Version Control with Git and GitHub
Understanding Their Benefits
10/30/14
Version control is is useful because it supplies you with a clear and orderly way to go back and review any changes you have made to your program along the way and allows you to easily revert back to an earlier version of that code should the need arise.
Git helps you keep track of your changes because rather than overwriting the old file every time you save, git takes an independent snapshot of the changes that you've just made. Git then adds that snapshot to an index that is saved locally on your machine. This index is easily searchable by using '$ git log' to see a list of all of the changes that have been made to that repository or '$git log --grep' to search for specific keywords or strings. In addition to making the different version easily searchable git will also highlight the lines that have been added or removed as well as the specific changes on those lines and allows you to add comments about the changes for your own and other's benefits when reviewing the changes in the future.
GitHub is a great place to store your code at very least because it acts as a backup so you can access your projects from any machine and you never have to worry about losing your work if your hard drive becomes unrecoverable. However, GitHub is so much more than that.It is a whole community of developers where you can get feedback on your code and collaborate with others on projects at the same time without having to worry about overwriting anyone else's work.
About | Projects | Blog | Contact


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Bow and Arrow
|
Functions | |
| int | timer_set_square (unsigned long timer, unsigned long freq) |
| Configures a timer to generate a square wave. More... | |
| int | timer_subscribe_int (void) |
| Subscribes and enables Timer 0 interrupts. More... | |
| int | timer_unsubscribe_int () |
| Unsubscribes Timer 0 interrupts. More... | |
| void | timer_int_handler () |
| Timer 0 interrupt handler. More... | |
| int | timer_get_conf (unsigned long timer, unsigned char *st) |
| Reads the input timer configuration via read-back command. More... | |
| int | timer_display_conf (unsigned char conf) |
| Shows timer configuration. More... | |
| int | timer_test_square (unsigned long freq) |
| Tests programming timer in square wave mode. More... | |
| int | timer_test_int (unsigned long time) |
| Tests Timer 0 interrupt handling. More... | |
| int | timer_test_config (unsigned long timer) |
| Tests display of timer config. More... | |
Functions for using the i8254 timers
| int timer_display_conf | ( | unsigned char | conf | ) |
Shows timer configuration.
Displays in a human friendly way, the configuration of a timer as read via the read-back command, by providing the values (and meanings) of the different components of a timer configuration
| conf | configuration to display in human friendly way |
Definition at line 189 of file timer.c.
| int timer_get_conf | ( | unsigned long | timer, |
| unsigned char * | st | ||
| ) |
Reads the input timer configuration via read-back command.
| timer | Timer whose config to read (Ranges from 0 to 2) |
| st | Address of memory position to be filled with the timer config |
Definition at line 144 of file timer.c.
| void timer_int_handler | ( | ) |
| int timer_set_square | ( | unsigned long | timer, |
| unsigned long | freq | ||
| ) |
Configures a timer to generate a square wave.
Does not change the LSB (BCD/binary) of the timer's control word.
| timer | Timer to configure. (Ranges from 0 to 2) |
| freq | Frequency of the square wave to generate |
Definition at line 93 of file timer.c.
| int timer_subscribe_int | ( | void | ) |
| int timer_test_config | ( | unsigned long | timer | ) |
Tests display of timer config.
Just calls timer_get_conf() followed by timer_display_conf()
| timer | Timer whose config to read (Ranges from 0 to 2) |
Definition at line 253 of file timer.c.
| int timer_test_int | ( | unsigned long | time | ) |
Tests Timer 0 interrupt handling.
Subscribes Timer 0 interrupts and prints a message once per second for the specified time interval
| time | Length of time interval while interrupts are subscribed |
Definition at line 40 of file timer.c.
| int timer_test_square | ( | unsigned long | freq | ) |


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Russian President Vladimir Putin Arrives in French Capital Paris for Normandy Four Talks - Video
The Normandy Format was created in 2014 to resolve the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The representatives of the Normandy Four states: Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France, will participate in the talks. Their last previous meeting took place three years ago, in October 2016.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport to take part in the Normandy Four meeting to be held in the French capital Paris on Monday, 9 December.
Putin is expected to sit for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
FOLLOW OUR LIVE FEED TO FIND OUT MORE


Default size is medium
but you can use size
input property with small
or big
value to adjust the size accordingly.
Optionally, spinner color can be customized using color
input property with red
, green
, blue
or yellow
value.
Spinners can be customized using the following properties on the mz-spinner
element.


Bess Beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus) | Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Bess beetles have six legs and three body parts like other insects, but their thorax has two sections, which allows them to move more freely. These cool beetles .
http://beardsleyzoo.org/bessbeatle-fk1
Treatment for Herniated or Bulging Discs
Bessbug Care - Earth's Birthday Project
Bessbugs (short-horned stag beetles, . If you move your beetles to a larger habitat, be sure to keep it humid. . main body partshead, thorax and abdomen.
http://earthsbirthday.org/images/uploads/more-bugs/bessbug-care.pdf
Beetle Printouts - AllAboutNature.com
Beetles (like all insects) have a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax , and abdomen), two . Label the beetle's external anatomy on this printout.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/beetles/printouts.shtml
bess beetle labeled body parts Herniated or Bulging Discs
Texas Beetle Information
Ground / Carrion / Stag / Bess / Scarab / Bup / Click / Net / Glow / Fire / Soldier . TIARA - Scarab label data from the TAMU insect collection has been . Soft- bodied beetles with bioluminescent larviform females and larvae. . Parts 1-8. Linsley E.G. & Chemsak J.A. 1972-1997. University of California Press, Berkeley. (out of .
http://www.texasento.net/beetles.htm
WA LASER > Toolkits > Organisms: Observing Bess Beetles or ...
Jun 17, 2009 . Observing Bess Beetles or Millipedes: How Do The Compare with the Pill Bugs? . show students the different body parts of these organisms up close. . The Bess beetle in the terrarium, Labeled diagram in science notebook .
http://www.wastatelaser.org/_support/toolkits/stc/organisms/lesson10.asp
Official Impairment Listing for Spinal Disorders
Structures Of Life - Lewiston Independent School District #1
Part 1. You will need one bess beetle for each group of four students with at least two additional . beetle. Gently hold a beetle as you place the entire floss loop under the body, . records and labeled drawings in our science notebooks again .
http://www.lewistonschools.net/staff/ajackson/TESLA/Unit%20Resources/Gr%203%20Structures%20of%20Life/SOL_LE_4.pdf
- want to make some money (narrowing of the spine)
Grade 1
compared to a Bess Beetle?). AND. ? Investigating . Labeling significant aspects of a scientific drawing or diagram with . Body parts help people satisfy their .
http://bsuvt.org/ScienceGrade1.pdfBESS BEETLE
Jul 31, 2009 . Bess beetles, formally known as Odontotaenius disjunctus, are classified in the . Some students may identify four body parts on their beetles.
http://lhsfoss.org/fossweb/teachers/materials/plantanimal/bessbeetle.html
NaturePlus: Beetle blog : Tags : scarabaeoidea
Jul 29, 2011 . and making sure that there weren't any loose body parts or specimens that . my first task was to label all the unit trays containing the specimens with the basic . They are commonly known as 'bess bugs' or 'bess beetles' .
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/blogs/beetles/tags/scarabaeoidea
Family Lucanidae - Stag Beetles - BugGuide.Net
Apr 3, 2004 . Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles) . between 2 large, oval, often sclerotized (hard, dark) pads at end of body (2). . Eye divided into upper and lower parts by a canthus (canthus short in Lucanus).
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3103
Medical-Vocational Allowance for Herniated Disc
A labeled diagram of a rhino beetle body
A labeled diagram of a rhino beetle body? . What do Bess beetles die from? . diagram for e.g. in the diagram of human body the parts like head neck limbs are .
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/A_labeled_diagram_of_a_rhino_beetle_body
Bessbugs, Living, Pack 12 | Carolina.com
Labeling Chemicals and Chemical Containers · General Rules for Chemical Storage . I have ordered bess beetles twice from Carolina Biological. . The large size of these beetles makes them useful in showing people insect body parts.
http://www.carolina.com/bessbugs/bessbugs-living-pack-12/144150.pr
Appealing a Denial of Benefits
bess beetle (insect) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Bess beetles live together under the bark of decaying logs in a primitive social organization. Both the male and female process decaying wood as food and feed .
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/63016/bess-beetle
Beetles « 6legs2many
Jun 15, 2012 . A bess beetle tends larvae in the interior of a rotting log (Photo courtesy Paul Lenhart). .  A polyphaga cockroach, labeled with a photo of a darkling beetle.
http://6legs2many.wordpress.com/tag/beetles/


Odell Beckham Reveals What He Said To Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin
by Chris RosvoglouOdell Beckham Jr. had fans buzzing last Thursday when he made a yawning gesture toward Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. After the dust settled from all the drama involving Myles Garrett, the All-Pro wideout revealed what he said on Thursday Night Football.
When the Browns acquired Beckham in the offseason, Tomlin was asked about how his team will handle defending him. He jokingly yawned because it’s not the first time that he’s faced an elite playmaker.
Clearly, the former first-round pick didn’t forget what Tomlin did.
Beckham was caught patting his mouth multiple times during Thursday’s showdown between the Browns and Steelers.
When asked about why he taunted Tomlin last week, Beckham said he did it because he felt disrespected.
From cleveland.com:
“I said ‘you disrespected me,’” Beckham told cleveland.com on Monday. “I said ‘you know who I am.’ And he said ‘I know who you are. That’s why we’re doubling you all game’ and this and that.’’
Beckham did mention that he doesn’t have an issue with Tomlin. His actions were simply a form of trash talking.
We’ll get to see Beckham in action against the Steelers in two weeks from now. Last time around he finished with four receptions for 60 yards.


[0.0.4] - 2014-08-09
Added
- Better explanation of the difference between the file ("CHANGELOG")
and its function "the change log".
Changed
- Refer to a "change log" instead of a "CHANGELOG" throughout the site
to differentiate between the file and the purpose of the file — the
logging of changes.
Removed
- Remove empty sections from CHANGELOG, they occupy too much space and
create too much noise in the file. People will have to assume that the
missing sections were intentionally left out because they contained no
notable changes.


---
layout: post
title: 'OData Roundup #3'
date: 2010-05-07 17:54:55.000000000 +08:00
categories:
- OData partners
- Site announcement
tags: []
status: publish
type: post
published: true
author: OData.org Archive
---
Many exciting things have happened in the OData world since our last post.
And we continue to receive lots of interesting feedback:
- Michael asks how do you consume a .NET 4.0 Data Service from Silverlight 3?
Today in SL3 there is no supported way to consume V2 features of an OData service.
Which means Data Services built with either .NET 4.0 or the Data Services Update for .NET 3.5 Framework SP1 aren't fully supported. If it is an option you should upgrade to Silverlight 4.
- We keep hearing requests to make OData and RDF more interoperable. And at the moment we are thinking about that that might mean. We even made one related proposal to try to gauge community interest.
- Vasa asked: "How do I consume the Reporting Services OData Report feed programmatically"?
You can generalize this question down to: "How do you program against a single feed with no service documents and no $metadata support?"
A very interesting question. One that I plan on reporting back on once I've had a chance to investigate more.
- Kingsley Idehen pointed out that OpenLink Virtuoso is an both OData Consumer and Producer. And shared some links to some tutorials:
- One person wanted to know how to expose a Service Operation via a custom Data Service Provider. There is a sample of this in the OData SDK - but it is well hidden - you need to download the code Sample code for the Sample Services, unzip and look inside /ODataWeb/OData/OData.svc.cs. It is a Data Service Provider based Service that exposes a service operation.
