ready to show my visitor when he comes,' he called to his wife. 'Don't disturb
me at all. I shall be very busy indeed.'
George
heard the sound of a key being put into the study door. It turned. The door
opened and shut with a click.
But
it was not locked again from the inside. George knelt in the dark chest and
considered matters. She meant to get into that study. She meant to get through
the entrance into the secret passage, where Tim was. That passage led from the
study to Sooty's old bedroom, and somewhere in that passage was Timmy.
What
she was going to do once she had Timmy she didn't quite know. Perhaps Sooty
would take him to someone who could look after him for her, someone on Castaway
Hill.
She
heard the sound of Mr. Lenoir coughing. She heard the shuffling of papers. Then
she heard the click of a cupboard being opened and shut. Mr. Lenoir was
evidently busy!
Then
he gave an exclamation of annoyance. He said something in an irritable voice
that sounded like 'Now where did I put that?'
Then
the door opened very suddenly and Mr. Lenoir came out. George had just time to
close down the lid, which she had opened to let in fresh air. She knelt in the
chest, trembling, as Mr. Lenoir passed there and went on across the hall.
George
suddenly knew that this was her chance. Mr. Lenoir might be gone for a few
minutes and give her time to open that panel in the wall! She lifted the lid of
the chest, and jumped out quickly. She ran into the study, and went to the
place where Sooty had pressed the panelling.
But
before she could even run her fingers over the smooth brown oak, she heard
returning footsteps! Mr. Lenoir had hardly been half a minute. He was coming
back at once.
In
a panic poor George looked round for somewhere to hide. There was a large sofa against
one wall. George
crawled
behind it, finding just room to crouch there without being seen. She was hardly
there before Mr. Lenoir entered the room, shut the door, and sat down at his
desk. He switched on a big lamp over it, and bent to look at some documents.
George
hardly dared to breathe. Her heart bumped against her ribs and seemed to make a
terrible noise. It was very uncomfortable behind the sofa, but she did not dare
to move.
She
could not think what in the world to do. It would be terrible to be there for
hours! What would the others think? They would soon be looking for her.
They
were. Even at that moment Sooty was outside the study door, pondering whether
to go in or to knock. He knocked smartly - rap-rap - and George almost jumped
out of her skin!
She
heard Mr. Lenoir's impatient voice. 'Who's that? Come in! Am I to have no
peace?'
There
was no answer. No one came in. Mr. Lenoir called again. 'Come in, I say!'
Still
no answer. He strode to the door and flung it open angrily. No one was there.
Sooty had fled upstairs at once.
'Those
tiresome children, I suppose,' muttered Mr. Lenoir. 'Well, if any of them comes
and knocks again and goes away, I'll punish them properly. Bed and bread and
water for them!'
He
sounded fierce. George wished she was anywhere but in his study. What would he
say if he knew she was only three or four feet away from him?
Mr.
Lenoir worked for about half an hour, and poor George got stiffer and stiffer,
and more and more uncomfortable. Then she heard Mr. Lenoir yawn, and her heart
felt lighter. Perhaps he would have a nap! That
would
be good luck. She might creep out then, and try to get into the secret passage.
Mr.
Lenoir yawned again. Then he pushed his papers aside and went to the sofa. He
lay down on it and pulled the rug there over his knees. He settled himself down
as if for a good sleep.
The
sofa creaked under him. George tried to hold her breath again, afraid that now
he was so near to her he would certainly hear her.
Soon
a small snore came to her ears. Then another and another. Mr. Lenoir was
asleep! George waited for a few minutes. The snores went on, a little louder.
Surely it would be safe now to creep from her hiding-place?
George
began to move, very cautiously and quietly. She crept to the end of the sofa.
She squeezed out from behind it. Still the snores went on.
She
stood upright and went on tiptoe to the panel that had slid aside. She began to
press here and there with her fingers, trying to find the spot that would move
the panel to one side.
She
couldn't seem to find it. She grew red with anxiety. She cast a glance at the
sleeping Mr. Lenoir, and worked feverishly at the panel. Where was the spot to
press, oh, where was it?
Then
a stern voice came from behind her, making her jump almost out of her skin.
'And
what exactly do you think you are doing, my boy?
George
turned round and faced Mr. Lenoir. He always thought she was a boy! She didn't
know what to say. He looked very angry indeed, and the tip of his nose was
already white.
George
was frightened. She ran to the door, but Mr.
Lenoir
caught her before she opened it. He shook her
hard.
'What
were you doing in my study? Was it you who
knocked
and ran away? Do you think it is funny to play
tricks
like that? I'll soon teach you that it isn't?'
He
opened the door and called loudly. 'Block! Come
here!
Sarah, tell Block I want him.'
Block
appeared from the kitchen, his face as blank as
usual.
Mr. Lenoir wrote something down quickly on a
piece
of paper and gave it him to read. Block nodded. 'I've told him to take you to
your room, lock you in, and give you nothing but bread and water for the rest
of the day,' said Mr. Lenoir, fiercely. 'That will teach you to behave yourself
in the future. Any more nonsense, and I'll whip you myself.'
'My
father won't be very pleased when he hears you're t punishing me like this,'
began George in a trembling voice. But Mr. Lenoir sneered.
'Pah!
Wait till he hears from me how you have misbehaved yourself, and I am sure he
will agree with me.
I will make your excuses to your father, when
he
comes.' Poor George was propelled
upstairs by Block, who was
only
too delighted to be punishing one of the children. As she came to the door of
the room George shouted to the others who were in Julian's room next door.
'Julian!
Dick! Help me! Quick, help me!'
Chapter
Fourteen
A
VERY PUZZLING THING
JULIAN,
Dick, and the others rushed out at once, just in time to see Block shove George
roughly into her room and shut the door. There was a click as he locked it.
'Here!
What are you doing?' cried Julian, indignantly.
Block
took no notice, but turned to go. Julian caught hold of his arm, and yelled
loudly in his ear. 'Unlock that door at once! Do you hear?'
Block
gave no sign whether he had or not. He shook off Julian's hand, but the boy put
it back again at once, getting angry.
'Mr.
Lenoir gave me orders to punish that girl,' said Block, looking at Julian out
of his cold, narrow eyes.
'Well,
you jolly well unlock that door,' commanded Julian, and he tried to snatch the
key from Block. With sudden vicious strength the man lifted his hand and struck
Julian, sending him half across the landing. Then he went swiftly downstairs to
the kitchen.
Julian
looked after him, a little scared. 'The brute!' he said. 'He's as strong as a
horse. George, George, what-ever's happened?'
George
answered angrily from the locked bedroom. She told the others everything, and
they listened jn silence. 'Bad luck, George,' said Dick. 'Poor old girl! Just
as you were feeling for the opening to the passage too!'
'I
must apologize for my stepfather,' said Sooty. 'He has such a terrible temper.
He wouldn't have punished you like this if he had thought you were a girl.  'I don't care about any punishment. It's only that
I'm so worried about Timmy. Well, I suppose I'll have to stay here now, till
I'm let out tomorrow. I shan't eat anything that Block brings , me, you can
tell him. I don't want to see his horrid face again!'
'How
shall I go to bed tonight?' wailed Anne.  'I
can lend you a nightie. Oh dear - what will George's father say when he comes?
I hope he will say that George is to be set free at once.'
'Well,
he won't,' said George, from behind the locked door. 'He'll just think I've
been in one of my bad moods, and he won't mind my being punished at all. Oh
dear -1 wish Mother was coming too.'
The
others were very upset about George, as well as
about
Timmy. Things seemed to be going very wrong indeed. At tea-time they went to
the schoolroom to have tea, wishing they could take George some of the
chocolate cake set ready for them.
George
felt lonely when the others had gone to tea. It was five o'clock. She was
hungry. She wanted Timmy. She was angry and miserable, and longed to escape.
She went to the window and looked out.
Her
room looked straight down the cliff-side, just as Booty's old room did. Below
was the city-wall that ran round the town, going unevenly up and down as it
followed the contours of the hillside.
George
knew that she could not jump down to the wall. She might roll off it and fall
straight down to the marsh below. That would be horrible. Then she suddenly
remembered the rope-ladder that they used when they got down into the pit each
day.
It
had at first been kept in Marybelle's room, on the shelf in the cupboard, but
since the children had been scared by knowing that someone had tried the handle
of the door one morning, they had decided to keep the ladder in George's room
for safety. They were afraid that perhaps Block might go snooping round
Marybelle's room and find it. So George had smuggled it to her own room, and
hidden it in her suitcase, which she had locked.
Now,
her hands shaking a little with excitement, she unlocked her suitcase and took
out the rope-ladder. She might perhaps escape out of the window with it. She
looked out again, the rope in her hands.
But
windows overlooked the city-wall just there. The kitchen too must be just
below, and maybe Block would see her climbing down. That would never do. She
must wait till it was twilight.
When
the others came back she told them what she was going to do, speaking in a low
voice through the door.
 'You get some food for me somehow, and I'll have it. Then
tonight, when everyone has gone to bed I'll get into the study again and find
the way through to the secret passage. Sooty can help me. Then I can get
Timmy.'
'Right,'
said Sooty. 'Wait till it's fairly dark before you go down the ladder, though.
Block has gone to his room with a bad headache, but Sarah and Harriet are in
the kitchen, and you don't want to be seen.'
So,
when the twilight hung like a soft purple curtain over the house, George slid down
the rope-ladder out of the window. She only needed to let about a quarter of it
out for it was far too long for such a short distance.
She
fastened it to the legs of her heavy little oak bed. Then she climbed out of
the window and slid quietly down the rope-ladder.
She
passed the kitchen window, which fortunately had its blinds drawn down now. She
landed squarely on the old wall. She had brought a torch with her so that she
could see.
She
debated with herself what to do. She did not want to run any risk of coming up
against either Block or Mr. Lenoir. Perhaps it would be best to walk along the
wall till she came to some part of the town she knew. Then she could jump off
and make her way cautiously back up the hill, looking out for the others.
So
she began to walk along the broad top of the old wall. It was very rough and
uneven in places, and many stones were missing. But her torch showed a steady
light and she did not miss her footing.
The
wall ran round some stables, then round the backs of some quaint old shops.
Then it ran round a big yard belonging to some house, and then round the house
itself. Then down it went, around some more houses.
George
could look into those windows that were not curtained. Lights shone out from
them now. It was queer being able to see into the windows without being seen. A
little family sat at a meal in one room, their faces cheerful and happy. An old
man sat alone in another, leading and smoking.
A
woman sat listening to a wireless, knitting, as George silently walked on the
wall outside her window. Nobody heard her. Nobody saw her.
Then
she came to another house, a big one. The wall ran close against it, for it was
built where the cliff ran steeply down to the marsh just there.
There
was a lighted window there. George glanced in as she passed. Then she stood
still in great surprise.
Surely,
surely that was Block in there! He had his back to her, but she could have
sworn it was Block. The same head, the same ears, the same shoulders!
Who
was he talking to? George tried to see - and all at once she knew. He was
talking to Mr. Barling, whom everyone said was a smuggler - the smuggler of
Castaway Hill!
But
wait a minute - could it be Block? Block was deaf, and this man evidently
wasn't. He was listening to Mr. Barling, that was plain, and was answering him,
though George could not hear the words, of course.
