1 Now for the holidays!
　　1 Now for the holidays!
　　Two girls sat on a window-seat in their school study. One had red wavy hair, and so many frecklesthat it was impossible to count them. The other had dark hair that stuck up in front in an amusingtuft.
　　‘One more day and then the hols begin,’ said red-haired Lucy-Ann, looking at Dinah out ofcurious green eyes. ‘I’m longing to see Jack again. A whole term is an awfully long time to beaway from him.’
　　‘Well, I don’t mind being away from my brother!’ said Dinah, with a laugh. ‘Philip’s not bad,but he does make me wild, always bringing in those awful animals and insects of his.’
　　‘It’s a good thing there’s only one day between our breaking-up days,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Weshall be home first - and we can have a look round, and then the next day we shall meet the boys -hurrah!’
　　‘I wonder what this place is like, that Mother has taken for the hols,’ said Dinah. ‘I’ll get out herletter and read it again.’
　　She fished in her pocket for the letter and took it out. She skimmed it through.
　　‘She doesn’t say very much. Only that she wants our home to be decorated and cleaned, and soshe has taken a cottage somewhere in the hills for us to stay in these hols,’ said Dinah. ‘Here’s theletter.’
　　Lucy-Ann took it, and read it with interest. ‘Yes - it’s a place called Spring Cottage, and it’s onthe side of Castle Hill. She says it’s rather a lonely sort of place, but packed with wild birds, soJack will be very pleased.’
　　‘I can’t understand your brother being so mad on birds,’ said Dinah. ‘He’s just as bad aboutbirds as Philip is about insects and animals.’
　　‘Philip is marvellous with animals, I think,’ said Lucy-Ann, who had a great admiration forDinah’s brother. ‘Do you remember that mouse he trained to take crumbs from between his teeth?’
　　‘Oh, don’t remind me of those things!’ said Dinah, with a shudder. She could not bear even aspider near her, and bats and mice made her squeal. Lucy-Ann thought it was amazing that sheshould have lived so many years with an animal-loving boy like Philip, and yet still be afraid ofthings.
　　‘He does tease you, doesn’t he?’ she said to Dinah, remembering how Philip had often putearwigs under Dinah’s pillow, and black beetles in her shoes. He really was a terrible tease whenhe was in the mood. No wonder Dinah had such a temper!
　　‘I wonder how Kiki has got on this term,’ said Dinah.
　　Kiki was Jack’s parrot, an extremely clever bird, who could imitate voices and sounds in a mostremarkable manner. Jack had taught her many phrases, but Kiki had picked up many many moreherself, especially from a cross old uncle that Lucy-Ann and Jack had once lived with.
　　‘Kiki wasn’t going to be allowed to be at school with Jack this term,’ said Lucy-Ann sadly. ‘It’san awful pity - but still he got a friend in the town to look after her for him, and he goes to see herevery day. But I do think they might have let him have her at school.’
　　‘Well, considering that Kiki kept telling the headmaster not to sniff, and Jack’s form master towipe his feet, and woke everyone up at night by screeching like a railway engine, I’m notsurprised they didn’t want Kiki this term,’ said Dinah. ‘Anyway, we’ll be able to have her for thehols and that will be nice. I really do like Kiki - she doesn’t seem like a bird, but like one of us,somehow.’
　　Kiki certainly was a good companion. Although she didn’t converse with the children properly,she could talk nineteen to the dozen when she wanted to, saying the most ridiculous things andmaking the children laugh till they cried. She adored Jack, and would sit quietly on his shoulderfor hours if he would let her.
　　The girls were glad that the holidays were so soon coming. They and the two boys and Kikiwould have good fun together. Lucy-Ann especially looked forward to being with Dinah’s pretty,merry mother.
　　Jack and Lucy-Ann Trent had no father or mother, and had lived with a cross old uncle foryears, until by chance they had met Philip and Dinah Mannering. These two had no father, butthey had a mother, who worked hard for them. She worked so hard that she had no time to make ahome for them, so they were sent to boarding school, and in the holidays went to an aunt anduncle.
　　But now things were changed. Dinah’s mother had enough money to make a home for them,and had offered to have their great friends, Jack and Lucy-Ann, as well. So in term time the twogirls went to school together, and the two boys were at another school. In the holidays all fourjoined up with Mrs Mannering, the mother of Philip and Dinah.
　　‘No more uncles and aunts!’ said Dinah joyfully, who hadn’t much liked her absent-minded oldUncle Jocelyn. ‘Just a lovely home with my mother!’
　　Now, in the coming holidays, they were all to be together in this holiday cottage that MrsMannering had found. Although Dinah was a little disappointed at not going back to the home hermother had made for them all, she couldn’t help looking forward to the holiday cottage. It soundednice - and what fine walks and picnics they would have among the hills!
　　‘Do you remember that marvellous adventure we had last summer?’ she said to Lucy-Ann, whowas looking dreamily out of the window, thinking how lovely it would be to see her brother Jackthe day after next.
　　Lucy-Ann nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said, and she screwed up her freckled nose a little. ‘It was themost exciting adventure anyone could have - but oh dear, how afraid I was sometimes! That Isleof Gloom - do you remember it, Dinah?’
　　‘Yes - and that shaft going right down into the heart of the earth - and how we got lost there -golly, that was an adventure!’ said Dinah. ‘I wouldn’t mind having another one, really.’
　　‘You are funny!’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘You shiver and shake when you see a spider, but yet youseem to enjoy adventures so exciting that they make me tremble even to remember them!’
　　‘Well - we shan’t have any more,’ said Dinah, rather regretfully. ‘One adventure like that isenough for a lifetime, I suppose. I bet the boys will want to talk about it again and again. Do youremember how in the Christmas hols we couldn’t make them stop?’
　　‘Oh - I wish the hols would come quickly!’ said Lucy- Ann, getting off the window- seatrestlessly. ‘I don’t know why these last two or three days always drag so.’
　　But tomorrow came at last, and the two girls went off in the train with scores of their friends,chattering and laughing. Their luggage was safely in the van, their tickets were in their purses,their hearts beat fast in delight. Now for the holidays!
　　They had to change trains twice, but Dinah was good at that sort of thing. Lucy-Ann was timidand shy in her dealings with strangers, but twelve-year-old Dinah stood no nonsense from anyone.
　　She was a strapping, confident girl, well able to hold her own. Lucy-Ann seemed two or threeyears younger to Dinah, although actually there was only one year between them.
　　At last they were at the station for their holiday home. They leapt out and Dinah found the oneand only porter. He went to get their luggage.
　　‘There’s Mother!’ shouted Dinah, and rushed to her pretty, bright-eyed mother, who had cometo meet them. Dinah was not one to hug or kiss very much, but Lucy-Ann made up for that! Dinahgave her mother one quick peck of a kiss, but Lucy-Ann gave her a bear-hug, and rubbed her redhead happily against Mrs Mannering’s chin.
　　‘Oh, it’s lovely to see you again!’ she said, thinking for the hundredth time how lucky Dinahwas to have a mother of her own. She felt grateful to her for letting her share her. It wasn’t verynice, having no father or mother to write to you, or welcome you home. But Mrs Manneringalways made her feel that she loved her and wanted her.
　　‘I’ve got the car outside to meet you,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘Come along. The porter will bringyour luggage.’
　　They went out of the station. It was only a little country station. Outside was a country lane, itsbanks starred with spring flowers. The sky was blue and the air was warm and soft. Lucy-Ann feltvery happy. It was the first day of the holidays, she was with Dinah’s lovely mother, andtomorrow the boys came home.
　　They got into the little car, and the porter put the trunks in at the back. Mrs Mannering took thewheel.
　　‘It’s quite a long way to Spring Cottage,’ she said. ‘We have to fetch our own goods and foodfrom the village here, except for eggs and butter and milk which a nearby farm lets me have. Butit’s lovely country, and there are marvellous walks for you. As for birds - well, Jack will have thetime of his life!’
　　‘It’s nesting time too - he’ll be thinking of nothing but eggs and nests,’ said Lucy-Ann, feelingjust a little jealous of the bird life that took up so much of her brother’s time.
　　The girls looked round them as Mrs Mannering drove along. It certainly was lovely country. Itwas very hilly, and in the distance the hills looked blue and rather exciting. The car ran along aroad down a winding river valley, and then began to climb a steep hill.
　　‘Oh, is our cottage on the side of this hill?’ asked Dinah, thrilled. ‘What a lovely view we’llhave, Mother!’
　　‘We have - right across the valley to other hills, and yet more hills rising beyond them!’ saidher mother. The car had to go very slowly now, for the road was steep. As they rose higher andhigher, the girls could see more and more across the valley. Then Lucy-Ann glanced upwards tosee how high they were - and she gave a shout.
　　‘I say! Look at that castle on the top of the hill! Just look at it!’
　　Dinah looked. It certainly was a most imposing and rugged old castle. It had a tower at eachend, and its walls looked thick. It had slit windows - but it had wide ones too, which looked a littleodd.
　　‘Is it a really old castle?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘No - not really,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘Some of it is old, but most of it has been restored andrebuilt, so that it is a real mix-up. Nobody lives there now. I don’t know who it belongs to, either -no one seems to know or care. It’s shut up, and hasn’t a very good name.’
　　‘Why? Did something horrid happen there once?’ asked Dinah, feeling rather thrilled.
　　‘I think so,’ said her mother. ‘But I really don’t know anything about it. You’d better not go upthere, anyhow, because the road up to it has had a landslide or something, and is very dangerous.
　　They say that part of the castle is ready to slip down the hill!’
　　‘Gracious! I hope it won’t slip on to our cottage!’ said Lucy-Ann, half scared.
　　Mrs Mannering laughed. ‘Of course not. We are nowhere near it - look, there’s our cottage,tucked away among those trees.’
　　It was a lovely little cottage, with a thatched roof and small leaded windows. The girls loved itthe minute they saw it.
　　‘It’s just a bit like the house you bought for us,’ said Dinah. ‘That’s pretty too. Oh, Mother, weshall have a lovely time here! Won’t the boys be thrilled?’
　　There was a fair-sized shed at the side into which Mrs Mannering drove the car. Everyone gotout. ‘Leave the trunks for a bit,’ said Dinah’s mother. ‘The man who comes from the farm willcarry them in. Now - welcome to Spring Cottage!’