- John asked for more public OData Services to be listed on the Producers page. Especially ones that have geo data included, so he and other can create some compelling mashups. We hear you John and are trying to make the Producers page more reactive.
- John also hopes that one day his browser will become OData aware, with special OData specific options and commands becoming available. This is definitely part of the dream John!
As always folks we are listening and look forward to hearing your feedback, so keep it coming.
Alex James


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Perturbation theory and the power spectrum routines.
This module relies largely on power.c from Eisenstein & Hu (1999 ApJ 511 5)
http://background.uchicago.edu/~whu/transfer/transferpage.html
See notes in cosmolopy.EH.
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havepower = True
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powererror = None
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havetffit = True
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tffiterror = None
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| Function Details |
The transfer function as a function of wavenumber k. Parameters
ReturnsIf baryonic_effects is true, returns a tuple of arrays matching the shape of k:
Otherwise, returns a tuple of arrays matching the shape of k: (the transfer function for CDM + Baryons, the transfer function for CDM + Baryons + Neutrinos). NotesUses transfer function code power.c from Eisenstein & Hu (1999 ApJ 511 5). For baryonic effects, uses tf_fit.c from Eisenstein & Hu (1997 ApJ 496 605). http://background.uchicago.edu/~whu/transfer/transferpage.html |
Cosmological perturbation growth factor, normalized to 1 at z = 0. Approximate forumla from Carol, Press, & Turner (1992, ARA&A, 30, 499), "good to a few percent in regions of plausible Omega_M, Omega_Lambda". This is proportional to D_1(z) from Eisenstein & Hu (1999 ApJ 511 5) equation 10, but the normalization is different: fgrowth = 1 at z = 0 and D_1(z) = \frac{1+z_\mathrm{eq}}{1+z} as z goes to infinity. To get D_1 one would just use D_1(z) = (1+z_\mathrm{eq}) \mathtt{fgrowth}(z,\Omega_{M0}, 1) (see EHequation 1 for z_eq). \mathtt{fgrowth} = \frac{D_1(z)}{D_1(0)} Setting unnormed to true turns off normalization. Note: assumes Omega_lambda_0 = 1 - Omega_M_0! |
The k-space Fourier transform of a spherical tophat. Parameters
Note: k and r need to be in the same units. Returns
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The k-space Fourier transform of an isotropic three-dimensional gaussian Parameters
Note: k and r need to be in the same units. Returns
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Sigma statistic of order j for gaussian field of variancea r at redshift z. Returns sigma and the error on sigma. Parameters
Returns
Notes:: Eq. (152) of Matsubara (2003) sigma_j(R,z) = sqrt{int_0^infty frac{k^2}{2 pi^2}~P(k, z)~k^{2j} tilde{w}_k^2(k, R)~dk} = sigma_j(R,0) left(frac{D_1(z)}{D_1(0)}right) |
RMS mass fluctuations of a sphere of radius r at redshift z. Returns sigma and the error on sigma. Parameters
Returns
Notes\sigma(R,z) = \sqrt{\int_0^\infty \frac{k^2}{2 \pi^2}~P(k, z)~ \tilde{w}_k^2(k, R)~dk} = \sigma(R,0) \left(\frac{D_1(z)}{D_1(0)}\right) |
Normalize the power spectrum to the specified sigma_8. Returns the factor deltaSqr. |
The matter power spectrum P(k,z). Uses equation 25 of Eisenstein & Hu (1999 ApJ 511 5). Parametersk should be in Mpc^-1 Cosmological ParametersUses 'n', and either 'sigma_8' or 'deltaSqr', as well as, for transfer_function_EH, 'omega_M_0', 'omega_b_0', 'omega_n_0', 'N_nu', 'omega_lambda_0', and 'h'. NotesP(k,z) = \delta^2 \frac{2 \pi^2}{k^3} \left(\frac{c k}{h H_{100}}\right)^{3+n} \left(T(k,z) \frac{D_1(z)}{D_1(0)}\right)^2 Using the non-dependence of the transfer function on redshift, we can rewrite this as P(k,z) = P(k,0) \left( \frac{D_1(z)}{D_1(0)} \right)^2 which is used by sigma_r to the z-dependence out of the integral. |
The volume, radius, and dm/dr for a sphere of the given mass. Uses the mean density of the universe. Parameters
Returnsvolume in Mpc^3 radius in Mpc dmdr in Msun / Mpc |
The radius in Mpc of a sphere of the given mass. Parametersmass in Msun Returnsradius in Mpc NotesThis is a convenience function that calls volume_radius_dmdr and returns only the radius. |
The mass of a sphere of radius r in Mpc. Uses the mean density of the universe. |
The Virial temperature for a halo of a given mass. Calculates the Virial temperature in Kelvin for a halo of a given mass using equation 26 of Barkana & Loeb. The transition from neutral to ionized is assumed to occur at temp = 1e4K. At temp >= 10^4 k, the mean partical mass drops from 1.22 to 0.59 to very roughly account for collisional ionization. Parameters
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The mass of a halo of the given Virial temperature. Uses equation 26 of Barkana & Loeb (2001PhR...349..125B), solved for T_vir as a function of mass. Parameters
Returns
NotesAt temp >= 10^4 k, the mean partical mass drops from 1.22 to 0.59 to very roughly account for collisional ionization. Examples>>> cosmo = {'omega_M_0' : 0.27, ... 'omega_lambda_0' : 1-0.27, ... 'omega_b_0' : 0.045, ... 'omega_n_0' : 0.0, ... 'N_nu' : 0, ... 'h' : 0.72, ... 'n' : 1.0, ... 'sigma_8' : 0.9 ... } >>> mass = virial_mass(1e4, 6.0, **cosmo) >>> temp = virial_temp(mass, 6.0, **cosmo) >>> print "Mass = %.3g M_sun" % mass Mass = 1.68e+08 M_sun >>> print round(temp, 4) 10000.0 |
Virial temperature from halo mass according to Haiman & Bryan (2006ApJ...650....7). z is the redshift. Units are Msun and kelvin. |
Halo mass from Virial temperature according to Haiman & Bryan (2006ApJ...650....7). z is the redshift. Units are Msun and kelvin. |
Convenience function to calculate collapse fraction inputs. Parameters
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Fraction of mass contained in collapsed objects. Use sig_del to conveniently obtain sigma_min and delta_crit. See Examples velow. Parameters
NotesThe fraction of the mass in a region of mass m that has already collapsed into halos above mass m_min is: f_\mathrm{col} = \mathrm{erfc} \left[ \frac{\delta_c - \delta(m)} { \sqrt {2 [\sigma^2(m_\mathrm{min}) - \sigma^2(m)]}} \right] The answer isn't real if sigma_mass > sigma_min. Note that there is a slight inconsistency in the mass used to calculate sigma in the above formula, since the region deviates from the average density. Examples>>> import numpy >>> import perturbation as cp >>> cosmo = {'omega_M_0' : 0.27, ... 'omega_lambda_0' : 1-0.27, ... 'omega_b_0' : 0.045, ... 'omega_n_0' : 0.0, ... 'N_nu' : 0, ... 'h' : 0.72, ... 'n' : 1.0, ... 'sigma_8' : 0.9, ... 'baryonic_effects' : False ... } >>> fc = cp.collapse_fraction(*cp.sig_del(1e4, 0, **cosmo)) >>> print round(fc, 4) 0.7328 >>> fc = cp.collapse_fraction(*cp.sig_del(1e2, 0, **cosmo)) >>> print round(fc, 4) 0.8571 |
| Home | Trees | Indices | Help |
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| Generated by Epydoc 3.0.1 on Tue Mar 27 20:49:14 2012 | http://epydoc.sourceforge.net |


was quite impossible to force their way through it without completely ruining
their clothes.
‘I
give up!’ said Julian at last. ‘I shall have no jersey left in a minute! These
spiteful brambles! My hands are ripped to bits.’
‘Yes
- they are spiteful!’ said Anne. ‘I felt that too!’
Timmy
was the only one really enjoying himself. He couldn’t imagine why the four were
scrambling through such thick undergrowth, but as it was just what he liked he
was very pleased. He was disappointed when they decided to give up and go back.
‘Shall
we try the right hand side of the lake, do you think?’ said Julian, as they
went back, rather disheartened.
‘No.
Don’t let’s,’ said Anne. ‘It looks even worse than this side. It’s only waste
of time. I’d rather go out on the raft!’
‘Well - that would surely be a better way of exploring the banks of the lake
than scrambling through prickly bushes, wouldn't it?’ said George. ‘We’d only
need to paddle along slowly and squint into all the little creeks and under
over-hanging trees - it would be easy!’
‘Of
course,’ said Dick. ‘We were silly not to think of it before. It would be a
lovely way of spending the afternoon, anyway.’
They
came through the trees and saw the ruined house in the distance. Timmy suddenly
stopped. He gave a low growl, and all the others stopped too.
‘What’s
up, Timmy?’ said George in a low voice, ‘What is it?’
Timmy
growled again. The others cautiously retreated behind bushes and looked
intently towards the house. They could see nothing out of the way. Nobody
seemed to be about. Then what was Timmy growling at?
And
then a woman came in sight, and with her was a man. They were talking earnestly
together.
‘Maggie!
I bet it’s Maggie!’ said Julian.
‘And
the other is Dirty Dick,’ said Dick. ‘I recognize him - yes - it’s Dirty Dick.’
Chapter
Fifteen
MAGGIE
- AND DIRTY DICK
They
watched the couple in the distance, and thought quickly. Julian had been
expecting them, so he was not surprised. Dick was looking at Dirty Dick,
recognizing the broad, short man, with his hunched-up shoulders and shock of
hair. He didn’t like the look of him any more than when he had seen him up at
the old cottage!
Anne
and George didn’t like the look of the woman either! She was wearing trousers
and had a jacket draped round her shoulders. She was also wearing sunglasses,
and smoking a cigarette. She walked quickly and they could hear her voice. It
was sharp and determined.
‘So
that’s Maggie,’ thought Julian. ‘Well, I don’t like her. She looks as hard as
nails - a good companion for Nailer!’
He
moved cautiously towards the other three. George had her hand on Timmy’s
collar, afraid that he might show himself.
‘Listen,’
said Julian. ‘You’re none of you to turn a hair! We’ll just walk out into the
open, talking cheerfully together and let them see us. If they ask us what
we’re doing, you all know what to say.  If there are
any leading questions asked us - leave me to answer them. Ready?’
They
nodded. Then Julian swung out from the bushes and walked into the open, calling
to Dick. ‘Here we are again - there’s the old house! My word, it looks worse than
ever this morning!’
George
and Timmy came bounding out together, and Anne followed, her heart beating
fast. She wasn’t as good as the others at this sort of thing!
The
man and the woman stopped abruptly when they saw the children. They said a few
words to one another very rapidly. The man scowled.
The
children went towards them, chattering all the time as Julian had ordered. The
woman called sharply to them.
‘Who
are you? What are you doing here?’
‘Just
hiking,’ said Julian, stopping. ‘It’s our half-term.’
‘What
do you want to come here for then?’ asked the woman. ‘This is private
property.’
‘Oh
no,’ said Julian. ‘It’s only a burnout ruin. Anyone can come. We want to
explore this queer lake - it looks exciting.’
The
man and the woman looked at one another. It was clear that the idea of the
children exploring the lake was surprising and annoying to them. The woman
spoke again.
