Kiki began to mew like a cat. The man looked for this unexpected cat, then decided it was one of the children again, playing a trick on him. Kiki flew silently to the next cave and began to talk to herself there.

"One, two, b.u.t.ton my shoe, see how they run!"

The man took one more glance at the company of statues and went into the next cave. The children heaved a sigh of relief. But they dared not move yet.

It seemed a very long time till the man came back. With him came the two old people, evidently very frightened. Juan shouted at them in their own language, and the children could not understand a word.

Then, without another glance at the. statues, Juan went through the stout oaken door and shut it. The bang echoed loudly through the cave and made everyone jump.

Then they heard another sound which made their hearts sink. It was the noise of strong bolts being shot home on the other side of the door.

Crash! Crash, crash! All three bolts were shot firmly into place. Now the door could not possibly be opened from the inside.

"Did you hear that?" groaned Jack. "We're prisoners now. If only we'd hidden in the cave of stalact.i.tes or the cave of stars, we'd have been all right. We could have got out of the hole. Now we can't. We'll have to stay here till the men set us free - if they ever do."

Chapter 25.

PHILIP'S ASTONISHING PLAN

THE old couple looked panic-stricken when four of the statues apparently talked and came alive. But when the children took off their borrowed draperies and carefully gave them back to the right statues again, the old couple saw who they were.

Elsa came running to Lucy-Ann and fondled her. The old man stood trembling.

"What did he say to you?" demanded Jack.

"He said he was going to make us prisoners here, and that he was bringing others back with him to remove all our treasure," said the old man. Tears suddenly poured down his cheeks. "He is a bad man. Have I guarded these beautiful things all this time to let them fall into the hands of a man so bad?"

"It's sickening," said Jack. "We simply can't do a thing! We shall just have to stand by and watch those rogues take away everything, pack them into crates and fly off with them!"

"Let's go out to that sunny ledge," said Dinah. "I can't bear this gloom any more. I shall feel better when we are out there. Ask the old man to tell his wife to bring a picnic meal out there, Jack. You and Philip can help her to bring it. I can't think properly down here in the dark, with all those statues trying to listen."

"All right," said Jack, seeing that Dinah was on the point of tears. "You go off with Lucy-Ann and Kiki. We'll soon come. You'll feel better in the sunshine."

"Wasn't Kiki clever to lead the man away from us?" said Lucy-Ann. "He was scared when she suddenly spoke to him. So should I have been! I should have thought it was one of the statues speaking."

She and Dinah made their way to the sunny ledge. Dinah threw herself down there thankfully.

"I don't like this adventure any more, Dinah, do you?" asked Lucy-Ann. "It's not so bad if there's something we can do - but we seem to be helpless here."

"I like to make adventures go the way I want them to," said Dinah rather sulkily. "I don't like them to make me do things I don't like. Don't talk to me, Lucy-Ann. I shall snap at you. I feel cross."

"It's only because of the strain we went through whilst we were pretending to be statues," said Lucy-Ann.

"Don't sound so grown-up," snapped Dinah. "It's not that. I just feel bad-tempered because I want to get out of this valley and I can't."

Lucy-Ann said nothing more. She settled down in the sun, waiting for the picnic that Jack and Philip would soon be bringing out with Elsa. Kiki sat murmuring to herself nearby. Martha the hen arrived and began pecking about companionably. Kiki talked to her, and she clucked back.

Dinah forgot her bad temper when the others came out with a picnic meal. They had a good feast and then discussed all the morning's happenings once more. In the middle of the discussion they heard the sound of the plane again, and this time saw it rising high into the sky.

"Why, they're off again!" said Jack in surprise. "Why?"

"Probably to get other men along to help in removing everything, now they really do know where the treasure is," said Philip. "And as you suggested, Jack - they might even bring more planes."

It was hateful feeling that they were complete prisoners. Jack and Philip went desperately to the bolted door once and tried to move it - but it was hopeless of course. The bolts were old but still very strong.

There was nothing to do, and they felt bored. They went to examine the statues more closely and to look at the old pictures and the musty old books.

The statues were loaded with magnificent jewels. Some of the figures were really beautifully made and dressed, but others were crude and garish. All, however, were adorned with jewels, though the children were not able to tell if all the gleaming brooches, dazzling ear-rings and necklaces, glittering bracelets, belts and rings were really valuable or not. Probably some were, and others were only semi-precious.

"I expect the men will strip the statues of their jewellery, and take only that, leaving the figures behind," said Jack. "They will crate the pictures and books."

"Why couldn't we strip the jewels off and hide them away somewhere so that the men wouldn't get them?" suddenly said Dinah. "I don't see why wicked men like that should have them."

