Lone pine five, p.13
Lone Pine Five, page 13
This was David's chance.
"Are you really going to send for a policeman?" he asked quietly. "If he comes perhaps you'll ask him to come up here. We've been wondering when we ought to tell the police what we know about Mr Wilkins."
"And what do you know?" Smithson blurted.
Tom took up the tale.
"When we ran down to your camp before breakfast we saw Mr Wilkins forcing his way out of your caravan. We thought perhaps we ought to let the police know that he'd been locked in."
"Maybe that's why you want the police?" David remarked. "If you want to talk to them about that there's no need for us to do so, but I expect they'll like to know what Tom saw... Was there anything else you wanted?"
"Listen," Smithson gasped. "Listen, kids. I'm trying to be patient and I'm trying to play fair. The fun is all over now. Do any of you know where Mr Wilkins has gone? It's urgent. I gotta know in a hurry." He brought out a bulging wallet. "I'd pay good money to know where that old man has gone."
David flushed with anger, but Peter smiled sweetly. "But surely you said he was in your charge and that you're looking after him? Surely he wouldn't want to run away if you're so kind to him?"
"Never mind about answering that brat's smart questions," Mrs Smithson shouted. "It's Percy I want... Aren't you man enough to deal with kids? Go up there and fetch Percy. Make them give him up."
Her husband regarded her distastefully.
"Listen, kids," he began again. "Tell me where Wilkins is and I'll say nothing more and pay you for your trouble."
"But Percy" Mrs Smithson wailed. "It's Percy we want. Go up there and get him."
At this stage, just when David was wondering what to do next, Percy saved him by pushing between Peter and Tom and speaking to his parents.
"Say or do what you like, Pop," he began with his usual courtesy, "but I'm not coming down there with you now."
"Not coming, my precious?" his mother cried. "Of course you're coming. You can't stay here with these horrible children who have been ill-treating you... They have been ill-treating you, haven't they?"
Here Dickie threw back his head and released what he hoped was a laugh of scorn.
"We'll swop him for Mr Wilkins like we said in the note. No Mr Wilkins, no Percy," he said tersely.
"Be quiet, Dickie," David snapped as Mrs Smithson cried:
"Did you hear that? They admit it! It's kidnapping, that's what it is." Then she lifted her voice again: "Come home with us now, my precious boy. Your father will see that they don't hurt you again."
But Percy could smell stew bubbling in the pot behind him and he was very hungry. He also felt that the Lone Piners were despising him for the way his mother was behaving, and he had an idea that he wanted to show them that he was not so feeble as they thought. They had indeed already done something for him!
"It's no good, Ma," he said. "I'm not coming with you yet. I like these kids. I like it here."
"You don't!" Mary gasped indignantly. "You hate us. You've jolly well got to hate us. We hate you. How dare you say you like us?"
"But I do. I like you specially, Mary. You're the nicest girl I ever met. I want to stay up here with you... You promised I could share your camp."
Dickie was horrified at the expression on his sister's face.
"But you can't do that," he said. "You just can't like us... Why, we tortured you."
"Tortured!" Mrs Smithson wailed.
"Yes, they did," Percy boasted. "They tied me to a tree and fixed a tin with a hole in the bottom over my head and filled the tin with water."
"It's an Indian torture," Mary explained brightly. "The idea is that a drop of water keeps on droppin' out slowly on the victim's head an' he goes mad waitin' for the next drop."
"But this didn't work very well this time," Dickie said. "The hole was too big and the water ran out quickly. The thing to do is to stuff the hole with a match-end... We'll get it right next time, Percy."
And Percy actually grinned.
"You come here at once, Perce," his father said, "and no more o' that silly nonsense."
"I'm not coming. I've given my promise."
"Don't worry about that," David said hurriedly. "We release you from your parole. Maybe you'd better go with your parents."