第1章 放假了
　　第1章 放假了
　　两个女孩坐在学校图书室的飘窗座上。一个女孩长着一头红色鬈发，脸颊上布满数不清的雀斑；另一个女孩是深色头发，刘海簇拥着长成很好笑的一团。
　　“还有一天，我们就放假了！”红头发的露西安说，“我真想马上见到杰克。我和他已经分开整整一学期，实在太久了。”说着，她那双充满好奇的绿眼睛向黛娜看去。
　　“好吧，我可不介意和我哥哥分开。”黛娜笑着说，“菲利普人还不错，可总是带着他那些可怕的动物和虫子，这真让我抓狂。”
　　“幸好我们放假的日子和他们的只相差一天。”露西安说，“我们先到家，附近转转，第二天就能见到他们了，太棒了！”
　　“不知道妈妈让我们去度假的那个地方是什么样的，”黛娜说，“我得把她的信再拿出来读一下。”
　　说完，她把手伸进口袋，掏出一封信，快速浏览起来。
　　“我妈妈没有详细说什么，只说因为家里需要做一次彻底的清洁和装修，所以她在山上找了一栋小房子让我们度假。喏，给你信。”黛娜说着把信递给了露西安。
　　露西安接过信，饶有兴趣地读了起来：“是啊——那是一栋名叫‘春之小屋’的房子，在城堡山的山坡上。她说那地方有点偏僻，但住着许多野生鸟类，所以杰克一定会很开心。”
　　“我实在不能理解，为什么你哥哥那么喜欢鸟，”黛娜说，“就像菲利普那么喜欢虫子等动物。”
　　“我认为菲利普是动物专家。”露西安说，她非常崇拜黛娜的哥哥，“你还记得他训练的那只老鼠吗？会从他嘴里拿面包的那只。”
　　“天哪，快别提那些东西！”黛娜说着打了个冷战。她最不能忍受蜘蛛、蝙蝠或者老鼠接近她了。黛娜和如此热爱动物的哥哥一起生活了那么多年，竟然还是这么怕动物，这让露西安觉得不可思议。
　　“他肯定捉弄过你，是吧？”露西安对黛娜说。她想起菲利普时不时把耳夹子虫放到黛娜的枕头下面，还把黑色的大甲虫藏在她的鞋子里。他捉弄起人来，真是可恶，难怪黛娜要发火了！
　　“不知道琪琪这学期有了什么长进。”黛娜说。
　　琪琪是杰克的鹦鹉，一只超级聪明的鸟，模仿起各种声音来惟妙惟肖。杰克教琪琪学说了很多话，但琪琪自己又学会了更多，尤其是从露西安和杰克那个脾气暴躁的伯父那里，他们几个曾经住在一起。
　　“学校这学期不让琪琪和杰克待在一起，”露西安难过地说，“真是太可怜了。不过杰克在城里有个朋友，能替他养琪琪，杰克每天都去朋友家看她。我真的觉得学校应该允许杰克自己养琪琪。”
　　“好吧，鉴于琪琪总是提醒校长不要吸鼻子，要求杰克的年级主任把脚擦干净，还在半夜里发出火车引擎一样的尖叫声吵醒大家，他们禁止杰克把琪琪养在学校，我可一点都不感到奇怪。”黛娜说，“无论如何，放假时我们就能见到琪琪了，太好了。我真的很喜欢琪琪，她不像是一只鸟，有时候她就像个人，是我们中的一员。”
　　琪琪确实是一个好伙伴。虽然没法和孩子们正常交流，但她真的很爱讲话，喋喋不休地说一些滑稽的事情，惹得孩子们哈哈大笑到流眼泪。她最喜欢杰克，如果杰克允许，她能乖乖地在他的肩头蹲坐好几个钟头。
　　女孩们很高兴假期马上就要到来。她们和男孩们，还有琪琪一起，一定会过得非常愉快。露西安此时还特别期待能见到黛娜那快乐且美丽的妈妈。
　　杰克•特伦特和露西安•特伦特没有父母，他们之前一直和一个脾气暴躁的伯父一起住，直到有一次偶然遇到菲利普•曼纳林和黛娜•曼纳林。这对兄妹没有爸爸，但他们有一位辛勤工作的妈妈。她的工作实在太忙了，无法照顾兄妹俩，不得不把他们送到寄宿学校，每到放假，他们就只能去姨妈和姨父家。
　　但现在情况不同了。黛娜的妈妈有了足够的钱可以给兄妹俩一个温暖的家，也能让他们和好朋友杰克、露西安住在一起。每学期，两个女孩在同一所学校读书，两个男孩在另一所读书；放假时，他们四个人就一同回家，和黛娜的妈妈曼纳林夫人住在一起。
　　“再也不用去姨父和姨妈家啦！”黛娜开心地说，她可不怎么喜欢她那健忘的乔斯林姨父，“以后都回家和妈妈一起住。”
　　现在，在接下来的这个假期里，他们所有人都要住在曼纳林夫人找到的度假小屋里。
　　虽然黛娜有点失望不能回自己的家，但她还是忍不住期待这个小屋。那里听上去很不错——能在山间散步、野餐，简直太美妙了！
　　“你还记得去年夏天的那次大冒险吗？”她问露西安。此时的露西安正一脸做梦般的表情看着窗外，心里想象着后天见到哥哥杰克的愉快情形。
　　露西安回过神，点点头，说：“记得。”她揉了揉自己的鼻子，接着说：“那真是一次最激动人心的冒险——但是，亲爱的，当时有好几次我简直快吓死了！幽暗岛——你记得吗，黛娜？”
　　“记得，我们从那条通道里直接下到地心，然后在那儿迷路了——天哪，那是一场真正的冒险！”黛娜说，“我不介意再来一次，真的。”
　　“你真搞笑。”露西安说，“你见到个蜘蛛都会吓得浑身发颤，但是看上去却好像很享受那次冒险，要知道，那实在太刺激了，我现在想起来都要忍不住发抖。”
　　“好吧——我们还是不要再经历一次了。”黛娜后悔地说，“我想，一生之中经历一次那样的冒险就足够了。我打赌，男孩们会一直一直谈论这个。记得去年的圣诞节假期吗，我们简直无法让他们住嘴。”
　　“噢，我希望赶快放假！”露西安说着急急地从飘窗座上跳下来，“我不明白为什么最后这两三天总是特别漫长。”
　　不过，第二天终于到来了。两个女孩和同学们乘火车回家，一路上大家有说有笑。她们的行李乖乖地躺在行李车厢里，她们的火车票静静地躺在手提包里，她们的心在欢乐的气氛中狂奔。终于放假了！
　　她们要倒两次火车，不过黛娜对此很在行。露西安生性胆小，面对陌生人总是羞怯不已，但十二岁的黛娜却不好惹。她是一个高大、自信的女孩，在任何情形下都能占上风。
　　露西安看上去要比黛娜小两三岁，可实际上她俩年龄才相差一岁。
　　终于，她们到站了。她们跳下火车，黛娜找来了站里唯一的行李员给她们拿行李。
　　“妈妈在那儿！”黛娜叫着朝她那漂亮的、两眼放光的妈妈冲去。黛娜不是很喜欢拥抱和亲吻，可露西安喜欢！黛娜飞快地亲了妈妈一下，露西安则给了曼纳林夫人一个大大的熊抱，并用头欢快地蹭着曼纳林夫人的下巴。
　　“见到您真是太好了！”露西安说，她不止一百次地想，黛娜有自己的妈妈，是何等幸福！她很感激，黛娜能让她分享她的妈妈。没有爸爸或妈妈给你写信，或者没有人欢迎你回家，这可不是愉快的经历。但是，曼纳林夫人总能让自己感受到她的爱。
　　“我开了车来接你们，就停在外面。”曼纳林夫人说，“快来，行李员会给你们拿行李。”
　　她们出了站。这是一座小型的乡间火车站，车站外就是点缀着野花的乡村小道。这里的天空很蓝，空气温暖柔软。露西安感到格外愉快：今天是放假第一天，她见到了黛娜可爱的妈妈，明天，男孩们也回来了。
　　她们钻进一辆小汽车，行李员把行李放到后备厢，曼纳林夫人开车。
　　“我们住的房子有点远，”曼纳林夫人说，“日用品和食品需要开车到这村子来买，鸡蛋、黄油和牛奶在附近的农场里有。虽然远，但这乡间景色非常美，在这里散步简直棒极了。还有那么多鸟——杰克肯定会很享受的！”
　　“现在正好是鸟儿们的筑巢期——他肯定成天只会想着鸟窝和鸟蛋。”露西安说，她甚至有点妒忌鸟儿们了，因为它们竟然占据了她哥哥这么多时间。
　　曼纳林夫人开车前行，女孩们看着车窗外的景色。果然，一切都美不胜收。远处丘陵起伏，蓝色的山影令人感到兴奋。汽车一路向下来到蜿蜒的河谷，接着开始爬坡上山。
　　“我们的小房子就在这座山上吗？”黛娜问道，她激动得发抖，“妈妈，我们能看到全部的美景！”
　　“是啊——我们能看到整个山谷，还有后面绵延的群山！”她的妈妈说。这会儿，车只能开得很慢，因为山路变得更陡了。随着车越爬越高，她们眼前的山谷也变得越来越开阔。露西安抬起头，想看看她们还能到多高，突然，她尖叫出声：
　　“快看！山顶上有座城堡！快看！”
　　黛娜抬眼望去。这是她见到过的最雄伟的城堡了。城堡每一端都建有一个塔楼，城墙看上去厚实无比。城堡上的窗子大多很狭窄，也有宽的，但看上去有点奇怪。
　　“这是座古堡吗？”露西安问道。
　　“不，不算是，”曼纳林夫人回答，“它有一部分是老的，但大部分是经过修复和重建的，所以只能算是个混合品。现在已经没人住里头了。我不知道它归谁所有，好像没有人知道，也没有人关心这个。它不对外开放，名声也不太好。”
　　“为什么？是不是里头曾经发生过什么可怕的事？”黛娜问道，她感到有点恐怖。
　　“我想是的。”妈妈说，“但是我真不太了解。不管怎样，你们最好不要爬到那里去，上去的路恐怕发生了滑坡，非常危险。他们说，那城堡的某些部分可能要倒塌！”
　　“天哪！可别倒塌到我们的小屋上！”露西安害怕地说。
　　曼纳林夫人笑着说：“不会的。我们离它远着呢——瞧，这就是我们的小屋，被四面的树围得严严实实。”
　　这是一座可爱的小房子，有着茅草屋顶和小小的铅化玻璃窗。女孩们一眼就爱上了它。
　　“这房子很像你为我们买的那栋呢，”黛娜说，“也很漂亮。妈妈，我们住在里头一定会很开心的！男孩们肯定也会很激动的。”
　　小屋边上有一个大小合适的雨棚，曼纳林夫人把车停了进去。大家下了车，曼纳林夫人接着说：“不用管行李箱，附近农场的人会帮我们搬进去的。现在，孩子们——欢迎回家！”
2 The boys come home – and Kiki!
　　2 The boys come home - and Kiki!
　　That day and the morning of the next the two girls spent in exploring their holiday home. It wascertainly a tiny place, but just big enough for them. There was a large old-fashioned kitchen and atiny parlour. Above were three small bedrooms.
　　‘One for Mother, one for you and me, Lucy-Ann, and one for the boys,’ said Dinah. ‘Mother’sgoing to do the cooking and we’re all to help with the housework, which won’t be much. Isn’t ourbedroom sweet?’
　　It was a little room tucked into the thatched roof, with a window jutting out from the thatch. Thewalls slanted in an odd fashion, and the ceiling slanted too. The floor was very uneven, and thedoorways were low, so that Dinah, who was growing tall, had to lower her head under one or twoin case she bumped it.
　　‘Spring Cottage,’ she said. ‘It’s a nice name for it, especially in the springtime.’
　　‘It’s named because of the spring that runs down behind it,’ said her mother. ‘The water startssomewhere up in the yard of the castle, I believe, runs down through a tunnel it has made for itself,and gushes out just above the cottage at the back. It runs through the garden then, and disappearsdown the hillside.’
　　The girls explored the spring. They found where it gushed out, and Dinah tasted the water. Itwas cold and crystal clear. She liked hearing the gurgling sound it made in the untidy little garden.
　　She heard it all night long in her sleep and loved it.
　　The view from the cottage was magnificent. They could see the whole of the valley below, andcould follow too the winding road that led up to their cottage. Far away in the distance was therailway station, looking like a toy building. Twice a day a train came into it, and it too looked likea toy.
　　‘Just like the railway engine and carriages that Jack used to have,’ said Lucy- Ann,remembering. And how cross our old Uncle Geoffrey was when we used to set it going! He said itmade more noise than a thunderstorm. Golly, I’m glad we don’t live with him any more.’
　　Dinah looked at her watch. ‘It’s almost time to meet the train,’ she said. ‘I bet the boys arefeeling excited! Come on. Let’s find my mother.’
　　Mrs Mannering was just about to go and get the car out. The girls packed themselves in besideher. Lucy-Ann felt terribly excited. She was so looking forward to being with Jack again. Andwith Philip too. It would be lovely to be all together once more. She did hope Dinah wouldn’t flyinto one of her tempers too soon! She and Philip quarrelled far too much.
　　They arrived at the little station. The train was not yet signalled. Lucy-Ann walked up anddown, longing to see the signal go down - and then, with an alarming clank, it did go down.
　　Almost at the same moment the smoke of the train appeared, and then, round the corner, came theengine, puffing vigorously, for it was uphill to the station.
　　Both the boys were hanging out of the window, waving and shouting. The girls screamedgreetings, and capered about in delight.
　　‘There’s Kiki!’ shouted Lucy-Ann. ‘Kiki! Good old Kiki!’
　　With a screech Kiki flew off Jack’s shoulder and landed on Lucy-Ann’s. She rubbed her beakagainst the little girl’s cheek and made a curious cracking noise. She was delighted to see her.
　　The boys jumped out of the carriage. Jack rushed to Lucy-Ann and gave her a hug, which thelittle girl returned, her eyes shining. Kiki gave another screech and flew back on to Jack’sshoulder.
　　‘Wipe your feet,’ she said sternly to the startled porter. And where is your handkerchief?’
　　Philip grinned at his sister Dinah. ‘Hallo, old thing,’ he said. ‘You’ve grown! Good thing I havetoo, or you’d be as tall as I am! Hallo, Lucy-Ann - you haven’t grown! Been a good girl atschool?’
　　‘Don’t talk like a grown-up!’ said Dinah. ‘Mother’s outside in the car. Come and see her.’
　　The porter took their trunks on his barrow and followed the four excited children. Kiki flewdown to the barrow and looked at him with bright eyes.
　　‘How many times have I told you to shut the door?’ she said. The porter dropped the handles ofthe barrow in surprise. He didn’t know whether to answer this extraordinary bird or not.
　　Kiki gave a laugh just like Jack’s and flew out to the car. She joined the others, and tried to geton to Mrs Mannering’s shoulder. She liked Dinah’s mother very much.
　　‘Attention, please,’ said Kiki sternly. ‘Open your books at page six.’
　　Everyone laughed. ‘She got that from one of the masters,’ said Jack. ‘Oh, Aunt Allie, she wasso funny in the train. She put her head out of the window at every station and said “Right away,there!” just as she had heard a guard say, and you should have seen the engine-driver’s face!’
　　‘It’s lovely to have you back,’ said Lucy-Ann, keeping close to Jack. She adored her brotherthough he didn’t really take a great deal of notice of her. They all got into the car, and the portershoved the luggage in somehow, keeping a sharp eye on Kiki.