'You
can’t explore this lake. It’s dangerous. People are forbidden to bathe in it or
use a boat.’
‘We
weren’t told that,' said Julian, looking astonished. ‘We were told how to get
here, and no one said the lake was forbidden. You’ve been told wrongly.’
‘We
want to watch the moor-hens, you see,’ put in Anne, suddenly seeing a moor-hen
on the water. ‘We’re fond of nature.’
‘And
we’ve been told there are deer near here,’ said George.
‘And
wild ponies,’ said Dick. ‘We saw some yesterday. They were really lovely. Have
you seen any?’
This
sudden burst of chatter seemed to annoy the man and the woman more than
Julian’s answers. The man spoke roughly.
‘Stop
this nonsense. People aren’t allowed here. Clear out before we make you!’
‘Why
are you here, then, if people aren’t allowed?’ asked Julian, and a hard tone
came into his voice. ‘Don’t talk to us like that.’
‘You
clear off, I say!’ cried the man, suddenly shouting loudly as he lost his
temper. He took two or three steps towards them, looking very threatening
indeed. George loosed her hold on Timmy’s collar.
Timmy
also took two or three steps forward. His hackles went up and he emitted a most
fearsome growl. The man stopped suddenly, and then retreated.
‘Take
hold of that dog’s collar,’ he ordered. ‘He looks savage.’
‘Then
he looks what he is,’ said George. ‘I’m not taking hold of his collar while
you’re about. Don’t think it!’
Timmy
took two or three more steps forward, growling loudly, walking stiffly and
menacingly. The woman called out at once.
‘It’s
all right, children. My friend here just lost his temper for a moment. Call
your dog back.’
‘Not
while you are about,’ said George. ‘How long are you staying?’
‘What’s
that to do with you?’ growled the man, but he didn’t say any more because Timmy
at once growled back.
‘Let’s
come and have something to eat,’ said Julian, loudly, to the others. ‘After
all, we have as much right to be here as these people have. We don’t need to
take any notice of them - and we shan’t be in their way!’
The
four children marched forward. Timmy was still loose. He barked savagely once
or twice as he came close to the unpleasant couple, and they shrank back at
once.  They eyed the
children angrily as they went by, and watched them go into the ruined house.
‘On
guard, Timmy,’ said George, as soon as they were in, pointing to the ruined
doorway. Timmy understood at once, and stood in the doorway, a menacing figure
with hackles up and snarling mouth. The children went down to the cellar room.
They looked round to see if anyone had been there while they were away, but
nothing seemed to have been moved.
‘They
probably haven’t even noticed the cellars,’ said Julian. ‘I hope there’s plenty
of bread left. I’m hungry. I wish to goodness we were going to have a dinner
like the one we had yesterday!
Very,’ said Dick. ‘I can’t bear Maggie. Horrid common voice and hard face.
 ‘He looks like a gorilla or something
with his broad hunched-up body. And WHY doesn’t he cut his hair?’
‘Fancies
himself like that, I expect,’ said George, cutting a loaf of bread. ‘His
surname ought to be Golliwog. Or Tarzan. I’m jolly glad we’ve got Timmy.’
‘So
am I,’ said Anne, ‘Good old Timmy, He hated them, didn’t he? I bet they won’t
come near the doorway with Timmy there!’
‘I
wonder where they are,’ said Dick picking up a great hunk of bread and butter
and potted meat. ‘I’m going to look.’
He
came back in half a minute. ‘They’ve gone to the boat-house, I think,’ he said.
‘I just caught a sight of one of them moving in that direction. Looking for
Saucy Jane, I expect.’
‘Let’s
sit down and eat and talk over what we’ll do next,’ said Julian. ‘And what we
think they will do next! That’s quite important. They may be able to read the
clues on that paper better than we can If we watch what they do it may give us
a guide as to what we must do.’
‘That’s
true,’ said Dick. ‘I imagine that the plan Nailer sent must mean something to
Dirty Dick and Maggie, just as the message did.’ He chewed at his bread,
thinking hard, trying once more to fathom the meaning of that mysterious piece
of paper.
‘I
think on the whole we will follow out our original plan for this afternoon,’
said Julian, after a little silence.  It’s a harmless looking thing to do. We can examine the banks as
we go - and if Maggie and Dick are out in a boat too, we can keep an eye on
them as well.’
‘Yes.
Good idea,’ said George. ‘It’s a heavenly afternoon anyway. I’d love to paddle
about on the lake with that raft. I hope it’s good and sound.’
‘Sure
to be,’ said Dick. ‘The wood it’s made of is meant to last. Pass the cake,
George - and don’t save Timmy any. It’s wasted on him.’
‘It
isn’t!’ said George. ‘You know he loves it.’
‘Yes.
But I still say it’s wasted on him,’ said Dick. ‘Good thing we got such an
enormous cake! Are there any biscuits left?’
‘Plenty,’
said Anne. ‘And chocolate too!’
‘Good,’
said Dick. ‘I only hope our food will last us out It won’t if George has her
usual colossal appetite.’
‘What
about yours?’ said George, indignantly, rising every time to Dick’s lazy
teasing.
‘Shut
up, you two,’ said Julian. ‘I’m going to fill the water jug and have some
orangeade. Give me something to take to old Tim.’
They
spent about half an hour over their lunch, Then they decided to go and tackle
the raft in the boathouse, and see if they could possibly launch it on the
lake. It would be heavy, they knew.
They
left the old house and went off to the boathouse. Julian suddenly caught sight
of something out on the lake,
‘Look!’
he said, ‘they’ve got one of the boats out of the boat-house - the one that
wasn’t half-sunk, I suppose!  I BET they’re looking
for the Saucy Jane!’
They
all stood still and watched. Dick’s heart sank, Would Maggie and Dirty Dick get
there first, and find what he and the other three were looking for? Did they
know where the Saucy Jane was?
‘Come
on,’ said Julian. ‘We’d better get going if we want to keep an eye on them.
They may be rowing to where the Saucy Jane is hidden!’
They
climbed in through the wooden side of the boat-house and went to the raft.
Julian saw at once that one of the boats had gone - Merry Meg. It was the only
boat that was fit to take.
The
four began to man-handle the big raft, They took it to the edge of the ledge.
It had rope-handles on each side which the children held on to.
‘Now
- ease her gently,’ said Julian. ‘Gently does it. Down she goes!’
And
down she went, landing with a big splash in the water. She bobbed there gently,
a strong sound raft, eager to go out on the lake!
‘Get
the paddles,’ said Julian. ‘Then we’ll be off.’
Chapter
Sixteen
OUT
ON THE RAFT
There
were four little paddles. Dick got them, and gave everyone one each. Timmy
looked down solemnly at the raft. What was it? Surely he was not expected to
ride on that bobbing, floating thing?
Julian
was on the raft already, holding it steady for the others, He helped Anne on
and then George stepped down. Dick came last - well, not quite last, because
Timmy was not yet on.
‘Come
on, Tim!’ said George. ‘It’s all right! It’s not the kind of boat you’re used
to, but it acts in the same way. Come on, Timmy!’
Timmy
jumped down and the raft bobbed violently. Anne sat down suddenly with a
giggle. ‘Oh dear - Timmy is so sudden! Keep still, Tim - there isn’t enough
room on this raft for you to walk all over it.’
Julian
pushed the raft out of the boat-house. It knocked against the wooden ledge as
it went, and then swung out on to the backwater outside. It floated very
smoothly.
‘Here
we go!’ said Julian, paddling deftly. ‘I’ll steer, Dick, None of you need to
paddle till I say so. I can paddle and steer at the moment, till we get on to
the lake itself.’
 He was very
interested in seeing the water flow past so quickly. Was this a boat then? He
was used to boats - but in boats the water was never quite so near. Timmy put
out a paw into the water. It was pleasantly cool and tickled him. He lay down
with his nose almost in the water.
‘You’re
a funny dog, Timmy!’ said Anne.
Julian
paddled down the little backwater and the raft swung out on to the lake itself.
The children looked to see if there was any sign of Maggie and Dirty Dick.
‘There
they are!’ said Julian. ‘Out in the middle, rowing hard. Shall we follow them?
If they know where the Saucy Jane is they’ll lead us to it.’
‘Yes.
Follow them,’ said Dick. ‘Shall we paddle now? We’ll have to be quick or we may
lose them.’
They
all paddled hard, and the raft suddenly swung to and fro in a most alarming
manner.
‘Hey,
stop!’ shouted Julian. ‘You’re all paddling against one another. We’re going
round in circles. Dick and Anne go one side and George the other. That’s
better. Watch how we’re going, all of you, and stop paddling for a moment if
the raft swings round too much.’
They
soon got into the way of paddling so that the raft went straight ahead. It was
fun. They got very hot and wished they could take off their jerseys. The sun
was quite warm, and there was no wind at all - it was really a perfect October
afternoon.
‘They’ve
stopped rowing,’ said George, suddenly. ‘They’re looking at something - do you
suppose they have got a bit of paper like the one we have, with the same marks,
and are examining it? I wish I could see!’
They
all stopped paddling and looked towards the boat in which Maggie and Dirty Dick
sat. They were certainly examining something very carefully - their heads were
close together. But they were too far away for the children to see if they were
holding a piece of paper.
‘Come
on - we’ll get as close to them as we can!’ said Julian, beginning to paddle
again. ‘I expect it will make them absolutely mad to see us so close, but we
can’t help that!’
They
paddled hard again, and at last came up to the boat. Timmy barked. Maggie and
Dirty Dick at once looked round and saw the raft and the four children. They
stared at them savagely.
‘Hallo!’
cried Dick, waving a paddle. ‘We took the raft out. It goes well. Does your
boat go all right?’
Maggie
went red with rage. ‘You’ll get into trouble for taking that raft without
permission,’ she shouted.
‘Whose
permission did you ask when you took that boat?’ shouted back Julian. ‘Tell us
and we’ll ask their permission to use this raft!’
George
laughed. Maggie scowled, and Dirty Dick looked as if he would like to throw his
oars at them.
‘Keep
away from us!’ he shouted. ‘We don’t want you kids spoiling our afternoon!’
‘We
like to be friendly!’ called Dick, and made George laugh again.
 They glared at the raft
and then Maggie gave an order to Dirty Dick. He took up the oars again, and
began to row, looking rather mutinous.
‘Come
on - follow,’ said Julian, so the four began to paddle again following after
the boat. ‘Maybe we’ll learn something now.’
But
they didn’t. Dirty Dick rowed the boat towards the west bank, and the raft
followed. Then he swung out into the middle again, and again the raft followed,
the children panting in their efforts to keep up.
Dirty
Dick rowed right across to the east bank and stayed there till the children
came up. Then he rowed off again.
‘Having
some nice exercise, aren’t you?’ called the woman in her harsh voice. ‘So good
for you all!’
The
boat swung out to the middle of the lake again. Dick groaned. ‘Blow! My arms
are so tired I can hardly paddle. What are they doing?’
‘I’m
afraid they’re just leading us on a wild goose chase,’ said Julian, ruefully.
‘They have evidently made up their minds that they won’t look for the Saucy
Jane while we’re about - they’re just tiring us out!’
‘Well,
if that’s what they’re doing I’m not playing!’ said Dick, and he put down his
paddle and lay flat on his back, his knees drawn up, panting hard.
The
others did the same. They were all tired. Timmy licked each one sympathetically
and then sat down on George.
‘Timmy!
Right on my middle!’ cried George, surprised and indignant. ‘You great clumsy
dog, you!’
