Chapter Nineteen.

A SCREAM IN THE NIGHT.

n.o.bODY could even guess the answers to Anne's surprised questions. The children stared into the trunk and puzzled over it. It seemed such a funny thing to smuggle. They remembered the other things in the wreck too-the tins of food. They were queer things to smuggle into the island. There didn't seem any point in it.

"Funny," said d.i.c.k, at last. "It beats me. There's no doubt that queer things are afoot here, or the Sticks wouldn't be hanging around our island. And we've seen signals from a ship out to Sea. Something's going on. We thought if we opened this trunk it might help us - but it's only made the mystery deeper."

Just then the voices of the two parent Sticks could be heard shouting for Edgar. But Edgar did not dare to shout back. Timmy's nose was poked against his leg. He might be nipped at any time. Timmy growled every now and again to remind Edgar that he was still there.

"Do you know anything about the ship that signals to this island at night?" asked Julian, turning to Edgar.

The boy shook his head. "Never heard of no signals," he said. "I just heard my mother saying that she expected the Roomer tonight, but I don't know what she meant."

"The Roomer?" said George, at once. "What's that-a man-or a boat-or what?"

"I don't know," said Edgar. "I'd only have got a clip on the ear if I'd asked. Find out yourself."

"We will," said Julian, grimly. "We'll watch out for the Roomer tonight! Thanks for the information."

The children spent a quiet and rather boring day in the cave-all but Anne, who had plenty of things to arrange again. Really, the cave looked most home-like when she had finished! She put the blankets on the bed, and used the rugs as carpets. So the cave really looked most imposing!

Edgar was not allowed to go out of the cave, and Timothy didn't leave him for a moment. He slept most of the time, complaining that "them cows and things" had frightened him so much the night before that he'd not been able to sleep a wink.

The others discussed their plans in low voices. They decided to keep watch on the cliff-top, two and two together, that night. They would wait and see what happened. If the Roomer came, they would hurriedly make fresh plans then.

The sun sank. The night came up dark over the sea. Edgar snored softly, after a very good supper of sardines, pressed beef sandwiches, tinned apricots and tinned milk. Anne and d.i.c.k went up to keep the first watch. It was about half-past ten.

At half-past twelve Julian and George climbed up the knotted rope and joined the other two. They had nothing to report. They went down into the cave, got into their comfortable beds and went to sleep. Edgar was snoring away in his corner, Timmy still on guard.

Julian and George looked out to sea, watching for any sign of a ship. The moon was up that night, and things were not quite so dark. Suddenly they heard low voices, and saw shadowy figures down by the rocks below.

"The two Sticks," whispered Julian. "Going to row out to the wreck again, I suppose."

There was the splash of oars, and the children saw a boat move out over the water. At the same time George nudged Julian violently and pointed out to sea. A light was being shown a good way out, from a ship that the children could barely see. Then the moon went behind a cloud, and they could see nothing for some time.

They watched breathlessly. Was that shadowy ship a good way out the Roomer? Or was the owner of it the "Roamer'? Were the smugglers at work tonight?

"There's another boat coming-look!" said George. "It must be coming from that ship out to sea. Now the moon has come out again, you can just see it. It is going to the old wreck. It must be a meeting-place, I should think."

Then, most irritatingly, the moon went behind a cloud again, and remained there so long that the children grew impatient. At last it sailed out again and lighted up the water.

"Both boats are leaving the wreck now," said Julian excitedly. "They've had their meeting-and pa.s.sed over the smuggled goods, I suppose-and now one boat is returning to the ship, and the other, the Sticks" boat, is coming back here with the goods. We'll follow the Sticks when they get back and see where they put the goods."

After a long time the Sticks" boat came to sh.o.r.e again. The children could not see anything then, but presently they saw the Sticks going back towards the castle. Mr. Stick carried what looked like a large bundle, flung over his shoulder. They could not see if Mrs. Stick carried anything.

The Sticks went into the courtyard of the castle, and came to the dungeon entrance. "They're taking the smuggled goods down there," whispered Julian to George. The children were now watching from behind a nearby wall. "We'll go back and tell the others, and make some more plans. We must somehow or other get those goods ourselves, and take them back to the mainland and get in touch with the police!"

Just then a scream rang out in the night. It was a high-pitched, terrified scream, and frightened the watching children very much. They had no idea where it came from.

"Quick! It must be Anne!" said Julian, and the two ran as fast as they could to the hole that led down to the cave. They dropped down the rope and Julian looked round the quiet cave anxiously. What had happened to Anne to make her scream like that?

