Lone pine five, p.7
Lone Pine Five, page 7
"Then there's the old Devil's Chair over our heads," he went on, "and Jenny knows there's plenty born and bred round here who put up the shutters when the mist comes up and hides those rocks. Maybe I'm used to this mountain now, for I see it every day and work under it, but like many others I know well there's something strange about it - some say 'tis a curse on all the land in its shadow... And that reminds me of another bad-luck yarn. I remember it as a kid, but someone told me it again the other day."
Jenny shivered with horrified delight.
"Go on!" Mary whispered.
"Some say there is a mysterious river somewhere in these hills - a river that is only seen on the surface at special times, and that when it does appear it flows without warning and brings bad luck to all who live within an hour's walking distance of its waters. Then there's another story - and this I believe to be true - of an underground waterway which was built originally to drain one of the mines and later used as a sort of subterranean canal to carry loads of minerals from the mines... Maybe the last story accounts for the first. I don't know for certain, except that it is likely enough that the miners of a hundred years ago knew all about it and passed the story down. Have you ever heard that, Jenny?"
"I seem to remember Dad once saying something about water that came out of a mine a mile or more away. Please, somebody tell me the time, 'cos I think I ought to have been home hours ago."
Charles looked at his watch.
"Ten o'clock!" he said. "Bed-time. Thanks for the party, and I'll see you all in the morning. I don't want to interfere, but if I can do anything to help let me know. Good night, all."
David and Peter followed him to the big doors of the barn and watched him cross the farmyard. Then the latter turned to Jenny and said:
"I s'pose you must go home tonight, Jen? It's awfully late and it's a long way down, although the moon will be up soon... Stay and sleep with Mary and me upstairs, and then you can slip home before seven in the morning."
"I couldn't do that, Peter. Really I couldn't. I'd love to stay, but I promised Mr Wilkins - and Mum and Dad too, of course - that I'd be back. I must go - but I wish I needn't," she added with a scared glance outside.
"I'll come with you, Jen," Tom said suddenly. "I'd be glad to stretch my legs."
"We'll all come," David agreed; "it'll do us good. This place is getting stuffy. Put some wood on the stove, Peter, and the twins can stay and keep an eye on it."
"Can they?" Dickie said as he wriggled into a sweater. "It can keep an eye on itself because we're coming too. And so is Mackie."
The moon came up as soon as they had left the trees behind them, but it was a watery moon and often hidden behind scudding clouds. The fresh air made them forget how sleepy they had been ten minutes ago, and they were all arm-in-arm and singing when they reached the top of Barton's only street.
"This is fun," Jenny said, "and I think it's wonderful of you all to come with me, but I do hate that wood even in the day-time. I'll be all right now if you want to go back."
"We'll come all the way now," Peter said.
"Maybe we'd better not make so much noise," David added. "Everybody in this place seems to have gone to bed... I wish you twins would walk in front. We keep on tripping over you in the dark."
The twins, obedient for once, went on ahead for a few paces with Mackie trotting sedately beside them, and for a minute or so it was only the sound of six different footsteps which broke the silence of the sleeping village. The moon slid up above the rooftops and splashed one side of the street with silver.
Suddenly the twins stopped, but when David trod on Dickie's heel he did not complain, but only turned to look over his shoulder.
"That was a boy," Mary whispered. "Did you see him too, Dickie? He was creeping along right up against the wall of that house on the other side of the street. Did you see him, David?"
Her elder brother shook his head, but Dickie said, "I saw him, twin! He was slinking. He's gone down what looks like a narrow passage between the houses. Is there a passage there, Jenny?"
"Oh, yes. It leads to a lane."
"That was dear, beautiful, beloved Percy," Mary whispered. "I'm sure it was. Come on, twin! Let's see where he's going."
"Come back, you little idiots!" David tried to shout in a whisper. "It's too late to start that now."