Timmy
licked her all over, shocked at being scolded by George. She was too exhausted
to push him away.
‘What’s
happened to the boat?’ asked Anne at last. ‘I’m too tired to sit up and see.’
Julian
sat up, groaning ‘Oh my back! Now where is that wretched boat? Oh, there it is
- right away down the lake, making for the landing-place by the house - or for
the boat-house probably. They’ve given up the search for the Saucy Jane for the
time being anyway.’
‘Thank
goodness,’ said Anne. ‘Perhaps we can give it up too - till tomorrow anyhow!
Stop snuffling down my neck, Timmy. What do you want us to do, Julian.’
‘I
think we’d better get back,’ said Julian. ‘It’s too late now to start searching
the banks of the lake - and anyway somehow I think it wouldn’t be much use. The
two in the boat didn’t appear to be going anywhere near the banks - except when
they began to play that trick on us to make us tired out!’
‘Well,
let’s get back then,’ said George. ‘But I simply must have a rest first. Timmy,
I shall push you into the water if you keep sitting on my legs.’
There
was a sudden splash. George sat up in alarm. Timmy was not on the raft!
He
was swimming in the water, looking very pleased with himself.
‘There!
He thought he’d rather jump in than be pushed,’ said Dick, grinning at George.
‘You
pushed him in!’ said George, looking fierce.
‘I
didn’t,’ said Dick. ‘He just took a header. He’s having a jolly good time. I
say - what about putting a rope round him and getting him to pull us to shore?
It would save an awful lot of paddling.’
George
was just about to say what she thought of that idea, when she caught Dick’s sly
grin. She kicked out at him.
‘Don’t
keep baiting me, Dick. I’ll push you in, in a minute.’
‘Like
to try?’ asked Dick, at once, ‘Come on. I’d like a wrestle to see who’d go into
the water first.’
George,
of course, always rose to a challenge. She never could resist one. She was up
in a moment and fell on Dick, who very nearly went overboard at once.
‘Shut
up, you two!’ said Julian, crossly. ‘We haven’t got a change of clothing, you
know that. And I don’t want to take you back with bronchitis or pneumonia. Stop
it, George.’
George
recognized the tone in his voice and she stopped. She ran her hand through her
short curls and gave a sudden grin.
‘All
right, Teacher!’ she said, and sat down meekly, She picked up her paddle.
Julian
picked up his. ‘We’ll get back,’ he said. ‘The sun’s sinking low. I't seems to
slide down the sky at a most remarkable speed in October.’
They
took a very wet Timmy on board and began to paddle back. Anne thought it was a
truly lovely evening. She gazed dreamily round as she paddled. The lake was a
wonderful dark blue, and the ripples they made turned to silver as they ran
away from the raft. Two moor-hens said ‘crek-crek’ and swam round the raft in
curiosity, their heads bobbing like clockwork.
Anne
gazed over the tops of the trees that grew at the lake-side. The sky was
turning pink. Away in the distance, on a high slope about a mile away she saw
something that interested her.
It
looked like a high stone. She pointed at it. ‘Look, Julian,’ she said. ‘What’s
that stone? Is it a boundary mark, or something? It must be very big.’
Julian
looked where she was pointing. ‘Where?’ he said. ‘Oh, that. I can’t imagine
what it is.’
'It
looks like a very tall stone,’ said Dick, suddenly catching sight of it too.
‘A
tall stone,’ repeated Anne, wondering where she had heard that before. ‘A
tall... oh, of course! It was printed on that plan, wasn’t it - on the piece of
paper Dick was given. Tall Stone! Don’t you remember?’
‘Yes.
So it was,’ said Dick and he stared at the faraway stone monument with
interest. Then as the raft swung onwards, high trees hid the stone. It was
gone.
‘Tall
Stone,’ said Julian. ‘It may be only a coincidence, of course. It wants a bit
of thinking about, though. Funny we should suddenly spot it.’
‘Would
the loot be buried there?’ asked George, doubtfully. Julian shook his head.
‘Oh, no,’ he said, ‘it is probably hidden in some position explained by that
mysterious map. Paddle up, everyone! We really must get back.’
Chapter
Seventeen
TIT
FOR TAT!
When
they arrived at the boat-house there was no sign of Maggie or Dick. But their
boat was in the shed, tied up in front of the other two, where it had been
before.
‘They’re
back all right,’ said Julian ‘I wonder where they are. Don’t let’s drag this
clumsy, heavy raft into the boat-house. I don’t feel as if I’ve any strength
left in my arms. Let’s drag it under a bush and tie it there.’
They
thought this a good idea. They pulled the raft up to some thick bushes and tied
it firmly to a root that was sticking out of the ground.
Then
they made their way to the ruined house, keeping a sharp look-out for Maggie
and Dick. There was still no sign of them
They
went in, Timmy first. He didn’t growl so they knew it was safe. He led the way
to the cellar steps. Then he growled!
‘What’s
up?’ said Julian. ‘Are they down there, Tim?’
Timmy
ran straight down the steps into the cellar room. He growled again, but it was
not the fierce growl he always gave when he wanted to warn that enemies or
strangers were near. It was an angry, annoyed growl as if something was wrong.

The
beds of heather and bracken were there as they had left them, and their macs
and rugs and rucksacks. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed. Julian lighted
the candles on the mantelpiece and the dark little underground room came to
life at once.
‘What’s
the matter with Timmy?’ asked George, coming down into the room. ‘He’s still
growling, Timmy, what’s up?’
‘I
expect he can smell that the others have been down here,’ said Dick, ‘Look at
him sniffing all round. It’s quite clear that someone has been here.’
‘Anyone
hungry?’ asked Anne, ‘I could do with some cake and biscuits.’
‘Right,’
said Julian, and opened the cupboard where they had put the food they had
bought.
There
was none there! Except for the crockery and one or two odds and ends that had
been in the cupboard before, there was nothing. The bread had gone, the
biscuits, the chocolate - everything!
‘Blow!’
said Julian, angrily. ‘Look at that! The beasts! They’ve taken all our food -
every bit. Not even a biscuit left. We were mad not to think they might do
that!’
‘Clever
of them,’ said Dick. ‘They know we can’t stay here long without food. It’s a
good way of chasing us out. It’s too late to go and get any tonight, anyway -
and if we go tomorrow for some, they’ll do what they have come to do in their
own good time... when we’re not here.’
Everyone
felt distinctly down in the dumps. They were hungry and tired, and a good meal
would have made all the difference. Anne sank down on her bed of heather and
sighed.
‘I
wish I’d left some chocolate in my rucksack,’ she said. ‘But I didn’t leave any
there at all. And poor Tim - he’s hungry too! Look at him sniffing in the
cupboard and looking round at George. Tim, there’s nothing for you. The
cupboard is bare!’
'Where
are those two wretches gone?’ suddenly said Julian, fiercely. ‘I’ll tick them
off! I’ll tell them what I think of people who come and rifle cupboards and
take away all the food.’
'Woof,’
said Timmy, in full agreement.
Julian
went angrily up the stairs. He wondered again where Maggie and Dirty Dick were.
He went to the empty doorway and looked out. Then he saw where they were.
Two
small tents had been put up under some thickly growing trees! So that’s where
the two were going to sleep. He debated whether or not to go and tell them what
he thought of people who stole food. He decided that he would.
But
when he got over to the tents with Timmy, there was no one there! Rugs were
laid inside, and there was a primus stove and a kettle and other odds and ends.

Julian
had a good look into each tent, and then went to see if he could find out where
Maggie and Dirty Dick had gone. He saw them at last, walking through the trees.
They must have gone for an evening stroll, he thought.
They
didn’t come back to the tents, but sat down by the lake. Julian gave up the
thought of tackling them and went back to the others. Timmy was left behind,
snufiling about happily.
‘They’ve
got tents,’ Julian informed the others when he was back in the cellar room
again. ‘They’re obviously staying put till they’ve got what they came for. They
aren’t in the tents - they’re out by the lake.’
‘Where’s
Timmy?’ asked George. ‘You shouldn’t have left him behind, Ju. They might do
something to him.’
‘Here
he is!’ said Julian, as a familiar noise of claws clattering on the ground came
to their ears. Timmy came down the stone steps and ran to George.
‘He’s
got something in his mouth!’ said George, in surprise, Timmy dropped it into
her lap, She gave a yell.
‘It’s
a tin of shortbread! Where did he get it from?’
Julian
began to laugh. ‘He must have taken it from one of the tents!’ he said. ‘I saw
something covered up with a cloth in one tent - their food, I imagine! Well,
well - tit for tat - they took our food and now Timmy is taking theirs!’
‘Fair
exchange is no robbery,’ grinned Dick. ‘Serves them right! I say - Tim’s gone
again!’
He
was back in a minute with something large and paper-covered. It was a big cake!
The four roared with laughter. ‘Timmy! You’re a wonder! You really are!’
Timmy
was pleased at this praise. Off he went again and brought back a cardboard box
in which was a fine pork-pie. The children could hardly believe their eyes.
‘It’s
a miracle!’ said Anne. ‘Just as I had made up my mind to starve for hours! A
pork-pie of all things! Let’s have some.’
‘Well,
I have no second thoughts about it,’ said Julian, firmly. ‘They took our food
and we deserve some of theirs. Good gracious - don’t say Tim’s gone again.’
He
had! He was enjoying himself thoroughly. He arrived this time with a packet of
ham, and the children couldn’t imagine how he had stopped himself from eating
some on the way.
 ‘Tim’s a
better person than I am. I’d just have to have had a lick.’
‘I
say - we ought to stop him now,’ said Julian, as Timmy ran up the steps again,
his tail wagging nineteen to the dozen. ‘We’re getting a bit too much in
exchange!’
‘Oh,
do see what he brings back this time,’ begged Anne. ‘Then stop him.’
He
came back carrying an old flour bag in which something had been packed. Timmy
carried it cleverly by the neck so that nothing had fallen out. George undid
the bag.
‘Home-made
scones - and buns,’ she said. ‘Timmy, you are very very clever, and you shall
have a wonderful supper. But you are not to go and take any more things,
because we’ve got enough. See? No more.
Timmy
was quite willing. He wolfed ham and scones and a slice of cake, and then he
went up into the kitchen, jumped into the sink and lapped the water lying
there. He then jumped down and went to the doorway to look out. He barked. Then
he growled loudly.
The
children rushed up the stone steps at once. Outside, at a safe distance, was
Dirty Dick.
‘Have
you been taking anything of ours?’ he shouted.
‘No
more than you have been taking of ours!’ shouted back Julian.
‘We
didn’t. The dog fetched and carried for us,’ said Julian. ‘And don’t you come
any nearer. He’s just longing to fly at you!  He’s as strong and savage as a lion.’
‘Grrrr,’
said Timmy, so fiercely that the man started back in fright. He went off
without another word, shaking with anger.
Julian
and the others went back to finish a very delicious supper. Timmy went with
them - but he planted himself at the top of the cellar steps.
‘Not
a bad place for him to be in tonight,’ said Julian. ‘I don’t trust that couple
an inch. We can give him one of our blazers to lie on. I say - this has boiled
up into quite an adventure, hasn’t it? It seems frightful to think we’ll be
back at school on Tuesday!’
‘We
must find the loot first!’ said Anne. ‘We really must. Let’s get out that plan
again, Ju. Let’s make sure that Tall Stone is marked on it.’
They
got it out and put it on the table. They bent over it once more.