'I
oughtn't to be snooping like this,' said George to herself. 'But it's very
strange, very puzzling and very interesting. If only the man would turn round
I'd know at once if it was Block!'
But
he didn't turn. He just sat in his chair, his back to George. Mr. Barling, his
long face lighted up by the nearby lamp, was talking animatedly, and Block, if
it was Block, was listening intently and nodding his head in agreement every
now and again.
George
felt puzzled. If she only knew for certain that it was Block! But why should he
be talking to Mr. Barling - and wasn't he stone deaf after all then?
George
jumped down from the wall into a dark little passage and made her way through
the town, up to Smuggler's Top. Outside the front door, hiding in the shadows
was Sooty. He laid his hand on George's arm, making her jump.
'Come
on in. I've left the side-door open. We've got a fine spread for you!'
The
two slipped in at the side-door, tiptoed past the study, across the hall, and
up to Julian's bedroom. Truly there was a spread there!
'I
went and raided the larder,' said Sooty, with satisfaction. 'Harriet was out,
and Sarah had run along to the post. Block has gone to bed for a rest, because,
he said, he had such an awful headache.'
'Oh,'
said George, 'then it couldn't have been Block I saw. And yet I'm as certain as
certain can be that it was!'
'Whatever
do you mean?' asked the others, in surprise. George sat down on the floor and
began to gobble up cakes and tarts, for she was terribly hungry. Between her
mouthfuls she told them how she had got out of the window, walked along the
city-wall, and found herself unexpectedly by Mr. Barling's house.
'And
I looked into a lighted window there, and saw Block talking to Mr. Barling -
and listening to him and answering him!' she said.
The
others could not believe this. 'Did you see his face?' asked Julian.
'No,'
said George. 'But I'm certain it was Block. Go and peep into his room and see
if he's there, Sooty. He wouldn't be back yet from Mr. Barling's, because he
had a glass full of something or other, which would take him some time to
drink. Go and peep.'
Sooty
vanished. He came back quickly. 'He's in bed!' he said. 'I could see the shape
of his body and the dark patch of his head. Are there two Blocks then? Whatever
does this mean?'
Chapter
Fifteen
STRANGE
HAPPENINGS
IT
certainly was very puzzling - most of all to George, who felt so certain it had
been Block talking to the well-known smuggler. The others did not feel so
certain, especially as George admitted that she had not seen his face.
'Is
my father here yet?' asked George, suddenly, remembering that he was supposed
to come that evening.
'Yes.
Just arrived,' said Sooty. 'Just before you came. I nearly got run over by the
car! Just hopped aside in time. I was out there waiting for you.'
'What
are our plans?' asked George. Til have to get Timmy tonight, or he'll be
frantic. I think I'd better go and climb back through my window again now, in
case Block comes along and finds I've disappeared. I'll wait till everyone is
in bed and then I'll slip out of the window again, and you must let me into the
house, Sooty, please. Then I'll go to the study with you and you must open the
secret way for me. Then I'll find Timmy and everything will be all right.'
'I
don't see that everything will be all right,' said Sooty, doubtfully. 'But
anyway, your plan is the only one to follow.
I'll
take a few buns back with me,' said George, stuffing them into her pocket.
'Sooty, come and knock at my door when everyone is in bed and I'll know then
that it's safe for me to slip out of the window, and come into the house again.'
It
wasn't long before George was back in her room once
more
- just in time too, for Block appeared a little while after with a plate of dry
bread and a glass of water. He unlocked the door and put them on the table.
'Your
supper,' he said. George looked at his blank face and disliked it so much that
she felt she must do something about it. So she took up the water and threw it
deftly at the back of his head. It dripped down his neck and made him jump.
Block took a step towards her, his eyes gleaming - but Julian and Dick were by
the door, and he did not dare to strike her.
'I'll
pay you out for that,' he said. 'See? You will never get that dog of yours back
again!'
He
went out and locked the door. Julian called through as soon as he had gone.
'What
did you do that for, you idiot? He's a bad enemy to make.'
'I
know. I just couldn't help it somehow,' said George, forlornly. 'I wish I
hadn't now.'
The
others had to go down to see Mr. Lenoir. They left George feeling lonely. It
was horrid to be locked up like this, even though she could escape through the
window whenever she wanted to. She listened for the others to come back.
They
soon did, and reported their meeting with George's father.
'Uncle
Quentin is awfully tired and a bit cross, and frightfully annoyed with you for
misbehaving,' said Julian, through the door. 'He said you were to be locked up
the whole of tomorrow too, if you don't apologize.'
George
didn't mean to apologize.  She said nothing.
'We've
got to go and have our supper now,' said Sooty. 'We'll save you some of it as
soon as Block goes out of the room. Look out for a knocking on your door
tonight. It'll be me, telling you everyone's in bed.'
George
lay on her bed, thinking. Many things puzzled her. She couldn't get them
straight somehow. The signaller in the tower - the queer man, Block - Mr.
Barling's talk to a man who looked so like Block; but Block was all the time in
his bed at home. As she lay thinking, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.
Anne
went to bed with Marybelle, and came to whisper good-night to her. The boys all
went into the next room, for Sooty was now to share Julian's and Dick's
bedroom. George woke up enough to say good-night and then slept again.
At
midnight she awoke with a jump. Someone was knocking softly and impatiently on
her door. It was Sooty.
'Coming!'
whispered George through the door, and took up her torch. She went to the
window and was soon safely down the rope-ladder. She jumped down from the wall,
and went to the side-door of the house. Sooty was there. She slipped in
thankfully.
'Everyone's
gone to bed,' whispered Sooty. 'I thought | your father and my stepfather were
never going. They stayed talking in the study for ages!'
'Gome
on. Let's go there,' said George, impatiently. They went to the study-door, and
Sooty turned the handle.
It
was locked again! He pushed hard, but it wasn't a bit of good. It was well and
truly locked!
'We
might have thought of that,' said George, in despair. 'Blow, blow, blow! What
are we to do now?'
Sooty
thought for a few moments. Then he spoke in a low voice, in George's ear.
'There's
only one thing left to do, George. I must creep into your father's room - my
old bedroom - when he is asleep - and I must get into the cupboard there, open
the entrance to the secret passage, and slip in that way. I'll find Timmy and
bring him back the same way, hoping that your father won't wake!'
'Oh!
Would you really do that for me?' said George, gratefully. 'You are a good
friend, Sooty! Would you rather I did it?'
'No.
I know the way up and down that passage better than you do,' said Sooty. 'It's
a bit frightening to be all alone there at midnight too. I'll go.'
George
went with Sooty up the stairs, across the wide landing, to the door at the end
of the passage that led to Sooty's old room, where George's father was now
sleeping. When they got there, George pulled his arm.
'Sooty!
The buzzer will go as soon as you open the door - and it will wake my father
and warn him.'
'Idiot!
I disconnected it as soon as I knew my room was to be changed,' said Sooty,
scornfully. 'As if I wouldn't think of that!'
He
opened the door that led into the passage. He crept up to his old room. The
door was shut. He and George listened intently.
'Your
father sounds a bit restless,' said Sooty. 'I'll wait my chance to creep in,
George, and then, as soon as possible, slip into the cupboard and open the
secret passage to find Tim. As soon as I've got Timmy I'll bring him along to
you. You could wait in Marybelle's room if you liked. Anne's there too.'
George
crept into the room next door, where Anne and Marybelle lay fast asleep. She
left the door open, so that she might hear when Sooty returned. How lovely it
would be to have dear old Timmy again!
Sooty
crept into the room where George's father lay, half-asleep. He made no sound.
He knew every creaking board and avoided them. He made his way quietly to a big
chair, meaning to hide behind it till he was certain George's father was sound
asleep.
For
some time the man in the bed tossed and turned. He was tired with his long
journey, and his mind was excited with his talk with Mr. Lenoir. He muttered
now and again, and Sooty began to feel he would never be sound asleep! He grew
sleepy himself, and yawned silently.
At
last George's father grew quiet and peaceful. No more creaks came from the bed.
Sooty cautiously moved out from behind the chair.
Then
suddenly something startled him. He heard a
sound
over by the window! But what could it be?
The
night was rather dark, but the window, its curtains pulled right back, could
easily be seen as a square of grey. Sooty fixed his eyes on it. Was someone
opening the window?
No.
The window did not move. But something queer was happening under it, near the
sill.
A
big window-seat was built in under the window, wide and comfortable. Sooty knew
it well! He had sat on it hundreds of times to look out of the window. Now,
what was happening to it?
It
looked as if the top, or lid of the seat was slowly moving upwards, bit by bit.
Sooty was puzzled. He had never known it could be opened like that. It had
always been screwed down, and he had thought it was just a seat and nothing
else. But now it looked as if someone had unscrewed the top, and had hidden
himself inside, lifting up the top like a lid when he thought it was safe.
Sooty
stared at the upward-moving lid, quite fascinated. Who was in there? Why had he
hidden? It was rather frightening, seeing the lid move slowly, bit by bit.
At
last the lid was wide open and rested against the window-pane. A big figure
cautiously and slowly got out, not making the slightest sound. Sooty felt his hair
rising up on his head. He was afraid, terribly afraid. He could not utter a
sound.
The
figure tiptoed over to the bed. He made a quick and sudden movement, and there
was a stifled sound from George's father. Sooty guessed he had been gagged, so
that he could not cry out. Still the boy could not move or speak. He had never
been so scared in all his life.
The
intruder lifted the limp body from the bed, and went to the window-seat. He put
George's father into the darkness there. What he had done to make him unable to
struggle Sooty didn't know. He only knew that poor George's father was being
put down in the window-seat, and couldn't seem to move a hand to help himself!
The
boy suddenly found his voice. 'Hie!' he yelled. 'Hie! What are you doing? Who
are you?'
He
remembered his torch and switched it on. He saw a face he knew, and cried out
in surprise. 'Mr. Barling!'
Then
someone hit him a hard blow on the head and he remembered nothing more at all.
He did not know that he was lifted into the window-seat too. He did not know
that the intruder followed after him. He knew nothing.
George,
awake in the next room, suddenly heard Sooty's voice crying out. 'Hie!' she
heard. 'Hie, what are you doing? Who are you?' And then, as she slipped out of
bed, she heard the next cry. 'Mr. Barling!'
George
was extremely startled. What was going on next door? She fumbled about for her
torch. Anne and Marybelle were still asleep. George could not find her torch.
She fell over a chair and banged her head.
When
at last she had found her torch she tiptoed, trembling, to the door. She shone
her torch and saw that the door next to hers was a little ajar, just as Sooty
had left it, when he had crept inside. She listened. There was absolutely no
sound at all now. She had heard a small bumping noise after Sooty's last cry,
but she didn't know what it was.
She
suddenly put her head round the door of her father's room, and shone her torch
again. She stared in surprise. The bed was empty. The room was empty. There was
no one there at all! She flashed her torch all round.
She
opened the cupboard door fearfully. She looked under the bed. She was, in fact,
extremely brave.
At
last she sank down on the window-seat, frightened and puzzled. Where was her
father? Where was Sooty? Whatever had been happening here that night?
Chapter
Sixteen
NEXT
MORNING
As
George sat by the window, on the very seat into which everyone had
unaccountably disappeared, though she did not know it, she heard a faint sound
from the passage.