But Anne was peacefully asleep on her bed, and so was d.i.c.k. Edgar still snored and Timmy watched, his eyes gleaming green.

"Funny," said Julian, still startled. "Awfully queer. Who screamed like that? It couldn't possibly have been Anne-because if she had screamed in her sleep like that, she would have wakened the others."

"Well, who screamed, then?" said George, feeling rather scared. "Wasn't it weird, Julian? I didn't like it. It was somebody who was awfully frightened. But who could it be?"

They woke d.i.c.k and Anne and told them about the strange scream. Anne was very startled. d.i.c.k was interested to hear that two boats had met at the wreck, and that the Sticks had brought back smuggled goods of some sort, and taken them down in the dungeons.

"We'll get those tomorrow, somehow!" he said, cheerfully. "We'll have good fun."

"Why did you think it was me screaming?" asked Anne. "Did you think it was a girl's scream?"

"Yes. It sounded like the scream you give when one of us jumps out at you suddenly," said Julian, "A proper little girl's scream-not a yell, like a boy gives."

"It's funny," said Anne. She cuddled down into her bed again, and George got in beside her.

"Oh Anne!" said George, in disgust, "you've got our bed simply full of those dolls-and that teddy bear is here too! You really are a baby!"

"No, I'm not," said Anne. "The dolls and the bear are babies-they are frightened and lonely because they're not with the little girl they belong to. So I had them in bed with me instead! I'm sure the little girl would be glad."

"The little girl!" said Julian, slowly. "We thought we heard a little girl scream tonight-we found a small trunk full of a little girl's clothes, and a little girl's dolls. What docs it all mean?"

There was a silence-and then Anne spoke excitedly. "I know! The smuggled goods are a little girl! They've stolen a little girl away-and these are her dolls, and those over there are her clothes that were stolen at the same time, for her to dress in and play with. The little girl's here, on this island now-you heard her scream tonight when those horrid Sticks carried her down into the dungeons!"

"Well - I do believe Anne has. .h.i.t on the right idea," said Julian. "Clever little girl, Anne! I think you're right. It isn't smugglers who are using this island-it's kidnappers!"

"What are kidnappers?" said Anne.

"People who steal away children or grown-ups and hide them somewhere till a large sum of money is paid out for them," explained Julian. "It's called a ransom. Till the ransom is paid, the prisoner is held by the captors."

"Well, that's what's happened here then!" said George.

"I bet it has! Some poor little rich girl has been stolen away-and brought to the wreck by boat from some ship - and taken over by those horrible Sticks. Wicked creatures!"

"And we heard the poor little thing scream just as she was taken down underground," said George. "Julian, we've got to rescue her."

"Yes, of course," said Julian. "We will, never fear! We'll rescue her tomorrow."

Edgar woke up and joined in the conversation suddenly. "What you talking about?" he said. "Rescue who?"

"Never you mind," said Julian.

George nudged him and whispered.

"All I hope is that Mrs. Stick is feeling as upset about losing her dear Edgar as the mother of the little girl," she said.

"Tomorrow we find the little girl somehow, and take her away," said Julian. "I expect the Sticks will be on guard, but we'll find a way."

"I'm tired now," said George, lying down. "Let's go to sleep. We'll wake up nice and fresh. Oh Anne, do put these dolls your side. I'm lying on at least three."

Anne took the dolls and the bear and arranged them on her side of the bed. "Don't feel lonely," George heard her say. "I'll look after you all right till you go back to your own mistress. Sleep tight!"

Soon they all slept-all but Timothy, who lay with one eye open all night long. There was no need to put anyone on guard while Timmy was there. He was the best guardian they could have.

Chapter Twenty.

A RESCUE-AND A NEW PRISONER!

THE next day Julian was awake early and went up the rope to the cliff-top to see if the Sticks were about. He saw them coming up the steps that led from the dungeons. Mrs. Stick looked pale and worried.

"We've got to find our Edgar," she kept saying to Mr. Stick. "I tell you we've got to find our Edgar. He's not down in the dungeons. That I do know. We've yelled ourselves hoa.r.s.e down there."

"And he's not on the island," said Mr. Stick. "We hunted all over it yesterday. I think whoever was here then, took our goods, caught Edgar, and made off with him and everything else in their boat. That's what I think."

"Well, they've taken him to the mainland then," said Mrs. Stick. "We'd better take our boat and go back there and ask a few questions. What I'd like to know is-who is it messing about here and interfering with our plans? It makes me scared. Just when things are going nicely Too!"

"Is it all right to leave here just now?" said Mr. Stick, doubtfully. "Suppose whoever was here yesterday is still here-they might pop down into the dungeons when we're gone."