Suddenly Percy was an embarrassment to the Lone Piners. Once they wanted him, but now, because he wished to stay, it was better that he should go. It seemed as if Percy had been very cunning. Or was it only greed because Peter's stew smelled so good?
Mr Smithson looked as if he was going to explode.
"For the last time, Perce," he bellowed, "come down 'ere and stop playing the fool."
"I'm not coming. I've never had any friends like this before. I'm staying in this camp."
Then his father made the mistake of trying to rush up the muddy track to fetch his erring son. The path was steep and slippery, and because Mr Smithson's shoes were not intended for walks in the wet countryside he slipped and fell heavily on his face. When at last he raised his great bulk from the ground his face was streaked and his clothes plastered with mud.
Macbeth barked wildly. Mr Smithson then lost control of himself. He began to stamp and swear and then he picked up a large stone and flung it at the little dog. Luckily he missed.
"Seek him, Mackie," Mary whispered. "Seek him out," and with a wild yelp of triumph Macbeth charged into battle. But the fight was short, for the dog had every advantage at close quarters.
After a couple of minutes Percy watched his parents' retreat with an unpleasant sneer on his face.
"Serve 'em right," he said, and not one of the others ever forgave him for that.
"I'm glad we can't hear what they're saying," Peter murmured, and then they were all saved the embarrassment of speaking to Percy by the arrival of a cocky Macbeth. They made much of him and then looked at each other blankly as they realized that Percy now expected to be treated as an ally.
"There's no need for you all to keep staring at me," he said as they fidgeted about while Peter prodded the potatoes in the stew. "I meant what I said. I'd much rather stay here with you. I'll do anything you want and take my share of the jobs."
"We'll see to that," Dickie said. "Don't you worry about that, Percy pet."
Mary's wide eyes followed him around and stared him out when he tried to meet them.
"I knew we were wrong to untie you and let you have that parole," she said quietly. "I don't trust you, Percy... And don't you ever dare say again that you like me."
"But I do," he said, and then was a little abashed when she turned her back on him and walked away.
The meal round the camp-fire was not a success, although Peter's stew was excellent. Percy had several helpings and did not mind asking for what he wanted. The others were quiet, largely because they did not feel they could discuss their affairs while he was with them. The three older ones were all anxious about Jenny, and Peter, in particular, was getting depressed about the weather.
Suddenly the rain swept down the dingle with renewed fury. In a few seconds the rocky hillside opposite was blotted out and, as the wind veered a trifle, the lashing, silver spears of rain reached their camp-fire at the cave's entrance and hissed among the embers.
"This won't do," David said. "We must move right inside. Everybody take what they can." And they all moved their gear farther back into shelter.
"We ought to keep a fire going," Peter said. "Let's light another farther inside the cave and risk the smoke being a nuisance. We must move all the bedding farther back too, and if it goes on raining like this you boys will have to sleep inside. I'm worried that we may not have enough dry wood, David. We can't stay here without a fire, and we can't move out in this rain. I don't ever remember rain like this."
"I'm worried about Jenny," David replied, "and I'm worried about the whole adventure. We're just not doing anything, and we can't do anything until she comes back with or without Mr Wilkins."
Dickie then had a bright idea and suggested that they take torches and really explore the passage at the back of the cave.
"Yes, let's do that," David agreed. "It's no use just sitting about here."
"And what about Jen?" Tom said indignantly. "Suppose she comes back while we're all fiddling about up there. She'll think we've broken our promise."
They all laughed at him for this, but he would not agree to join the explorers until they had written Jenny a note and put it on a stone near the fire.
"We shan't be long, anyway," David said, "but we might just as well have a look round. I'll just add a line to tell her to put the kettle on."
They each had a torch - Percy was allowed to take Jenny's - and as the twins already knew some of the passage Dickie went first with David, and Peter at his heels Tom went next with Percy, and Mary, with a rather unhappy Macbeth, last.