Quick
as lightning the girl slipped under the bed. Someone was creeping down the long
passage! George lay silently on the floor, lifting the valance a little to try
and see who it was. What queer things were going on tonight!
Someone
came in at the door. Someone stopped there, as if to look and listen. Then the
Someone crept over to the window-seat.
George
watched and listened, straining her eyes in the darkness. She dimly saw the
Someone outlined against the grey square of the window. He was bent over the
window-seat.
He
showed no light at all. But he made some curious little sounds. First came the
sound of his fingers tapping about on the closed lid of the seat. Then came the
clink of something metallic, and a very faint squeaking. George could not
imagine what the man - if it was a man - was doing.
For
about five minutes the Someone worked away at his task in the darkness. Then,
as quietly as he had come, he went away. George couldn't help thinking it was
Block, though his outline against the dark-grey of the window was too dim to
recognize. But he had once given a little cough exactly like Block so often
gave. It must be Block! But whatever was he doing in her father's room at
night, on the window-seat?
George
felt as if she was in a bad dream. The queerest things happened and kept on
happening, and they didn't seem to make sense at all. Where was her father? Had
he left his room and gone wandering over the house? Where was Sooty, and why
had he called out? He wouldn't have shouted out like that, surely, if her father
had been asleep in the room!
George
lay under the bed, shivering, for a little while longer. Then she rolled out
softly and went out of the door. She crept down the long passage to the end.
She opened the door there and peeped out. The whole house was in darkness.
Little sounds came to George's ears - a window rattling faintly, the creak of
some bit of furniture - but nothing else.
She
had only one thought in her mind, and that was to get to the boys' room and
tell them the mysterious things that had happened. Soon she was across the
landing, and had slipped through the door of Julian's bedroom. He and Dick were
awake, of course, waiting for Sooty to come with Timmy and George.
But
only George arrived. A scared George, with a very curious story to tell. She
wrapped herself in the eiderdown on Julian's bed, and told what had happened,
in whispers.
They
were amazed. Uncle Quentin gone! Sooty disappeared! Someone creeping into the
room and fiddling about on the window-seat! What did it all mean?
'We'll
come to Uncle Quentin's room with you, straight away now,' said Julian, pulling
on a dressing-gown, and hunting about for his slippers. 'I've got a feeling
that things are getting pretty serious.'
They
all padded off to the other rooms. They went into Marybelle's room and woke her
and Anne. Both little girls felt scared. Soon all five children were in the
next
room,
from which George's father and Sooty had so strangely vanished.
Julian
shut the door, drew the curtains and switched on the light. At once they all
felt better. It was so horrid to grope about in the dark with torches.
They
looked round the silent room. There was nothing there to show them how the
others had disappeared. The bed was crumpled and empty. On the floor lay
Booty's torch, where it had fallen.
George
repeated again what she had thought she had heard Sooty call out, but it made
no sense to anyone. 'Why call out Mr. Barling's name, when there was only your
father in the room?' said Julian. 'Surely Mr. Barling wasn't hiding here - that
would be nonsense. He had nothing to do with your father, George.'
'I
know. But I'm sure it was Mr. Barling's name that I heard Sooty call out,' said
George. 'Do you think - oh yes, do you think Mr. Barling could possibly
havecreptthrough the secret opening in the cupboard, meaning to do some dirty
work or other - and have gone back the same way, taking the others with him
because they discovered him?'
This
seemed a likely explanation, though not a very good one. They all went to the
cupboard and opened it. They groped between the clothes for the secret opening.
But the little iron handle set there to pull on the stone at the back, was
gone! Someone had removed it - and now the secret passage could not be entered,
for there was no way of opening it just there!
'Look
at that!' said Julian in astonishment. 'Someone's been tampering with that too.
No, George, the midnight visitor, whoever he was, didn't go back that way.'
George
looked pale. She had been hoping to go and fetch Timmy, by slipping through the
secret opening in the cupboard. Now she couldn't. She longed for Timmy
with
all her heart, and felt that if only the big faithful dog were with her things
would seem much brighter.
'I'm
sure Mr. Lenoir is at the bottom of all this!' said Dick. 'And Block too. I bet
that was Block you saw in here tonight, doing something in the dark, George. I
bet he and Mr. Lenoir are hand in glove with each other over something.'
'Well,
then - we can't possibly go and tell them what has happened!' said Julian. 'If
they are at the bottom of all these queer happenings it would be foolish to go
and tell them what we know. And we can't tell your mother, Marybelle, because
she would naturally go to your father about it. It's a puzzle to know what to
do!'
Anne
began to cry. Marybelle, frightened and puzzled, at once began to sob too.
George felt tears pricking the backs of her eyelids, but she blinked them away.
George never cried!
6I
want Sooty,' wept Marybelle, who adored her cheeky, daring brother. 'Where's he
gone? I'm sure he's in danger. I do want Sooty.'
'We'll
rescue him tomorrow, don't you worry,' said Julian, kindly. 'We can't do
anything tonight, though. There's nobody at Smuggler's Top we can possibly get
advice or help from, as things are. I vote we go to bed, sleep on it, and make
plans in the morning. By that time Sooty and Uncle Quentin may have turned up
again. If they haven't, Mr. Lenoir will have to be told by someone, and we'll
see how he behaves! If he's surprised and upset, we'll soon know if he has had anything
to do with this mystery or not. He'll have to do something - go to the police,
or have the house turned upside down to find the missing people. We'll soon see
what happens.'
Everyone
felt a little comforted after this long speech. Julian sounded cheerful and
firm, though he didn't feel
at
all happy, really. He knew, better than any of the others, that something very
strange, and probably dangerous, was going on at Smuggler's Top. He wished the
girls were not there.
'Now
listen,' he said. 'George, you go and sleep with Anne and Marybelle next door.
Lock your door and keep the light on. Dick and I will sleep here, in Booty's
old room, also with the light on, so you'll know we are quite nearby.'
It
was comforting to know that the two boys were so near. The three girls went at
last into Marybelle's room, tired out. Anne and Marybelle got into bed again,
and George lay down on a small but comfortable couch, pulling a thick rug over
her. In spite of all the worry and excitement the girls were asleep in a half a
minute, quite exhausted.
The
boys talked a little, as they lay in Booty's old bed, where their Uncle Quentin
had been asleep some time before. Julian did not think anything more would
happen that night. He and Dick fell asleep, but Julian was ready to wake at the
slightest noise.
 She could
not believe her eyes when she saw the two boys in the visitor's bed - and no
visitor!
'What's
all this?' said Sarah, gaping. 'Where's your uncle? Why are you here?'
'Oh,
we'll explain later,' said Julian, who did not want to enter into any details
with Sarah, who was a bit of a chatterbox. 'You can leave the tea, Sarah. We'd
like it!'
'Yes,
but where's your uncle? Is he in your room?' said the puzzled Sarah. 'What's
up?'
'You
can go and look in our room if you like and see
if
he's there,' said Dick, wanting to get rid of the amazed woman. She
disappeared, thinking that the household must be going mad. She left the hot
tea behind, though, and the boys at once took it into the girls' room. George
unlocked the door for them. They took it in turns to sip the hot tea from the
one cup.
Presently
Sarah came back, with Harriet and Block. Block's face was as blank as usual.
'There's
nobody in your room, Master Julian,' began Sarah. Then Block gave a sudden
exclamation and stared at George angrily. He had thought she was locked in her
room - and here she was in Marybelle's room, drinking tea!
'How
did you get out?' he demanded. Til tell Mr. Lenoir. You're in disgrace.'
'Shut
up,' said Julian. 'Don't you dare to speak to my cousin like that. I believe
you're mixed up in this curious business. Clear out, Block.'
Whether
Block heard or not, he gave no sign of going. Julian got up, his face set.
'Clear
out of this room,' he said, narrowing his eyes. 'Do you hear? I have a feeling
that the police might be interested in you, Block. Now clear out!'
Harriet
and Sarah gave little shrieks. The sudden mystery was too much for them. They
gazed at Block and began to back out of the room. Fortunately Block went too,
casting an evil look at the determined Julian.
'I
shall go to Mr. Lenoir,' said Block, and disappeared.
In
a few minutes along came Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir to Marybelle's room. Mrs. Lenoir
looked scared out of her life. Mr. Lenoir looked puzzled and upset.
'Now,
what's all this?' he began. 'Block has been to me with a most curious tale.
Says your father has disappeared, George, and ...'
'And
so has Sooty,' suddenly wailed Marybelle, bursting into tears again. 'Sooty's
gone. He's gone too.'
Mrs.
Lenoir gave a cry. 'What do you mean? How can he have gone? Marybelle, what do
you mean?'
'Marybelle,
I think I had better take charge of the telling,' said Julian, who was not
going to let the little girl give away all the things they knew. After all, Mr.
Lenoir was probably at the bottom of everything, and it would be foolish to
tell him what they suspected about him.
'Julian
- tell me what has happened. Quickly!' begged Mrs. Lenoir, looking really
upset.
'Uncle
Quentin disappeared from his bed last night, and Sooty has vanished too,' said
Julian, shortly. 'They may turn up, of course.'
'Julian!
You are keeping back something,' said Mr. Lenoir, suddenly, watching the boy
sharply. 'You will tell us everything, please. How dare you keep anything back
at a moment like this?'
'Tell
him Julian, tell him,' wailed Marybelle, Julian looked obstinate, and glared at
Marybelle.
The
tip of Mr. Lenoir's nose went white. 'I am going to the police,' he said.
'Perhaps you will talk to them, my boy. They will knock some sense into you!'
Julian
was surprised. 'Why - I shouldn't have thought you would want to go to the
police!' he blurted out. 'You've got too many secrets to hide!'
Chapter
Seventeen
MORE
AND MORE PUZZLING
MR.
LENOIR stared in the utmost amazement at Julian. There was a dead silence after
this remark. Julian could have kicked himself for making it, but he couldn't
unsay it now.
Mr.
Lenoir opened his mouth to say something at last, when footsteps came to the
door. It was Block.
'Come
in, Block!' said Mr. Lenoir. 'There seem to have been queer happenings here.'
Block
did not appear to hear, and remained outside the door. Mr. Lenoir beckoned him
in impatiently.
'No,'
said Julian, firmly. 'What we have to say is not to be said in front of Block,
Mr. Lenoir. We don't like him and we don't trust him.'
'What
do you mean?' cried Mr. Lenoir, angrily. 'What do you know about my servants?
I've known Block for years before he came into my service, and he's a most
trustworthy fellow. He can't help being deaf, and that makes him irritable at
times.'
Julian
remained obstinate. He caught an angry gleam in Block's cold eyes, and glared
back.
'Well,
this is incredible!' said Mr. Lenoir, trying not to lose his temper. 'I can't
think what's come over everybody - disappearing like this - and now you
children talking to me as if I wasn't master in my own house. I insist that you
tell me all you know.'
'I'd
rather tell it to the police,' said Julian, his eye on Block. But Block showed
no trace of expression on his face.
'Go
away, Block,' said Mr. Lenoir at last, seeing that there was no hope of getting
anything out of Julian while the servant was there. 'You'd better all come down
to my study. This is getting more and more mysterious. If the police have got
to know, you may as well tell me first.