"Don't worry about us," Dickie called softly as they ran across the road with Mackie at their heels. "We'll find out something. Don't follow us or anything, 'cos that will make too much noise. Go straight back and we'll follow you to H.Q.2 soon as we can. 'Night, Jenny. See you in the morning."
Peter laughed. "Don't worry, David; they'll be all right. They know the way back, and if it was Percy it will be useful to know where he's sleeping and what he's doing."
Tom shrugged his shoulders and walked on ahead with Jenny. He often lost patience with the twins.
"I suppose they can't get lost," David said to Peter as they followed the others up the street, "and it would be stupid for us all to go."
They said "good night" to Jenny as soon as they found that the back door of the post office was unlocked, and after some further argument at the entrance to the passage down which the twins had disappeared, they decided to go back to the barn and tidy up while waiting for them.
As they turned up the hill again Tom shivered.
"It's getting cold and very dark," he said. "See those clouds chasing across the moon." Five minutes later, when they reached the first white gate, the moon disappeared behind a great bank of black cloud and the first heavy drops of rain pattered on the tree-tops.
"I told you it would rain," Peter said. "I've smelled it all day. Shouldn't be surprised if we don't get a lot, which will be a nuisance, because I suppose we shall have to stick to H.Q.2 until it clears... Lucky we've got that place for a camp, anyway."
They had reached the second gate now. David whispered, "Listen!"
They stood still and strained their ears as the rain fell more heavily. Then Peter spoke.
"I heard it then. You're right, David. That was a dog barking, and I believe - "
"You think it was Mackie. So do I. I'm sure of it. That was his angry bark... What shall we do?"
The silence surged back for a second and then, with a murmur that soon became a roar, the clouds opened and the rain poured down in earnest.
6. The Caravan
As soon as the twins, with Macbeth at their heels, crossed the road and ran into the narrow passage down which Percy had disappeared, they forgot everything but the excitement of the chase. This side of the street was in deep shadow and the sudden shock of finding themselves in darkness checked them and for a moment they stood still.
Dickie whispered, "Can you hear anything?... I s'pose that was Percy, wasn't it?"
Mary's fingers closed round his arm and her lips, close to his ear, whispered, "There is someone in front of us. I'm sure it was Percy."
He strained his ears and just caught the faint sound of distant feet running. Then Mackie, whose rough coat he could feel against his bare legs, growled softly.
"I can hear him," Dickie said, "but he seems to have got a good start... Come on, Mary. Let's see where this path leads."
Hand in hand they groped their way forward in the dark until they left the houses behind and realized that the track now ran between two gardens. The fitful moon helped them a little and before long the track became an unpaved lane with a high hedge on each side.
"I s'pose we just go straight on," Mary whispered, "but keep a lookout your side, twin. He may have squeezed through the hedge... Come here, Mackie."
"Better carry him," Dickie said. "I'm sure he knows that was Percy and I don't want him to give the game away... Hold him tight, Mary, and if he begins to growl you must gag him."
"Don't worry. I'll explain everything to him as we go along. He'll be all right. You go ahead, Dickie."
It was still dark between the high hedges, and as they went on as quickly and as quietly as they could they were both thinking what they would like to do to Percy one day.
The Morton twins were, perhaps, not fonder of animals than most children, but they had a tremendous sense of loyalty to each other and to their family and friends, and they counted Mackie very definitely as part of the family. Besides, they hated cruelty - particularly cruelty to animals or to someone weaker or not so happy as themselves - and even if Mackie had been rather quick to show his dislike of the Smithsons, to throw a stone at him from a few yards away was inexcusable.
After another twenty yards Dickie stopped suddenly.
"I can hear somebody talking... No, it's someone singing."
"It can't be, twin. There isn't a house near... Yes, it is! Now I can hear it... It's a radio, Dickie. That's what it is... It's coming from over there."
Mackie growled as Dickie whispered, "I think we're coming to a gate or a gap in the hedge. Stay here, Mary, and keep Mackie quiet."
He was back in two minutes, his voice shaking with excitement.