　　‘Please shut the door,’ she said, and went off into one of her never-ending giggles.
　　‘Shut up, Kiki,’ said Jack, seeing the porter’s startled face. ‘Behave yourself, or I’ll send youback to school.’
　　‘Oh, you naughty boy!’ said Kiki, ‘oh, you naughty, naughty, naughty . . .’
　　‘I’ll put an elastic band round your beak if you dare to say another word!’ said Jack. ‘Can’t yousee I want to talk to Aunt Allie?’
　　Jack and Lucy-Ann called Mrs Mannering Aunt Allie, because ‘Mrs Mannering’ seemed toostiff and standoffish. She liked both children very much, but especially Lucy-Ann, who was farmore gentle and affectionate than Dinah had ever been.
　　‘I say - this looks exciting country!’ said Philip, looking out of the car windows. ‘Plenty ofbirds here for you, Freckles - and plenty of animals for me!’
　　‘Where’s that brown rat you had this term?’ said Jack, with a mischievous glance at Dinah. Shegave a squeal at once.
　　Philip began to feel about in his pockets, diving into first one and then the other, whilst Dinahwatched him in horror, expecting to see a brown rat appear at any moment.
　　‘Mother! Stop the car and let me walk!’ begged Dinah. ‘Philip’s got a rat somewhere on him.’
　　‘Here he is - no, it’s my hanky,’ said Philip. ‘Ah - what’s this? - no, that’s not him. Now - herewe are . . .’
　　He pretended to be trying to get something out of his pocket with great difficulty. ‘Ah, you’dbite, would you?’
　　Dinah squealed again, and her mother stopped the car. Dinah fumbled at the door-handle.
　　‘No, you stay in, Dinah,’ said her mother. ‘Philip, you get out and the rat too. I quite agree withDinah - there are to be no rats running all over us. So you can get out and walk, Philip.’
　　‘Well, Mother - as a matter of fact - I’ve left the rat behind at school,’ said Philip, with a grin.
　　‘I was just teasing Dinah, that’s all.’
　　‘Beast!’ said Dinah.
　　‘I thought you were,’ said his mother, driving on again. ‘Well, you nearly had to walk home, sojust be careful! I don’t mind any of your creatures myself, except rats or snakes. Now, what doyou think of Spring Cottage?’
　　The boys liked it just as much as the girls did - but it was the strange old castle that really tooktheir fancy. Dinah forgot to sulk as she pointed it out to the boys.
　　‘We’ll go up there,’ said Jack, at once.
　　‘I think not,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘I’ve just explained to the girls that it’s dangerous up there.’
　　‘Oh - but why?’ asked Jack, disappointed.
　　‘Well, there has been a landslide on the road, and no one dares to set foot on it now,’ said MrsMannering. ‘I did hear that the whole castle is slipping a bit, and might collapse if the roadcrumbles much more.’
　　‘It sounds very exciting,’ said Philip, his eyes gleaming.
　　They went indoors and the girls showed them their room up in the roof. Lucy-Ann was sodelighted to be with Jack that she could hardly leave him for a minute. He was very like her, withdeep-red hair, green eyes and hundreds of freckles. He was a very natural, kindly boy, and mostpeople liked him at once.
　　Philip, whom Jack often called Tufty, was very like his sister too, but much more even-tempered. He had the same unruly lock of hair in front, and even their mother had this, so that Jackoften referred to them as ‘The Three Tufties’. The boys were older than the two girls, and verygood friends indeed.
　　‘Holidays at last!’ said Philip, undoing his trunk. Dinah watched him from a safe distance.
　　‘Got any creatures in there?’ she asked.
　　‘Only a baby hedgehog; and you needn’t worry, he’s got no fleas,’ said Philip.
　　‘I bet he has,’ said Dinah, moving a few steps back. ‘I shan’t forget that hedgehog you foundlast summer.’
　　‘I tell you, this baby one hasn’t got any fleas at all,’ said Philip. ‘I got some stuff from thechemist and powdered him well, and he’s as clean as can be. His spines haven’t turned brownyet!’
　　The girls looked with interest as Philip showed them a tiny prickly ball rolled up in his jerseysin the trunk. It uncurled a little and showed a tiny snout.
　　‘He’s sweet,’ said Lucy-Ann, and even Dinah didn’t mind him.
　　‘The only snag about him is - he’s going to be awfully prickly to carry about with me,’ saidPhilip, putting the tiny thing into his shorts pocket.
　　‘You’ll probably stop carrying him about when you’ve sat on him once or twice,’ said Dinah.
　　‘I probably shall,’ said Philip. ‘And just see you don’t annoy me too much, Di - for he’d be amarvellous thing to put into your bed!’
　　‘Shut up bickering, you two, and let’s go out and explore,’ said Jack. ‘Lucy-Ann says there’s aspring in the garden that comes all the way down from the castle.’
　　‘I’m king of the castle,’ said Kiki, swaying gently to and fro on top of the dressing-table. ‘Popgoes the weasel.’
　　‘You’re getting a bit mixed,’ said Jack. ‘Come on - out we all go!’
第2章 男孩们回家了——还有琪琪
　　第2章 男孩们回家了——还有琪琪
　　两个女孩花了一天半的时间来探索她们的度假小屋。这是栋小房子，但对她们而言足够大了。一楼有个老式的大厨房，外加一个小型客厅，二楼是三间小卧室。
　　“一间给妈妈睡，一间我们俩睡，还有一间留给男孩们。”黛娜说，“妈妈负责做饭，我们帮忙做家务，不会有太多活儿。我们的房间真是太棒了。”
　　这是一个挤在茅草屋顶下的小房间，仅有的一扇窗户从屋顶上伸了出去。房子的墙体以一种奇怪的方式倾斜着，连天花板也是歪的。地板很不平整，房门非常矮，高个子的黛娜不得不低头通过，以防被撞出个大包。
　　“春之小屋，”黛娜感叹道，“多么美妙的名字，尤其是在春天。”
　　“我认为是泉水 [1] 小屋，因为这屋子后面有泉水流过，”妈妈说，“泉水的源头可能就在山上城堡的院子里，水通过一条自然形成的隧道流下来，刚好在这屋子后面的高处涌出，流经我们的花园，再流到下面的山坡上。”
　　于是，女孩们跑去探查泉水，她们找到了泉水涌出的地方。黛娜低头尝了一口，泉水清冽甘甜。她爱上了泉水汩汩流淌过小花园的声音。后来的每天夜里，她都在睡梦中倾听这悦耳的水流声。
　　小屋面对着一片开阔壮美的景色。整片山谷在眼前打开，一览无余，一条蜿蜒的长路从山下一直通往小屋。在更远处有一座小火车站，看上去就像积木搭成的小房子。每天有两趟火车经过，远远望去，也和玩具没什么两样。
　　“真像杰克以前玩过的玩具小火车。”露西安回想起过去，“每次我们玩小火车的时候杰弗里伯父都气得要命，他说那比打雷还吵！天哪，真庆幸我们不用再和他一起住了。”
　　黛娜看了看表。“火车就要到了，”她说，“我打赌男孩们现在一定很兴奋！走吧，找我妈妈去。”
　　曼纳林夫人正准备开车出发。女孩们爬上车坐在她边上。露西安激动极了，她是多么想见到杰克，还有菲利普。大家能再一次聚到一起，真让人感到高兴。她希望黛娜不要太快发脾气，她和菲利普总是吵架。
　　她们很快来到了小火车站。火车进站的指示牌还没有放下。露西安来回走着，盼望指示牌早点放下——就在这时，铃声响起，指示牌放下了。只见一阵白烟翻滚而来，接着，火车头出现了，噗噗直响，拉着一溜车厢爬坡进了站。
　　男孩们从车窗里探出身子，挥舞着手臂，大声喊叫。女孩们在站台上也以尖叫致意，开心得直跳。
　　“是琪琪！”露西安喊道，“琪琪，老伙计琪琪！”
　　琪琪鸣叫着从杰克的肩膀上飞下来，稳稳地落在露西安的肩头。她一边用嘴摩擦着小女孩的脸颊，一边发出古怪的声响。她很高兴又见到她。
　　男孩们跳下车厢。杰克冲到露西安跟前，给了她一个拥抱。小姑娘也抬手抱了他，两眼闪着光。琪琪叫着飞回杰克的肩头。
　　“把脚擦干净，”琪琪严厉地对着一脸震惊的行李员说，“你带手帕了吗？”
　　菲利普冲妹妹黛娜咧开嘴笑。“你好哇，老伙计，”他说，“你又长高啦！还好我也长个子了，不然你得跟我一般高了！你好，露西安，你怎么没长高！你在学校表现好吗？”
　　“别像大人似的说话！”黛娜说，“妈妈的车在外面等着，我们快过去吧。”
　　行李员推着他们的行李箱，跟在这四个超级兴奋的孩子后面。琪琪飞落在箱子上，亮晶晶的眼睛瞪着行李员。
　　“我跟你说了多少回了，要随手关门。”她说。行李员惊讶得手都从推车手柄上滑脱下来。他实在不知道是不是要回应这只奇怪的鸟。
　　琪琪学着杰克的样子发出一阵大笑，然后朝汽车飞去。她飞过孩子们，落在了曼纳林夫人的肩膀上。她非常喜欢黛娜的妈妈。
　　“注意了，”琪琪严厉地说，“翻到课本第六页。”
　　大家都笑了起来。“她从我们的一个老师那儿学的。”杰克说，“噢，艾莉阿姨，她在火车上可逗了。我们每到一站，她都要把脑袋伸出车窗，学着学校警卫的样子大叫：‘快快快！’您真应该看看当时火车司机的表情！”
　　“你回来真是太好了。”露西安说着靠近杰克。她非常崇拜她的哥哥，虽然哥哥并没有特别关注她。大家都上了车。行李员一边往车上塞行李箱，一边紧盯着琪琪。
　　“请关门！”她说完，咯咯咯地笑起来。
　　“闭嘴，琪琪，”杰克看到行李员一脸惊吓的表情，训斥道，“注意你的言行，不然送你回学校。”
　　“呀，你这个淘气的男孩！”琪琪叫道，“淘气，淘气，淘气……”
　　“你再说我就把你的嘴用绳子扎起来，”杰克说，“你没看见我在和艾莉阿姨讲话吗？”
　　杰克和露西安都管曼纳林夫人叫艾莉阿姨，他们觉得“曼纳林夫人”听上去又冷又硬。
　　曼纳林夫人非常喜爱这对兄妹，尤其是露西安，她要比黛娜温柔亲切得多。
　　“这里看上去真不错！”菲利普看着车窗外的景色说，“那么多鸟，是你喜欢的，小雀斑——还有那么多动物，我喜欢。”
　　“你这学期养的小褐鼠在哪儿呢？”杰克一边问，一边淘气地瞥了黛娜一眼。黛娜立马尖叫起来。
　　菲利普开始摸索起身上的口袋来，摸摸这个，探探那个。黛娜在一旁惊恐地看着，仿佛随时都会有一只小褐鼠出现在她眼前。
　　“妈妈，快停车，让我下去！”黛娜恳求道，“菲利普身上有一只老鼠！”
　　“啊，它在这儿——噢，不是，只是我的手帕，”菲利普说，“咦，这是什么？——不，不是我的小褐鼠。哈，原来在这儿……”
　　他假装艰难地从口袋里掏出什么：“你不会咬人吧？”
　　黛娜再次高声尖叫，她的妈妈停下车。黛娜摸索着准备开门下车。
　　“等等，黛娜，你在车里待着，”妈妈说，“菲利普，你下车，带着你的老鼠。我同意黛娜的意见——这里不准有老鼠。所以，菲利普，赶紧下车，你走回去。”
　　“好吧，妈妈，事实上，我把小褐鼠放在学校了。”菲利普咧嘴笑着说，“我只是在逗黛娜玩。”
　　“野兽！”黛娜说。
　　“我也认为你是头野兽。”妈妈说着发动了汽车，“你差点就要走着回家了，所以，悠着点！我不介意你养小动物，除了老鼠和蛇。好了，你们觉得泉水小屋怎么样？”
　　男孩们和女孩们一样喜欢这栋小屋，但是，真正吸引他们的其实是那座古老而奇特的城堡。当黛娜把城堡指给男孩们看的时候，她已经忘记了生气。
　　杰克立刻表示：“我们上去那里看看。”
　　“不行。”曼纳林夫人说，“我已经和姑娘们解释过了，那里非常危险。”
　　“啊——但是，为什么？”杰克失望地说。
　　“通往城堡的路有滑坡，现在没人敢上去。”曼纳林夫人说，“我听说，整个城堡都有滑坡的迹象，要是路再裂开一些，它很可能就会塌了。”
　　“听上去太刺激了。”菲利普说着，两眼放光。
　　他们进了屋，女孩们带他们看了二楼的房间。露西安非常开心能和杰克在一起，甚至都不愿离开他一分钟。他们俩长得很像，都是深红的头发和绿色的眼睛，还有脸上无数的雀斑。他是个温和的不做作的男孩，大部分人总是第一眼就喜欢他。
　　菲利普（杰克常喊他“草丛头”）也很像他的妹妹黛娜，但没有她的暴脾气。他有着和妹妹一样的难以打理的刘海，甚至他们妈妈的刘海也是如此，因此，杰克会用“三丛草”来指代他们。男孩们比女孩们年纪大，但他们都是彼此最要好的朋友。
　　“终于放假啦！”菲利普边说边打开行李箱。黛娜远远地看着他，以保证自己的安全。
　　“箱子里有什么活物吗？”她问道。
　　“只有一只小刺猬啦。你别担心，它身上没有跳蚤。”菲利普回答。
　　“它肯定有。”黛娜说着又往后退了几步，“我可还记得去年夏天你弄来的那只刺猬。”
　　“我得告诉你，小刺猬是不长跳蚤的。”菲利普说，“我从药剂师那里弄了一点药粉撒在它身上，它现在干净着呢。你看，它的刺都还没变成褐色。”
　　女孩们好奇地朝菲利普的箱子里看去，只见他的衣服堆里躺着一只小小的刺球。小刺球微微展开了一点，露出一只小鼻子。
　　“它真可爱。”露西安说，一旁的黛娜却不去理会它。
　　“唯一的麻烦事就是，随身带着它太扎人了。”菲利普说着把这个小东西放进了自己的短裤口袋里。
　　“等你坐在它身上一两次后，你就不想随身带着了。”黛娜说。
　　“可能吧。”菲利普说，“黛娜，你可别惹我哦——它可是个能放你床上的好东西！”
　　“你们俩别吵啦，我们出去玩玩吧。”杰克这时说，“露西安说，花园里有一股泉水，就是从山上的城堡里流出来的。”
　　“我是城堡之王，”琪琪站在梳妆镜顶上，来回晃动着身子说，“砰，去追黄鼠狼！”
　　“你搞混啦。”杰克说，“走吧，我们出门吧。”
　　注释
　　[1]在英文中，春天和泉水是同一个单词spring，黛娜以为小屋名字中的spring是春天的意思，可实际上是泉水的意思。
3 Settling in at Spring Cottage
　　3 Settling in at Spring Cottage
　　The first day or two were very happy days indeed. The four children and Kiki wandered about asthey pleased, and Jack found so many hundreds of nests that he marvelled to see them. He wasmad on birds, and would spend hours watching them, if the others let him.