‘Yes
- Tall Stone is marked at the end of one of the lines,’ said Julian. ‘Tock Hill
is at the end of the opposite line. Let’s get the map and see if there is a
Tock Hill,’
They
got the map, and studied it. Anne suddenly put her finger down on it. ‘There it
is. On the opposite side of the lake from where we saw the Tall Stone, Tock
Hill on one side. Tall Stone on the other. Surely that means something.’
‘It
does, of course,’ said Julian. ‘It is bearings given to show the whereabouts of
the hidden goods. There are four bearings given - Tall Stone. Tock Hill.
Chimney. And Steeple.’
‘Listen!’
said Dick, suddenly. ‘LISTEN! I know how to read that map. It’s easy.’
The
others looked at him in surprise and doubt.
‘Read
it, then,’ said Julian. ‘Tell us what it all means. I don’t believe you can!’
Chapter
Eighteen
A
VERY EXCITING TIME
‘Let’s
take all the clues we know,’ said Dick, looking excited. ‘Two Trees. That’s
here. Gloomy Water. That’s where the hidden stuff must be. Saucy Jane. It’s a
boat that contains the stuff, hidden somewhere on Gloomy Water.’
‘Go
on,’ said Julian, as Dick paused to think.
‘Maggie
is the next clue - well she’s here, probably an old friend of Nailer’s,’ said
Dick. ‘She knows all the clues too,’
He
jabbed his finger at the piece of paper. ‘Now for these clues. Listen! We saw
Tall Stone when we were out on the lake, didn’t we? Very well. There must be
SOME spot on the lake from where we can see not only Tall Stone, but also Tock
Hill, Chimney and Steeple, whatever they are! There must be only one spot from
which we can see all those four things at the same time - and that’s the spot
to hunt in for the treasure!’ .
There
was an astonished silence after this. Julian drew a long breath and clapped
Dick on the back.
‘Of
course!  The Saucy Jane must be
somewhere on - or in - the lake at the spot where all four clues are seen at
the same time. We’ve only got to explore and find out!’
‘Yes
- but don’t forget that Maggie and Dirty Dick know what these clues mean too!
They’ll be there first if they possibly can!’ said Dick. ‘And what’s more if
they get the goods we can’t do anything about it. We’re not the police! They’ll
be off and away with their find and disappear completely.’
Everyone
began to feel intensely excited. ‘I think we’d better set off early tomorrow
morning,’ said Julian, ‘As soon as it’s light. Otherwise Maggie and Dick will
get in first. I wish to goodness we had an alarm clock.’
‘We’ll
go on the raft, and we’ll paddle about till we see Tall Stone again - then
we’ll keep that in sight till we see Tock Hill, whatever that is,’ said Dick.
‘And once we’ve spotted that we’ll keep both Tall Stone and Tock Hill in sight
and paddle round to fmd out where we can see a steeple - and then a chimney. I
should think that would be the one chimney left on Two Trees-house! Did you
notice there is just one left, sticking up high?’
‘Yes,
I noticed,’ said Anne. ‘What a clever way to hide anything, Dick. Nobody could
possibly know what the clues meant unless they knew something of the secret.
This is awfully exciting!’
They
talked about it for some time and then Julian said they really must try and go
to sleep or they would never wake up early enough in the morning.
They
settled down in their beds of heather and bracken. Timmy lay on Julian’s blazer
on the top step of the stairs leading down to the cellar room. He seemed to
think it was quite a good idea to sleep there that night.
They
were all tired and they fell asleep very quickly. Nothing disturbed them in the
night. The fox came again and looked into the old house, but Timmy didn’t stir.
He merely gave a small growl and the fox fled, his bushy tail spread behind
him.
The
morning came and daylight crept in at the burnt-out doorway and windows. Timmy
stirred and went to the door. He looked towards the two tents. No one was about
there. He went to the cellar steps and clattered down waking Dick and Julian at
once.
‘What’s
the time?’ said Julian, remembering immediately that he was to wake early.
‘Half-past seven. Wake up, everyone! It’s daylight. We’ve heaps to do!’
They
washed hurriedly, combed out their hair, cleaned their teeth, and tried to
brush down their clothes. Anne got ready some snacks for them - ham, scones and
a piece of shortbread each. They all had a drink of water and then they were
ready to go.
There
was no sign of anyone near the two tents. ‘Good,’ said Julian. ‘We’ll be there
first!’
They
dragged the raft out and got on to it, taking up the paddles. Then off they
went, Timmy too, all feeling tremendously excited.
‘We’ll
paddle out to where we think we were last night when Anne caught sight of Tall
Stone,’ said Julian. So they paddled valiantly, though their arms were stiff
with yesterday’s paddling and it was really very painful to use the tired
muscles all over again!
They
paddled out to the middle of the lake and looked for Tall Stone. It didn’t seem
anywhere to be seen! They strained their eyes for it, but for a long time it
was not to be spotted at all.  ‘It’s just come into sight.
Look, when we passed those tall trees on the bank yonder, Tall Stone came into
view. It was behind them before that.’
‘Good,’
said Julian. ‘Now I’m going to stop paddling and keep Tall Stone in sight. If
it goes out of sight I’ll tell you and you must back-paddle. Dick, can you
possibly paddle and look out for something that could be Tock Hill on the
opposite side? I daren’t take my eyes off Tall Stone in case it disappears.’
‘Right,’
said Dick, and paddled while he looked earnestly for Tock Hill.
‘Got
it!’ he said suddenly. ‘It must be it! Look, over there - a funny little hill
with a pointed top. Julian, can you still see Tall Stone?’
‘Yes,’
said Julian. ‘Keep your eyes on Tock Hill. Now it’s up to the girls. George,
paddle away and see if you can spot Steeple.’
‘I
can see it now, already!’ said George, and for one moment the boys took their
eyes off Tall Stone and Tock Hill and looked where George pointed. They saw the
steeple of a faraway church glinting in the morning sun.
‘Good,
good, good,’ said Julian. ‘Now Anne - look for Chimney - look down towards the
end of the lake - where the house is. Can you see its one chimney?’
‘Not
quite,’ said Anne. ‘Paddle just a bit to the left - the left, I said, George!
Yes - yes, I can see the one chimney. Stop paddling everyone. We’re here!’
They
stopped paddling but the raft drifted on, and Anne lost the chimney again! They
had to paddle back a bit until it came into sight. By that time George had lost
her steeple!
At
last all four things were in view at once, and the raft seemed to be still and
unmoving on the quiet waters of the lake.
‘I’m
going to drop something to mark the place,’ said Julian, still keeping his eyes
desperately on Tall Stone. ‘George, can you manage to watch Tall Stone and
Steeple at the same time? I simply must look what I’m doing for the moment.’
‘I’ll
try,’ said George, and fixed her eyes first on Tall Stone, then on Steeple,
then on Tall Stone again, hoping and praying that neither would slip out of
sight if the raft moved on the water.
Julian
was busy. He had taken his torch and his pocket-knife out of his pocket and had
tied them together with string. ‘I haven’t enough string, Dick,’ he said.
‘You’ve got some, haven’t you?’
Dick
had, of course. He put his hand into his pocket, still keeping his eyes on Tock
Hill and passed his string over to Julian.
Julian
tied it to the end of the string that joined together the knife and torch. Then
he dropped them into the water, letting out the string as they went down with
their weight. The string slid through his hands. It stopped in a short while
and Julian knew that the knife and torch had reached the bed of the lake.
He
felt in his pockets again. He knew he had a cork somewhere that he had carved
into a horse’s head. He found it and tied the end of the string firmly round
it. Then he dropped the cork thankfully into the water. It bobbed there, held
by the string, which led right down to the knife and torch on the lake-bed
below.
‘It’s
done!’ he said, with a sigh of relief. ‘Take your eyes off everything! I’ve
marked the place now, so we don’t need to glue our eyes on the four bearings!’
He
told them how he had tied together his knife and torch and dropped them on
string to the bottom of the lake, and then had tied a cork to the other end, so
that it would bob and show them the place.
They
all looked at it. ‘Jolly clever, Ju,’ said Dick, ‘But once we slide away from
this spot, and it would be an easy thing to do, we’d find it jolly difficult to
find that cork again! Hadn’t we better tie something else to it?’
‘I
haven’t got anything else that will float,’ said Julian, ‘Have you?’
'I
have,’ said George, and she handed him a little wooden box. ‘I keep the
threepenny bits I collect in that,’ she said, putting the money into her
pocket. ‘You can have the box. It will be much easier to see than the cork.’
Julian
tied the box to the cork. It was certainly a good deal easier to see! ‘Fine!’
he said. ‘Now we’re quite all right. We must be right over the loot!’
They
all bent over the edge of the raft and looked down - and they saw a most
surprising sight! Below them, resting on the bottom of the lake, was a boat! It
lay there in the shadows of the water, its outline blurred by the ripples the
raft made - but quite plainly it was a boat!
‘The
Saucy Jane!’ said Julian, peering down, feeling amazed and awed to think that
they had read the bearings so correctly that they were actually over the Saucy
Jane herself! ‘The Nailer must have come here with the stolen goods - got out
the Saucy Jane and rowed her to this spot. He must have taken his bearings very
carefully indeed, and then holed the boat so that she sank down with the loot
in her. Then I suppose he swam back to shore.’
‘Most
ingenious,’ said Dick. ‘Really, he must be a jolly clever fellow. But I say,
Julian - how on earth are we going to get the boat up?’
‘I
can’t imagine,’ said Julian. ‘I simply - can’t - imagine! I hadn’t even thought
of that.’
Timmy
suddenly began to growl. The four looked up quickly to see why.
They
saw a boat coming over the water towards them - the Merry Meg, with Maggie and
Dirty Dick in it. And the children felt quite certain that both were reading
the bearings on their piece of paper in exactly the same way as they themselves
had!
They
were so engrossed in watching for Tall Stone, Tock Hill, Chimney and Steeple
that they took no notice of the children at all. ‘I don’t think they guess for
one moment that we’ve read the bearings and marked the place,’ said Julian.
‘How wild they’ll be when they find we are right over the place they’re looking
for! Watch out for trouble!’
Chapter
Nineteen
MAGGIE
AND DICK ARE ANNOYED
The
boat in which Maggie and Dirty Dick were rowing went this way and that as the
two searched for the same objects that the children had already spotted. The
four watched them, and George put her hand on Timmy to stop him barking.
The
boat came nearer and nearer. Maggie was trying to keep in view two or three of
the bearings at once and her head twisted from side to side continually. The
children grinned at one another. It had been hard enough for the four of them
to keep all the bearings in view - it must be very dificult for Maggie,
especially as Dirty Dick didn’t seem to be helping very much.
They
heard Maggie give sharp orders as the boat swung this way and that. Then it
headed for them. Dirty Dick growled something to Maggie, who had her back to
them, and she turned round sharply, losing the view of the things she was
looking for.
Her
face was full of anger when she saw the raft so near - and in the place where
she wanted her boat to go! Afraid of completely losing the view of the things
she was keeping her eyes on, she turned back again and hastily looked to see if
Tock Hill, Tall Stone and Steeple were still all to be seen together.
The
boat came nearer and they heard Maggie say ‘I think I can see it now - yes - a
bit farther to the right, please.’
‘She’s
spotted One Chimney now,’ whispered Anne. ‘I expect they’ve got all the
bearings. Oh dear - the boat will bump right into us!’
It
did! Dirty Dick rowed viciously at them and the bows of the boat gave them a
terrific jolt. Anne would have fallen into the water if Julian hadn’t grabbed
at her.
 You nearly had us over! What on earth
do you think you’re doing?’