"Well, they're not here," said Mrs. Stick, firmly. "Use your common sense, if you've got any-wouldn't our Edgar yell the place down if he was being kept prisoner on this little island-and wouldn't we hear him? I tell you he must have been taken off in a boat, together with all the other things that are gone. And I don't like it."

"All right, all right!" said Mr. Stick in a grumbling tone. "That boy's always a nuisance-always in silly trouble of some sort."

"How can you talk of poor Edgar like that?" cried Mrs. Stick. "Do you think the poor child likes being captured! Goodness knows what he's going through - feeling frightened and lonely without me."

Julian felt disgusted. Here was Mrs. Stick talking like that about old Spotty-Face-and yet she had a little girl down in the dungeons-a child much younger than Edgar! What a beast she was.

"What about Tinker?" said Mr. Stick, in a sulky tone. "Better leave him here, hadn't we, to guard the entrance to the dungeons? Not that there will be anyone here, if what you say is right."

"Oh, we'll leave Tinker," said Mrs. Stick, setting off to the boat. Julian saw them embark, leaving the dog behind. Tinker watched them rowing away, his tail well down between his legs. Then he turned and ran back to the courtyard, and lay down dolefully in the sun. He was very uneasy. His ears were c.o.c.ked and he kept looking . this way and that. He didn't like this queer island and its unexpected noises.

Julian tore back to the cave and dropped down the rope, startling Edgar very much. "Come outside the cave and I'll tell you my plans," said Julian to the others. He didn't want Edgar to hear them. They all went outside.

Anne had got breakfast ready while Julian had been gone, and the kettle was boiling away merrily on the little stove.

"Listen!" said Julian. "The Sticks have gone off in their boat back to the mainland to see if they can find their precious little darling Edgar. Mrs. Stick is all hot and bothered because she thinks someone's gone off with him and she's afraid the poor boy will be feeling frightened and lonely!"

"Well!" said George. "Doesn't she think that the little kidnapped girl must be feeling much worse? What a horrid woman she is!"

"You're right," said Julian. "Well, what I propose to do is this-we'll go down into the dungeons now and rescue the little girl-and bring her here to our cave for breakfast. Then we'll take her off in our boat, go to the police, find out where her parents are, and telephone to them that she is safe."

"What shall we do with Edgar?" said Anne.

"I know!" said George at once. "We'll put Edgar into the dungeon instead of the little girl! Think how astonished the Sticks will be to find the little girl gone - and their dear Edgar shut up in the dungeon instead!"

"Oooh!-that is a good idea," said Anne, and all the others laughed and agreed.

"You stay here, Anne, and cut some more bread and b.u.t.ter for the little girl," said Julian. He knew that Anne hated going down into the dungeons.

Anne nodded, pleased..

"All right, I will. I'll just take the kettle off for a bit too, or else the water will boil away."

They all went back into the cave. "Come with us, Edgar," said Julian. "You come too, Timmy."

"Where you going to take me?" said Edgar, suspiciously.

"A nice cosy, comfortable place, where cows can't get at you," said Julian. "Come on! Buck up."

"Gr-r-r-r-r-r," said Timmy, his nose against Edgar's leg. Edgar got up in a hurry.

They all went up the rope, one after another, though Edgar was terribly scared, and was sure he couldn't. But with Timmy snapping at his ankles below, he climbed up the rope remarkably quickly, and was hauled out at the top by Julian.

"Now, quick march!" said Julian, who wanted to get everything over before the Sticks thought of returning. And quick march it was, over the cliffs, over the low wall of the castle, and down into the courtyard.

"I'm not going down into them dungeons with you," said Edgar, in alarm.

"You are, Spotty-Face," said Julian, amiably.

"Where's my Pa and Ma?" said Edgar, looking anxiously all round.

"Those cows have got them, I expect," said George. "The ones that came and mooed at you and threw things, you know."

Everyone giggled, except Edgar, who looked worried and pale. He did not like this kind of adventure at all. The children came to the dungeon entrance, and found that the Sticks had not only closed down the stone that opened the way to the dungeons, but had also dragged heavy rocks across it.

"Blow your parents!" said Julian, to Edgar. "Making a lot of trouble for everybody. Come on, stir yourself- all hands to these stones. Edgar, pull when we pull. Go on! You'll get into trouble if you don't."

Edgar pulled with the rest, and one by one the rocks were moved away. Then the heavy trapdoor stone was hauled up too, and the flight of steps was exposed leading down into darkness.

"There's Tinker!" suddenly cried Edgar, pointing to a bush some distance away. Tinker was there, hiding, quite terrified at seeing Timothy again.