"We were right, Mary. They're camping over in the corner of the next field. I can see the caravan 'cos it's all lighted up. The radio isn't as loud now, but I think we heard it when they opened the door to let Percy in."
"Let's creep quietly to the caravan and spy on them, and then decide what to do. I've been thinking over some plans, twin. I s'pose we couldn't set fire to the caravan - not when they are in it, o' course, though that's a pity really?"
Dickie looked at his twin with awe. He was usually responsible for the bloodthirsty suggestions in their partnership, and it seemed that he had underestimated her fury over the stone-throwing on this occasion.
"I hadn't thought of that," he admitted. "I don't really think that it's quite the sort of thing we ought to do, although o' course those beasts deserve it... But I hadn't thought of burning 'em up, twin... Not yet, anyway."
The meadow was large, and over in the far corner, under some trees, glowed the lighted windows of the caravan. They crept softly across the grass and when they were within ten yards they heard voices.
Mary clutched her brother's arm.
"It is," she breathed. "It really is them. I feel a bit sick, Dickie. Just with excitement. What shall we do?"
It was not often that Mary accepted her twin as the leader, but although Dickie's heart was thudding fiercely with just as much excitement, he responded to this trust at once.
"I'm going to try and look in through the window," he whispered. "I think it's too high for us, but if I can find something to stand on I could manage - and maybe I could hear what they're saying."
"You look and I'll listen," Mary said at once. "If I go to the door at the back and squat down close to it with Mackie, maybe I could hear something too."
Dickie nodded and crept forward and then squeezed under the caravan. His outstretched fingers touched wood, and although it was very heavy he managed to wriggle out backwards, dragging a large box after him. Very gently he pulled it under the window and then, with a sign of caution to Mary, who seemed to be struggling with Mackie, he stood on it and found that he could see into the caravan.
Mr Smithson was lying sprawled across a bunk with a glass of beer on the table before him, while his wife faced him with the back of her head only a few inches from the window. Facing his parents was Percy, who looked even more unpleasant than when Dickie had last seen him. His mean, sharp little face was pale, with a lock of dank hair falling across his forehead, and even while he was talking his jaws worked rhythmically on a wad of chewing-gum. And while he talked he waved his hands, and Dickie nearly collapsed with joy when he knocked his father's glass of beer off the table. As Mr Smithson grabbed at his drink he glanced towards the window, and with a stab of panic
Dickie bobbed down. Then he felt a hand on his arm, and Mary's voice, close to his ear, whispered, "I can't hear anything much, Dickie, except that they seem to be arguing and that Percy says, 'He done it.' Now let me up. I want to have a look. What can you see?"
"Mackie is shaking all over, Mary. He won't bark, will he? Do you think maybe we ought to go? We know where they are now, anyway, and we could come back in the morning."
"Mackie is all right, twin. I've got him. He's promised to be a good boy... Listen, Dickie. I want to be able to tell the others just exactly why Percy was prowling about the street. I b'lieve he's telling them now and I want to listen... Let me get up on the box," and before he could stop her she climbed up with Mackie still under her arm.
They were never quite sure what happened next, but as Dickie clutched at his sister to warn her to go carefully, it began to rain hard, and possibly the surface of the box was slippery, anyway. Mary lost her balance and as she put out her hand to lean on Dickie, Mackie squirmed out of her arms and began to bark furiously.
"Be quiet, Mackie," Mary pleaded. "Come here at once."
But Macbeth was tired of being carried even by Mary. He remembered the caravan and knew perfectly well that his enemies were inside it. So while the twins jumped off the box and ran towards him he gave tongue joyously and pranced out of reach, dodging round and under the caravan and voicing his defiance as the rain poured down even more heavily.
"Get under the caravan, twin," Dickie whispered urgently. "They'll come out. Don't let them see us," and they crawled into shelter as the door opened and Mr Smithson's voice called, "Anybody there?"
A golden light shone out into the rain from the open door, but Mackie very wisely kept out of its reach and continued to bark furiously in the darkness. Over his shoulder Smithson muttered, "Must be somebody about.