Julian
couldn't help feeling a bit puzzled. Mr. Lenoir was not behaving as he had
thought he might behave. He seemed sincerely puzzled and upset, and he was
evidently planning to get the police in himself. Surely he wouldn't do that if
he had had a hand in the disappearances? Julian was lost in bewilderment again.
Mrs.
Lenoir was now crying quietly, with Marybelle sobbing beside her. Mr. Lenoir
put an arm round his wife and kissed Marybelle, suddenly appearing very much
nicer than he had ever seemed before. 'Don't worry,' he said, in a gentle
voice. 'We'll soon get to the bottom of this, if I have to get the whole of the
police force in. I think I know who's at the bottom of it all!'
That
surprised Julian even more. He and the others followed Mr. Lenoir down to his
study. It was still locked. Mr. Lenoir opened it and pushed aside a great pile
of papers that were on his desk.
'Now
- what do you know?' he said to Julian quietly. The children noticed that the
top of his nose was no longer white. Evidently he had got over his burst of
temper.
'Well,
sir - I think this is a queer house, with a lot of queer things happening in
it,' said Julian, not quite knowing how to begin. 'I'm afraid, sir, you won't
like me telling the police all I know.'
'Julian,
don't speak in riddles!' said Mr. Lenoir, impatiently. 'You act as if I were a
criminal, in fear of the police. I'm not. What goes on in this house?'
'Well
- the signalling from the tower, for instance,' said Julian, watching Mr.
Lenoir's face.
Mr.
Lenoir gaped. It was clear that he was immensely astonished. He stared at
Julian, and Mrs. Lenoir cried out suddenly:
'Signalling!
What signalling?'
Julian
explained. He told how Sooty had discovered the light-flashing first, and then
how he and Dick had gone with him to the tower when they had seen the flashing
again. He described the line of tiny, pricking lights across the marsh from the
seaward side.
Mr.
Lenoir listened intently. He asked questions about dates and times. He heard
how the boys had followed the signaller to Block's room, where he had
disappeared.
'Got
out of the window, I suppose,' said Mr. Lenoir.
'Block's
got nothing to do with this, you can rest assured of that. He is most faithful
and loyal, and has been a great help to me while he has been here. I have an
idea that Mr. Barling is at the bottom of all this. He can't signal from his
house to the sea because it's not quite high enough up the hill, and is in the
wrong position. He must have been using my tower to signal from - coming
himself to do it too! He knows all the secret ways of this house, better than I
do! It would be easy for him to come here whenever he wanted to.'
The
children thought at once that probably Mr. Barling had been the signaller! They
stared at Mr. Lenoir.
'I
don't see why Block shouldn't know all this,' said Mr. Lenoir, getting up.
'It's plain to me that Barling could explain a lot of the queer things that
have been happening. I'll see if Block has ever suspected anything.'
Julian
pursed his lips together. If Mr. Lenoir was going
to
tell everything to Block, who certainly must be in the plot somehow, he wasn't
going to tell him anything more!
I'll
see what Block thinks about everything, and then if we can't solve this mystery
ourselves, we'll get in the police,' said Mr. Lenoir, going out of the room.
Julian
did not want to say anything much in front of Mrs. Lenoir. So he changed the
subject completely.
'What
about breakfast?' he said. Tm feeling hungry!'
So
they all went to have breakfast, though Mar/belle could eat nothing at all,
because she kept thinking of poor Sooty.
'I
think,' said Julian, when they were alone at the table, 'I rather think we'll
do a little mystery-solving ourselves. I'd like a jolly good look round that
room of your father's, George, to begin with. There must be some other way of
getting out of there, besides the secret passage we know.'
'What
do you think happened there last night?' said Dick.
'Well,
I imagine that Sooty went there and hid, to wait until it was safe to try and
get into the secret passage as soon as Uncle Quentin was asleep,' said Julian,
thoughtfully. 'And while he was hiding, someone came into that room from
somewhere, to kidnap Uncle Quentin. Why, I don't know, but that's what I think.
Then Sooty yelled out in surprise, and got knocked on the head or something.
Then he and Uncle Quentin were kidnapped together, and taken off through some
secret way we don't know.'
'Yes,'
said George. 'And it was Mr. Barling who kidnapped them! I distinctly heard
Sooty yell out "Mr. Barling". He must have switched on his torch and
seen him.'
'They
are quite probably hidden somewhere in Mr. Barling's house, 'said Anne,
suddenly.
'Yes!'
said Julian. 'Why didn't I think of that? Why, that's just where they would be,
of course. I've a jolly good mind to go down and have a look!'
'Oh,
let me come too,' begged George.
'No,'
said Julian. 'Certainly not. This is rather a dangerous adventure, and Mr.
Barling is a bad and dangerous man. You and Marybelle are certainly not to
come. I'll take Dick.'
'You
are absolutely meanl' began George, her eyes flashing. 'Aren't I as good as a
boy? I'm going to come.'
'Well,
if you're as good as a boy, which I admit you are,' said Julian, 'can't you
stay and keep an eye on Anne and Marybelle for us? We don't want them kidnapped
too.'
'Oh,
don't go, George,' said Anne. 'Stay here with us.'
'I
think it's mad to go, anyhow,' said George, 'Mr. Barling wouldn't let you in.
And if you did get in you wouldn't be able to find all the secret places in his
house. There must be as many, and more, as there are here.'
Julian
couldn't help thinking George wag right. Still, it was worth trying.
He
and Dick set out after breakfast, and went down the hill to Mr. Barling's.  Nobody answered their
knocking and ringing. The curtains were drawn across the closed windows, and no
smoke came from the chimney.
'Mr.
Barling's gone away for a holiday,' said the gardener who was working in the
next door flower-beds. 'Went this morning, he did. In his car. All his servants
have got a holiday too.'
'Oh!'
said Julian, blankly. 'Was there anyone with him in the car - a man and a boy,
for instance?'
The
gardener looked surprised at this question, and shook his head.
'No.
He was alone, and drove off himself.'
'Thanks,'
said Julian, and walked back with Dick to Smuggler's Top. This was queer. Mr.
 Then what had
he done with them? And why on earth had he kidnapped Uncle Quentin? Julian
remembered that Mr. Lenoir had not put forward any reason for that. Did he know
one, and hadn't wanted to say what it was? It was all most puzzling.
Meantime
George had been doing a little snooping
round
on her own. She had slipped into Uncle Quentin's room, and had had a really
good look round everywhere to see if by chance there was another secret passage
Sooty hadn't known about.
She
had tapped the walls. She had turned back the carpet and examined every inch of
the floor. She had tried the cupboard again, and wished she could get through
into the secret passage there and find Timmy. The study door downstairs was
again locked, and she did not dare to tell Mr. Lenoir about Timmy and ask his
help.
George
was just about to leave the quiet room when she noticed something on the floor
near the window. She bent to pick it up. It was a small screw. She looked
round. Where had it come from?
At
first she couldn't see any screws of the same size at all. Then her eyes slid
down to the window-seat. There were screws there, screwing down the top oaken
plank to the under ones that supported it.
Had
the screw come out of the window-seat? Why should it, anyway? The others there
were all screwed down tightly. She examined one. Then she gave a low cry.
'One's
missing. The one in the middle of this side. Now just let me think.'
She
remembered last night. She remembered how someone had crept in, while she had
hidden under the bed, and had fiddled about by the window, bending over the
polished window-seat.  It was screws being screwed into the seat!
 'Why did he
screw
it down? To hide something? What's in this window-seat? It sounds hollow
enough. It never lifted up. I know that. It was always screwed down, because I
remember looking for a cupboard under it, like the one we have at home, and
there wasn't one.'
George
began to feel certain there was some secret about the window-seat. She rushed
off to get a screwdriver. She found one and hurried back.
She
shut the door and locked it behind her in case Block should come snooping
around. Then she set to work with the screwdriver. What would she find in the
window-seat? She could hardly wait to see!
Chapter
Eighteen CURIOUS DISCOVERIES.
JUST
as she had unscrewed almost the last screw there came a tapping at the door.
George jumped and stiffened. She did not answer, afraid that it was Block, or
Mr. Lenoir.
Then,
to her great relief she heard Julian's voice. 'George! Are you in here?'
The
little girl hurried across to the door and unlocked it. The boys came in,
looking surprised, followed by Anne and Marybelle. George shut the door and
locked it again.
'Mr.
 'So that's that. What
on earth are you doing, George?'
'Unscrewing
this window-seat,' said George, and told them about the screw she had found on
the floor. They all crowded round her, excited.
'Good
for you, George!' said Dick. Tlere, let me finish the unscrewing.'
'No,
thanks. This is my job!' said George. She took out the last screw. Then she
lifted the edge of the window-seat. It came up like a lid.
Everyone
peered inside, rather scared. What would they see? To their great surprise and
disappointment they saw nothing but an empty cupboard!
'Well
- what a disappointment!' said Dick. He shut down the lid. 'I don't expect you
heard anyone screwing down the lid, really, George. It might have been your
imagination.'
'Well,
it wasn't,' said George, shortly. She opened the lid again. She got right into
the box-like window-seat and stamped, and pressed with her feet.
And
quite suddenly, there came a small creaking noise, and the bottom of the empty
window-seat fell downwards like a trap-door on a hinge!
George
gasped and clutched at the side. She kicked about in air for a moment and then
scrambled out. Everyone looked down in silence.
They
looked down a straight yawning hole, which, however, came to an end only about
eight feet down. There it appeared to widen out, and, no doubt, entered a
secret passage which ran into one of the underground tunnels with which the
whole hill was honeycombed. It might even run to Mr. Barling's house.
'Look
at that!' said Dick. 'Who would have thought of that? I bet even old Sooty
didn't know about this.'
'Shall
we go down?' said George. 'Shall we see where it goes to? We might find old
Timmy.'
There
came the noise of someone trying the handle of the door. It was locked. Then there
was an impatient rapping, and a cross voice called out sharply:
'Why
is this door locked? Open it at once! What are you doing in here?'
'It's
father!' whispered Marybelle, with wide eyes. 'I'd better unlock the door.'
George
shut the lid of the window-seat down at once, very quietly. She did not want
Mr. Lenoir to see their latest discovery. When the door was opened Mr. Lenoir
saw the children standing about, or sitting on the window-seat.
'I've
had a good talk to Block,' he said, 'and, as I
thought,
he doesn't know a thing about all the goings-on here. He was most amazed to
hear about the signalling from the tower. But he doesn't think it's Mr.
Barling. He thinks it may be a plot of some sort against me'
'Oh!'
said the children, who felt that they would not believe Block so readily as Mr.
Lenoir appeared to.
'It's
quite upset Block,' said Mr. Lenoir. 'He feels really sick, and I've told him
to go and have a rest till we decide what to do next.'
The
children felt \hat Block would not be so easily upset as all that. They all
suspected at once that he would not really go to rest, but would probably sneak
out on business of his own.
'I've
some work to attend to for a little while,' said Mr. Lenoir. 'I've rung up the
police, but unluckily the Inspector is out. He will ring me directly he comes
back. Now can you keep out of mischief till I've finished my work?'
The
children thought that was a silly question. They made no reply. Mr. Lenoir gave
one of his sudden smiles and little laughs, and went.
'I'm
going to pop along to Block's room and see if he really is there,' said Julian,
as soon as Mr. Lenoir was out of sight.
