chapter 15 what's up, tim?

the four children sat and talked for a long time, sitting round the little oil-stove, eating a goodsupper. what would be the best thing to do? it was all very well for george to flare up and say theywould see to things, they would rescue the old lady from the tower - but how could they even beginto do anything? for one thing they didn't know how to get into the house! no one was going to risk abattle with that fierce dog!

'if only that kid aily would help us!' said julian, at last. 'she's really our only hope. it's no good goingto the police - it would take us ages to go down to the village at the bottom of the mountain, and findout where the nearest police station is - and we'd never get a village policeman to believe our tale!'

'i wonder the villagers don't do something about old towers,' said dick, puzzled. 'i mean - all thosepeculiar vibrations we felt last night - and the noises we heard - and the light in the sky when thatmist hung over the place...'

'yes - but i suppose all those things are seen and heard up here in the mountains much more clearlythan down in the valley below,' said anne, sensibly. 'i don't expect that queer shuddering would befelt in the valley nor would the rumblings be heard, and even the strange mist over old towers mightnot be seen.'

'that's true,' said julian. 'i never thought of that. yes - we up here would see a lot... and possibly theshepherd higher up on the hills would, as well. i dare say the farm down below us would seesomething, too... well, we know they did, because of morgan's behaviour to us tonight! he obviouslyknew what we were talking about!'

'he's also obviously hand in glove with the men in that place - the big men and little men that ailyspoke of. gosh - i wish she'd show us how to get into that house. how does she get in? i'm blowed ifi can think of any way. with that electric fence all round, it sounds impossible.'

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'the fence that bites!' said george, with a laugh. 'fancy that child touching the fence and getting ashock. she's an extraordinary little creature, isn't she - quite wild!'

'i hope she didn't get a whipping,' said anne. 'she is a naughty little truant, of course - but you can'thelp liking her. does anybody want more cheese? and there are still some apples left - or i couldopen a tin of pears.'

'i vote for the pears,' said dick. 'i feel like something really sweet. i say - this stay up here is turningout rather exciting, isn't it?'

'we always seem to run into trouble,' said anne, going to the cupboard to fetch the tin of pears.

'give it a better name, anne, old thing,' said dick. 'adventure! that's what we're always running into.

some people do, you know - they just can't help it. and we're those sort of people. jolly good thingtoo - it makes life exciting!'

timmy suddenly began to bark, and everyone started up at once. now what was up?

'let timmy out,' said dick. 'with all these queer goings-on i feel as if it would be just as well to lettim examine anyone coming by here at night!'

'right,' said george, and went to the door - but as she was about to open it, she heard a dog barkingoutside, just beyond the hut. she swung round.

'i'm not letting timmy out! that might be morgan with his dogs! i seem to recognise that deep bark!'

'someone's coming by,' said anne, half scared. 'my word - it is morgan!'

so it was. he passed by the window, and they saw his great shoulders and head bent against the windas he went on up the hill. he didn't even glance in at them - but the three dogs, who were with him,began to bark furiously as they sensed another dog in the hut. timmy barked back furiously too.

then all was quiet. morgan had gone by and the dogs with him. 'whew - i'm glad you didn't let timout as i suggested,' said dick. 'he'd have been torn to pieces!'

'where do you suppose morgan's going?' asked anne. 'it's funny he should be going up the hill -not even in the direction of old towers!'

'probably going to talk to the shepherd,' said julian. 'he's farther up the hill with his sheep. i say -i wonder if he's in this too!'

'oh no,' said anne. 'he's good - i could feel it in my bones. i can't imagine him mixed up with a gangof any sort.'

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nobody could, of course. they had all liked the shepherd. but why else would morgan be going upto him at this time of night?

'he might be going to tell him that we know too much,' suggested julian. 'he might ask him to keepan eye on us.'

'or he might be going to complain of aily, and her doings inside the grounds of old towers,'

said dick. 'goodness - do you suppose that kid will get into trouble because we told morgan abouther - and gave him the bit of paper she found?'

they all stared at one another in dismay. anne nodded soberly. 'yes - that's it, of course. aily willcertainly get into trouble over this - oh, why did we think of telling morgan what we knew?

poor little aily!'

they all felt very uncomfortable about aily. they liked the wild, fey little creature with her pet lamband little dog. now perhaps she would be well beaten because of what they had told morgan!

none of them felt like playing cards just then. they sat and talked, wondering if they would hearmorgan coming back. they knew timmy would bark if he did.

sure enough he began to bark about half-past eight, and made them all jump. 'that will be morgancoming back,' said julian, and they watched the window to see if his head and shoulders would passby again. but they didn't. neither did any dog bark outside.

then george saw that timmy was sitting with his ears pricked up, and his head on one side.

why? and if he could really hear something, why didn't he bark again? she was puzzled.