Or is it just a stray dog, d'you reckon? Sure you weren't followed here, Perce?"
Very faintly came the detested voice.
" 'Course I'm sure. Do you think I'm a fool, Pop?"
"What was it you was saying about those kids walking about all together in the street just when you done the job, eh? Did they see you and follow you here, Perce?"
"They couldn't have done. I was on the dark side and they were arm-in-arm, singing, going down towards the post office... I would have heard them if they come after me... All the same, I wish I knew what they were doing down there at that time... " Then his voice rose hysterically, "KEEP THAT DOG QUIET."
Just then Mackie, excited by Percy's outburst, bounded into the pool of light by the open door and barked more furiously than ever.
"It is their beastly little dog," Percy shouted. "I'd know it anywhere... You've got a gun in here, Pop... Shoot it!"
Under the caravan Dickie heard Mary's gasp of horror, and then, almost before he realized what was happening, he found himself dragged out into the rain. Mary's nails were biting into his wrist, but there was hardly a tremor in her voice as she called:
"Mackie! Come here at once, you naughty little dog!... But you're not really naughty, darling, because you've found someone for us at last... Oh, good evening. How do you do? Do you happen to remember us? We met earlier today by the side of the road after you had nearly killed us all at that corner!"
While she was talking, Mackie, rather ashamed now at his disobedience, sidled up with drooping tail and was grabbed into the safety of her arms. Mrs Smithson now poked herself forward so that her hard little face appeared at her husband's elbow.
"What are you two kids doing here?" she snapped. "Just be off with you as fast as you can run."
"Just a minute, dear," her husband said in a nasty, silky sort of voice. "I don't think we should send these youngsters out in the rain at this time of night. I believe that would be very wrong. They're wet already, and I would like them to come and shelter until the storm is over. Perhaps a cup of tea would be good for us all... Come along in, you two."
The last five words were spoken in a very different tone of voice, and although Dickie had realized that Mary had shown themselves boldly to save Mackie, he was now equally sure that if they wanted to find out something about the Smithsons they would never have a better chance than this. All the same, he shivered a little at Mr Smithson's invitation to come into the caravan. It was rather like the spider and the fly!
"Come in," Smithson leered. "You're both getting wet out there. Come in and tell us what you're doing in this field at this time of night. We're curious to know."
Dickie's hand slid down Mary's sleeve and the touch of their fingers gave them each courage as it had so often done before.
"Thank you very much," he said clearly. "We are getting wet, and the truth is we are lost too."
"Utterly and completely lost," Mary took up the tale. "The others - and we're the smallest, you know - somehow got on ahead. It's 'cos we're little, you see. We can't walk as fast as them, an' Mackie here - "
"Have you seen our little dog before?" Dickie broke in. "How stupid of me! Of course you have. That boy threw a rock at him. You needn't be afraid of him now, because we'll hold him tight."
"If they've got to come in," Percy's sulky voice came from inside the caravan, "make the little beasts leave that vile dog outside."
Apparently Mr Smithson did not consider this to be a wise speech, although he was eyeing Macbeth with suspicion himself.
"No, thank you," Mary declined. "Mackie comes with me wherever I go. That's just the trouble. He was naughty and ran away, and then we started to look for him, and the others didn't notice and we don't know where they are... It's all very difficult for us, but we have found Mackie... Do you really want us to come inside? How kind of you. Come on, Dickie."
There was not really room for them all, but with an innocent wriggle or two the twins managed to get their backs to the closed door, and Dickie was happier when his fingers touched the handle. Then he looked round curiously and was interested to see, in a corner, an array of gleaming tools - a pickaxe, several spades and shovels, and two or three steel crowbars. When Percy noticed where his eyes were wandering he scowled, but Dickie only smiled at him sweetly.
"So you got lost in the dark, did you?" Mr Smithson suddenly inquired. "Where were you off to at that time of night?"
