Five Have a Mystery to Solve (11 page)

Almost as he said the words, he saw a smal steamer in the far distance! „Well! There"s the steamer, just as I said! I bet the boat wil appear soon, and be loaded - and then chug off to the waiting steamer!"

But the steamer came no nearer, and no boats appeared. „Waiting for the tide, I expect,"

thought Wilfrid. „Goodness, what wil the others say when I tel them all this! They won"t believe me! And I bet they won"t scold me for going off by myself!"

He decided to go back and find the others and tell them what he had seen. He set off trying to remember the way. Surely he must be near the place where he had left them?

And then quite suddenly, someone leapt out from behind a tree and caught hold of him!

„Let me go, let me go!" shouted Wilfrid, in a panic. And then he gave a cry of relief, as he suddenly saw Timmy running towards him.

„Timmy! Save me!"

But Timmy didn"t come running to save him. He stood there, looking up at him, rather puzzled, while poor Wilfrid went on struggling, real y frightened!

Then Wilfrid heard a giggle. A GIGGLE? Who in the world could be giggling just then? He forced himself to look round - and saw Dick and Anne, doing their best not to laugh, and George holding her sides. His captor let go of him and began to laugh too. It was Julian!

„I say - this is too bad! You gave me a most awful fright," said Wilfrid. „I"ve already been captured once this afternoon. Whatever do you think you"re doing?"

„Where have you been, Wilfrid?" said Julian, rather sternly. „I forbade you to go for a walk -

and you went."

„I know. I went off by myself- and a man caught me and scared me. Then I ran away and lost myself. I couldn"t find any of you," said poor Wilfrid. „But my word, I saw something very very interesting on that walk of mine!"

„What?" asked Julian, at once.

„Let"s sit down, and I"l tell you," said Wilfrid. „I feel quite shaky. You real y were beasts to jump on me like that."

„Never mind, Wilfrid," said Anne, feeling sorry for the boy, who real y did look rather shaken. „Now go on, tell us everything that happened."

Wilfrid sat down. He was stil trembling a little. Everything seemed to have happened at once. He began to tell the others about the Wailing Cliffs, and al he had seen.

They all listened with intense interest. „So that"s the other way to the underground treasure-chamber - through a passage in the clips!" said Julian. „I never thought of that!

My word, that"s something to know. I vote we go and explore the cliffs ourselves, when there"s nobody about."

„Well, it had better be in the evening," said Wilfrid. „Just in case we were spotted climbing down the cliffs to find the passage - if there is one, and I think there must be! Those men might be on the watch, now they know there"s someone on the island. I bet they guess I"m not the only one - even though I told them I came alone."

„I vote we have something to eat," said George. „We can talk over everything then. It"s ages since we had a meal. Let"s go and open some more tins, and plan what we"re going to do tonight. This is getting too exciting for words. Isn"t it, Timmy?"

„Woof," agreed Timmy. Too exciting, he thought. Yes - and dangerous, too. He"d keep close to George that evening, as close as ever he could! If she went into danger, Timmy would be close by her side!

The five children talked and talked, as they opened more tins and had a most peculiar meal of ham spread with fruit salad and beans. They finished up with another barley sugar each. George gave hers to Timmy who disposed of it with a crick-crack-swal ow!

„Have we al got torches?" asked Julian. „I know it wil be bright moonlight tonight, but as we shall presumably be getting down - or up - dark caves, we shal want torches."

Yes - they each had a torch. Wilfrid, for some reason, had two, rather small, but quite efficient.

„What"s the plan going to be, Ju?" asked George, and Timmy gave a little whine, as if to say, „Yes, tell us." He sat by George, listening earnestly, with Wilfrid on the other side of him.

At times he sniffed at the baby hedgehog stil in the boy"s pocket, and apparently quite happy there. Wilfrid had been busy catching insects for it, much to Timmy"s interest.

„I propose that we go to the cliffs - the Wailing Cliffs - as soon as it"s twilight, and make our way down," said Julian. „There is probably some kind of pathway down, I should think -

even if only a rabbit-path. I"l lead the way down, of course. Anne and Wilfrid are to come between me and Dick, with George and Timmy behind."

„Right!" said everyone.