The floor was treacherous with fallen stones, and the rocky walls and roof dripped moisture, but after going forward very cautiously for about fifteen yards the passage began to run uphill. Suddenly Dickie stopped.
"Something's happened here," he said, "The main passage is all blocked up with rocks. This must be where the roof fell in."
David swung his torch up and across to the left, and then, with a note of excitement in his voice, said:
"There's a stiff draught coming from somewhere... Look down, Dickie. Surely there's an opening of some sort on the left here and in the floor too?... Use your own torch, but be careful"
David was correct. At one time the gallery here must have forked right and left, and the falling roof had completely blocked one passage and half covered the other which ran steeply downhill.
Dickie was squealing with excitement as he squeezed past a piece of broken rock and disappeared into the unknown. The others followed quickly.
There were not so many stones underfoot here and the air smelled colder and fresher and almost at once they became aware of a strange, muffled roar somewhere below them. They were all very excited as Tom said:
"Wish I knew what that noise was."
Even while he was asking the question David supplied the answer. "It's running water. A waterfall or something. Shall we go on?"
Peter squeezed his arm.
"Of course. But watch how you go. We don't want to fall into something. Keep an eye on those kids."
The roar of falling water was now unmistakable and David was not surprised when the gallery turned sharply to the left and they found themselves standing on a rocky platform some fifteen or twenty feet above a pool, the water in which seethed and foamed under the impact of a waterfall which crashed into it at one end.
David turned and yelled to the little group behind him: "All torches on at the same time so that we can really see what's happening."
Six beams of light swept upwards and just picked out the lip of the waterfall high above them in the roof of the great cave. Then David led the way along the gallery to the opposite end and stopped by a wall of rock about four feet above the present level of the water.
"There's a space between the wall of the cave and that ridge of rock," Tom pointed. "I reckon that the pool would overflow over that when it's full and run away somewhere else."
Then the beams swung down and across the lake to show them that the platform on which they were standing was directly above a little "beach" of rough stones about three feet wide. Apart from this beach, the pool covered the whole area of this mysterious cave.
"Save the batteries," David said. "I'll just keep my torch on for a bit. This is the rummiest place I've ever been in."
"Have you noticed that the water is not really clear?" Peter shouted. "It's muddy, and I don't believe it's been running in here very long, else it would be overflowing the other end."
Before David could answer, Percy raised his voice in complaint.
"I'm cold and I don't feel very well. I'd like to go back now, it you don't mind."
"We don't mind," Dickie yelled with a fiendish grin.
"It's just what we'd like... You go, Percy dear, and we'll stay and explore this place."
He did not go, of course, and Mary said, "P'raps you bigger ones would kindly move a bit so that we can look over the edge. We really found this place. It was our idea, as usual, to go and explore these old mines, and now you go bossing around and giving orders and gettin in the way; just because we're smaller we're kept out of everything... Excuse me, please!
Nobody was ever quite sure what happened next, but Dickie did admit later that as he pushed forward with Mary he made a playful grab at Percy's arm. Percy then lost his head and began to struggle.
"Look out, you little idiots!" Tom yelled as Percy fell against Mary, who was caught off her balance and toppled over the edge. Dickie snatched at her just too late, slipped on the wet rock, grabbed at Percy to save himself, and the two of them followed Mary and crashed on to the shingle beach below.
The cave was filled with the roaring of waters which smothered Percy's despairing cry and Peter's sob of fear. For ten terrible seconds the two older boys stared dumbly at each other. David recovered first, although he was not conscious of the fierce grip of Peter's hands round his arm.
"Shine your torches down," he yelled, "and take care not to slip yourselves."
Three rather shaky beams of yellow light wavered down to the little beach. Percy was sitting with his hands round one ankle. Dickie and Mary were both scrambling to their feet - the former with blood and a bruise on his forehead, and the latter rubbing her elbow. They both smiled shakily at the others and Mary shouted, "Take care of Mackie, David. He's trying to jump down."
