🏠the bottom of Zenny's garden

Then Zenny asked whether I had heard a clatter over by Winky's gate.

I had not. I went to look anyway, because Zenny does not say things twice for no reason.

There was a shape in the long grass. Grey, round, lying on its side. I had walked past it twice already that morning and filed it, without thinking about it at all, under rubbish — which is what you do with a thing lying in the wrong place.

I crouched down and had a proper look, which is most of my method.

Mossy was down at the bottom of the garden already, saying good morning to a snail.

"Mossy. Did you hear it too?"

"Hear what?"

"Something went over at Winky's. Something with a lot of small parts in it. That way. Before the birds started."