He
went to the wing where the staff bedrooms were, and stopped softly outside
Block's. The door was a little ajar, and Julian could see through the crack. He
saw the shape of Block's body in the bed, and the dark patch that was his head.
The curtains were drawn across the window to keep out the light, but there was
enough to see all this.
Julian
sped back to the others. 'Yes, he's in bed all right,' he said. 'Well, he's
safe for a bit. Shall we have a shot at getting down the window-seat hole? I'd
dearly like to see where it leads to!'
'Oh
yes!' said everyone. But it was not an easy job to drop eight feet down without
being terribly jolted! Julian went first and was very much jarred. He called up
to Dick: 'We'll have to get a bit of rope and tie it to something up there, and
let it hang down the hole - it's an awful business to let yourself drop down.'
But
just as Dick went to find a rope, Julian called up again. 'Oh, it's all right!
I've just seen something. There are niches carved into the sides of the hole -
niches you can put foot or hand into. I didn't see them before. You can use
them to help you down.'
So
down went everyone, one after another, feeling for the niches and finding them.
George missed one or two, clawed wildly at the air, and dropped down the last
few feet, landing with rather a bump, but she was not hurt.
As
they had thought, the hole led to another secret passage in the house, but this
one went straight downwards by means of steps, so that very soon they were well
below the level of the house. Then they came into the .maze of tunnels that
honeycombed the hill. They stopped.
'Look
here - we can't possibly go any farther,' said Julian. 'We shall get lost. We
haven't got Sooty with us now, and Marybelle isn't any good at finding the way.
It would be dangerous to wander about.'
'Listen!'
said Dick, suddenly, in a low voice. 'There's someone coming!'
They
could hear the hollow sound of footsteps coming from a tunnel to the left of
them. They all shrank back into the shadows, and Julian switched off his torch.
'It's
two people!' whispered Anne, as two figures came out of the nearby tunnel. One
was very tall and long. The other - yes, surely the other was Block! If it
wasn't Block it was someone the exact image of him.
The
men were talking in low voices, answering one another. How could it be Block,
though, if he could hear as well as that? Anyway, Block was asleep in bed. It
was hardly ten minutes since Julian had seen him there. Were there two Blocks,
then, thought George, as she had once thought before.
The
men disappeared into another tunnel, and the bright light of their lanterns
disappeared gradually. The muffled rumble of their voices echoed back.
'Shall
we follow them?' said Dick.
'Of
course not,' said Julian. 'We might lose them - and lose ourselves too! And
supposing they suddenly turned back and found us following them? We should be
in a horrid fix.'
Tm
sure the first man was Mr. Barling,' said Anne, suddenly. 'I couldn't see his
face because the light of the lantern wasn't on it - but he seemed just like
Mr. Barling - awfully tall and long everywhere!'
'But
Mr. Barling's gone away,' said Marybelle.
'''Supposed
to have gone away!' said George. 'It looks as if he's come back, if it was him.
I wonder where those two have gone - to see my father and Sooty, do you think?'
'Quite
likely,' said Julian. 'Come on, let's get back. We simply daren't wander about
by ourselves in these old tunnels. They run for miles, Sooty said, and cross
one another, and go up and down and round about - even right down to the marsh.
We should never, never find our way out if we got lost.'
They
turned to go back. They came to the end of the steps they had been climbing,
and found themselves at the bottom of the window-seat hole. It was quite easy
to pull themselves up by the niches in the sides of the hole.
Soon
they were all in the room again, glad to see the
sunshine
streaming in at the window. They looked out. The marshes were beginning to be
wreathed in mist once more, though up here the hill was golden with sunlight.
Tm
going to put the screws back into the window-seat again,' said Julian, picking
up the screwdriver, and shutting down the lid. Then if Block comes here he
won't guess we've found this new secret place. I'm pretty certain that he
unscrewed the seat so that Mr. Barling could get into this room, and then
screwed it down again so that no one would guess what had happened.'
He
quickly put in the screws. Then he looked at his watch.
'Almost
dinner-time, and I'm jolly hungry. I wish old Sooty was here - and Uncle
Quentin. I do hope they're all right - and Timmy too,' said Julian. 'I wonder
if Block is still in bed - or wandering about the tunnels. I'm going to have a
peep again.'
He
soon came back, puzzled. 'Yes, he's there all right, safe in bed. It's jolly
funny.'
Block
did not appear at lunch time. Sarah said he had asked not to be disturbed, if
he did not appear.
 'Maybe he'll be all right
this afternoon.'
She
badly wanted to talk about everything, but the children had decided not to tell
her anything. She was very nice and they liked her, but somehow they didn't
trust anyone at Smuggler's Top. So Sarah got nothing out of them at all, and
retired in rather a huff.
Julian
went down to speak to Mr. Lenoir after the meal. He felt that even if the
Inspector of police was not at the police-station, somebody else must be
informed. He was very worried about his uncle and Sooty. He couldn't help
wondering if Mr. Lenoir had made up the bit about the Inspector being away, to
put off time.
Mr.
Lenoir was looking cross when Julian knocked at his study-door. 'Oh, it's you!'
he said to Julian. 'I was expecting Block. I've rung and rung for him. The bell
rings in his room and I can't imagine why he doesn't come. I want him to come
to the police-station with me.'
'Good!'
thought Julian. Then he spoke aloud. 'I'll go and hurry him up for you, Mr.
Lenoir. I know where his room is.'
Julian
ran up the stairs and went to the little landing up which the back-stairs went
to the staff bedrooms. He pushed open Block's door.
Block
was apparently still asleep in bed! Julian called loudly, then remembered that
Block was deaf. So he went over to the bed and put his hand rather roughly on
the hump of the shoulder between the clothes.
But
it was curiously soft! Julian drew his hand away, and looked down sharply. Then
he got a real shock.
There
was no Block in the bed!
'That's
the trick Block plays when he wants to slip off anywhere, and yet pretend he's
still here!' said Julian. 'So it was Block we saw in the tunnel this morning -
and it must have been Block that George saw talking to Mr. Barling yesterday, when
she looked through the window. He's not deaf, either. He's a very clever - sly
- double-faced - deceitful ROGUE!'
Chapter
Nineteen MR. BARLING TALKS.
MEANTIME,
what was happening to Uncle Quentin and Sooty? Many strange things!
Uncle
Quentin had been gagged, and drugged so that he could neither struggle nor make
any noise, when Mr. Barling had crept so unexpectedly into his room. It was
easy to drop him down the hole in the window-seat. He fell with a thud that
bruised him considerably.
Then
poor Sooty had been dropped down too, and after them had come Mr. Barling,
climbing deftly down by the help of the niches in the sides.
Someone
else was down there, to help Mr. Barling. Not Block, who had been left to screw
down the window-seat so that no one might guess where the victims had been
taken, but a hard-faced servant belonging to Mr. Barling.
'Had
to bring this boy, too - it's Lenoir's son,' said Mr. Barling. 'Snooping about
in the room. Well, it will serve Lenoir right for working against me!'
The
two were half-carried, half-dragged down the long flight of steps and taken
into the tunnels below. Mr. Barling stopped and took a ball of string from his
pocket. He tossed it to his servant.
'Here
you are. Tie the end to that nail over there, and let the string unravel as we
go. I know the way quite well, but Block doesn't, and he'll be coming along to
bring food to our couple of prisoners tomorrow. Don't want him to lose his way!
We can tie the string up again just before we get to the place I'm taking them
to, so that they won't see it and use it to escape by.'
The
servant tied the string to the nail that Mr. Barling pointed out, and then as
he went along he let the ball unravel. The string would then serve as a guide
to anyone not knowing the way. Otherwise it would be very dangerous to wander
about in the underground tunnels. For some of them ran for miles.
After
about eight minutes the little company came to a kind of rounded cave, set in
the side of a big, but rather low tunnel. Here had been put a bench with some
rugs, a box to serve as a table, and jug of water. Nothing else.
Sooty
by now was coming round from his blow on the head. The other prisoner, however,
still lay unconscious, breathing heavily.
'No
good talking to him' said Mr. Barling. 'He won't be all right till tomorrow.
We'll come and talk to him then. I'll bring Block.'
Sooty
had been put on the floor. He suddenly sat up, and put his hand to his aching
head. He couldn't imagine where he was.
He
looked up and saw Mr. Barling, and then suddenly he remembered everything. But
how had he got here, in this dark cave?
'Mr.
Barling!' he said. 'What's all this? What did you hit me for?  'You'll be company for our
friend on the bench there. He'll sleep till the morning, I'm afraid. You can
tell him all about it, then, and say I'll be back to have a little
heart-to-heart talk with him! And see here, Pierre - you do know, don't you,
the foolishness of trying to wander about these old passages? I've brought you
to a little-known one, and if you want to lose yourself
and
never be heard of again, well, try wandering about, that's all!'
Sooty
looked pale. He did know the danger of wandering about those lost old tunnels.
This one he was in he was sure he didn't know at all. He was about to ask a few
more questions when Mr. Barling turned quickly on his heel and went off with
his servant. They took the lantern with them and left the boy in darkness. He
yelled after them.
'Hie,
you beasts! Leave me a light!'
But
there was no answer. Sooty heard the footfalls going farther and farther away,
and then there was silence and darkness.
The
boy felt in his pocket for his torch, but it wasn't there. He had dropped it in
his bedroom. He groped his way over to the bench, and felt about for George's
father. He wished he would wake up. It was so horrid to be there in the
darkness. It was cold, too.
Sooty
crept under the rugs and cuddled close to the unconscious man. He longed with
all his heart for him to wake up.
From
somewhere there sounded the drip-drip-drip of water. After a time Sooty
couldn't bear it. He knew it was only drops dripping off the roof of the tunnel
in a damp place, but he felt he couldn't bear it. Drip-drip-drip.
Drip-drip-drip. If only it would stop!
I'll
have to wake George's father up!' thought the boy, desperately. 'I must talk to
someone!'
He
began to shake the sleeping man, wondering what to call him, for he did not
know his surname. He couldn't call him 'George's father!' Then he remembered
that the others called him Uncle Quentin, and he began yelling the name in the
drugged man's ear.
'Uncle
Quentin! Uncle Quentin! Wake up! Do wake up! Oh, won't you please wake up!'
Uncle
Quentin stirred at last. He opened his eyes in the darkness, and listened to
the urgent voice in his ear feeling faintly puzzled.
'Uncle
Quentin! Wake up and speak to me. I'm scared!' said the voice. 'UNCLE QUENTIN!'
The
man thought vaguely that it must be Julian or Dick. He put his arm round Sooty
and dragged him close to him. 'It's all right. Go to sleep,' he said. 'What's
the matter, Julian? Or is it Dick? Go to sleep.'
He
fell asleep again himself, for he was still half-drugged. But Sooty felt
comforted now.  But he did, almost at once! He slept soundly all through the night,
and was only awakened by Uncle Quentin moving on the bench.
The
puzzled man was amazed to find his bed so un-
expectedly
hard. He was even more amazed to find someone in bed with him, for he
remembered nothing at all. He stretched out his hand to switch on the
reading-lamp which had been beside his bed the night before.
But
it wasn't there! Strange! He felt about and touched Sooty's face. Who was this
beside him? He began to feel extremely puzzled. He felt ill, too. What could
have happened?
'Are
you awake?' said Sooty's voice.