"Good idea!" said Jack. "Come on - we'll take the jewellery now and hide it somewhere!"

But as soon as they began to remove it, the old couple flew at them in horror.

"Not do that! Ah, bad boy!" cried the old man, removing a brooch from Jack's hand.

"We only want to hide the things from those men," protested Jack. "They'll be back and steal these things soon."

"They belong to these," said the old man, waving his hand towards the statues. "They must not be removed by anyone. It is against the law of the Church."

The children did not try again. It was plain that Elsa and the old man would fly into a rage if they attempted to. They seemed to think that it was a very wicked and unholy act to take away any of the adornments belonging to the figures.

The long day pa.s.sed at last. n.o.body slept very well that night. They were worried about what was going to happen. It was horrid to feel they were at the mercy of rogues like Juan.

They were all out on the sunny ledge the next morning, early, having breakfast there. They had no meals in the caves now, if they could help it.

"Listen," said Dinah suddenly. "I can hear the plane coming back."

They all listened, the old couple too. The noise grew louder. It became very loud indeed. Then Jack leapt to his feet.

"It's not just one plane! It's many! Look, there's one! - circling down - and another over there! - and here comes another! Gracious! Juan's got quite a fleet of planes!"

There were four altogether. Evidently Juan meant to do the job properly now. The children pictured the planes landing one by one on the long wide strip of gra.s.s at the bottom of the valley.

"Now we can expect things to happen," said Jack. "The whole of the treasure will be gone soon."

"What a shame!" said Dinah. "And we can't do a thing to stop it!"

"If only we could get word to Bill!" said Jack desperately. "But there's no way out of the valley except in one of those planes."

Philip stared at Jack a moment. Then he said something so exciting that the others could hardly believe their ears.

"Yes - that's the only way out. And I'm going to take it."

There was a silence. Then Jack spoke, astonished. "Whatever do you mean? You can't fly a plane."

"Of course not. But I can hide in one!" said Philip. "Didn't we hide, all of us, in a plane, coming here? Well, why shouldn't I hide in one leaving here? I bet I could hide unseen - and slip out when I had a chance, and get word to Bill about everything."

"Philip! It's a grand idea!" said Jack. "But I'll go, not you."

"You jolly well won't!" said Philip. "It's my idea! n.o.body else is going to pinch such a gorgeous idea. I'm going, see?"

"I don't want either of you to go," said Lucy-Ann, her lips trembling. "You might be seen. Something awful might happen to you. Don't leave us."

"Jack will be with you," said Philip. "And the old couple. You'll be all right. I tell you, it's the only way to get help - to fly off in one of the planes, when the men go on their next trip. They'll have to come back two or three times to take all these things - and, if only I can get word to Bill, he can catch the men actually doing the stealing!"

"It sounds too good to be true," said Dinah. "I don't believe you can do it. Anyway - how are you even going to get to the plane? You know we're bolted in. n.o.body can get out."

"I shall watch my chance and slip out through that door when the men are going to and fro," said Philip, enjoying his planning. "Then I shall hide in the cave of stalact.i.tes and go up the pa.s.sage to the hole as soon as I can. Then I'll get along back to the planes, and choose one to hop into. I don't reckon they will have left anyone on guard there, as they think we're all well and truly imprisoned."

"It sounds easy, but it won't be," said Jack. "Better let me do it, Tufty."

"Think again!" said Philip. "This is my own pet adventure, see?"

"You might even be able to squeeze into a crate," said Dinah thoughtfully. "n.o.body would think of looking into a packed crate."

"Good idea!" said Philip. "In fact, jolly good!"

"Well, we can expect quite a horde of men here today," said Jack. "It will surprise the poor old couple. They will be in a dreadful state when they see their well-guarded treasure going."

"Philip, we won't pretend that we are any of the statues today when the men come," said Dinah. "Only you. The men are sure to have a hunt round for us if they can't find us today, so we'd better all be found, except you. You can be a statue again, and wait your chance to rush out of that door."

"Yes. I think I will," said Philip. "It may not work, but it's the only thing to do. Now - when will those men be along? It will take them about an hour and a half to get here. It's half an hour since we saw the planes. I mustn't leave it to the last minute to put myself in place."

"Better go now," said Lucy-Ann, who was on pins and needles about the whole thing. "We'll come with you and see that you're in a good place and really look like a statue."

They all went down the pa.s.sage, and made their way through the various caves to the one in which the statues stood. Martha the hen came too. She had attached herself to Jack now, and followed him wherever he went. She had laid an egg that morning, and the old woman had made Lucy-Ann have it for breakfast.

"Look! - there's a half-hidden ledge here not far from the door," said Dinah eagerly. "If you stood there you would hardly be seen, it's so dark there. And you would be near the door to creep out if you got a chance."

