Do you think theyd hurt us if we tried to slip out of the grounds? said Peggy.
No, said Jack, but theyd bark the place down, and wed be found at once. Wait a minute whilst I think what to do.
Ay, ay, Captain! said Mike. The others waited obediently. Jack was always good at thinking
of ideas when they were in a fix.
I know what, said Jack at last. Well go into this little wash-house here and hide behind that heap of sacks. They must call in the dogs when a tradesman comes, or they wouldnt get any goods. Well, well wait till someone comes - the milkman or the baker - and as soon as the dogs are called in, we will slip out! We wont go down the back path, well make for that tree over there and climb it. I believe we could drop on to the top of the wall from its branches and get down the other side quite safely.
Good idea! said Mike. They all crouched down in the little wash-house, first of all shutting the door so that no dog could wander inside and find them.
They waited. Jack sometimes popped his head up and peeped out of the window, but no one came. Then they heard the rattling of the milk-cart down the lane and Jack grinned at the others.
Be ready, he whispered. The milkman got down from his cart and rang a bell at the back gate. At once the two dogs set up a terrific barking. Luiz appeared round the house and called them. He tied the dogs to a tree and shouted to the milkman.
All right! The dogs are tied. You can come in.
The milkman went up the path with some bottles and some butter. A voice came from the kitchen. Come right in, please. He disappeared inside the scullery.
Nows our chance! whispered Jack. Luiz is gone. The dogs are tied. Run!
The four of them ran through the wash-house door and sprinted across the grass to the tree that Jack had pointed out. The dogs saw them and began barking again, pulling at their leads as if they would break them.
Lie down and be quiet! yelled a voice from somewhere around the house. The dogs went on barking - but in a minute or two the children were safely up the tree, hidden in the branches. Still the dogs went on barking and barking.
Luiz appeared again, and shouted at them. Quiet, I tell you! he yelled. Its only the milkman!
But the dogs knew that it wasnt and they barked till they were hoarse. The children waited till Luiz had gone again and then one by one they climbed from a branch to the top of the wall, and dropped down to the other side in safety.
How glad they were! How they tore down the slope to Peep-Hole, giggling as they went. What an adventure they had had!
Secret caves and passages, and finding a prisoner, and nearly getting caught ourselves! panted Mike, as they reached Peep-Hole. Its all too exciting for anything!
And now weve got to find out who the poor prisoner is, said Nora. Thats what Im longing to know!
Dimmy met them in the hall. So youre back again, she said. Did you have a good picnic? What a lovely sunny day it has been, hasnt it?
Has it? said the children, trying to remember - but all they could remember was darkness and dampness in the secret passage and caves and cellar! We really didnt notice if the weather was sunny or not, Dimmy!
What nonsense you do talk! said Dimmy. Go and get ready for tea. Ive got you the last of the big red eating gooseberries out of the garden!
Good old Dimmy-Duck! yelled Mike, and he tore upstairs to wash - but before he washed he went to his window to look across at the tower window of the Old House. When would he see somebody looking out there?
The Prisoner in the Tower
We simply must keep it all a secret, said Mike. Im quite sure Dimmy would be scared. The only thing Im wondering about is - how are we going to keep a watch on the tower of the Old House in the daytime, without Dimmy wondering what we are doing? It was easy enough at night - but in the daytime it wont be so easy.
Well, well have to be out of our rooms whilst Dimmy is cleaning them each day, said Peggy. But as soon as the cleaning is done we could take it in turns to go into the top bedroom and watch, without Dimmy knowing. We could have fairly long watches - say three hours. We neednt keep our eyes on the tower all the time - we could read or something and keep looking up. I shall do my knitting.
And I shall do my jigsaw, said Mike. I can do that and keep looking up easily.
Well begin to-morrow morning, said Jack. I hope Dimmy doesnt go up to our bedroom and find one of us there - shell think weve quarrelled or something!
They took a look at the tower in the distance
as they went to bed that night. But there was nothing to be seen. Nobody looked out. A dim light shone, that was all.
There must be somebody there now, said Jack. Or they wouldnt have a light. Goodness, Im sure I shall never go to sleep to-night! My mind keeps thinking of secret caves!
They did lie awake rather a long time, but at last they were all asleep and dreaming. They dreamt of caves and passages and towers and prisoners, and had just as exciting a time in their sleep as they had had in the daytime.