Peter felt a lump rise in her throat in recognition of Mary's courage and unselfishness.
Tom grabbed Mackie and lifted the dog's trembling little body in his arms.
"All right, old chap," he murmured into his rough coat. "Don't fuss. We'll get them up."
But how? The walls of the cave had been smoothed by the action of water through the centuries. They could not reach down and pull them up, and even if one of them jumped down and tried to lift the youngsters up in turn there was risk that the rescuer himself would never be able to get back. David remembered that Dickie's piece of rope which had been left in the cave above would be no help, as it was far too thin and short.
"Sure you're all right?" Peter called. "What about you, Dickie? You've got a big bump coming up on your forehead."
"I'm all right, thanks, Peter. How are you going to get us out - I'm hungry."
Try as he would, David could not conquer a sick feeling of fear as he smiled down at his brother. "We'll get you out, Richard. Don't worry."
"We're not worrying yet," Mary added, "but I think you ought to do something soon, 'cos I'm quite sure the water in this pool is rising quickly."
And it was true that during the last few minutes the sound of the waterfall had deepened as more and more flood-water poured into the pool. David was sure that they had found the source of some great underground river, and that unless they could get the twins and Percy out fairly soon the water would rise over their heads before it reached the natural overflow.
Dickie looked up at David. "What we want is a good ladder and some rope and then we'll soon be on our way. But you might hurry. It's getting cold down here and there's too much water."
"It's rising fast," Mary called. "Really fast. It's over all the stones now and over my shoes. Please do something. I don't like it."
David looked despairingly at Peter, who seemed suddenly to pull herself together as she said, "Stay here with Tom and try and think of something. I'll find my way up with my torch and get help somehow. Help them to be brave, David!"
11. The Secret River
Jenny had never seen Peter lose control of herself before, and as the elder girl clung to her gasping for breath she forgot her own distress and fear.
"But Peter, what do you mean - the pit is filling with water and the twins are in it?"
Peter took her arm from Jenny's shoulder and rubbed a grubby hand across her wet forehead. She was still too breathless to speak properly.
"Sorry, Jenny!" she gasped at last. "We must get some strong rope because we've found a hidden lake under the mountain and the twins and Percy have fallen in and the water is rising fast."
Before she had finished speaking Jenny had turned and was running back the way she had come. Over her shoulder she yelled, "Don't worry, Peter! Charles is here, and I know we've got rope."
Peter could hardly believe her own ears. Suddenly her knees wobbled and she felt horribly sick, What was that Jenny had said about Charles and rope? She must be crazy.
Then she heard the deep voice which she had always loved saying quite calmly, "Buck up, Pete. Just show me the way and we'll fix everything. It'll be all right, my dear, don't worry! You've done all you can and we'll soon have these kids out of trouble."
Peter brushed her hand across her eyes and gave him a shaky but grateful smile.
"You're like a fairy-story come true, Charles." And after this she was the old, cool, resourceful Peter again. She led them through the cave to the passage while Charles told her that Mr Wilkins was safe with them and that they had a new friend in Mr Ringway who had come to help them.
"When Jenny came back for me," he said, "I told the others to unload the car and bring all the stuff into the cave... So this is where the roof fell in? Steady with the torch, Peter. I'm a bit big for this hole... What's that noise?"
"That's the waterfall," she shouted. "It's filling the lake... Do hurry, Charles!"
Then they turned the corner and were on the ledge and Peter shouted above the din, "Don't worry, David. Charles is here with a rope. Are they still all right?... " Then suddenly, with a new note of fear in her voice, "Where's David, Tom? I can't see him."
Charles pulled a heavy torch from his pocket just as Tom shone his own on the newcomers. Tom's face was white and glistening, but when he recognized Charles he managed a smile of welcome.
"Nice work, Peter," he yelled. "David's all right. Look! He's flat on his tum encouraging the kids. He doesn't know you're here yet... Let down that rope quickly, Charles. The water is over their waists."