　　He got very excited one day because he said he saw an eagle. ‘An eagle!’ said Dinahdisbelievingly. ‘Why, I thought eagles were extinct, and couldn’t be found any more - like thatGreat Auk you always used to be talking about.’
　　‘Well, eagles aren’t extinct,’ said Jack scornfully. ‘That just shows how little you know. I’msure this was an eagle. It soared up and up and up into the air just as eagles are said to do. I believeit was a Golden Eagle.’
　　‘Is it dangerous?’ said Dinah.
　　‘Well, I suppose it might attack you if you went too near its nest,’ said Jack, ‘Golly - I wonderif it is nesting anywhere near here!’
　　‘Well, I’m not going eagle-nesting,’ said Dinah firmly. ‘Anyway, Jack, you’ve found about ahundred nests already - surely that’s enough for you without wanting to see an eagle’s nest aswell.’
　　Jack never took birds’ eggs, nor did he disturb the sitting birds at all. No bird was ever afraid ofhim, any more than any animal was ever afraid of Philip. If Lucy or Dinah so much as looked at anest, the sitting bird seemed frightened and flew off - but she would allow Jack to stroke her,without moving a feather! It was very odd.
　　Kiki always came with them on their excursions, sitting on Jack’s shoulder. He had taught hernot to make a sound when he wanted to watch any bird, but Kiki seemed to object to the rooks thatlived around. There was a large rookery in one clump of trees not far off, and Kiki would often goto sit on a nearby branch and address rude remarks to the astonished rooks.
　　‘It’s a pity they can’t answer her back,’ said Philip. ‘But all they say is “Caw-caw-caw.”’
　　‘Yes, and Kiki says it too, now,’ said Jack. ‘She goes on cawing for ages unless I stop her.
　　Don’t you, Kiki?’
　　Kiki took Jack’s ear into her sharp curved beak and fondled it gently. She loved Jack to talk toher. She made a cracking noise with her beak, and said lovingly, ‘Caw-caw-caw-caw-caw . . .’
　　‘All right, that’s enough,’ said Jack. ‘Go and listen to a nightingale or something and imitatethat! A rooks caw isn’t anything to marvel at. Stop, Kiki!’
　　Kiki stopped, and gave a realistic sneeze. ‘Where’s your hanky, where’s your hanky?’ she said.
　　To Lucy-Ann’s delight, Jack gave her a hanky, and Kiki spent the next minute or two holding itin her clawed foot and dabbing her beak with it, sniffing all the time.
　　‘New trick,’ explained Jack, with a grin. ‘Good, isn’t it?’
　　There were gorgeous walks around the cottage. It was about three miles to the little village, andexcept for the few houses and the one general shop there, there were no other houses save for afarm or two, and a lonely farm cottage here and there in the hills.
　　‘We’re not likely to have any adventures here,’ said Philip. ‘It’s all so quiet and peaceful. Thevillage folk have hardly a word to say, have they? They say “Ah, that’s right” to everything.’
　　‘They’re amazed by Kiki,’ said Dinah.
　　Ah, that’s right,’ said Jack, imitating the speech of the villagers.
　　Kiki immediately did the same. ‘Do you remember when Kiki got locked up in a caveunderground, and the man who locked her up heard her talking to herself, and thought she wasme?’ said Jack, remembering the adventure of the summer before. ‘My word, that was anadventure!’
　　‘I’d like another adventure, really,’ said Philip. ‘But I don’t expect we’ll have another all ourlives long.’
　　‘Well, they say adventures come to the adventurous,’ said Jack. ‘And we’re pretty adventurous,I think. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have plenty more.’
　　‘I wish we could go up and explore that strange castle,’ said Dinah longingly, looking up towhere it towered on the summit of the hill. ‘It looks such an odd place, so deserted and lonely,standing up there, frowning over the valley. Mother says something horrid once happened there,but she doesn’t know what.’
　　‘We’ll try and find out,’ said Jack promptly. He always liked hair-raising tales. ‘I expect peoplewere killed there, or something.’
　　‘Oooh, how horrid - I don’t want to go up there,’ said Lucy-Ann at once.
　　‘Well, Mother said we weren’t to, anyhow,’ said Dinah.
　　‘She might let us go eagle-nesting,’ said Philip. And if our search took us near the castle, wecouldn’t very well help it, could we?’
　　‘We’d better tell her, if we do go anywhere near,’ said Jack, who didn’t like the idea ofdeceiving Philip’s kindly mother in any way. ‘I’ll ask her if she minds.’
　　So he asked her that evening. Aunt Allie, I believe there may be an eagle’s nest somewhere onthe top of this hill,’ he said. ‘It’s so high it’s almost a mountain - and that’s where eagles nest, youknow. You wouldn’t mind if I tried to find the nest, would you?’
　　‘No, not if you are careful,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘But would your hunt take you anywhere nearthe old castle?’
　　‘Well, it might,’ said Jack honestly. ‘But you can trust us not to fool about on any landslides,Aunt Allie. We shouldn’t dream of getting the girls into danger.’
　　Apparently there was a cloudburst on the top of this hill some years back,’ said Mrs Mannering,‘and such a deluge of water fell that it undermined the foundations of the castle, and most of theroad up to it slid away down the hillside. So, you see, it really might be very dangerous to exploreup there.’
　　‘We’ll be very careful,’ promised Jack, delighted that Mrs Mannering hadn’t forbidden outrighttheir going up the hill to the castle.
　　He told the others, and they were thrilled. ‘We’ll go up tomorrow, shall we?’ said Jack. ‘I reallydo want to hunt about to see if there is any sign of an eagle’s nest.’
　　That afternoon, in their wanderings, they had a curious feeling of being followed. Once or twiceJack turned round, sure that someone was behind them. But there was never anyone there.
　　‘Funny,’ he said to Philip in a low voice. ‘I felt certain there was someone behind us then - Iheard the crack of a twig - as if someone had trodden on it and broken it.’
　　‘Yes - I thought so too,’ said Philip. He looked puzzled. ‘I tell you what, Jack. When we getinto that patch of trees, I’ll crouch down behind a bush and stop, whilst you others go on. Then, ifthere’s anyone following behind us for some reason, I’ll see them.’
　　The girls were told what Philip was going to do. They too had felt that there was someonebehind them. They all walked into the patch of trees, and then, when he came to a convenientlythick bush, Philip dropped down suddenly behind it and hid, whilst the others walked on, talkingloudly.
　　Philip lay there and listened. He could hear nothing at first. Then he heard a rustle and his heartbeat fast. Who was it tracking them, and why? There didn’t seem any sense in it.
　　Someone came up to his bush. Someone crept past without seeing him. Philip gazed at theSomeone and was so astonished that he let out an exclamation.
　　‘Well!’
　　A girl with ragged clothes, bare feet and wild, curling hair jumped violently and turned round.
　　In a trice Philip had jumped up and had hold of her wrists. He did not hold her roughly, but heheld her too firmly for her to get away. She tried to bite him, and kicked out with her bare feet.
　　‘Now don’t be silly,’ said Philip. ‘I’ll let you go when you tell me who you are and why you arefollowing us.’
　　The girl said nothing, but glared at Philip out of black eyes. The others, hearing Philip’s voice,came running back.
　　‘This is the person who was following us, but I can’t get a word out of her,’ said Philip.
　　‘She’s a wild girl,’ said Dinah. The girl scowled at her. Then she glanced at Kiki, on Jack’sshoulder, and stared as if she couldn’t take her eyes off her.
　　‘I believe she was only following us to get a glimpse of the parrot!’ said Philip, with a laugh. ‘Isthat right, wild girl?’
　　The girl nodded, ‘Ah, that’s right,’ she said.
　　‘Ah, that’s right,’ said Kiki. The girl stared and gave a laugh of surprise. It altered her face atonce, and gave her a merry, mischievous look.
　　‘What’s your name?’ asked Philip, letting go her wrists.
　　‘Tassie,’ said the girl. ‘I saw that bird, and I came after you. I didn’t mean no harm. I live roundthe hill with my mother. I know where you live. I know all you do.’
　　‘Oh - been spying round a bit, and following us, I suppose!’ said Jack. ‘Do you know thishillside well?’
　　Tassie nodded. Her bright black eyes hardly left Kiki. She seemed fascinated by the parrot.
　　‘Pop goes the weasel,’ said Kiki to her, in a solemn voice. ‘Open your book at page six.’
　　‘I say - do you know if the eagles nest on this hill?’ asked Jack suddenly. He thought it quitelikely that this wild little girl might know things like that.
　　‘What’s an eagle?’ said Tassie.
　　‘A big bird,’ said Jack. ‘A very big bird with a curved beak, and . . .’
　　‘Like your bird there?’ said Tassie, pointing to Kiki.
　　‘Oh no,’ said Jack. ‘Well - never mind. If you don’t know what an eagle is like, you won’tknow where it nests either.’
　　‘It’s time to go back home,’ said Philip. ‘I’m hungry. Tassie, take us the shortest way home!’
　　To Philip’s surprise Tassie turned round and plunged down the hillside, as sure-footed as a goat.
　　The others followed. She took them such a short cut that all of them were amazed when they sawSpring Cottage in front of them.
　　‘Thanks, Tassie,’ said Philip, and Kiki echoed his words. ‘Thanks, Tassie.’
　　Tassie smiled, and her usual, rather sulky look fled. ‘I’ll see you again,’ she said, and turned togo.
　　‘Did you say you lived at that old cottage round the hill?’ yelled Jack after her.
　　‘Ah, that’s right!’ she shouted back, and disappeared into the bushes.