‘Get
out of the way then,’ growled Dirty Dick. Timmy began to bark savagely, and the
boat at once drew away from the raft.
‘There’s
plenty of room on this lake,’ shouted Julian. ‘What do you want to come and
disturb us for? We aren’t doing any harm.’
‘We’re
going to report you to the police,’ called the woman, her face red with anger.
‘Taking a raft that doesn’t belong to you, sleeping in a house where you’ve no
right to be - and stealing our food.’
‘Don’t
talk nonsense,’ cried Julian. ‘And don’t you dare to ram us again. If you do
I’ll send our dog after you. He’s longing to come.’
‘Grrrr!’
said Timmy, and showed his magnificent set of gleaming white teeth. Dirty Dick
muttered something quickly to Maggie. She turned round again and called to
them.
‘Now
look here, you kids - be sensible. My friend and I have come down here for a
quiet week-end, and it isn’t nice to find you four everywhere we go. Go back
and keep out of our way and we won’t report you at all. That’s a fair bargain -
we won’t even say anything about your stealing our food.’
‘We’re
going back when we think we will,’ answered Julian. ‘And no threats or bargains
will make any difference to us.’
There
was a silence. Then Maggie spoke hurriedly to Dirty Dick again. He nodded.
‘Is
this your half-term?’ she called. ‘When do you have to go back?’
‘Tomorrow,’
said Julian. ‘You’ll be rid of us then. But we’re going to enjoy ourselves on
this raft while we can.’
There
was another hurried conference between the two.  She suddenly looked up,
nodded at Dirty Dick, and he rowed away again towards the end of the lake! Not
another word did the couple say.
‘I
can see what they’ve decided to do,’ said Julian, in a pleased voice. ‘They
think we’ll be gone by tomorrow, so they’ll wait till the coast is clear and
then they’ll come and collect the loot in peace. Did you see Maggie looking
down into the water to spot the boat? I was afraid she would also spot our mark
- the cork and the box! But she didn’t.’
‘I
don’t know why you sound so pleased,’ said George. ‘We can’t get the boat up,
you know that - and I don’t feel pleased that we’ll have to leave tomorrow and
let that horrid pair collect the loot. I imagine they’ll have some clever
grown-up way of pulling up the boat from the bed of the lake - which they will
do when we’ve gone tomorrow.’
‘You’re
not very bright today, George,’ said Julian, watching the boat being rowed
farther and farther away. ‘I told them we’d be gone tomorrow, hoping they would
clear off and wait - and leave us time to get the loot ourselves. I think we
can!’
‘How?’
said three voices at once, and Timmy looked inquiringly at Julian too.
‘Well,
we don’t need to pull up the boat,’ said Julian. ‘We only want the loot. What’s
to prevent us from going down and getting it? I’m quite prepared to strip and
dive down to the bottom there and feel about for any sack or bag or box. If I
find one I’ll come up for air, borrow a bit of rope from the raft and go down
again - tie the rope to the sack and you can haul it up to the surface!’
‘Oh
Julian - it sounds so easy - but is it really?’ said Anne. George and Dick
considered the proposal carefully. They were most impressed by Julian’s idea.
‘Well,
it may turn out to be much more difficult than it sounds, but I’m jolly well
going to try it,’ said Julian, and began to strip off his jersey.
Anne
felt the water. It was very very cold to her warm hand. ‘Ugh! I’d hate to dive
down to the bottom of this horrid cold dark lake,’ she said. ‘I think you’re
brave, Ju.’
‘Don’t
talk rubbish!’ said Julian.
He
was ready to go in now. He dived neatly into the water with hardly a splash.
The other three craned over the edge of the raft to watch. They could see him
down, deep down in the water, a ghostly figure. He stayed down such a long time
that Anne got worried.
‘He
can’t hold his breath all that time!’ she said, ‘He can’t!’
But
Julian could. He was one of the star swimmers and divers at his school, and
this was easy to him. He came up again at last, and panted hard, trying to make
up for holding his breath so long. The others waited patiently. At last his
breathing grew more even and he grinned at them.
‘Ah
- that’s better! Well - it’s there!’ he said, triumphantly.
‘Is
it!’ said everyone, thrilled. ‘Oh Julian!’
‘Yes.
I dived right down to the boat - almost got there with the force of my dive -
had to swim just a couple of strokes perhaps. And there was the poor old boat,
rotting to bits. And in one end is a waterproof bag - almost a sack, it’s so
big. I ran my hands over it, and it’s waterproof all right - so the loot must
be packed in there.’
‘Did
it feel heavy?’ asked Dick.
‘I
gave it a tug and couldn’t move it,’ said Julian, ‘Either it’s wedged in
somehow or is really heavy. Anyway we can’t fetch it out by diving down for it.

Julian
was shivering. Anne picked up the blazer she had brought and gave it to him to
dry himself with. Dick looked hurriedly over the raft. There were certainly
bits and pieces of rope sticking out here and there, some of it half-rotten,
and a short length was tucked into a space between two planks of the raft.
It
was much too short though - and surely the other bits and pieces would never
join to make a long enough rope?
‘The
bits of rope we’ve got won’t do, Julian,’ said Dick. Julian was drying himself
and looking towards the end of the lake, where Two-Trees stood. He was
frowning. The others looked too.
The
boat had reached the bank there, and had been pulled up. One of the couple, the
children couldn’t see which, was standing up on the bank - and something was
glinting in the sun, something he or she was holding!
 They’re going to keep an eye on us while we’re here - just to
make sure we don’t suddenly spot the boat, I suppose! They don’t guess we’ve
already found it. I bet they were worried when they saw I’d taken a header into
the water just over the sunken boat!’
‘Oh
- so that’s what the flash is,’ said George. ‘The glint of field-glasses! Yes -
they’re watching us. Blow! That will put an end to us trying to haul up the
loot, Ju. They’d see it and wait for us!’
‘Yes.
No good trying for that now,’ said Julian. ‘Anyway, as Dick says, we’ve not got
enough rope. We’ll have to get some from the boat-house.’
‘But
when do you propose to get the bag out of the sunk boat?’ asked Dick. ‘They’ll
keep those field-glasses on us even if we go out again this afternoon.’
‘There’s
only one time to go when they won’t have their glasses watching us,’ said
Julian, beginning to dress himself very rapidly, ‘and that’s tonight. We’ll go
tonight! My word - what an adventure!’
'Don’t
let’s,’ said Anne, in a small voice.
‘There’ll
be a moon,’ said George, excited.
'Smashing
idea!’ said Dick, thumping Julian on the back. ‘Let’s go back now so that they
won’t have any suspicions of us, and make our plans for tonight. And we’d
better keep an eye on them too in case they row out to this spot themselves
this afternoon.’
‘They
won’t,’ said Julian. ‘They daren’t run any risk of us spotting what they’re
doing. They will be sure to wait till we’ve gone.’
'And
till the loot is gone!’ said George with a laugh. ‘I say - I do hope those two
wretches haven’t gone and taken our food again!’
‘I
hid it down in the cellars beyond our room - and locked the door leading there
- and here’s the key,’ grinned Julian, holding up a large key.
‘You
never told us!’ said George. ‘Julian, you’re a genius! How do you manage to
think of things like that?’
‘Oh
- just brains!’ said Julian, pretending to look modest, and then laughing.
‘Come on - if I don’t get warm quickly I’ll have a most almighty chill!’
Chapter
Twenty
IN
THE MOONLIGHT
They
paddled rapidly away. Dick took a last glance back to make sure that the cork
and the box were still bobbing on the water to mark the place where the sunken
boat lay. Yes - they were still there.
‘It’ll
be maddening if it’s cloudy tonight and the moon doesn’t come out,’ said
George, as they paddled. ‘We shouldn’t be able to see Tock Hill, Tall Stone and
the rest - and we might paddle for ages in the dark without spotting our
cork-and-box mark.’
‘Don’t
cross your bridges before you come to them,’ said Dick.
‘I’m
not,’ said George. ‘I was only just hoping that wouldn’t happen.’
‘It
won’t,’ said Julian, looking at the sky. ‘The weather’s set fine again.’
As
soon as Maggie saw the children coming back again, she and Dirty Dick
disappeared into their tents. Julian grinned. ‘They’ve heaved a sigh of relief
and gone to have a snack,’ he said. ‘I could do with one myself.’
Everyone
felt the same. Paddling was hard work, and the air on the lake was keen - quite
enough to give anyone a large appetite!
They
pushed the raft into its hiding-place again. Then they made their way to the
old house. They went down into the cellar room. Timmy growled and sniffed about
again.

‘Looking for their pork-pie and ham! Good thing you locked it up, Ju!’
Julian
unlocked the door into the cellars beyond, and brought out the food. ‘A large
toad was looking at it with great interest,’ he said, as he brought it back.
‘Timmy also looked at the toad with interest - but he’s wary of toads by now.
They taste much too nasty when pounced on!’
They
took the meal up into the sunshine and enjoyed it. The orangeade was finished
so they drank the cold clear water, pumping some vigorously.
‘Do
you know it’s a quarter to three?’ said Julian amazed. ‘Where has the time
gone? In a couple of hours or so it will be dark. Let me see - the moon will be
well up about eleven o’clock. That’s the time to go, I think.’
‘Please
don’t let’s,’ said Anne.
‘Now
you know you don’t mean that, Anne,’ he said. ‘You know you’ll enjoy it all
when the time comes. You couldn’t bear to be left out of it! Could you?’
‘No,
I suppose I couldn’t,’ said Anne.  ‘That’s why we’re going to beat them at their
own game. We’re on the side of the right, and it’s worth while running into a
bit of danger for that. Now let’s see - perhaps we’d better just keep an eye on
that couple till it’s dark - just in case they try any funny tricks - and then
we’ll have a snooze, if we can, so as to be sure to be lively tonight.’
‘There
they are!’ said Anne. As she spoke Maggie and her companion came out of their
tents.
‘Taking
their usual stroll, I suppose,’ said Dick. ‘Let’s have a game of cricket.
There’s a bit of wood over there for a bat, and I’ve got a ball in my
rucksack.’
‘Good
idea,’ said Julian. ‘I still feel a bit chilled from my bathe. Brrrrrr! That
water was cold. I don’t feel very thrilled at the thought of diving in
tonight!’
‘I’ll
do that,’ said Dick, at once. ‘My turn this time!’
‘No.
I know exactly where to spot the loot,’ said Julian. ‘I’ll have to go down. But
you can come down too, if you like, and help to tie the rope on to it.’
‘Right,’
said Dick, ‘Now look out - I’m going to bowl!’
They
enjoyed their game. The sun sank lower and lower, then it disappeared. A cloud
came over the sky and darkness came quickly. George looked up at the sky
anxiously.
‘It’s
all right,’ said Julian. ‘It’ll clear. Don’t you worry!’
Before
they went back into the house Julian and Dick slipped down to the boat-house
for the coil of rope they would want that night. They found it easily enough
and came back, pleased. It was quite good strong rope, frayed only in one
place.
Julian
was right about the weather. The sky cleared again in about an hour, and the
stars shone crisply. Good!
Julian
put Timmy on guard at the doorway. Then he and the others went into the dark
cellar-room and lighted a couple of candles. They all snuggled down into their
beds of heather.
‘I
shan’t be able to snooze,’ complained Anne. ‘I feel much too excited.’
‘Don’t
snooze then,’ said Dick. ‘Just have a rest and wake us up at the right time!’