I hope you don't mind me calling you that, but I don't know your surname. I
only know you are George's father and Julian's uncle.'
'Well
- who are you?' said Uncle Quentin, in wonder.
Sooty
began to tell him everything. Uncle Quentin listened in the utmost amazement.
'But why have we been kidnapped like this?' he said, astonished and angry. 'I
never heard of such a thing in my life!'
'I
don't know why Mr. Barling has kidnapped you -but I know he took me because I
happened to see what he was doing,' said Sooty. 'Anyway, he's coming back this
morning, with Block, and he said he would have a heart-to-heart talk with you.
We'll have to wait here, I'm afraid. We can't possibly find our way to safety
in the darkness, through this maze of tunnels.'
So
they waited - and in due course Mr. Barling did come, bringing Block with him.
Block carried some food, which was very welcome to the prisoners.
'You
beast, Block!' said Sooty, at once, as he saw the servant in the light of the
lantern. 'How dare you help in this? You wait till my stepfather hears about
it! Unless he's in it too!'
'Hold
your tongue!' said Block.
Sooty
stared at him. 'So you can hear!' he said. 'All this time you've been
pretending you can't!  What a lot of secrets you must
have learnt, pretending to be deaf, and overhearing all kinds of things not
meant for you. You're sly, Block, and you're worse things than that!'
'Whip
him, Block, if you like,' said Mr. Barling, sitting down on the box. 'I've no
time for rude boys myself.'
'I
will,' said Block, grimly, and he undid a length of rope from round his waist.
I've often wanted to, cheeky little worm!'
Sooty
felt alarmed. He leapt off the bench and put up his fists.
'Let
me talk to our prisoner first,' said Mr. Barling. 'Then you can give Pierre the
hiding he deserves. It will be nice for him to wait for it.'
Uncle
Quentin was listening quietly to all this. He looked at Mr. Barling, and spoke
sternly.
'You
owe me an explanation for your strange behaviour. I demand to be taken to
Smuggler's Top. You shall answer to the police for this!'
'Oh
no, I shan't,' said Mr. Barling, in a curiously soft voice. 'I have a very
generous proposal to make to you. I know why you have come to Smuggler's Top. I
know why you and Mr. Lenoir are so interested in each other's experiments.'
'How
do you know?' said Uncle Quentin. 'Spying, I suppose!
'Yes
- I bet Block's been spying and reading letters!' cried Sooty, indignantly.
Mr.
Barling took no notice of the interruption. 'Now, my dear sir,' he said to
Uncle Quentin, 'I will tell you very shortly what I propose. I know you have
heard that I am a smuggler. I am. I make a lot of money from it. It is easy to
run a smuggling trade here, because no one can patrol the marshes, or stop men
using the secret path that only
I
and a few others know. On favourable nights I send out a signal - or rather
Block here does so, for me, using the convenient tower of Smuggler's Top...'
'Oh!
So it was Block!' cried Sooty.
'Then
the goods arrive,' said Mr. Barling 'and again at a favourable moment I - er -
dispose of them.  'It's of no
interest to me. I'm only interested in a plan for draining the marshes, not in
smuggling goods across them!'
'Exactly,
my dear fellow!' said Mr. Barling, amiably. 'I know that. I have even seen your
plans and read about your experiments and Mr. Lenoir's. But the draining of the
marsh means the end of my own business! Once the marsh is drained, once houses
are built there, and roads made, once the mists have gone, my business goes
too! A harbour may be built out there, at the edge of the marsh - my ships can
no longer creep in unseen, bringing valuable cargoes! Not only will my money
go, but all the excitement, which is more than life to me, will go too!'
'You're
mad!' said Uncle Quentin, in disgust.
Mr.
Barling was a little mad. He had always felt a great satisfaction in being a
successful smuggler in days when smuggling was almost at an end. He loved the
thrill of knowing that his little ships were creeping in the mist towards the
treacherous marshes. He liked to know that men were making their way over a
small and narrow path over the misty marsh to the appointed meeting-place,
bringing smuggled goods.
'You
should have lived a hundred years or more ago!' said Sooty, also feeling that
Mr. Barling was a little mad. 'You don't belong to nowadays.'
Mr.
Barling turned on Sooty, his eyes gleaming dangerously in the light of the
lantern.
'Another
word from you and I'll drop you in the marshes!' he said. Sooty felt a shiver
go down his back. He suddenly knew that Mr. Barling really did mean what he
said. He was a dangerous man. Uncle Quentin sensed it too. He looked at Mr.
Barling warily.
'How
do I come into this?' he asked. 'Why have you kidnapped me?'
'I
know that Mr. Lenoir is going to buy your plans from you,' said Mr. Barling. 'I
know he is going to drain the marsh by using your very excellent ideas. You
see, I know all about them! I know, too, that Mr. Lenoir hopes to make a lot of
money by selling the land once it is drained. It is all his, that misty marsh -
and no use to anyone now, except to me! But that marsh is not going to be
drained - I am going to buy your plans, not Mr. Lenoir!'
'Do
you want to drain the marsh, then?' said Uncle Quentin, in surprise.
Mr.
Barling laughed scornfully. 'No! Your plans, and the results of your
experiments, will be burnt! They will be mine, but I shall not want to use
them. I want the marsh left as it is, secret, covered with mist, and
treacherous to all but me and my men. So, my dear sir, you will please name
your price to me, instead of to Mr. Lenoir, and sign this document, which I
have had prepared, making over all your plans to me!'
 Sooty watched
breathlessly.
Uncle
Quentin picked up the paper. He tore it into small pieces. He threw them into
Mr. Barling's face and said, scornfully: 'I don't deal with madmen, nor with
rogues, Mr. Barling!'
Chapter
Twenty TIMMY TO THE RESCUE.
MR.
BARLING went very pale. Sooty gave a loud crow of delight. 'Hurrah! Good for
you, Uncle Quentin!'
Block
gave a loud exclamation, and darted to the excited boy. He took him by the
shoulder, and raised the rope to thrash him.
'That's
right,' said Mr. Barling, in a funny kind of hissing voice^ 'Deal with him
first, Block, and then with this -this - stubborn - obstinate - fool! We'll
soon bring them to their senses. A good thrashing now and again, a few days
here in the dark, without any food - ah, that will make them more biddable!'
Sooty
yelled at the top of his voice. Uncle Quentin leapt to his feet. The rope came
down and Sooty yelled again.
Then
there suddenly came the pattering of quick feet, and something flung itself on
Block. Block gave a scream of pain and turned. He knocked the lantern over by
accident, and the light went out.
There
was a sound of fierce growling. Block staggered about trying to keep off the
creature that had fastened itself on to him.
'Barling!
Help me!' he shouted.
Mr.
Barling went to his aid, but was attacked in his turn. Uncle Quentin and Sooty
listened in amazement and fear. What creature was this that had suddenly
arrived? Would it attack them next? Was it a giant-rat - or some fierce wild
animal that haunted these tunnels?
The
fierce animal suddenly barked. Sooty gave a squeal of joy.
TIMMY!
It's you, Timmy! Oh, good dog, good dog! Go for him, then, go for him! Bite
him, Jimmy, bite hard.'
The
two frightened men could do nothing against the angry dog. Soon they were
running down the tunnel as fast as they could go, feeling for the string for
fear of being lost. Timmy chased them with much enjoyment, and then returned to
Sooty and George's father, rather pleased with himself.
He
had a tremendous welcome. George's father made a great fuss of him, and Sooty
put his arms round the big dog's neck.
'How
did you come here? Did you find your way out of the secret passage you've been
in? Are you half-starved? Look, here's some food.'
Timmy
ate heartily. He had managed to devour a few rats, but otherwise had had no
food at all. He had licked the drops that here and there he had found dripping
from the roof, so he had not been thirsty. But he had certainly been extremely
puzzled and worried. He had never before been so long away from his beloved
mistress!
'Uncle
Quentin - Timmy could take us safely back to Smuggler's Top, couldn't he?' said
Sooty, suddenly. He spoke to Timmy. 'Can you take us home, old boy? Home, to
George?'
 He ran down the passage a little way, but
soon came back. He did not like the idea of going down there. He felt that
enemies were waiting for them all. Mr. Barling and Block were not likely to
give in quite so easily!
But
Timmy knew other ways about the tunnels that honeycombed the hillside. He knew,
for instance, the
way
down to the marsh! So he set off in the darkness, with Uncle Quentin's hand on
his collar, and Sooty following close behind, holding on to Uncle Quentin's
coat.
It
wasn't easy or pleasant. Uncle Quentin wondered at times if Timmy really did
know where he was going. They went down and down, stumbling over uneven places,
sometimes knocking their heads against an unexpectedly low piece of roof. It
was not a pleasant journey for Uncle Quentin, for he had no shoes on his feet,
and was dressed only in pyjamas and rugs.
After
a long time they came out on the edge of the marsh itself, at the bottom of the
hill! It was a desolate place, and the mists were over it, so that neither
Sooty nor Uncle Quentin knew which way to turn!
'Never
mind,' said Sooty, 'we can easily leave it to Timmy. He knows the way all
right. He'll take us back to the town, and once there we'll know the way home
ourselves!'
But
suddenly, to their surprise and dismay, Timmy stopped dead, pricked up his
ears, whined and would go no farther. He looked thoroughly miserable and
unhappy. What could be the matter?
Then,
with a bark, the big dog left the two by themselves, and galloped back into the
tunnel they had just left. He disappeared completely!
'Timmy!'
yelled Sooty. 'Timmy! Come here! Don't leave us! TIMMY!'
But
Timmy was gone; why, neither Sooty nor Uncle Quentin knew. They stared at one
another.
'Well
- I suppose we'd better try to make our way over this marshy bit,' said Uncle
Quentin, doubtfully, putting a foot out to see if the ground was hard. It
wasn't! He drew back his foot at once.
The
mists were so thick that it was really impossible to see anything. Behind them
was the opening to the tunnel. A steep rocky cliff rose up above it. There was
no path that way, it was certain. Somehow they had to make their way round the foot
of the hill to the main-road that entered the town - but the way lay over
marshy ground!
'Let's
sit down and wait for a bit to see if Timmy comes back,' said Sooty. So they
sat down on a rock at the entrance to the tunnel and waited.
Sooty
began to think of the others. He wondered what they had thought when they had
discovered that both he and Uncle Quentin were missing. How astonished they
must have been!
'I
wonder what the others are doing?' he said, aloud. Tdlove to know!'
The
others, as we know, had been doing plenty. They had found the opening in the
window-seat where Mr. Barling had taken the captives, and they had gone down it
and actually seen Mr. Barling and Block on their way to talk to Uncle Quentin
and Sooty!
They
had found out, too, that Block hadn't been in his bed - he had left a dummy
there instead. Now everyone was talking at once, and Mr. Lenoir was suddenly
convinced that Block had been a spy, put in his house by Mr. Barling, and not
the good servant he had appeared!
Once
Julian felt that he was convinced of this he spoke to him more freely, and told
him of the way through the window-seat, and of how they had seen Mr. Barling
and Block that very day, in the underground tunnels!
'Good
heavens!' said Mr. Lenoir, now looking thoroughly alarmed. 'Barling must be
mad! I've always thought he was a bit queer - but he must be absolutely mad to
kidnap people like this - and Block must be, too. This is a plot! They've heard
what I've been planning with your uncle - and they've made up their minds to
stop
it because it will interfere with their smuggling. Goodness knows what-they'll
do now! This is serious!'