第3章 安顿下来
　　第3章 安顿下来
　　头一两天真的非常愉快。四个孩子和琪琪随心所欲地四处闲逛，杰克惊讶地发现了无数只鸟巢。他对鸟实在太痴迷了，只要允许，他可以花上几个钟头时间，只用来观察鸟儿们。
　　有一天，他兴奋地告诉大家他看到了一只雕。“一只雕？”黛娜难以置信地说，“奇怪，我以为雕已经灭绝了，再也找不到了呢，就像你一直提起的大海雀。”
　　“雕没有灭绝，”杰克轻蔑地说，“你的知识可真有限。我确定那就是一只雕。它飞得很高，越飞越高，和书上写的一样。我认为那是一只金雕。”
　　“它危险吗？”黛娜问道。
　　“嗯，我觉得如果你离它的巢太近，它没准儿就会攻击你。”杰克说，“天哪，我想知道它的巢是不是就在附近啊！”
　　“我可不想去看什么雕的巢。”黛娜很坚决地说，“不管怎么说，杰克，你已经找到几百个鸟巢了，就算找不到雕的巢，也已经足够多了。”
　　杰克从来不去掏鸟蛋，也不会去打扰鸟儿孵蛋。鸟儿们都不怕杰克，就像小动物们都不怕菲利普。但是，如果黛娜或者露西安凑近了去观察一个鸟窝，里面正在孵蛋的鸟妈妈就会显得特别害怕，然后飞走——可它明明刚才还允许杰克抚摸它的羽毛呢！这太奇怪了吧！
　　琪琪总是蹲在杰克的肩头，和他们一起出去玩。杰克教琪琪在他观察鸟儿们时不要发出声响。琪琪大多数时间很配合，除了见到在附近筑巢的白嘴鸦们。在不远的树丛里住着一大群白嘴鸦，琪琪经常飞到它们附近的树枝上，说一些粗鲁的话，去吓唬它们。
　　“真可惜，”菲利普说，“那些白嘴鸦没法回应琪琪，它们只会哇哇哇地叫。”
　　“是啊，现在琪琪也只是哇哇地叫。”杰克说，“她会一直叫下去，除非我让她停下。是这样吧，琪琪？”
　　琪琪用她弯弯的嘴轻轻咬住杰克的耳朵，温柔地摆弄着。她就喜欢杰克跟她讲话。她发出一个清脆的声响，然后含情脉脉地说：“哇——哇——哇——哇——哇……”
　　“好吧，好吧，够了，”杰克说，“我们还是去找一只夜莺或其他什么，去学它们的叫声吧！白嘴鸦的哇哇声可没什么稀奇的。快停下，琪琪！”
　　琪琪停了下来，发出一个逼真的打喷嚏的声音。“你的手帕呢，你的手帕呢？”她说。
　　为了让琪琪开心，杰克给了她一块手帕。琪琪用一只爪子抓住手帕，举起来放在嘴边轻拍，装出擤鼻涕的样子。
　　“我训练的新把戏，”杰克咧嘴笑着解释道，“还不错吧？”
　　这栋小屋周围风景绝佳，很适合散步。离这里三英里外，有一个小村子，村里只有一家商店和几栋房子。周围山里也就一两座农场，和零星几个小农舍。
　　“看样子这里没什么值得探险的，”菲利普说，“太平静了。村里的人也不喜欢聊天，无论什么情况，他们都只回答‘是的，没错’。”
　　“可他们特别喜欢琪琪。”黛娜说。
　　“是的，没错。”杰克学着村里人的样子说。
　　琪琪立刻也模仿了一遍。
　　“你们还记得吗？那时琪琪被关在一个地下山洞里，关她的那个人听到她自言自语，还以为关着的是我呢。”杰克回想起去年夏天的那场探险，“哎呀，那才是一场真正的冒险啊！”
　　“我真希望能再有一次那样的经历，”菲利普说，“不过，说真的，我觉得我们这辈子都不会再有什么冒险了。”
　　“他们说，冒险总是发生在有冒险精神的人身上。”杰克说，“我觉得我们都很有冒险精神。我可不认为我们没有机会去冒险了。”
　　“真希望我们能上到那座古怪的城堡里一探究竟。”黛娜一脸向往地抬头望着山顶上的城堡，“它看上去特别显眼，孤独地站在那里，一片荒芜，静静地俯瞰整个山谷。妈妈说那里曾经发生过很可怕的事，但她也不知道到底是什么事。”
　　“就让我们去发现真相！”杰克立刻表态，他总是喜欢一些毛骨悚然的故事，“我希望那里发生过什么凶杀案！”
　　“哦，不，这太可怕了，我不想去了。”露西安慌忙说。
　　“好吧，反正妈妈说我们不能去那儿。”黛娜说。
　　“她可能会答应我们去找雕的巢，”菲利普说，“如果我们找着找着，离城堡很近了，也许就能自然而然地进去了吧。”
　　“我们最好还是告诉她，我们可能会到城堡附近。”杰克不愿意欺骗菲利普的妈妈，“我会问问她。”
　　当天晚上，他就开口征求了她的意见。“艾莉阿姨，我认为这座山的山顶上有一个雕的巢。”他说，“您也知道，雕总是在山上很高的地方筑巢。您不会反对我们去找找那个雕巢吧？”
　　“我不反对你们去，只要你们注意安全。”曼纳林夫人说，“但是，你们会到那座城堡附近去吗？”
　　“可能会，”杰克实事求是地说，“但是，艾莉阿姨，请您相信，我们不会傻到去滑坡了的地方，不会让女孩们有危险的。”
　　“几年前山顶上下过一场暴雨，”曼纳林夫人说，“雨水形成山洪冲毁了那座城堡的地基，通往城堡的大部分山路也都发生过滑坡。所以，你瞧，去那里非常危险。”
　　“我们一定会非常小心。”杰克保证道。他很高兴，曼纳林夫人没有完全禁止他们去城堡那里。
　　他把好消息告诉其他人，他们都高兴极了。“我们明天就去吧。”杰克说，“我真的很想去找找那个雕巢。”
　　那天下午，就在他们四处闲逛时，他们感到被跟踪了。有几次，杰克很确定有人在后面，可每次回过身，却没有发现任何人。
　　“有意思，”杰克轻声对菲利普说，“我敢保证，有人在后面跟踪我们——我听到树枝折断的咔嚓声——就像有人走路时不小心踩断了树枝。”
　　“是的，我也这么觉得。”菲利普面露困惑地说，“听着，杰克，等下我们进入那片树林，我会蹲下藏到灌木丛里，你们接着往前走。如果有人跟踪我们，我就能发现他。”
　　菲利普把他的计划告诉女孩们。她们也感到被跟踪了。他们假装若无其事地走进小树林，菲利普则找了一片浓密的灌木丛，飞快地躲了进去。其他人一边大声说着话，一边继续往前走。
　　菲利普蹲在那里，侧耳倾听。起先，什么声音也没有，接着，传来一阵沙沙声。他的心跳陡然加快了。是谁在跟踪他们？为什么要跟踪他们？他毫无头绪。
　　有人朝着他藏身的那片灌木丛过来了。那人没有发现他，只蹑手蹑脚地走过去了。菲利普盯着那人，出其不意地发出一声叫喊：“嘿！”
　　那是一个女孩，衣衫破旧，头发蓬乱，光着脚丫。菲利普跳出来，一把抓住女孩的手腕。他的动作并不粗鲁，但能牢牢地把女孩抓住，让她无法脱身。女孩挣扎着去咬他，还用光脚丫踢他。
　　“别犯傻了！”菲利普说，“只要你告诉我你是谁，为什么跟踪我们，我就放你走。”
　　菲利普跳出来，一把抓住女孩的手腕。他的动作并不粗鲁，但能牢牢地把女孩抓住，让她无法脱身。
　　那女孩没有开口，只是用黑眼睛瞪着菲利普。其他人听到菲利普的声音，都纷纷跑了回来。
　　“就是她跟踪我们。”菲利普说，“但是她啥也没有交代。”
　　“真是个野丫头。”黛娜说。那女孩怒视着黛娜，继而扫了一眼杰克肩膀上的琪琪。这一下，她似乎就再也挪不开目光了。
　　“我认为她跟踪我们只是为了看一看这只鹦鹉。”菲利普大笑着说，“是这样吗，野丫头？”
　　那女孩点点头：“是的，没错。”
　　“啊，是的。”琪琪重复道。女孩瞪大了眼睛瞧着，突然笑出声来。她的表情立刻发生了变化，变得愉快而又淘气。
　　“你叫什么？”菲利普问道，一边松开了女孩的手腕。
　　“塔西。”女孩回答，“我看见这只鸟，然后就跟过来了。我没有恶意。我和妈妈就住在山里。我知道你们住哪儿，也知道你们在干什么。”
　　“哦，监视我们，还跟踪我们！”杰克说，“你对这一带很熟吗？”
　　塔西点点头。她的黑眼睛一直没有从琪琪的身上挪开，她被这只鹦鹉完全迷住了。
　　“砰，去追黄鼠狼！”琪琪用严肃的语调对她说，“打开课本，翻到第六页。”
　　突然，杰克发问：“我说，你知不知道这附近山上有雕的巢？”他觉得这个野丫头肯定知道这些事。
　　“什么是雕？”塔西问道。
　　“一种很大的鸟，”杰克解释道，“非常大，嘴是弯弯的，像个钩子……”
　　“就像你的这只鸟一样？”塔西指着琪琪说。
　　“不一样。”杰克说，“那个，算了吧。如果你不认识雕，那肯定也不知道它们的巢在哪儿。”
　　这时，菲利普说话了：“是时候回家了，我都快饿瘪了。塔西，你给我们指一条回家最近的路吧！”
　　塔西转身便跳跃着下了山，腿脚灵活得像山羊一样，看得菲利普惊叹不已。众人赶忙跟了上去。塔西带的路真是名副其实的捷径，还没等大家缓过神来，泉水小屋已经就在眼前了。
　　“谢谢你，塔西。”菲利普向她道谢。琪琪也学舌道：“谢谢你，塔西。”
　　塔西微微笑着，之前阴沉的表情一扫而空。“我会再来看你们的。”她说完，转身离开了。
　　“你是说你住在山那边的一座旧房子里吗？”杰克在她身后喊道。
　　“是的，没错！”她大声回答，然后就消失在一片灌木丛中。
4 Tassie and Button
　　4 Tassie and Button
　　Certainly Castle Hill was a very lonely place, for, after they had explored it, there seemed to beonly their cottage on it, Tassie’s tumble-down home, and a farm some way off, where they gottheir eggs and milk. The village lay in the valley below.
　　But although the great hill was almost empty of people, it was full of wildlife: birds for Jack,and animals of all kinds for Philip. Squirrels ran everywhere, rabbits popped up wherever theywalked, and red foxes slunk by, not seeming at all scared.
　　‘Golly! I wish I could get a baby fox, a little cub!’ said Philip. ‘I’ve always wanted one. They’relike small and lively puppies, you know.’
　　Tassie was with them when he said this. She often joined up with them now, and was quiteinvaluable because she always knew the way home. It seemed very easy to get lost on the vast hill,but Tassie could always show them a short cut.
　　She was an odd girl. Sometimes she would not come near them but hovered about, some yardsoff, looking at Kiki with fascinated eyes. Sometimes she walked close to them, and listened totheir talk, though she never said very much herself.
　　She looked with admiration and envy on the simple clothes of the two girls. Sometimes she tookthe stuff they were made of between her fingers and felt it. She never wore anything but a raggedfrock that looked as if it had been made from a dirty sack. Her wild, curly hair was in a tangle, andshe was always barefoot.
　　‘I don’t mind her being barefoot, but she’s rather dirty,’ said Lucy-Ann to Dinah. ‘I don’tbelieve she ever has a bath.’
　　‘Well, she’s probably not seen a bath in her life,’ said Dinah. ‘She looks awfully healthythough, doesn’t she? I’ve never seen anyone with such bright eyes and pink cheeks and whiteteeth. Yet I bet she never cleans her teeth.’
　　On enquiry, it was found that Tassie didn’t know what a bath was. Dinah took her into SpringCottage and showed her the big tin bath they all used. Her mother was there and looked at the wildgirl in amazement.
　　‘Whoever is that dirty little girl?’ she asked Lucy-Ann in a low voice. ‘She’d better have abath.’
　　Lucy-Ann knew Mrs Mannering would say that. Mothers thought a lot about people beingclean. But when Dinah explained to Tassie what having a bath meant, Tassie looked scared. Sheshrank back in horror at the thought of sitting down in water.
　　‘Now you listen to me,’ said Mrs Mannering firmly. ‘If you like to let me give you a bath andscrub you well, I’ll find a cotton frock of Dinah’s for you, and a ribbon for your hair.’
　　The thought of this finery thrilled Tassie to such an extent that she consented to have a bath. Soshe was shut up in the kitchen with Dinah’s mother, a bath of hot water and plenty of soap.
　　After a bit such agonised shrieks came from the kitchen that the children in the garden outsidewondered what could be happening. Then they heard Mrs Mannering’s firm voice.
　　‘Sit down properly. Get wet all over. Now don’t be silly, Tassie. Think of that pretty blue cottonfrock over there.’
　　More shrieks. Evidently Tassie had sat down but didn’t like it. There came the sound ofscrubbing.
　　‘Your mother’s doing the job thoroughly,’ said Jack, with a grin. ‘Pooh, what a smell ofcarbolic!’
　　In half an hour’s time Tassie came out of the kitchen, looking quite different. Her tanned faceand arms were now only dark with sunburn, not with dirt. Her hair was washed and brushed, andtied back with a blue ribbon. She wore a blue cotton frock of Dinah’s and on her feet she actuallyhad a pair of old rubber shoes!
　　‘Oh, Tassie - you look fine!’ said Lucy-Ann, and Tassie looked pleased. She fancied herselfvery much indeed in her new clothes, and kept stroking the blue frock as if it was a cat.
　　‘I smell nice,’ she said, evidently liking the smell of carbolic soap better than the others did.
　　‘But that bath was dreadful. How often do you have a bath? Once a year?’
