Peggy went to the window that looked up the cliff, away from the sea.
That old house looks queer, she said. I dont think I like it. Do you see its big tower, Mike? It is just like this little one, but taller and bigger. It seems as if that big tower is frowning down at ours.
You do have silly ideas, Peggy. said Mike sleepily. Well go and explore the grounds of the Old House sometime - and wouldnt it be fun if the house was empty and we could go inside and see what the tower there was like!
I wonder what Spiggy the Smuggler was like, said Nora.
Youll have Dimmy after you with a hair-brush to spank you with if you dont go to bed, said Jack, burying his head in his pillow. I cant think why you are so wide awake. Do go to bed.
All right, said Peggy. Good-night. See you tomorrow, sleepy heads!
She and Nora slipped down the winding stairs into their own room. They got into bed. They were tiny little beds, but very comfortable.
Now Im going to think about all weve done to-day, began Nora. But before she had thought more than twelve words her mind floated off into sleep, and she didnt move until the morning. The sun came in from the opposite window then, and Peggy and Nora were awakened by somebody tickling them.
Oooh, dont! squealed Nora. Mike, stop! What do you want?
Come and bathe before breakfast, said Mike. Get up, lazybones. Its seven oclock. Breakfast isnt till eight, so weve lots of time.
Nora and Peggy sat up, quite wide awake. They looked round their sunny room with its four quaint windows. They could see four bits of bright blue sky, and they could hear the sound of the waves breaking at the cliff-foot. They felt so full of happiness that they had to sing.
Here we are at Spiggy Holes,
Here we are at Spiggy -
Here we are at Spiggy Holes,
Pop goes the weasel! yelled Nora to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel.
The others took up the silly song and they all went downstairs in their bathing-costumes, roaring the tune. Miss Dimity put her head out of the kitchen.
Dear me, its you! she said. I thought it was the canary singing.
The children squealed with laughter and rushed down the steep path to the beach. They flung themselves into the water.
Now our holidays really have begun! said Mike, as he splashed Peggy. What fun were going to have!
Inside the Old House
The first few days of the summer holiday slipped away happily. The children explored the beach, which was a most exciting one, but rather dangerous. The tide came right up to the cliffs when it was in, and filled most of the caves.
We shall have to be careful not to get caught in any of these caves when the tide is coming in, said Jack. It would be very difficult to get out.
Miss Dimity warned them too, and told them many stories of people who had explored the caves, forgetting about the tide, and who had had to be rescued by boats when they found that they could not get out of the caves.
The bathing was lovely at low tide. The children had to promise not to bathe at high tide, for then the waves were very big, and Dimmy was afraid the children might be dashed against the rocks. But it was lovely to bathe at low tide. The rock pools were deep and warm. The sand was smooth and golden, and felt pleasant to their bare feet.
You need not wear your sand-shoes here, Dimmy told them. No trippers ever come to Spiggy Holes, leaving their litter and broken glass behind them!
So they went barefoot, and loved to feel the sand between their toes. The farm-lad, who came to do Dimmys garden for her, lent them his boat, and the four children had a wonderful time at low tide, boating around the rocks and all about the craggy coast.
One day there was a very high tide indeed. The waves splashed against the cliffs and all the caves were full of water. There was nothing to do down on the beach, because, for one thing, there was no beach, and for another Dimmy said it was dangerous to go down the cliff-path when the tides were high because the spray made the path slippery, and they might easily slip down and fall into the high water.
Well, what shall we do then? said Jack, wandering out into the garden, and picking some pea-pads. He split the pads and emptied the peas into his mouth. Dimmy had a lovely garden - full of peas and beans and lettuces and gooseberries and late cherries and early plums. None of the children could help picking something as they went through it every day.
I know what well do! said Mike. Well go and explore the garden of the Old House. Come on!
They passed the farm-lad, George, who was busy digging up some potatoes. Nora called to him.
Hallo! Were going to explore the garden of the Old House. Nobody lives there, do they, George?
That house has been empty this twenty years. said George. Maybe more. The garden is like a forest!
It will be fun to explore it then, said Peggy. They ran up the slope of the cliff towards the Old House. They were all in sun-suits and shady hats, but even so they were very hot. Soon they came to a high wall that ran all round the big garden of the Old House.