It must have been just a tale, said Nora in disappointment, closing the books.
I feel sure it wasnt, said Dimmy, puzzled. I remember so well how my grandfather told me about the secret. I wonder if he says anything about it in his old diary. He kept it when he was a boy, and it wasnt found until a year or two ago. The ink has faded, and it was so difficult to read that I didnt try more than a few pages. It was all about his days as a boy.
Dimmy, let me have it, said Jack. I will go away by myself and try to make it all out. It will take me a little time, but Ill use my magnifying-glass to help me to read your grandfathers tiny writing.
Dimmy gave the little paper-covered diary to Jack. He slipped off upstairs with it. The two girls looked at Dimmy.
What shall we do? asked Nora. I dont feel like bathing or digging without Mike here.
Then you can just come and help me to wash up those breakfast things and make the beds and dust and get dinner ready! said Dimmy briskly. It will do you good to think of something else for a while.
It wont, said Peggy dismally. But Dimmy was right. Both girls felt much better about things when they set to work to wash up and to dust.
Dinner-time came. Peggy went up to fetch Jack. He was huddled in a corner with his magnifying-glass, trying to read every word of the old, old diary.
Dinner-time, said Peggy. Have you found anything interesting, Jack?
No, said Jack. Its all about how he goes birds-nesting and fishing and boating. He
must have been a nice sort of boy. He was a great one for playing tricks on people too. It says here how he put a toad into his aunts bed, and she woke the whole house up to get it out!
Naughty boy! said Peggy. And poor old toad! It must have hated being squashed under the bedclothes. What else does it say?
Oh, lots of things, said Jack, flicking over the pages. Tell Dimmy Ill be down in half a minute. I just want to finish the next few pages.
So Peggy went downstairs again, and Dimmy and the two girls began their meal without Jack. They were in the middle of it when they heard a tremendous shouting, and Jacks feet came tearing down the stone staircase. The door into the kitchen was flung open, and then the dining-room door flew back with a crash. The girls almost jumped out of their skin. Dimmy leapt to her feet.
Whatevers the matter? she cried.
Ive found it, Ive found it! yelled Jack, dancing round the room like a clown in a circus. Its all here - theres a map of it and everything!
The girls squealed. Dimmy sank down into her chair again. She wasnt used to these adventures!
Show! Show us the map! yelled Nora. She swept aside her plate and glass with a crash, and Jack set the old diary down on the tablecloth.
Listen, he said. This is Dimmys grandfathers entry for the third of June, exactly one hundred years ago! He says, To-day has been the most exciting day of my life. I found at last the old hidden passage between Peep-Hole and the Old House tower. A gull fell into the chimney of my room and I climbed up it to free the bird. Whilst I was there I pressed by accident on the great stone that swings round to open the passage in the wall of the tower.
O-o-oh! squealed Nora. We can find it too!
Dont interrupt, said Peggy, her face pale with excitement. Go on, Jack.
He goes on to tell how he got into the passage, which runs down the walls of our tower to the ground, up the cliff to the Old House, branches off to join our own secret passage somewhere, and also goes on to the tower of the Old House, up and inside the thick walls there, and into the topmost room of the tower! Jack could hardly speak, he was so thrilled at having found what he wanted.
Theres a rough map here that he drew after he had found out all about the passage. He kept the secret to himself, because he was afraid that if he didnt his father might have the passage blocked up.
Everyone pored over the map. It was faded and difficult to see, even under the magnifying-glass, but the children could plainly follow the passage from their tower, downwards in the wall right to the ground and below it, then underground to the Old House, up through the thick walls there, and into the top room of the Old House tower.
I knew I was right! I knew I was right! said Dimmy, quite as excited as the children.
Lets go straight up and find it! said Nora. Come on! Oh, do come on!
They all fled upstairs, tumbling over the steps in their haste. They must find that secret door in the chimney. Quick! Quick!
Another Secret Passage!
Goodness - of course not, said Jack in dismay. Id completely forgotten that. But the map quite clearly shows that the passage starts somewhere in the chimney.
Our room below has a big stone fireplace! cried Nora. It must be there that the passage starts. Hurry!
Down they tore to Noras room, where there was certainly a big, old-fashioned stone fireplace. Jack looked up it.
Get me a stool or something, he said. I can stand on that and grope about.
So, with the girls jigging impatiently about below, Jack stood on a stool and groped about in the dirty old chimney. At one side he felt what seemed to him to be narrow steps cut in the chimney. He told Miss Dimmy, looking down at her as black as a little sweep!