Anne
was the only one who didn’t fall into a comfortable doze. She lay awake,
thinking of this new adventure of theirs. Some children always had adventures
and some didn’t. Anne thought it would be much nicer to read about adventures
than to have them. But then probably the ones who only read about them simply
longed to have the adventures themselves! It was all very difficult.
Anne
woke the others at ten to eleven. She shook George first, and then the boys.
They were all in such a comfortable sleep that it was hard to wake them.
But
soon they were up and about, whispering. ‘Where’s the rope? Good, here it is.
Better put on blazers and macs. It’ll be freezing on the lake. Everyone ready?
Now - not a sound!’
Timmy
had come to the cellar room as soon as he had heard them stirring. He knew he
had to be quiet so he didn’t give even one small bark. He was thrilled to find
they were going out into the night.
The
moon was well up now, and although it was not full, it was very bright. Small
clouds swam across the sky, and every now and again the moon went behind one of
them and the world became dark. But that was only for a minute or two, then out
it came again, as brilliant as ever.
'Any
sign of the others?’ whispered Dick. Julian stood at the doorway and looked
towards the tents. No - all was quiet there. Still, it would be better if he
and the others crept round the side of the house and kept in the shadows.
‘We
don’t want to run any risk of them spotting us now,’ whispered Julian, giving
his orders. ‘Keep out of the moonlight, whatever you do. And see that Tim walks
to heel, George.’
Keeping
well in the shadows the five crept down to the lake-side. The water gleamed in
the moonlight, and a bright moon-path ran all down it, lovely to see. The lake
looked very dark and brooding.  But there was none.
They
pulled out the raft and threw the coil of rope on to it. Then they clambered
on, enjoying its smooth bob-bob-bobbing as they paddled out on the water. They
were off!
Timmy
was thrilled. He kept licking first one of the four, then another. He loved
going out in the night.
The
moon shone down on the little company and turned every little ripple to silver
as the raft bobbed over the water.
‘It’s
a heavenly night,’ said Anne, looking round at the silent trees that lined the
banks. ‘The whole place is so quiet and peaceful.’
An
owl immediately hooted very loudly indeed from the trees and Anne jumped
violently.
‘Now
don’t start all the owls hooting by talking about how quiet everything is,’
teased Julian. ‘I agree though that it really is a heavenly evening. How calm
and mirror-like this lake is. I wonder if it ever produces a wave of any sort!
 ‘Look out, Timmy - that’s my ear.  I say - anyone looking out for our four bearings?’
‘Well,
we know more or less where we’ve got to paddle the raft to,’ said Julian.
‘We’ll go in that direction and then see if we’re spotting the bearings. I’m
sure we’re going right at the moment.’
They
were. George soon saw Tall Stone, and then Tock Hill came into sight. It wasn’t
long before Steeple was seen too, shining in the moonlight.
‘I
bet the Nailer came and hid his loot out here on a moonlit night,’ said Julian.
‘All the bearings can be seen so very clearly - even Tall Stone. We really must
find out sometime what it is. It looks like a great stone pointer of some sort,
put up in memory of something or somebody.’
‘There’s
One Chimney now,’ said Anne, ‘We have got them all in view - we should be near
our mark.’
‘We
are!’ said Dick, pointing to a little dark bobbing thing nearby. ‘The cork and
the box. How extremely clever we are! I really have a great admiration for the
Five!’
‘Idiot!’
said Julian, ‘Go on, strip now, Dick - we’ll do our job straight away.
Brrrrrrr! It’s cold!’
Both
boys stripped quickly, putting their clothes into a neat pile in the middle of
the raft. ‘Look after them, Anne,’ said Julian. ‘Got the rope, Dick? Come on,
then, in we go. We can’t see the boat now, the waters are so dark - but we know
it’s just below the cork and the box!’
The
boys dived in one after the other. Splash! Splash! They were both beautiful
divers. The raft rocked as they plunged in and Timmy nearly went in too.
Julian
had dived in first. He opened his eyes under the water and found that he could
see the sunken boat just below him. With two strong strokes he reached it, and
tugged at the waterproof bag there. Dick was beside him almost at once, the
rope in his hands. The boys twisted it tightly round the top part of the bag.
Before
they could finish the job they had to rise up to the surface to breathe. Dick
couldn’t hold his breath under water as long as Julian and he was up first,
gasping painfully.
The
girls knew better than to ask anything just then. They waited anxiously till
the boys’ breathing grew easier. Julian turned and grinned at them.
‘Everything’s
all right!’ he said. ‘Now - down we go again!’
Chapter
Twenty-one
THE
SACK AT LAST!
Down
went the boys again and once more the raft jerked violently. The girls peered
anxiously over the edge, waiting for them to return.
Julian
and Dick were down at the sunken boat in a matter of a second or two. They
finished the task of tying the rope to the waterproof bag. Julian gave it a
hard jerk, hoping to free it if it were wedged tightly into the boat. He took
the rest of the rope length in his hands in order to take it up to the surface.
Then,
bursting for breath again, the two boys shot up to the raft, popping out of the
water with loud gasps. They climbed on board.
They
took a minute to get their breath and then Dick and Julian took the rope
together. The girls watched, their hearts beating fast. Now was the test! Would
that waterproof sack come up - or not?
The
boys pulled strongly but without jerking. The raft slanted and Anne made a grab
at the pile of clothes in the middle. Dick fell off into the water again.
He
climbed back, spluttering. ‘Have to pull more smoothly,’ he said.
Julian
nodded. He was shivering with cold, but his eyes were shining with excitement.
Anne put a macintosh round his shoulders and one round Dick’s too. They never
even noticed!
‘Now
- pull again,’ said Julian. ‘Steady does it - steady - steady! It’s coming!
Gosh, it’s really coming. Pull, Dick, pull!’
As
the heavy bag came up on the end of the rope, the raft slanted again, and the
boys pushed themselves back to the other side of the raft, afraid of upsetting
everyone into the water. Timmy began to bark excitedly.
‘Be
quiet, Timmy,’ said George at once. She knew how easily sound travels over
water, and she was afraid the couple in the tents might hear him.
‘It’s
coming - it’s there, look - just below the surface!’ said Anne. ‘One more pull,
boys!’
But
it was impossible to pull the heavy bag on board without upsetting the raft, As
it was, the girls got very wet when the water splashed over the raft as it
jerked and slanted.
‘Look
- let’s paddle back to the shore and let the sack drag behind us.’ said Julian,
at last. ‘We shall only upset the raft. Dress again, Dick, and we’ll get back
to the old house and open the sack in comfort. I’m so cold now that I can
hardly feel my fingers.’
The
boys dressed as quickly as they could, They were shivering, and were very glad
to take up their paddles and work hard to get the raft back to shore. They soon
felt a welcome warmth stealing through their bodies, and in ten minutes had
stopped shivering. They felt very pleased with themselves indeed.
They
looked back at the bulky object following them, dragging along just under the
surface. What was in that bag? Excitement crept over all of them again, and the
paddles struck through the water at top speed as all the four strained to get
back as quickly as possible. Timmy felt the excitement too, and wagged his long
tail without ceasing as he stood in the middle of the raft, watching the thing
that bobbed along behind them.
They
came at last to the end of the lake. Making as little noise as possible they
dragged the raft under its usual bush. They did not want to leave it out on the
bank in case Maggie and Dirty Dick saw that it had been used again, and started
wondering.
Dick
and Julian dragged the waterproof sack out of the water. They carried it
between them as they went cautiously back to the house. It looked a most
miserable, grotesque place with its burnt-out roof, doorways and windows - but
the children didn’t notice its forlorn appearance in the moonlight - they were far
too excited!
They
walked slowly up the overgrown path between the two broken-down walls, their
feet making no sound on the soft mossy ground. They came to the doorway and
dragged the bundle into the kitchen.
‘Go
and light the candles in the cellar room,’ said Julian to George. ‘I just want
to make sure that that couple are not snooping anywhere about.’
George
and Anne went to light the candles, flashing their torches before them down the
stone steps. Julian and Dick stood at the open doorway, facing the moonlight,
listening intently. Not a sound was to be heard, not a shadow moved!
They
set Timmy on guard and left him there, dragging the dripping, heavy bundle
across the stone floor of the kitchen. They bumped it down the cellar steps -
and at last had it before them, ready to be opened!
Julian’s
fingers fumbled at the knots of the rope. George couldn’t bear waiting. She
took a pocket-knife and handed it to Julian.
‘For
goodness’ sake, cut the rope!’ she said. ‘I simply can’t wait another moment.’
Julian
grinned. He cut the rope - and then he looked to see how to undo the waterproof
wrapping.
‘I
see,’ he said. ‘It’s been folded over and over the goods, and then sewn up to
make a kind of bag. It must have kept the loot absolutely waterproof.’
‘Buck
up!’ said George. ‘I shall tear it open myself in a minute!’
Julian
cut the strong stitches that closed the covering. They began to unwrap the
bundle. There seemed to be yards and yards of waterproof covering! But at last
it was off - and there, in the middle of the mass of waterproof, were scores of
little boxes - leather-covered boxes that everyone knew at once were
jewel-boxes!
'It
is jewellery then!’ said Anne, and she opened a box, They all exclaimed in
wonder.
A
magnificent necklace glittered on black velvet. It shone and glinted and
sparkled in the candlelight as if it were on fire. Even the two boys gazed
without a word. Why - it was fit for a queen!
‘It
must be that wonderful necklace stolen from the Queen of Fallonia,’ said George
at last. ‘I saw a picture of it in the papers. What diamonds!’
‘Oooh
- are they diamonds!’ said Anne, in awe. ‘Oh Julian - what a lot of money they
must be worth! A hundred pounds, do you think?’
‘A
hundred thousand pounds more likely, Anne,’ said Julian, soberly. ‘My word - no
wonder the Nailer hid these stolen goods carefully, in such an ingenious place.
No wonder Maggie and Dirty Dick were longing to find them. Let’s see what else
there is.’
Every
box contained precious stones of some kind - sapphire bracelets, ruby and
diamond rings, a strange and wonderful opal necklace, ear-rings of such
enormous diamonds that Anne was quite sure no one would be able to bear the
weight of them!
‘I
would never, never dare to own jewellery like this,’ said Anne. ‘I should
always be afraid of its being stolen. Did it all belong to the Queen of
Fallonia?’
‘No.
Some to a princess who was visiting her,’ said Julian. ‘These jewels are worth
a king’s ransom. I just hate the thought of being in charge of them, even for a
little while.’
‘Well,
it’s better that we should have them, rather than Maggie or Dirty Dick,’ said
George. She held a string of diamonds in her hands and let them run through her
fingers. How they sparkled! No one could have imagined that they had been at
the bottom of a lake for a year or two!
‘Now
let’s see,’ said Julian, sitting down on the edge of the table. ‘We’re due back
at school tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday - or is it Tuesday already? It must be
past midnight - gosh, yes, it’s almost half past two! Would you believe it?’
‘I
feel as if I’d believe anything,’ said Anne, blinking at the glittering
treasure on the table.
‘We’d
better start off fairly early tomorrow,’ went on Julian. ‘We’ve got to get
these things to the police ...’
‘Not
to that awful policeman we saw the other day!’ said George, in horror,
‘Of
course not. I think our best course would be to ring up that nice Mr. Gaston
and tell him that we’ve got important news for the police and see which police
station he recommends us to go to,’ said Julian. ‘He might even arrange a car
for us, so that we don’t need to take this stuff about in buses. I’m not
particularly keen on carrying it about with me!’
‘Have
we got to carry all these boxes?’ said George, in dismay.
‘No.