　　Tassie was extraordinary. She could not read or write, and yet, like a Red Indian, she could readthe signs in the woods and fields in a way that really astonished the children. She was more like avery intelligent animal than a little girl. She attached herself to Philip and also to Kiki, and plainlythought that he and the parrot were the most admirable members of the party.
　　The day after her bath, she came down to the cottage and looked in at the window. She heldsomething in her arms and the others wondered what it was.
　　‘There’s Tassie,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘She’s got her blue frock on. But her hair’s all in a tangleagain. And whatever has she got round her neck?’
　　‘Her shoes!’ said Philip with a grin. ‘I knew she wouldn’t wear those long! She’s so used tobeing barefooted that shoes would hurt her. But she can’t bear to part with them, so she’s strungthem round her neck.’
　　‘What has she got in her arms?’ said Dinah curiously. ‘Tassie, come in and show us whatyou’ve got.’
　　Tassie grinned, showing all her even white teeth, and went round to the back door. Sheappeared in the kitchen, and Philip gave a yell.
　　‘It’s a fox cub! Oh, the pretty little thing! Tassie, where did you get it?’
　　‘From its den,’ said Tassie. ‘I knew where a fox family lived, you see.’
　　Philip took the little cub in his arms. It was the prettiest thing imaginable, with its sharp littlenose, its small brush-tail and its thick red coat. It lay quivering in Philip’s arms, looking up at him.
　　Before many seconds had passed the spell that Philip seemed to put on all animals fell upon thefox cub. It crept up to his neck and licked him. It cuddled against him. It showed him in every wayit could that it loved him.
　　‘You’ve got a wonderful way with animals,’ said his mother. ‘Just like your father had. What adear little cub, Philip! Where are you going to keep it? You will have to keep it in some sort ofcage, won’t you, or it will run off.’
　　‘Of course not, Mother!’ said Philip scornfully. ‘I shall train it to run to heel, like a puppy. Itwill soon learn.’
　　‘Well, but foxes are such wild creatures,’ said his mother doubtfully. But no creature was wildwith Philip. Before two hours had gone by the cub was scampering at Philip’s heels, begging to betaken into his arms whenever the boy stopped.
　　Philip’s liking for the little wild girl increased very much after that. He found that she knew anamazing amount about animals and their ways.
　　‘She’s like Philip’s dog, always following him about,’ said Dinah. ‘Fancy anyone wanting tofollow Philip!’
　　Dinah was not feeling very fond of her brother at that moment. He had four beetles just then,which he said he was training to be obedient to certain commands. He kept them in his bedroom,but they wandered about in a manner that was most terrifying to poor Dinah.
　　Kiki disliked Philip’s fox cub very much and scolded it vigorously whenever she saw it. ButTassie she loved, and flew to her shoulder as soon as she saw her, murmuring nonsense into herear. Tassie, of course, was delighted about this, and felt enormously proud when Kiki came to her.
　　‘You may think Tassie simply adores you but you come second to Kiki, all the same!’ Dinahtold Philip with a laugh.
　　‘I wish Kiki would leave Button alone,’ said Philip. Button was the name he had given to thelittle fox cub, which, like Tassie, followed him about whenever it could. ‘Kiki is really behavingbadly about Button. I suppose she’s jealous.’
　　‘How many times have I told you to wipe your feet?’ Kiki demanded of Button. ‘Where’s yourhandkerchief? God save the weasel! Pop goes the Queen!’
　　The children yelled with laughter. It was always funny when Kiki got mixed up in hersentences. Kiki regarded them solemnly, head on one side.
　　‘Attention, please! Open your book at page six.’
　　‘Shut up, Kiki! You remind me of school!’ said Jack. ‘I say, you others - I saw that eagle againtoday. It was soaring over the hill-top, and its wing spread was terrific. I’m sure it’s got a nest upthere.’
　　‘Well, let’s go up and find it,’ said Dinah. ‘I’m longing to have a squint at that old castle,anyway. Even if we can’t go up the road that has landslided - or is it land-slid? - we can get asclose to it as possible and see what it’s like.’
　　‘Yes - let’s do something exciting,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Let’s take our tea out, and go up the hill asfar as we can. You can look for eagles’ nests, Jack, and we’ll have a look at the old castle. It looksso strange and mysterious up there, frowning down at the valley, as if it had some secret to hide.’
　　‘It’s empty, you know,’ said Philip. ‘Probably full of mice and spiders and bats, but otherwiseempty.’
　　‘Oooh, don’t let’s go inside then,’ said Dinah at once. ‘I’d rather find an eagle’s nest than getmixed up with bats inside the old castle!’
第4章 塔西和小纽扣
　　第4章 塔西和小纽扣
　　城堡山还真是挺偏僻的。孩子们在山上转悠了一圈，发现这里只有他们的小屋、塔西破旧的家，以及不远处的农场，他们日常需要的牛奶和鸡蛋都来自那个农场。村子在山下的山谷里。
　　虽然这山上人烟稀少，但却是野生动物们的天堂。这里有杰克喜欢的各种鸟类，有菲利普感兴趣的多种走兽；松鼠们四处奔跑，野兔在他们脚边跳跃；还有那些红狐狸，悄悄地从他们身边一蹿而过，看起来完全不害怕人类。
　　“天哪，我多想要一只小狐狸啊！”菲利普说，“我一直就想要一只。你瞧，它们小小的，就像可爱的小奶狗一样。”
　　塔西此时就在边上，和他们一起。现在，她经常和他们待在一起。她是很有价值的成员，因为她总是知道回家的路。在这样的山里头可是很容易迷路的，好在塔西知道各种捷径。
　　她是个奇怪的小姑娘。有时候，她不走近他们，隔着一段距离，只在他们周围徘徊，着了迷地盯着琪琪看。而有时候，她紧紧挨着他们，听他们交谈，自己却不怎么说话。
　　她用羡慕而又妒忌的眼光看着那两个女孩的衣服。有时，她会用手抓起那些衣料，细细感受。她没有穿过正经衣服，身上只套着一件好似脏麻袋的破袍子。她凌乱、卷曲的头发打着结，并且，她一直都是光着脚的。
　　“我不介意她不穿鞋，但是，她实在太脏了。”露西安对黛娜说，“我真不敢相信她从来就没有泡过澡。”
　　“可能她这辈子都没见过浴缸。”黛娜说，“但她看上去健康极了，不是吗？我从没见过谁有像她那样明亮的眼睛，还有粉红的脸颊和洁白的牙齿。当然，我打赌她从来没有刷过牙。”
　　她们问了塔西，果然，她没见过浴缸。于是，黛娜带她去了泉水小屋，给她看了他们的浴缸。黛娜的妈妈看到这样一个充满野性的小女孩，感到非常惊愕。
　　“这个小脏孩儿是谁？”她轻声地问露西安，“她最好能洗个澡。”
　　露西安早料到曼纳林夫人会这么说。妈妈们总是想方设法让大家保持清洁。但是，当黛娜解释什么是泡澡时，塔西看上去惊恐极了。她一想到要坐到水里去，就吓得直往后缩。
　　“听我说，”曼纳林夫人口气坚定地对塔西说，“如果你愿意让我给你洗个澡，好好搓搓，我就给你找一件黛娜的棉罩裙穿，再给你系一条发带。”
　　穿戴上漂亮服饰的想法让塔西同意洗澡了。黛娜的妈妈在厨房里准备了满满一浴缸热水，还有许多肥皂，然后紧紧关上了厨房门。
　　厨房里传来几声痛苦的尖叫，其他孩子站在门外好奇里面发生了什么。接着，他们听到曼纳林夫人坚定的说话声：
　　“乖乖坐好。把全身都打湿。别动，塔西！好好想想那条漂亮的蓝色棉罩裙吧。”
　　又是几声尖叫。想必塔西是坐好了，但她肯定不喜欢这样。然后传来擦洗的声响。
　　“你妈妈今天是一定要把这事干成的。”杰克咧嘴笑着说，“哈，瞧这一股子肥皂味儿！”
　　半小时后，塔西走出了厨房，看上去截然不同。她的脸蛋和手臂上已经没有泥了，只留下太阳晒过的小麦色。头发也梳洗过了，用蓝色的缎带整齐地扎在脑后。她身穿黛娜的蓝色棉罩裙，另外，她脚上竟然是一双旧胶鞋！
　　“啊，塔西——你看上去真棒！”露西安赞叹道。塔西听了非常高兴。她也非常喜欢自己的这身新打扮，并用手不断抚摸蓝罩裙，就好像那是一只柔软的小猫。
　　“我闻起来很香。”塔西说，她显然更喜欢肥皂的味道，“但是洗澡真的很可怕。你们多久洗一次？一年一次？”
　　塔西真是个令人吃惊的女孩。她不会阅读，也不会书写，但是，她看得懂树林里和田野上的所有迹象，这着实让其他孩子感到震惊。她更像是一个拥有超凡智慧的动物，而不是普通的小女孩。她很喜欢菲利普和鹦鹉琪琪，认为他俩是这里最有魅力的成员。
　　第二天，塔西又来到泉水小屋，透过窗户往屋里看。她怀里抱着什么东西。
　　“是塔西来了，”露西安说，“她还穿着蓝色棉罩裙，但没有扎头发。咦，她脖子上挂的是什么？”
　　“是她的鞋！”菲利普笑起来，“我就知道她鞋子穿不长！她习惯光着脚，鞋只会挤疼她的脚。但她又舍不得扔了那双鞋，就只好把它们串起来挂在脖子上啦。”
　　“那她怀里抱着什么？”戴安非常好奇，“快进来，塔西，让我们瞧瞧你带什么来了。”
　　塔西咧嘴一笑，露出洁白的牙齿。她绕到后门进了厨房，菲利普一下子欢呼起来：
　　“是小狐狸！天哪，瞧这可爱的小东西！塔西，你从哪儿弄来的？”
　　“从它的窝里。”塔西说，“你瞧，我知道狐狸一家子住在哪里。”
　　菲利普把小狐狸抱了过来。这是你能想象到的最最可爱的东西：尖尖的小鼻头，小刷子一般的尾巴，还有那一身柔软的红色皮毛。小家伙颤抖着躺在菲利普怀里，抬起眼看他。
　　没过多久，菲利普对其他动物都奏效的魔咒在这只小狐狸身上也起了作用。它扬起脖子，抬头舔了舔菲利普，然后蜷缩在他怀里。它的所有表现都在说明：它喜欢他！
　　“你和动物们相处真有一套，”他的妈妈说，“跟你爸爸一样。多么可爱的小狐狸啊！你打算在哪儿养它？得养在笼子里吧，不然它会逃跑的。”
　　“它肯定不会逃跑的，妈妈！”菲利普轻蔑地说，“我会训练它什么时候跑什么时候坐下，就像训练小狗那样。它很快就能学会。”
　　“好吧，但是狐狸可是野生动物哦。”妈妈充满疑虑。不过，和菲利普在一起的动物都不再是野生的了。不到两个小时，小狐狸就已经绕着菲利普的脚蹦蹦跳跳，并在他每次停下脚步的时候抬起爪子乞求他把它抱进怀里。
　　从这以后，菲利普对塔西的喜爱与日俱增。他发现塔西真的非常了解动物。
　　“她就像是菲利普的跟屁虫，走到哪儿，跟到哪儿。”黛娜说，“真是奇怪，竟然有人喜欢跟着菲利普。”
　　现在，黛娜就不怎么喜欢她的哥哥。他养了四只甲虫，声称能训练它们听懂他的命令。他把它们养在房间里，但它们四处闲逛的样子着实吓坏了黛娜。
　　琪琪则非常讨厌菲利普的小狐狸，每每见到它就严厉叱责。但它很爱塔西，总是飞到她的肩头，对着她的耳朵说些悄悄话。见琪琪这样表现，塔西自然十分开心，她总是非常骄傲地看着琪琪向她飞过来。
　　“你大概以为塔西非常崇拜你吧，可是，比起琪琪，你也只能排第二！”黛娜笑着对菲利普说。
　　“我只希望琪琪能放过小纽扣。”菲利普说。小纽扣是他给小狐狸取的名字，现在，小狐狸和塔西一样，成天跟着他。他说：“琪琪对小纽扣的态度太恶劣了。我想这大概就是妒忌。”
　　“我告诉过你多少次了，要擦干净鞋底！”琪琪又开始对小纽扣大呼小叫，“你的手帕在哪儿？老天保佑黄鼠狼！砰的一下女王到！”
　　孩子们大笑起来。每次琪琪胡说八道的时候都非常可笑。此时，琪琪则歪着脑袋，严肃地看着大家。
　　“注意！翻到课本第六页。”
　　“别说啦，琪琪！你让我想起学校了。”杰克说，“我说，你们——我今天又看到那只雕了。它在山顶附近盘旋，它的翅膀张开来可真够大的。我肯定它的巢就在那附近。”
　　“那我们就爬上去找到它。”黛娜说，“无论如何，我真想看看那座古堡。就算我们不能到那条滑坡了的路上——是滑坡吧？——我们就在它附近看看，看看它什么样。”
　　“好极了——让我们做点有趣的事吧。”露西安接过话头，“我们带上茶和点心，爬到山上，能爬多高爬多高。杰克，你可以去找雕的巢，我们可以去看看那座古老的城堡。它看上去是那么奇特、那么神秘，高高地立在那里，突兀地面对着山谷，就好像藏着许多秘密。”
　　“你知道那里没人住，”菲利普说，“所以很可能里面尽是老鼠、蜘蛛和蝙蝠，除此之外，空无一物。”
　　“啊，那我们可千万别进去！”黛娜立刻叫起来，“我情愿去找那只雕的老巢，也不想到城堡里去和蝙蝠在一起！”
5 The way to the castle
　　5 The way to the castle
　　‘We’re going up to the top of the hill, Mother,’ said Philip. ‘Hunting for an eagle’s nest, to pleaseold Jack. He’s seen that eagle again. We won’t go up the road, so you needn’t worry - the road tothe castle, I mean.’