„We are, of course, to make as little noise as possible," said Julian. „And do try not to send stones hurtling down the path or cliff just in case anyone"s about! When we get down to the rocks, we"ll let Wilfrid go ahead, because he saw where the men went in and out earlier on."

Wilfrid felt suddenly important. My word - it was like planning an exploration! He suddenly remembered something - the wailing noise.

„I hope the girls won"t be scared when they hear the awful wailing noise," he said. „It"s only the wind screaming in and out of the holes and corners of the great cliffs."

George made a scornful noise. „Who"s scared of the wind!" she said.

„Timmy might be," said Julian, smiling. „We know what makes the wailing. He doesn"t! You may have to hold him when it begins, George. He"l be a bit restive."

„He won"t!" said George. „Timmy"s not afraid of anything in the world!"

„Oh yes, he is," said Dick, at once. „I know something that scares him dreadfully - makes him put his tail down and flop his ears."

„You do not!" said George, angrily.

„Well, haven"t you seen him when you speak sharply to him?" said Dick, with a chuckle.

„He goes al shaky in the legs!"

Everyone laughed except George. „He does not," she said. „Nothing scares Timmy, not even me. So shut up, Dick."

„It may be that it would be best for only one or two of us to go right into the depths of the caves," went on Julian. „If so, the rest must wait in hiding. Just keep on the look-out for any signal from me. I don"t expect we shal see a soul down there tonight, but you never know. If there is a way through the cliffs to that underground chamber where we saw the golden statues, we shal be in real luck. We shall then be absolutely certain how things can be taken in and out."

„Taken in? But I thought they had been there for ages," said Dick, „and were probably only taken out to sell. Smuggled out."

„Well, I think it may be more than that," said Julian. „It might even be a central clearing-ground for a great gang of high-class thieves, who would hide valuable stolen goods there til it was safe to sell them. However, that"s only guessing!"

„I think somebody"s discovered the underground chamber, full of that rich old man"s treasures, and is taking them out bit by bit," said Dick. „Anyway, whatever it is, it"s awfully exciting. To think we know so much!"

„Al because we went down the well to get some water!" said Anne.

„Put on your sweaters," said Julian. „It may be freezing cold in the wind that rages round those cliffs!"

„I"m longing to start!" said George. „It"s an adventure, this - do you hear that, Timmy? An adventure!"

„Anything more, Julian?" asked Anne. Julian always sounded so very grown-up when he gave them a plan of campaign. She felt very proud of him.

„That"s the lot," said Julian, „except that we"l have some sort of a meal before we go this evening. Wilfrid wil have to lead the way for us, as he"s the only one who knows it - but when we come to the cliff, I"l lead you down. Can"t have anyone missing a footstep and rolling headlong, frightening any robber or smuggler!"

„Do you hear that, Timmy?" said George, and Timmy whined, and put a paw on George"s knee as if to say: „It"s a pity you haven"t sure feet like mine, with rubber pads beneath, so that your footing is always sure!"

George patted his paw. „Yes - you"ve fine sure feet, Tim. I wish I could buy some like them!"

The time seemed to go very very slowly after that. Everyone was eager to start, and kept looking at their watches! The sun left a bright glow in the sky, so they would probably start more or less in daylight, which would, however, soon fade into twilight.

They had another meal, but strangely enough, nobody felt very hungry! „We"re too excited!" said Julian, giving Timmy a biscuit. Timmy was the only one who didn"t seem at all excited. As for George, she fidgeted and fidgeted until everyone was quite tired of her!

At last they started off. Wilfrid led them at first, as he knew the way. Actual y he found that he didn"t real y know it - it was the loud wind that guided him, just as it had done before.

„Awfully like far-off voices shouting to one another," he said, and everyone at once agreed.

When they came near to the cliff, the sound gradual y changed into the mournful wailing noise that gave the cliffs their name. „EEEE-ee-OOOOO-oo-EEEEEEEEAH-OOO!"

„Not very nice," said Anne, shivering a little. „It sounds as if someone is crying and sobbing and howling!"

„Good name for this place - Wailing Cliff" said Dick. „I say - what a wind up here! I"m glad my hair"s my own! It would certainly be blown off if it weren"t! Hang on to old Timmy, George - he"s more blowable than we are - not so heavy!"