'If
only we had Timmy!' suddenly said George.
Mr.
Lenoir looked astonished.
'Who's
Timmy?'
'Well,
you might as well know everything now,' said Julian, and he told Mr. Lenoir
about Timmy, and how they had hidden him.
'Very
foolish of you,' said Mr. Lenoir, shortly, looking displeased. 'If you'd told
me I would have had someone in the town look after him. I can't help not liking
dogs. I detest them, and never will have them in the house. But I would
willingly have arranged for him to be boarded out, if I'd known you'd brought
him.'
The
children felt sorry and a little ashamed. Mr. Lenoir was a queer, hot-tempered
person, but he didn't seem nearly as horrid as they had thought he was.
'I'd
like to go and see if I can find Timmy,' said George. 'You'll get the police in
now, I suppose, Mr. Lenoir, and perhaps we could go and find Timmy? We know the
way into the secret passage from your study.'
'Oh
- so that's why you were hiding there in the afternoon yesterday,' said Mr.
Lenoir. 'I thought you were a very bad boy. Well, go and try and find him if
you like, but don't let him come anywhere near me. I really cannot bear dogs in
the house.'
He
went to telephone the police-station again. Mrs. Lenoir, her eyes red with
crying, stood by him. George slipped away to the study, followed by Dick and
Julian and Anne. Marybelle stayed beside her mother.
'Come
on - let's get into that secret passage and try and find old Timmy,' said
George. 'If we all go, and whistle and shout and call, he's sure to hear us!'
They
found the way into the passage, by doing the
things
they had done before. The panel slid back, and then another, larger opening
came as before. They all squeezed through it, and found themselves in the very
narrow passage that led from the study up to Sooty's bedroom.
But
Timmy was not there! The children were surprised, but George soon thought why.
'Do
you remember Sooty telling us there was a way into this passage from the
dining-room, as well as from the study and Sooty's bedroom? Well, I believe I
saw a door or something there, as we passed where the dining-room must be, and
it's likely Timmy may have pushed through it, and gone into another passage
somewhere.'
They
went back, one by one. They came to the dining-room - or rather, they walked
behind the dining-room wall. There they saw the door that George had noticed as
they passed - a door, small and set quite flat to the wall, so that it was
difficult to see. George pushed it. It opened easily, and then flapped shut,
with a little click. It could be opened from one side but not from the other.
'That's
where Timmy's gone!' said George, and she pushed the door open again. 'He
pushed against the door and it opened - he went through, and the door fastened
itself so that he couldn't get back. Come on, we must find him.'
They
all went through the small door. It was so low that they had to bend their
heads to go through, even Anne. They found themselves in a passage rather like
the one they had just left, but not quite so narrow. It suddenly began to go
downwards. Julian called back to the others.
'I
believe it goes down to the passages where we used to take Timmy when we let
him down into that pit to go for a walk! Yes, look - we've come to where the
pit itself is!'
They
went on, calling Timmy, and whistling loudly, but no Timmy came. George began
to feel worried.
'Hallo!
- surely this is where we came out when we climbed down all those steps from
the window-seat passage!' said Dick, suddenly. 'Yes, it is. Look, there's the
tunnel where we saw Block and Mr. Barling going!'
'Oh
- do you think they've done something to Timmy?* said George, in a frightened
voice. 'I never thought of that!'
Everyone
felt alarmed. It was strange that Block and Mr. Barling could go about
unmolested by Timmy if Timmy was somewhere near! Could they have harmed him in
any way? They had no idea that Timmy was at that very minute with George's
father and Sooty!
'Look
at this!' said Julian, suddenly, and he shone his torch on to something to show
the others. 'String! String going right down this tunnel. Why?'
'It's
the tunnel that Mr. Barling and Block took!' said George. 'I believe it leads
to where they've taken my father and Sooty! They're keeping them prisoners down
here! I'm going to follow the string and find them! Who's coming with me?'
Chapter
Twenty-one A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HILL.
'I'm
coming!' said everyone at once. As if they would let George go alone!
So
down the dark tunnel they went, feeling the string and following it. Julian ran
it through his fingers, and the others followed behind, holding hands. It would
not do for anyone to get lost.
After
about ten minutes they came to the rounded cave where Sooty and George's father
had been the night before. They were not there now, of course - they were on
their way down to the marsh!
'Hallo,
look! This is where they must have been!' cried Julian, shining his torch
round. 'A bench - with tumbled rugs - and an over-turned lamp. And look here,
scraps of paper torn into bits! Something's been happening here!'
Quick-witted
George pieced it together in her mind. 'Mr. Barling took them here and left
them. Then he came back with some sort of proposal to Father, who refused it!
There must have beeen a struggle of some sort and the lamp got broken. Oh - I
do hope Father and Sooty got away all right.'
Julian
felt gloomy. CI hope to goodness they haven't gone wandering about these awful
tunnels. Even Sooty doesn't know a quarter of them. I wish I knew what's
happened.'
Someone's
coming!' suddenly said Dick. 'Snap out the light, Ju.'
Julian
snapped off the torch he carried. At once they
were
all four in darkness. They crouched at the back of the cave, listening.
Yes
- footsteps were coming. Rather cautious footsteps. 'Sounds like two or three
people,' whispered Dick. They came nearer. Whoever was coming was plainly
following the tunnel where the string was.
'Mr.
Barling perhaps - and Block,' whispered George. 'Come to have another talk with
Father! But he's gone!'
A
brilliant light flashed suddenly round the cave -and picked out the huddled
children. There was a loud exclamation of astonishment.
'Good
heavens! Who's here? What's all this?'
It
was Mr. Barling's voice. Julian stood up, blinking in the bright light.
'We
came to took for my uncle and Sooty,' he said. 'Where are they?'
'Aren't
they here?' said Mr. Barling, seeming surprised. 'And is that horrible brute of
a dog gone?'
'Oh
- was Timmy here?' cried George, joyfully. 'Where is he?'
There
were two other men with Mr. Barling. One was Block. The other was his servant.
Mr. Barling put down the lantern he was carrying.
'Do
you mean to say you don't know where the others are?' he said, uneasily.
Anne
gave a little scream. 'It's all your fault, you horrid man!'
'Shut
up, Anne!' said Julian. 'Mr. Barling,' he said, turning to the angry smuggler,
'I think you'd better come back with us and explain things. Mr. Lenoir is now
talking to the police.'
'Oh,
is he?' said Mr. Barling. 'Then I think it would be as well for us all to stay
down here for a while! Yes,
you
too! I'll make Mr. Lenoir squirm!  Got some
rope, Block?'
Block
stepped forward with the other man. They caught hold of George first, very
roughly.
She
screamed loudly. 'Timmy! Timmy! Where are you? Timmy, come and help! Oh, TIMMY!'
>
But
no Timmy came. She was soon in a corner with her hands tied behind her. Then
they turned to Julian.
'You're
mad' Julian said to Mr. Barling, who was standing nearby, holding the lantern.
'You must be mad to do things like this.'
'Timmy!'
shouted George, trying to free her hands. 'Timmy, Timmy, Timmy!'
Timmy
didn't hear. He was too far away. But the dog suddenly felt uneasy. He was with
George's father and Sooty at the edge of the marsh, about to lead them round
the hill to safety. But he stopped and listened. He could hear nothing of
course. But Timmy knew that George was in danger. He knew that his beloved
little mistress needed him.
His
ears did not tell him, nor did his nose. But his heart told him. George was in
danger!
He
turned and fled back into the tunnel. He tore up the winding passages at top
speed, panting.
 It was Timmy!
He
smelt his enemy, Mr. Barling, again! He smelt Block. Grrrrrrrr-rrrnr!
'Here's
that awful dog again!' yelled Block, and leapt away from Julian. 'Where's your
gun, Barling?'
But
Timmy didn't worry about guns. He leapt at Mr. Barling and got him on the
floor. He gave him a nip in the shoulder that made him yell. Then he leapt at
Block, and got him down, too. The other man fled.
 But nobody said a word. Let Timmy do what
he liked!
It
wasn't long before all three of the men had gone into the dark tunnel,
staggering about without a light, trying to find their way back. But they
missed the string, and went wandering away in the darkness, groaning and
terrified.
Timmy
came running back very pleased with himself. He went to George and, whining
with joy, he licked his little mistress from head to foot. And George, who
never cried, was most astonished to find the tears pouring down her cheeks.
'But I'm glad, not sad!' she said. 'Oh, somebody undo my hands! I can't pat
Timmy!'
Dick
undid her hands and Julian's. Then they all had a marvellous time making a fuss
of Timmy. And what a fuss he made of them too! He whined and barked, he rolled
over and over, he licked them and butted them all with his head. He was wild
with delight.
'Oh
Timmy - it's lovely to have you again,' said George, happily. 'Now you can lead
us to the others. I'm sure you know where Father is, Timmy, and Sooty.'
Timmy
did, of course. He set off, his tail wagging, George's hand on his collar, and
the others behind in a line, holding hands.
They
had the lantern with them and two torches, so they could see the way easily.
But they would never have taken the right tunnels if Timmy hadn't been with
them. The dog had explored them all thoroughly, and his sense of smell enabled
him to go the right way without mistake.
'He's
a marvellous dog,' said Anne. 'I think he's the best dog in the world, George.'
'Of
course he is,' said George, who had always thought that ever since she had had
Timmy as a puppy. 'Darling Tim - wasn't it wonderful when he came racing up and
jumped at Block just as he was tying Julian's hands? He must have known we
needed him!'
'I
suppose he's taking us to wherever your father and Sooty are,' said Dick. 'He
seems certain of the way. We're going steadily downhill. I bet we'll be at the
marshes soon!'
When
they at last came to the bottom of the hill, and emerged from the tunnel in the
mists, George gave a yell. 'Look! There's Father - and Sooty too!'
'Uncle
Quentin!' shouted Julian, Dick and Anne. 'Sooty! Hallo, here we are!'
Uncle
Quentin and Sooty turned in the greatest surprise. They jumped up and went to
meet the dog and the excited children.
'How
did you get here?' said George's father, giving her a hug. 'Did Timmy go back
for you? He suddenly deserted us and fled back into the tunnel.'
'What's
happened?' asked Sooty, eagerly, knowing that the others would have plenty of
news.
'Heaps,'
said George, her face glowing. It was so nice all to be together again, Timmy
too.
'Well,'
said Julian at last, 'I suppose we ought to be getting back, or the police will
be sending out bloodhounds to trace us all! Mr. Lenoir will be surprised to see
us all turning up together.'
'I
wish I wasn't in pyjamas,' said his uncle, drawing the rugs about him. 'I shall
feel queer walking the streets like this!'
'Never
mind - it's awfully misty now,' said George, and she shivered a little, for the
air was damp. 'Timmy - show us the way out of this place. I'm sure you know
it.'
Timmy
had never been out of the tunnel before, but he seemed to know what to do. He
set off round the foot of the hill, the rest following, marvelling at the way
Timmy found a dry path to follow. In the mist it was almost impossible to see
which place was safe to walk on and which was not. The treacherous marsh was
all around them!
'Hurrah!