That would be asking for trouble if anyone spotted them,’ said Julian. ‘I fear
we’ll just have to wrap up the jewels in our hankies and stuff them down into
the bottom of our rucksacks. We’ll leave the boxes here. The police can collect
them afterwards if they want to.’
It
was all decided. The four divided up the glittering jewellery and wrapped it
carefully into four handkerchiefs, one for each of them. They stuffed the
hankies into their rucksacks.
‘We’d
better use them for pillows,’ said Dick. ‘Then they’ll be quite safe.’
‘What!
These horrid rough bags!’ said Anne. ‘Why? Timmy’s on guard, isn’t he? I’ll put
mine beside me under the rug but I just won’t put my head on it.’
Dick
laughed, ‘All right, Anne. Timmy won’t let any robber through, I’m quite sure.
Now - we start off first thing in the morning, do we, Julian?’
‘Yes.
As soon as we wake,’ said Julian. ‘We can’t have much to eat. There’s only a
few biscuits and a bit of chocolate left.’
‘I
shan’t mind,’ said Anne. ‘I’m so excited that at the moment I don’t feel I’ll
ever eat anything again!’
‘You’ll
change your mind tomorrow,’ said Julian with a laugh. ‘Now - to bed, everyone.’
They
lay down on their heather and bracken, excited and pleased. What a week-end!
And all because Dick and Anne had lost their way and Dick slept in the wrong
barn!
‘Good-night,’
said Julian, yawning, ‘I feel very very rich - richer than I’ll ever be in my
life again. Well - I’ll enjoy the feeling while I can!’
Chapter
Twenty-two
AN
EXCITING FINISH
They
awoke to hear Timmy barking. It was daylight already. Julian leapt up the steps
to see what was the matter. He saw Maggie not very far away.
‘Why
do you keep such a fierce dog?’ she called. ‘I just came to see if you wanted
to take any food with you.  How anxious Maggie was to get
rid of them! She would even give them food to get rid of them quickly. But
Julian didn’t want any food from Maggie or Dirty Dick!
‘Do
you want some, then?’ asked the woman. She couldn’t make Julian out. He looked
a youngster, and yet his manner was anything but childish. She was rather
afraid of him.
‘No
thanks,’ said Julian. ‘We’re just about to go, Got to get back to school today,
you know.’
‘Well,
you’d better hurry then,’ said the woman. ‘It’s going to rain.’
Julian
turned on his heel, grinning. It wasn’t going to rain. Maggie would say
anything to hurry them away! Still, that was just what Julian wanted - to get
away as quickly as possible!
In
ten minutes’ time the four children were ready to go. Each had rucksack and mac
on their back - and each had jewels worth thousands of pounds in their charge!
What a very extraordinary thing.
‘It
will be a lovely walk across the moors,’ said Anne, as they went along. ‘I feel
like singing now everything’s turned out all right. The only thing is - nobody
at school will believe George or me when we tell them what’s happened,’
‘We
shall probably be set a composition to do - “What did you do on your
half-term?” ’ said George. ‘And Miss Peters will read ours and say “Quite well
written, but rather far-fetched, don’t you think?” ’
Everyone
laughed. Timmy looked round with his tongue out and what George called ‘his
smiling face’. Then his ‘smile’ vanished, and he began to bark, facing to the
rear of the children.
They
looked round, startled.  ‘What’s up? Are they sorry we’ve gone and want us back
again?’
‘They’re
trying to cut us off,’ said Julian. ‘Look - they’ve left the path and they’re
going to take a short cut to come across us. There is marshland all round, so
we can’t leave our own path.  Unless they know this bit of
marsh-moor country they’ll get bogged.’

‘They
look as if they have gone quite mad,’ said Anne, suddenly afraid. ‘What’s the
matter with them?’
‘I
know!’ said George. ‘They’ve been into our cellar room - and they’ve found that
waterproof covering and all those empty boxes. They’ve found out that we’ve got
the goods!’
‘Of
course!’ said Julian. ‘We should have thrown all the boxes into the cellars
beyond. No wonder they’re in a fury. They’ve lost a fortune to us four!’
‘What
do they think they can do now, though?’ said Dick. ‘We’ve got Timmy. He’ll
certainly fly at them if they come too near.
He
looked at Anne, who had gone white.
Timmy
began to bark fiercely. He snarled, and looked very savage. He could see that
the man was spoiling for a fight with someone. All right - Timmy didn’t mind!
‘Let’s
hurry on,’ said Julian. ‘But no short cuts for us, mind - we’ll keep strictly
to the path. Maggie is in difficulties already.’
So
she was. She was floundering ankle deep in marshy ground, yelling to Dirty Dick
to help her. But he was too intent on cutting right across the children’s path.
And
then he got into difficulties too! He suddenly sank up to his knees! He tried
to clamber out and reach a tuft of some sort. He missed his footing and went
down again. He gave an anguished yell. ‘My ankle! I’ve broken it! Maggie, come
over here!’
But
Maggie was having her own difficulties and paid no attention. The children
stopped and looked at Dirty Dick. He was sitting on a tuft, nursing his foot,
and even from where the children stood they could see that his face was deathly
white. He certainly had done something to his ankle.
‘Ought
we to help him?’ said Anne, trembling.
‘Good
gracious no!’ said Julian. ‘He may be pretending for all we know - though I
don’t think so. The chase is over, anyway. And if, as I think, Dirty Dick
really has injured his ankle, he won’t be able to get far out of that marsh -
and nor will Maggie by the look of her - down she goes again, look! It may be
that the police will find it very easy to pick up that unpleasant couple when
they come along to look for them.’
‘Nicely
embedded in the marsh,’ said Dick. ‘Well, personally, I don’t feel sorry for
either of them, They’re bad lots.’
 They walked all the way to Reebles. It took them two hours.
‘We’ll
go to the post-office, and telephone from there,’ said Julian.
The
old man was pleased to see them again. ‘Had a nice time?’ he said. ‘Did you
find Two-Trees?’
Julian
left him talking to the others while he went to look up Mr. Gaston’s telephone
number. He found it - and hoping devoutly that Mr. Gaston wouldn’t mind giving
his help, he rang him up.
Mr.
Gaston answered the telephone himself. ‘Hallo? Who? Oh, yes, of course I
remember you. You want a bit of help? Well, what can I do for you?’
Julian
told him. Mr. Gaston listened in amazement.
‘WHAT!
You’ve found the Fallonia jewels! I can’t believe it! In your rucksacks now,
you say! Bless us all! You’re not spoofing me, are you?’
Julian
assured him that he wasn’t. Mr. Gaston could hardly believe his ears. ‘Right.
Right - of course I’ll put you in touch with the police. We’d better go to
Gathercombe - I know the Inspector there, a fine fellow. Where are you? Oh yes,
I know it. Wait there and I’ll fetch you in my car - in about half an hour,
say.’
He
rang off and Julian went to find the others, delighted that he had thought of
getting into touch with Mr. Gaston. Some grown-ups were so jolly decent - and
they knew exactly what to do. The other three were delighted too, when he told
them.
‘Well,
I must say that although it’s nice to have things happening to us, it’s a sort
of safe, comfortable feeling when we hand over to the grown-ups,’ said George.
‘Now I only want one thing - breakfast!’
‘We’d
better have a mixture of breakfast and lunch,’ said Julian. ‘It’s so late.’
‘Oh
yes - let’s have brunch!’ said Anne, delighted, ‘I love brunch.’
So
they had some ‘brunch’ - sandwiches, buns, biscuits and ginger-beer, which they
bought at a little shop down the road. And just as they were finishing, up
swept Mr. Gaston in an enormous car!
The
four children grinned at him with pleasure, Julian introduced Anne and Dick.
Timmy was thrilled to see him again and offered him a polite paw, which Mr.
Gaston shook heartily.
‘Nice
manners your dog’s got,’ he said, and pressed down the accelerator. Whoooosh!
Away they went at top speed, with Timmy sticking his head out of the window as
he always did in a car.
  ‘My
word, I wish you were mine!’
They
came to the police station. Mr. Gaston had already warned the inspector they
were coming, and he was waiting for them.
‘Come
along into my private room,’ he said. ‘Now first of all - where are these
jewels? Have you really got them with you? Let’s have a look at them before you
tell your story.’
‘The
children undid their rucksacks - and out of the hankies inside they poured the
shining, glittering jewellery on to the oak table.
The
inspector whistled and exchanged a look with Mr. Gaston. He picked up the
diamond necklace.
‘You’ve
got them!’ he said. ‘The very jewels! And to think the police everywhere have
been hunting for them for months and months and months. Where did you find
them, youngsters?’
‘It’s
rather a long story,’ said Julian. He began to tell it, and he told it well,
prompted by the others, when he forgot anything. Mr. Gaston and the inspector
listened with amazement on their faces. When Julian came to the bit where Dirty
Dick and Maggie had been left floundering in the marshes, the inspector
interrupted him.
‘Wait!
Would they still be there? They would? Right. Half a minute!’
He
pressed a bell and a peliceman appeared. ‘Tell Johns to take his three men and
the car, and go to the Green Marshes, near Gloomy Water,’ ordered the
inspector. ‘He’s to pick up two people floundering there - man and woman. Our
old friends Dirty Dick and Maggie Martin! Look sharp!’
The
policeman disappeared. Anne hugged herself. Now that awful couple would be put
into safe custody for some time, thank goodness - till she had forgotten about
them! Anne hadn’t liked them a bit.
Julian’s
tale came to an end. The inspector looked across at the tousle-headed, dirty,
untidy group and smiled. He held out his hand. ‘Shake!’ he said. ‘All of you!
 I’m proud to meet you!’
They
all shook hands with him solemnly. Timmy held up his paw too, and the inspector
grinned and shook that too.
‘And
now - what’s your programme?’ asked Mr, Gaston, getting up,
‘Well
- we’re all supposed to be back at school by three o’clock,’ said Julian. ‘But
I don’t think we can arrive looking like this. We’d get into awful rows! Is
there a hotel where we can have a bath and clean ourselves up a bit?’
‘You
can do that here,’ said the inspector. ‘And if you like I’ll run you back to
your schools in the police car. We can’t do too much for people who produce the
Fallonia jewels out of rucksacks, you know. Bless us all - I can’t believe it!’
Mr.
Gaston said good-bye and went, saying that he was very proud to have made
friends with them. ‘And don’t you get stuck down any more rabbit-holes!’ he
said to Timmy, who wuffed happily at him.
They
bathed and washed every inch of themselves. They found their clothes neatly
folded and brushed, and felt grateful. They brushed their hairs and arrived
looking very clean and tidy in the inspector’s private room. He had a man
there, inspecting the jewels and labelling them before he put them away into
boxes.
‘You’ll
be interested to know that we have picked up your couple,’ he told them. ‘The
man had a broken ankle and couldn’t stir a step. The woman was thigh deep in
the marsh when we found her.
‘And
these are the Fallonia jewels,’ said the inspector. ‘Not that I had any doubt
of it. They are now being checked and labelled. I’ve no doubt the Queen of
Fallonia and her titled friend will be extremely pleased to hear of your little
exploit.’
A
clock struck half past two. Julian looked at it. Half an hour only to get back
in time. Would they do it?
‘It’s
all right,’ said the inspector, with his wide grin. ‘Car’s at the door. I’ll
come and see you off. You’ll all be back at your schools in good time - and if
anyone believes your tale I’ll be surprised. Come along!’
He
saw them into the car, Timmy too. ‘Good-bye,’ he said, and saluted them all
smartly.
Yes,
good luck to you, Famous Five - and may you have many more adventures!