George put her hand on Timmy"s collar at once. How DREADFUL if Timmy were to be blown over the cliff! He gave her a grateful lick. He didn"t like the wind here very much - it had a truly miserable voice!

They came to the edge of the cliff and looked down cautiously, in case anyone should be on the rocks below. But, except for some big gulls preening their feathers there, there was no sign of life.

„No boats about - no steamer - nothing," said Dick. „Al clear, Julian!"

Julian had been looking for a good path down the cliff. There didn"t seem to be a continuous one. „We"ll have to go so far - then climb down a bit - then walk along that ledgy bit, see - then climb down that slanting rock - the great big one - and get down on to the more level rocks. OK everyone?"

„I"l let Timmy go first," said George. „He is so sure-footed and wil know the best way. Go on, Timmy - lead us down!"

Timmy understood at once and went in front of Julian. He took the first little path down the cliff, slid down the next bit, walked along the ledge that Julian had pointed out, and then stood and waited for everyone. He gave a little bark as if to say, „Come along. It"s easy!

Follow me!"

They all followed, some more careful y than others. George and Wilfrid were least careful, and poor Wilfrid lost his footing and slid quite a long way on his behind. He didn"t like it at all, and looked quite scared!

„Watch your feet, now, Wilfrid," said Julian. „It"s getting a bit dark, so don"t try any funny tricks. You tried to jump over that big stone instead of stepping over careful y. I real y don"t want to send Timmy down to the bottom of the cliff to pick up your pieces!"

At last they were all down the cliff, and on the rocks below. The tide was out, so that waves did not splash up and soak them. Anne suddenly slipped into a pool and made her shoes wet, but that didn"t matter. They were only rubber ones.

„Now - exactly where did you see those men, Wilfrid?" asked Julian, stopping on a big flat rock. Wilfrid jumped beside him, and pointed.

„See the cliff over there? See that funny rock shaped rather like a bear? Well, that"s where I saw the men. They went by that rock, and disappeared."

„Right," said Julian. „Now, no more talking please - though this wailing sound would drown almost anything. Fol ow me!"

He went over the rocks towards the big bear-like one that Wilfrid had pointed to. The others fol owed, a little tide of excitement wel ing up inside them. Anne caught hold of Wilfrid"s hand, and squeezed it. „Exciting, isn"t it?" she said, and Wilfrid nodded eagerly. He knew he would have been scared stiff by himself - but with the others it was an adventure

- a real y exciting adventure!

They came to the bear-like rock. Near it was a dark place in the cliff - a way in? „That"s where the men came out, Julian," said Wilfrid, keeping his voice low. „Do we go in there?"

„We do," said Julian. „I"m going in first and I"m going to stand quite stil and listen, as soon as I get the sound of the wind and sea out of my ears. If I hear nothing I"l whistle, see?

Then you can al come in too."

„Right!" said everyone, thril ed. They watched as Julian went to the dark slit-like opening.

He paused and looked inside. It was so dark that he knew they would all need their torches! He switched on his powerful one and shone it into the passage. He saw a ditch that ran slanting upwards for some way, and on either side, a rocky ledge, not too rough.

Water ran down the rocky ditch and bubbled out beside him, to join the sea over the rocks.

„I"m just going into the cliff tunnel a little way, to see if I can hear anything or anyone," he said. „Wait here." He disappeared inside the dark opening and everyone waited in impatient excitement.

A gull suddenly swooped down close to their heads. „Ee-ooo, ee-ooo, EEE-OOO!" it screeched and made them all jump violently. Wilfrid almost fell off his rock, and clutched at George. Timmy growled, and looked up angrily at the seagul . Silly bird, frightening everyone like that!

There came a low whistle, and Julian appeared again, his torch switched on. „Al clear,"

he said. „I can"t hear a sound inside the opening, and I"ve been some way along. It"s not hard going. There"s a funny little stream flowing down, and a ledge either side we can walk on. Very convenient! Now, no talking please - and be careful even of your whispers -

every sound seems to be magnified in here. Keep hold of Timmy, George, in the steepest places."

Timmy gave a little whine of surprise when George took him inside the cliff. At once his whine was magnified all round them, and everyone jumped. Timmy didn"t like it at al .

George took firm hold of Timmy"s collar. „You"re to keep close by me," she whispered,