There's the road!' cried Julian, suddenly, as they came in sight of the roadway
built over the marsh, running up the hill from the salty stretches of mud. They
picked their way to it, their feet soaked with wet mud. Timmy tried to take a
flying leap on to it.
But
somehow or other he slipped! He fell back into the marsh, tried to find a safe
foothold and couldn't. He whined.
'Timmy!
Oh look, he's in the mud - and he's sinking!' screamed George, in panic.
'Timmy, Timmy, I'm coming!'
She
was about to step down into the marsh to rescue Tim, but her fatter pulled her
back roughly. 'Do you want to sink in, too?' he cried. 'Timmy will get out all
right.'
But
he wasn't getting out. He was sinking. 'Do something, oh, do something!'
shouted George, struggling to get away from her father's hold. 'Oh, save Timmy,
quick!'
Chapter
Twenty-two THINGS COME RIGHT AT LAST.
BUT
what could anyone do? In despair they all gazed at poor Timmy, who was
struggling with all his might in the sinking mud. 'He's going down!' wept Anne.
Suddenly
there came the sound of rumbling wheels along the road to the hill. It was a
lorry carrying a load of goods - coal, coke, planks, logs, sacks of various
things. George yelled to it.
'Stop,
stop! Help us! Our dog's in the marsh.'
The
lorry came to a stop. George's father ran his eye over the things it carried.
In a trice he and Julian were dragging out some planks from the load. They
threw these into the marsh, and, using them as stepping-stones, the two reached
poor sinking Timmy.
The
lorry-driver jumped down to help. Into the marsh, crosswise on the other
planks, went some more wood, to make a safe path. The first lot were already
sinking jn the mud.
'Uncle
Quentin's got Timmy - he's pulling him up! He's got him!' squealed Anne.
George
had sat down suddenly at the edge of the road, looking white. She saw that
Timmy would now be rescued, and she felt sick with shock and relief.
It
was a difficult business getting Timmy right out, for the mud was strong, and
sucked him down as hard as it could. But at last he was out, and he staggered
across the sinking planks, trying to wag a very muddy tail.
Muddy
as he was George flung her arms round him.  Oh, how
you
smell - but I don't care a bit! I thought you were gone, poor, poor Timmy!'
The
lorry-driver looked ruefully at his planks in the marsh. They were now out of
sight beneath the mud. Uncle Quentin, feeling rather foolish in pyjamas and
rugs, spoke to him.
'I've
no money on me now, but if you'll call at Smuggler's Top sometime I'll pay you
well for your lost planks and your help.'
'Well,
I'm delivering some coal to the house next to Smuggler's Top,' said the man,
eyeing Uncle Quentin's curious attire. 'Maybe you'd all like a lift? There's
plenty of room at the back there.'
It
was getting dark now, as well as being foggy, and everyone was tired.
Thankfully they climbed up into the lorry, and it roared up the hill into
Castaway. Soon they were at Smuggler's Top, and they all clambered down,
suddenly feeling rather stiff.
I'll
be calling tomorrow,' said the driver. 'Can't stop now. Good evening to you
all!'
The
little company rang the bell. Sarah came hurrying to the door. She almost fell
over in surprise as she saw everyone standing there in the light of the
hall-lamp.
'Lands'
sakes!' she said. 'You're all back! My, Mr. And Mrs. Lenoir will be glad -
they've got the police hunting everywhere for you! They've gone down secret
passages, and they've been to Mr. Barling's, and...'
Timmy
bounced into the hall, the mud now drying on him, so that he looked most
peculiar. Sarah gave a scream. 'What's that? Gracious, it can't be a dog!'
'Come
here, Tim!' said George, suddenly remembering that Mr. Lenoir detested dogs.
'Sarah, do you think you'd have poor Timmy in the kitchen with you? I really
can't
turn him out into the streets - you've no idea how brave he's been.'
'Come
along, come along!' said her father, impatient with all this talk. 'Lenoir can
put up with Timmy for a few minutes, surely!'
'Oh,
I'll have him with pleasure!' said Sarah. 'I'll give him a bath. That's what he
wants. Mr. and Mrs. Lenoir are in the sitting-room, sir.
The
little party went in, and made their way to the sitting-room, while Timmy went
docilely to the kitchen with the excited Sarah. Mr. Lenoir heard the talking
and flung open the sitting-room door.
Mrs.
Lenoir fell on Sooty, tears pouring down her cheeks. Marybelle pawed at him in
delight, just as if she was a dog! Mr. Lenoir rubbed his hands, clapped everyone
on the back, and said: 'Well, well! Fine to see you all safe and sound. Well,
well! What a tale you've got to tell, I'm sure!'
'It's
a strange tale, Lenoir,' said George's father. 'Very strange. But I'll have to
see to my feet before I tell it. I've walked miles in my bare feet, and they're
very painful now!'
So,
with bits of tales pouring out from everyone, the household bustled round and
got hot water for bathing Uncle Quentin's feet, a dressing-gown for him, food
for everyone, and hot drinks. It was really a most exciting time, and now that
the thrills were all over, the children rather felt important to be able to
relate so much.
Then
the police came in, of course, and the Inspector at once asked a lot of
questions. Everyone wanted to answer them, but the Inspector said that only
George's father, Sooty and George were to tell the tale. They knew most about
everything.
Mr.
Lenoir was perhaps the most surprised person there. When he heard how Mr.
Barling had actually offered to buy the plans for draining the marsh, and how
he had frankly admitted to being a smuggler, he sat back in his chair, unable
to say a word.
'He's
mad, of course!' said the Inspector of Police. 'Doesn't seem to live in this
world at all!'
'That's
just what I said to him,' said Sooty. 'I told him he ought to have lived a
hundred years ago!'
'Well,
we've tried to catch him in the smuggling business many and many a time,' said
the Inspector, 'but he was too artful. Fancy him planting Block here as a spy,
sir - that was a clever bit of work - and Block using your tower as a
signalling place! Bit of nerve, that! And Block isn't deaf, after all? That was
clever, too - sending him about, pretending he was stone-deaf, so that he could
catch many a bit of knowledge not meant for his ears!'
'Do
you think we ought to do something about Block and Mr. Barling and the other
man?' said Julian, suddenly. 'For all we know they're still wandering about in
that maze of tunnels - and two of them are bitten by Timmy, we know.'
'Ah
yes - that dog saved your lives, I should think,' said the Inspector. 'A bit of
luck, that. Sorry you don't like dogs, Mr. Lenoir, but I'm sure you'll admit it
was a lucky thing for you all that he was wandering about!'
'Yes
- yes, it was,' said Mr. Lenoir. 'Of course, Block never wanted dogs here,
either - he was afraid they might bark at his curious comings and goings, I
suppose. By the way - where is this marvellous dog? I don't mind seeing him for
a moment - though I do detest dogs, and always shall.'
'I'll
get him,' said George. 'I only hope Sarah's done what she said, and bathed him.
He was awfully muddy!'
She
went out and came back with Timmy. But what a different Timmy! Sarah had given
him a good hot bath, and had dried him well. He smelt sweet and fresh, his coat
was springy and clean, and he had had a good meal. He was feeling very pleased
with himself and everything.
'Timmy
- meet a friend,' said George to him, solemnly.  He trotted straight up to him, and held up his right paw
politely to shake hands, as George had taught him.
Mr.
Lenoir was rather taken aback. He was not used to good manners in dogs. He
couldn't help putting out his hand to Timmy - and the two shook hands in a most
friendly manner. Timmy didn't attempt to lick Mr.
Lenoir
or jump up at him. He took away his paw, gave a little wuff as if to say
'How-do-you-do?' and then went back to George. He lay down quietly beside her.
'Well -he doesn't seem like a dog!' said Mr. Lenoir, in surprise.
'Oh,
he is,' said George, at once, very earnestly. 'He's a real, proper dog, Mr.
Lenoir - only much, much cleverer than most dogs are. Could I keep him, please,
while we stay here, and get someone in the town to look after him?'
'Well
- seeing he is such a very fine fellow - and seems so sensible - I'll let you
have him here,' said Mr. Lenoir, making a great effort to be generous. 'Only -
please keep him out of my way. I'm sure a sensible boy like you will see to
that.'
Everyone
grinned when Mr. Lenoir called George a boy. He never seemed to realize she was
a girl. She grinned, too. She wasn't going to tell him she wasn't a boy!
'You'll
never see him!' she said, joyfully. 'I'll keep him right out of your way. Thank
you very much. It's awfully good of you.'
The
Inspector liked Timmy, too. He looked at him and nodded across to George. 'When
you want to get' rid of him, sell him to me!' he said. 'We could do with a dog
like that in our police force! Soon round up the smugglers for us!'
George
didn't even bother to reply! As if she would ever sell Timmy, or let him go
into the police force!
All
the same, the Inspector had to call on Timmy for help before long. When the
next day came, and no one had found Mr. Barling and his companions in the maze
of tunnels, and they hadn't turned up anywhere, the Inspector asked George if
she would let Timmy go down into the tunnels and hunt them out.
'Can't
leave them there, lost and starving,' he said.
'Bad
as they are we'll have to rescue them! Timmy is the only one who can find
them.'
That
was true, of course. So Timmy once more went underground into the hill, and
hunted for his enemies. He found them after a while, lost in the maze of
passages, hungry and thirsty, in pain and frightened.
He
took them like sheep to where the police waited for them. And after that Mr.
Barling and his friends disappeared from public life for quite a long time!
'The
police must be glad to have got them at last,' said Mr. Lenoir. 'They have
tried to stop this smuggling for a long time. They even suspected me at one
time! Barling was a clever fellow, though I still think he was half mad. When
Block found out my ideas about draining the marsh, Barling was afraid that once
the mists and the marsh were gone, that would be the end of all his excitements
- no more smuggling! No more waiting for his little ships to come creeping up
in the fog - no more lines of men slipping across the secret ways of the marsh
- no more signalling, no more hiding away of smuggled goods, Did you know that
the police had found a cave full of them inside the hill?'
It
was an exciting adventure to talk about, now that it was all over. The children
felt sorry about one thing, though - they were sorry that they had thought Mr.
Lenoir so horrid. He was a queer man in many ways, but he could be kind and
jolly too.
'Did
you know we're leaving Smuggler's Top?' said Sooty. 'Mother was so terribly
upset when I disappeared, that Father promised her he'd sell the place and
leave Castaway, if I came back safe and sound. Mother's thrilled!'
'So
am I,' said Marybelle. 'I don't like Smuggler's Top - it's so queer and secret
and lonely!'
'Well,
if it will make you all happy to leave it, I'm glad,' said Julian. 'But I like
it! I think it's a lovely place, set on a hill-top like this, with mists at its
foot, and secret ways all about it. I'll be sorry never to come here again, if
you leave.'
'So
will I,' said Dick, and Anne and George nodded.
'It's
an adventurous place!' said George, patting Timmy. 'Isn't it, Timmy? Do you
like it, Timmy? Have you enjoyed your adventure here?'
'Woof!'
said Timmy, and thumped his tail on the floor. Of course he had enjoyed
himself. He always did, so long as George was anywhere about.
'Well
- now perhaps we'll have a nice peaceful time!' said Marybelle. 'I don't want
any more adventures.'
'Ah,
but we do!' said the others. So no doubt they will get them. Adventures always
come to the adventurous, there's no doubt about that!


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