"Yes, that does seem the best place," said Philip. "It really does. Now what about a shawl or something to drape over my head? I don't want my short hair to give me away."

They found a very big shawl and draped it carefully round him. He went to stand on the little ledge, and everyone agreed that it was a splendid place.

"You can hardly be seen," said Jack. "Well, good luck, Tufty. We'll go now, and we shan't hide. We shall let the men see us and hope they'll think there's n.o.body else in the caves at all. If you can't escape we shall know, because you'll still be about tonight."

"Good-bye," said Philip, looking exactly like a statue. "Don't worry about me. I'll be off and away soon, and I'll get word to Bill and Mother. We'll soon rescue you, don't you worry!"

Chapter 26.

THE GETAWAY.

IN about an hour's time Philip heard the sound of footsteps and then the bolts of the door were shot back. Juan's revolver appeared round the opening door again. But this time there was no Kiki to talk to him - n.o.body to be seen or heard except the silent company of statues.

Juan came down into the cave. Other men followed him. Philip watched them through a fold of the shawl. He hoped they wouldn't start stripping the jewels off the statues at once, or they might discover him.

The men exclaimed in wonder at the statues. They had powerful torches with them which they switched on at once. Philip was not prepared for that. He shrank back into his corner, glad of the draping shawl.

The men were a rough-looking lot, and they called out to one another in surprise as they saw the gleaming jewels on the necks and arms of the statues. Some of them grabbed brooches and necklaces at once. Juan gave a sharp order and the men replaced them sulkily.

Philip counted the men. There were eight. Otto was not among them, but that was not surprising. Juan, Pepi and Luis were there. There were two men for each aeroplane, apparently.

Juan led the way to the next cave, through the tunnel. Their footsteps echoed hollowly as they pa.s.sed through. Philip wondered if they would all go on to the next cave - and the next. If so, he could slip out of the open door straightaway, and make his way down the hillside at once.

He listened. He could hear the men's voices from the next cave, where the pictures were. Then footsteps again, farther away. Then only a faint murmur of voices.

"They've gone to the cave of books - and then they'll go to the cave where the gold is," thought Philip. "I've plenty of time to get through the door and away."

He dropped his shawl on the floor and went quietly to the door. He was through it in a trice. Up the winding steps he went, off to the cave of stars - then to the cave of gleaming stalact.i.tes. He began to feel safer. He didn't think there would be anyone on guard outside the hole, but he meant to be careful there.

There was n.o.body on guard. The hillside was empty. Philip climbed out of the hole and began to make his way downwards. Soon he was well on his way, keeping a sharp look-out all the time just in case all the men had not gone down into the caves.

He was tired and hungry by the time he reached the men's hut. Thank goodness the door was open and there was n.o.body about! The boy got himself a good meal. He found a box containing bars of chocolate, and slipped some of the bars into his pocket, in case he had to go some time without food.

Then he went along to the planes. There they were, four of them, looking quite big as he walked beside them. Which should he get into?

He climbed up into the cabin of each and looked inside. In the last one there was a big heap of coats and rugs. It seemed the best plane to get into. He could pile the things over him and hide himself that way. He didn't at the moment see any chance of squeezing himself into a crate, as Dinah had suggested. Anyway, the crates were not in the plane, they were under the tarpaulins, where they had always been.

Having decided exactly what he was going to do, he had plenty of time left on his hands. He knew that the men would not be back for some time. They would be carrying heavy, awkward loads and would go far more slowly than he had gone.

He amused himself by snooping round. He went into the hut and found a coat hanging up there. He ran his hands through the pockets, thinking that any information he could get hold of might be useful to Bill, when he got to him.

There was a notebook in one of the pockets. Philip flipped over the pages. He could make nothing of it. It contained sentences in some kind of code, and plenty of numbers. Perhaps Bill could make head or tail of it. He couldn't!

He went to the cowshed. There was nothing to be seen there but the still-open tins of fruit, swarming with flies. Philip stared at them. "Oh yes - they are what Jack left for Otto," he thought. "Ugh, look at the flies!"

He took a stick, dug a hole and buried the evil-smelling tins and their contents. Then he strolled off again and came to the tree where they had all once hidden. He squinted up and saw something. "Golly, what's that?"

Then he remembered. "Of course - we left our suitcases up there. I'd forgotten all about them. Fancy them still being there!"

He debated whether to get them down and hide them. "No," he thought, "they might be found, and then the men might start looking for me. I'll leave them there."

He kept a good look-out for the returning men as the afternoon wore on. He helped himself to some biscuits and a tin of peaches about five o'clock. Still no sign of the men.