2.12: Alcock confronts the local newspaper

Alcock walks into town to the newspaper’s office, which is located in one of the historic cobbled yards. The bell attached to the door rings as he enters and he is momentarily surprised to see, behind the desk, Bill the field-frog from the Swan Hotel. But, of course, he has a part-time job here.

“Fumpin’ ’eck!” Bill exclaims, surprised by the interruption. Does he look a little guilty? 

Alcock asks him why the newspaper has been printing such scurrilous letters about the Barman. “Well, we have to,” Bill replies. “We print all our loyal readers’ letters. We don’t get that many.” “Do you know who ‘Honest Herbert’ really is?” “No” Bill mumbles. Again, does he look a little shifty? 

Alcock notices with some surprise that Bill has tried to hide a now familiar looking design of bulldog clip under an old copy of the newspaper. This one contains a bulging sheaf of narrow strips of paper. But even managing a quick glance before they are covered, Alcock cannot actually read what the top one says. 

“Go away! I’m busy.” says Bill, obviously rather rudely and Alcock decides that discretion may be the better part of valour and that nothing more will be achieved by this uneasy confrontation.