'look at tim,' she said. 'he's heard something - and yet he's not barking. and he doesn't look veryworried either. what's up, tim?'

timmy took no notice. he sat there listening intently, still with his head on one side. what could hehear? it was most tantalising to the others, because not one of them could hear anything at all.

the countryside seemed to be absolutely quiet at that moment.

then suddenly tim jumped up and barked joyfully! he ran to the door and whined, scraping at thebottom of it with his paw. he looked back at george and barked again, as if to say 'buck up!

open the door!'

'well!' said dick, in surprise. 'what's up, timmy? has your best friend come to call? shall we openthe door, julian?'

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'i'll go,' said julian, and went to open the door cautiously. timmy leapt out at once, barking andwhining.

'there's nobody here,' said julian, astonished. 'nobody at all! hey, tim, what's all the fuss about?

give me that torch, dick, will you? i'll go out after him and see what the excitement is.'

out he went, and flashed the torch around to find timmy. ah - there he was, scraping at the littlewooden bunker that held the oil-cans and the big enamel jug. julian was astonished.

'whatever's come over you, tim?' he said. 'there's nothing here in this bunker - look, i'll lift the lidso that you can peep inside and see, silly dog!'

he lifted up the lid, and shone his torch inside, to show timmy that it was empty.

but it wasn't! julian almost let the lid drop down in his surprise! someone was there - someone smalland half-frozen! it was aily!

'aily!' said julian, hardly believing his eyes. 'what on earth - aily - what are you doing here?'

aily blinked up at him, looking scared to death. she clutched the lamb and the dog, and didn't say aword. julian saw that she was shivering, and crying bitterly.

'poor little aily bach!' he said, using the only welsh word he knew. 'come into the hut - we'll get youwarm and make you better.'

the child shook her head and clutched her animals closer. but julian was not going to leave her therein the little oil-bunker on that cold night! he lifted her up, animals and all, and cuddled her.

aily strove to get free but his arms were strong and held her close.

george's voice came impatiently from the hut. 'ju! tim! where are you? have you found anything?'

'yes,' called back julian. 'we have. we're bringing it along - it's quite a surprise!'

he carried the shivering child into the hut, and the others stared in the utmost astonishment.

aily! a cold, forlorn and miserable little aily, pale and shivering! and the lamb and dog too!

'bring her near the stove,' said anne, and stroked the child's thin arm. 'poor aily!'

julian tried to set her down, and the animals as well, but she clung to him. she sensed that he wasgood and kind and strong, and his arms were very comforting. julian sat down on a chair, stillholding the little creature closely. the dog and lamb slid off his knee and ran sniffing round the room.

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'she was in the oil-bunker out there - she and the lamb and dog,' he said. 'all cuddled up together.

partly hiding, i should think, and partly for shelter. maybe she's slept there before, with these two.

isn't she a poor little mite? she seems very unhappy. let's give her something to eat.'

'i'll make some hot cocoa,' said anne. 'george, get some bread and butter and cheese for her -and hadn't we better get the lamb and dog something too? what do you give lambs?'

'milk out of a bottle,' said dick. 'but we haven't got a feeding-bottle! i dare say it will lap milk.

good gracious - the things that happen here!'

aily felt warm and comforted in julian's arms. she lay there like a little animal, too cold and tired tobe scared. julian was glad to hold her and comfort her. poor little thing - what had made her comethis long way so late at night?

'she must have gone home with her mother,' he said, watching the little dog hobnobbing with adelighted timmy. 'and probably got a whipping, and was shut up somewhere. and then my guess isthat morgan went down to see if she was there, and to scold her, and tell her mother to be sure andnot let her out, and...'

'morgan!' repeated aily, sitting up in fear, looking all round as if he might be there. 'morgan!

no! no!'

'it's all right, little thing,' said julian. 'we'll look after you. morgan shan't get you!'

'see?' he said to the others. 'i bet i'm right! it was he who went and scared her - and as soon as he wasgone, i expect she escaped from her mother's house and came up here to hide. that horrible fellow! ifhe shouted at her as he shouted at us, she'd be scared stiff. i bet he was afraid she'd go and give moreof the game away unless she was shut up - might even show us the way into the old house over on theopposite hill!'

timmy suddenly gave a bark - but not a joyful one this time! anne cried out at once, 'that may bemorgan coming back! hide aily, for goodness sake - or he'll drag her out of here and take her backwith him! quick - where shall we hide her?'