　　‘Take your tea with you,’ said his mother. ‘I shall be glad to be rid of you all for the afternoon! Ican do some reading for a change!’
　　She and Dinah cut sandwiches, and packed up cake and fruit and milk. Philip took the knapsackwith the food, and whistled to Button, who now answered to his name or a whistle for all theworld as if he were a dog.
　　Button came running to him, giving little sharp barks. He was a most attractive cub and evenMrs Mannering liked him, though she said he smelt a bit strong sometimes. She objected to Buttonsleeping on Philip’s bed, and she and Philip had lengthy arguments about this.
　　‘Your bedroom’s full of all kinds of creatures already,’ she said. ‘There’s that hedgehog alwaysin and out of your room now - and yesterday there was something jumping about all over theplace.’
　　Dinah shuddered. She never went into Philip’s room if she could help it.
　　‘It was only old Terence the Toad,’ said Philip. ‘I’ve got him somewhere about me now, so hewon’t be leaping about in my bedroom. I’ll show him to you - he’s got the most beautiful eyesyou ever . . .’
　　‘No, Philip,’ said his mother firmly. ‘I don’t want to see him. Don’t disturb him.’
　　Philip stopped ferreting about his person, and put on an injured expression. ‘Nobody ever . . .’
　　he began, but Button took his attention by trying to climb up his leg to get into his arms. ‘What’sthe matter, Button? Has Kiki been teasing you again? Has she been pulling your tail?’
　　The fox cub chattered to him, and finally settled down comfortably on the top of the knapsackwhich Philip had slung across his back. ‘Where are the others?’ said Philip. ‘Oh, there they are.
　　Hi, everyone, are you ready?’
　　They set off up the winding roadway, narrow and steep, just wide enough to take a cart. Tassiesoon appeared from somewhere, still wearing the cotton frock, though it was now torn and dirty.
　　She had the rubber shoes tied round her waist that day. It amused the children that she alwaysbrought them with her, although she never wore them.
　　‘Her feet must be as hard as nails,’ said Jack. ‘She never seems to mind treading on the sharpeststones!’
　　Tassie attached herself to Philip and Button. Kiki addressed a few amiable remarks to her, andthen flew off over the rookery to startle the rooks with her realistic cawings. They could never getover their astonishment at this performance, and listened in silence until Kiki talked like a humanbeing, when they all flew away in disgust.
　　The children went on up the road. It was very hot that afternoon, and they panted and puffed asthey climbed. ‘Why did we choose an afternoon like this to go up to the castle?’ said Philip.
　　Tassie stopped. ‘To the castle?’ she said. ‘You can’t go this way. The road up above is blocked.
　　You can only get round the back now.’
　　‘Well, we want to see what there is to be seen,’ said Philip. ‘I’d like to see this landslide orwhatever it is. We won’t climb about on it, because we said we wouldn’t. But I’d like to see it.’
　　‘I’d like to go right into the castle,’ said Jack.
　　‘No, no!’ said Tassie, her eyes widening as if she was scared. The others looked at her withinterest.
　　‘Why not?’ asked Jack. ‘It’s empty, isn’t it?’
　　‘No, it’s not empty,’ said Tassie. ‘There are voices and cryings and the sound of feet. It is not agood place to go.’
　　‘You’ve been listening to gossip,’ said Philip. ‘Who would be there now? There’s no comingand going, there’s no one ever seen about the castle! It’s only the owls hooting there, or the batssqueaking or something.’
　　‘What’s the old story about the castle?’ asked Dinah.
　　‘Do you know it, Tassie?’
　　‘It’s said that a wicked man lived there once, who got people to visit him in his castle - and theywere never heard of again,’ said Tassie, speaking in a low voice as if she was afraid that thewicked man, whoever he was, might hear her. ‘They heard cries and groans, and the clashing ofswords. It is said, too, that he used to lock people up in hidden rooms, and starve them to death.’
　　‘What a nice old man!’ said Philip, with a laugh. ‘I don’t believe a word of it. You always getthese stories about old places. I expect some half-mad old fellow came along, bought the oldcastle, patched it up, and lived there pretending to be an old-time baron or something. He musthave been mad to live in a lonely place like that.’
　　‘He had plenty of horses, they say, and they used this road every day,’ said Tassie. ‘Did younotice how here and there, in the steepest places, the road was cobbled? That was to help thehorses.’
　　‘Yes, I did notice a cobbled bit just now,’ said Philip. The others were silent for a minute.
　　Somehow the fact that the road really was cobbled here and there made them think there might besomething in the story Tassie had told them.
　　‘Anyway, that all happened years ago, and the old man’s gone, and nobody’s there,’ said Philip.
　　‘I’d love to explore all over the castle. Wouldn’t you, Jack?’
　　‘Rather!’ said Jack. And Kiki agreed, swaying to and fro on his shoulder. ‘Rather,’ said Kiki,‘rather, rather, rather, ra . . .’
　　‘Kiki, get off my shoulder for a bit,’ panted Jack. ‘You feel jolly heavy up this hill.’
　　‘Kiki, I’ll have you!’ said Tassie, and Kiki flew to her at once, informing her that she had betteropen her book at page six. Tassie did not pant and puff as the others did. She was like a goat, theway she sprang up the steepest places and never seemed in the least tired.
　　‘Hallo - we’re a good way up at last!’ said Philip, wiping his hot forehead. ‘Look, the road goesall strange here.’
　　So it did. It could no longer be called a road, for part of the hillside had fallen away and hadpiled itself on the road and all around. Enormous boulders of rock lay where they had rolled, andthe stumps of trees showed where the moving hillside had cut them into pieces.
　　The children gazed over the untidy, rock-strewn landscape. ‘It looks as if an earthquake hadupset it,’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　Beyond the landslide stood the castle, looking even more enormous now. The children couldsee how strongly built it was, and could see two of the square towers, with the long battlementedwall stretching between them.
　　‘I’d like to go up into one of those towers,’ said Philip longingly. ‘What a marvellous viewwe’d get!’
　　‘The castle isn’t really right on top of the hill,’ said Jack, ‘though it looks as if it is from downbelow. Doesn’t it look fierce, somehow!’
　　It did. None of the children thought it was a very nice castle. It seemed to be such a lonely,strange, sinister place. It frowned over the hillside, and was not at all welcoming. All the same, itwas exciting.
　　‘Tassie, how do we get to the back of it?’ asked Philip, turning to the little girl. ‘We could climbover this landslide bit, I suppose, but we said we wouldn’t, and anyhow some of those boulderslook as if they would like to go rolling over and over down the hillside if anybody gave them alittle push!’
　　‘There’s my eagle again!’ cried Jack suddenly, in excitement, and he pointed to a big bird thatrose soaring in the air, above the castle. ‘See it? It is an eagle, no doubt about it. Isn’t it enormous?
　　I bet it’s got a nest somewhere about. Oh golly, there’s another of them, look!’
　　Sure enough there were two magnificent eagles rising in the air. They rose higher and higher,and the children watched them, fascinated.
　　‘How do they soar upwards like that without moving their wings?’ asked Lucy-Ann. ‘I couldunderstand it if they soared downwards - glide, you know - but to go up and up and up - gracious,they’re only just specks.’
　　‘They use air-currents I expect,’ said Jack. ‘Must be plenty on a hill-top. Two eagles - andtogether. Well, that settles it - there must be a nest!’
　　‘You’re not thinking of taming a young eagle, I hope?’ said Dinah, in alarm.
　　‘Don’t worry. Kiki would never let Jack have a tame eagle,’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　This was true, and Dinah heaved a sigh of relief.
　　‘They rose from somewhere behind the castle as far as I could see,’ said Jack eagerly. ‘Let’s goround and see if we can find out where their nest is. Come on.’
　　They left the strange, untidy landslide, and, following Tassie, made their way to the east,climbing over the hillside with difficulty. Tassie led them to a winding little path, narrow but safe.
　　‘Whose path is this?’ said Dinah in surprise.
　　‘The rabbits’ path,’ said Tassie. ‘There are millions here. They make quite good little paths allover the place.’
　　‘I can’t go any further!’ panted Lucy-Ann after some while. ‘I’m tired out. Let’s rest and haveour tea. The eagles’ nest won’t run away.’
　　Everyone thought that was a good idea. They flopped down on the grass, panting. Philip slunghis knapsack round to his chest and undid it. He handed out the food, and then lay flat on theground. Button immediately began to lick his face all over.
　　It was lovely to have a drink, though there wasn’t nearly enough. No one seemed very hungry,but Button and Kiki managed quite a few sandwiches between them. Tassie had a few too. Shewas the least tired out of any of them. She sat and scratched Kiki’s head, whilst the others lay flaton the hillside.
　　They soon recovered and sat up. Philip heard the trickling of water somewhere near by andwent to investigate. He still felt terribly thirsty. He called back to the others:
　　‘The spring that runs past our cottage runs here. It’s lovely and cold. Anyone want a drink?’
　　Everybody did. They got up and went to the little spring that gushed out from a hole in thehillside and then ran and leapt over the pebbly bed until it once more disappeared into the earth, tocome out again further down.
　　The children bathed their hot feet in the cool water. Then Jack caught sight of his preciouseagles again. ‘Come on! We’ll see where they fly down to. I wish I’d brought my camera! I couldhave photographed their nest!’
