.
" All right. What about now, this very minute, if we can find his address in Renning ? " said Jack. "Nothing like striking while the iron's hot. We could have tea in that little tea-shop in Renning. They have wonderful macaroons. I ate five last time I was there."
" Then somebody else must have paid the bill," said Colin. " Yes, do let's go now. It would be fun, but you can jolly well do the talking, Peter! "
"Have you all got your bikes?" said Peter.
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" Good. Let's just go in and take a look at the telephone directory, and get the address. Mr. Briggs, we're coming after you! "
The telephone directory was very helpful. Mr. H. E. J. Briggs lived at Little-Hill, Raynes Road, Renning. Telephone number 2150. Peter copied it down carefully.
"Got enough money for tea, everyone?" he asked.
Colin had only a penny or two, so Peter offered to lend him some. Good, now they were all ready to set off.
Peter told his mother they were going out to tea, and away they went, riding carefully in single line down the main road, as they had been taught to do.
Renning was about three miles away, and it didn't really take them long to get there.
" Shall we have tea first ? " asked George, looking longingly at the tea-shop they were passing.
"No. Work first, pleasure afterwards," said Peter, who was always very strict about things like that. They cycled on to Raynes Road.
It was only a little lane, set with pretty little cottages. Little-Hill was at one end, a nice little place with a gay garden.
" Well, it doesn't look like the home of a rogue," said Jack. "But you never know. See, there's someone in the garden, Peter. Come on, do your job, let's see how you handle things of this sort. Make him admit he dropped that spectacle case in your father's car! "
" Right!" said Peter, and went in boldly at the garden gate. "Er... good afternoon, sir, are you Mr. Briggs?"