第5章 通往城堡的路
　　第5章 通往城堡的路
　　“我们准备上山，”菲利普对妈妈说，“去为杰克找雕巢，他又见到那只雕了。我们不会到那路上去的，我的意思是那条通往城堡的路。你就放心吧。”
　　“那就带上你们的下午茶。”妈妈说，“我很高兴你们一整个下午都不会来烦我，我正好可以读读书。”
　　她和黛娜切好了三明治，又打包了些蛋糕、水果和牛奶。菲利普背上装满食物的背包，冲小纽扣吹了声口哨。现在小纽扣只要听到菲利普喊它的名字或吹口哨，就会立刻跑过来，像一条听话的小狗。
　　小纽扣向菲利普跑来，一边发出轻轻的叫声。它真是一只可爱的小狐狸，连曼纳林夫人都非常喜欢它，虽然有时她也会嫌它身上有味道。她不同意小纽扣睡在菲利普的床上，并为此和菲利普争吵了很久。
　　“你的房间里已经有够多的生物了！”她说，“那只刺猬一直可以自由进出你的房间，还有，昨天，不知道是什么东西，一直在那里跳来跳去。”
　　黛娜打了个哆嗦。只要有可能，她永远都不想进入菲利普的房间。
　　“那是特伦斯啦，我的癞蛤蟆。”菲利普说，“我已经把它抓起来，随身带着了，所以它不会再在我的房间里蹦跶了。我拿出来给你看看，它那双美丽的大眼睛啊……”
　　“停下，菲利普！”妈妈很坚决地打断了他的话，“我不想见到它，别去打扰它！”
　　菲利普停下手，装出一副很受伤的表情：“从来没有人……”这时，小纽扣引起了他的注意，它已经爬上了他的腿，正往上想爬到他的胳膊上：“怎么啦，小纽扣？琪琪又欺负你了，还是她又拉你的尾巴了？”
　　小狐狸吱吱叫着，终于爬上了背包，舒舒服服地趴在了上面。菲利普对其他人说：“你们都好了吗？我们出发吧。”
　　他们沿着蜿蜒的山路前行，路又窄又陡，看着仅够一辆推车通过。塔西不知从什么地方冒了出来。她还穿着那条棉罩裙，虽然它现在又脏又破的。今天她把胶鞋绑在了自己的腰上。她每天都带着这双胶鞋，却从来不穿，这让大家觉得很好笑。
　　“她的脚底一定和脚指甲一样硬，”杰克说，“她在那些锋利的石头上跑来跑去一点都不觉得疼！”
　　塔西站到菲利普和小纽扣边上。琪琪向她致以亲切的问候，接着飞身掠过白嘴鸦的巢，嘴里发出逼真的哇哇叫声，企图去吓唬那些白嘴鸦。白嘴鸦们一时无法从惊吓中恢复过来，只是呆呆地看着琪琪的表演。直到琪琪停止尖叫，开始模仿人类说话，它们才厌恶地飞走了。
　　孩子们继续沿着山路向山上走去。下午天气变得很热，他们一边走一边大口喘气。“我们为什么非要挑这么个大热天上山去那城堡呢？”菲利普说。
　　塔西停了下来。“你们要去城堡？”她问，“那你们不能走这条路，前头的路塌了。你们现在只能绕到城堡后面去。”
　　“好吧，我们只是想看看那里是什么情况。”菲利普说，“我想看看滑坡是什么样的。我们不爬上去，我们保证过。我就是想看看。”
　　“我想进到城堡里。”杰克说。
　　“不行，不行！”塔西大叫。她瞪大眼睛，看上去非常害怕。大家奇怪地看着她。
　　“为什么不行？”杰克问，“那里头不是什么都没有吗？”
　　“不是的，那里不是空的。”塔西说，“里面传出过很多声音，哭声，还有脚步声。还是不要去吧。”
　　“你说的都只是一些传言。”菲利普说，“现在谁还在那里？那里已经没有人进出了，甚至如今都没有人去瞧它一眼！可能只是有几只猫头鹰或蝙蝠什么的在里头叫唤。”
　　“塔西，你知道有什么关于这座城堡的传说吗？”黛娜问。
　　“他们说城堡里曾经住着一个邪恶的人，他把所有去城堡拜访他的人都关了起来——那些人从此就消失了。”塔西压低了嗓门，轻声说着，好像生怕被那个邪恶的人听见，“人们听见城堡里有哭声、叹息声，还有刀剑碰撞的声音。他们还说，他把人都关在密室里，让他们活活饿死！”
　　“好一个邪恶的人！”菲利普说，“我一个字也不信。大家总是给古老的房子编造这样的故事。我倒觉得是这样的：一个半疯的老家伙买下了这座城堡，修缮之后独自一人住在里面，假装自己是一位昔日的男爵或大亨。他一定非常着迷住在这样一个孤僻的地方。”
　　“他们说那人养了好多马，那些马每天都在这条路上走。”塔西接着说，“你们注意到了吗？这里最陡的几段路上都铺了石头，那是为了方便马行走。”
　　“是啊，我刚才注意到这些石头了。”菲利普说。其他人一时间都沉默了。这条路上确实到处都铺着石头，这不禁让他们相信塔西的故事有可能是真的。
　　“无论如何，那都是很多年前的事了，那个老家伙也早就死了，现在没人住在城堡里。”菲利普说，“我很想把整座城堡都探寻一番。你呢，杰克？”
　　“我也是！”杰克回答。琪琪也同意，她在杰克的肩头来回摇摆着，一边不停地说着：“我也是，我也是，我也是……”
　　“琪琪，快从我肩上下来吧，”杰克喘着粗气说，“带着你爬山太累了。”
　　“琪琪，我带着你吧！”塔西话音刚落，琪琪就已经飞到了她的肩头，并且提醒她打开课本，翻到第六页。塔西不像别的孩子那样喘粗气，她就像一头山羊，轻松爬上陡坡，看上去一点也不累。
　　“嘿——我们终于到这儿啦！”菲利普一边说一边抹去额头的汗，“瞧，这路可真奇怪。”
　　确实如此，这甚至都不能称为路。山体滑坡滚下来的岩石把山路掩埋了，到处都是被巨石压断了的树干。
　　孩子们凝视着遍地的岩石。“这里好像发生过地震。”露西安说。
　　城堡就矗立在滑坡地带的尽头，看上去更加巨大。孩子们看得出，这是一座多么牢固的建筑，两座正方形的塔楼，之间联结着高高的城墙。
　　“我真想爬到塔楼上去，”菲利普渴望地说，“从那里看出去，景色该有多棒啊！”
　　“原来这城堡不是建在山顶上的，”杰克说，“虽然从下面看它就是在山顶上。不知怎的，它看上去特别险恶！”
　　是的，确实如此。没有人觉得这是一座美丽的城堡。它看上去是那么孤独，那么诡异，那么阴森。它好像正皱着眉头瞪着山下，没有一点点欢迎的意思。但即便如此，它依然让人觉得兴奋。
　　“塔西，我们怎么绕到城堡的后面去？”菲利普转向塔西问道，“我想我们得爬过这片滑坡的路，当然了，我们保证过我们不靠近这里的。如果我们上前去推一把，这些岩石看上去就会滚下山去。”
　　“我的那只雕又出现了！”杰克突然激动地大叫起来，一边用手指向一只在城堡上空盘旋着的大鸟，“你们看见了吗？这就是雕，我确定。太棒了，不是吗？我敢肯定，它的巢就在附近。啊，天哪，瞧，这里又有一只！”
　　两只美丽的大雕在天空中盘旋，越升越高。孩子们入迷地看着它们。
　　“为什么它们不用扑扇翅膀就能飞得那么高？”露西安不解地说，“我能理解它们可以不动翅膀往低处滑翔，可怎么会越来越高呢？快看，它们现在看上去就只是天上的两个小黑点。”
　　“我想，它们一定是利用了气流上升。”杰克说，“山顶上气流很急。两只雕，在一起的两只——这附近肯定有一个巢。”
　　“你不会也想去驯服一只雕吧？”黛娜很警觉地问。
　　“别担心，琪琪永远不会允许杰克养一只雕的。”露西安说。
　　这倒是真的，黛娜听了长舒了一口气。
　　“我看到它们是从城堡后面飞起来的，”杰克热切地说，“我们赶紧绕过去瞧瞧吧，看我们是不是能找到它们的巢。快走！”
　　他们离开了滑坡地带，跟着塔西往东面走去——他们要翻过陡峭的山坡。塔西带领他们走上一条蜿蜒的小路，非常窄，但很安全。
　　“这是谁走的路？”黛娜奇怪地问。
　　“兔子走的。”塔西回答，“这里有成千上万只兔子，它们在这地方开了好多条路。”
　　又过了一会儿，露西安气喘吁吁地说：“我走不动了，我快累死了！我们坐下来休息一下，吃点东西吧。反正雕巢自己不会逃走的。”
　　『我的那只雕又出现了！』杰克突然激动地大叫起来，一边用手指向一只在城堡上空盘旋着的大鸟，『你们看见了吗？这就是雕，我确定。太棒了，不是吗？我敢肯定，它的巢就在附近。啊，天哪，瞧，这里又有一只！』大家都认为这是个好主意，于是纷纷跌坐在草地上，大口喘气。菲利普从背上取下背包，掏出食物，然后仰面躺倒在地上。小纽扣立马开始舔他的脸。
　　虽然茶并不多，但多少能喝上一点总是不错的。孩子们看上去都不是很饿，琪琪和小纽扣倒吃了不少三明治，塔西也吃了一点。她并不觉得累，坐着挠琪琪的脑袋。而此时，其他人都已经累得躺在山坡上了。
　　他们很快恢复了体力，坐起身来。菲利普听到了潺潺流水的声音，便去查看。他现在仍然觉得很渴。很快，他回来对大家说：
　　“这里就是流到我们小屋花园的那条山泉的源头，泉水冰凉美味，谁想喝？”
　　每个人都想喝！他们起身围拢到泉眼处：泉水从泉眼里汩汩涌出，一路流淌，从卵石床上跳跃而过，然后再次流入地下，消失不见，直到山下才又钻出地面。
　　孩子们把疲惫的双脚浸泡在清凉的泉水中。突然，杰克又看到了他的那两只雕：“快快！我们能看到它们往下飞到哪里去了。我真希望能带着我的相机，这样我就能拍到它们的巢了！”
6 How can they get in?
　　6 How can they get in?
　　They were near to the castle by now. The great, thick walls rose up, far above their heads. Therewas no break in them, except about sixteen feet up, where slit windows could be seen.
　　‘It’s built of the big boulders we see all over the hillside,’ said Philip. ‘It must have been veryhard work to take so many up here to build the castle. Look - over there are some bigger windows.
　　I suppose that wicked old fellow Tassie was telling us about liked to have a little more light in hiscastle than slit windows give. It’s a funny place. You can quite well see where it has been patchedup, can’t you?’
　　‘There are the eagles again!’ cried Jack. ‘They’re gliding down - and down. Watch them,everyone!’
　　The little company stood and watched the two big birds, whose span of wings was reallyenormous.
　　‘They’ve gone down inside the castle courtyard,’ said Jack. ‘That’s where they’ve got their nest,I bet! In the courtyard somewhere. I simply must find it.’
　　‘But you can’t possibly get into the courtyard,’ said Philip.
　　‘Where’s the gateway of the castle?’ demanded Jack, turning to Tassie.
　　‘At the front, where that landslide is,’ said Tassie. ‘You couldn’t get over the landslide withoutbeing in danger, and anyway if you did, you’d find the great gate shut. There’s another door,further along here, but that’s locked. You can’t get into the castle.’
　　‘Where’s the door along here?’ said Jack. They went further along, turned a corner of the castlewall, and came to a sturdy oak door, flush with the wall. The wall arched over it, and the doorfitted exactly. Jack put his eye to the keyhole but could see nothing.
　　‘Do you mean to tell me there’s no other way into this castle?’ he said to Tassie. ‘What apeculiar place! It’s like a prison.’
　　‘That’s what it was,’ said Lucy-Ann, shivering as she remembered the story Tassie had told. Aprison for poor wretched people who came here and couldn’t get away - and were never heard ofagain!’
　　Jack was in despair. To think that two rare eagles might be nesting in the courtyard on the otherside of the wall - and he couldn’t get at them. It was too bad.
　　‘We must get in, we simply must,’ he said, and gazed up at the high windows. But there was noway of getting up there. The walls were far too smooth to climb. There was no ivy. The castle wasimpregnable.
　　‘People would have got in before now if there had been a way,’ said Philip. ‘It just showsthere’s no way in if no one ever comes here.’
　　‘Tassie - don’t you know of a way?’ said Jack, turning to the little girl. She consideredsolemnly. Then she nodded her head.
　　‘I might know,’ she said. ‘I have never been. But it might be a way.’
　　‘Show us, quickly!’ said Jack eagerly.
　　Tassie led them further round the castle, towards the back of it. Here it was built almost into thecliff. A narrow, dark pathway led between the steep hillside and the back wall of the castle. It wasalmost a tunnel, for both wall and cliff practically met at one place.
　　Tassie came to a stop, and pointed up. The other four looked, and saw that there was one of theslit windows high up above them. They stared at Tassie, not seeing in the least how that helpedthem.
　　‘Don’t you see?’ said Tassie. ‘You could climb up the cliffside here, because it is all overgrownwith creepers - and then, when you get opposite that window, you might put a branch of a treeacross or something, and get in.’
　　‘I see what she means!’ said Philip. ‘If we could lug a plank or a bough up the side of the steepcliff here, that the castle backs on to - and put one end of it on to the windowsill, and the otherfirmly into the cliff- we could slide across and get in! It’s an idea!’
　　The rest of the company received this news with mixed feelings. Dinah was already afraid ofbats in the dark and narrow passageway, and would willingly have gone back into the sunshine ofthe open hillside. Lucy- Ann didn’t like the idea of climbing the cliff and sliding across adangerous branch that might slip, into the silent and deserted castle. Jack, on the other hand,thought it was well worth trying, and was eager to do so at once.
　　‘Put on the light,’ said Kiki earnestly from somewhere in the dark passage. ‘Put on the light.’
　　The children laughed. It was funny the way Kiki sometimes said what sounded like a verysensible sentence.
　　‘Let’s find a branch or something,’ said Jack. So they went out of the musty-smelling passage,and hunted for something to use as a bridge across to the window of the castle.
　　But there was nothing to be found at all. True, Philip found a dead branch, but it was so deadthat it would have cracked at once under anyone’s weight. It was impossible to break off from atree a branch big enough to be any use.
　　‘Blow!’ said Jack. ‘Anyway, let’s go back and see if we can climb up opposite the window. Ifwe think we could get in the way Tassie suggests, we might come up tomorrow with a plank.’
　　‘Yes, it would be better to leave it till tomorrow, really,’ said Dinah, trying to see the time byher watch. ‘It’s getting rather late now. Let’s come up tomorrow with your camera, Jack.’
　　‘All right. But we’ll just see if it’s possible to climb in at that window first,’ said Jack. He triedto climb up the cliffside, but it was very steep, and he kept slipping down. Then Philip tried, and,by means of holding on tightly to some of the strongest of the creepers, he pulled himself up alittle way.
　　But the creeper broke, and down he came, missing his footing at the bottom, and rolling overand over. Fortunately, except for a few bruises, he wasn’t hurt.
　　‘I’ll go,’ said Tassie. And up she went like a monkey. It was extraordinary the way she couldclimb. She was far better than any of them. She seemed to know just where to put her feet, and justwhich creeper to hold on to.
　　Soon she was opposite the slit window. The creepers grew very thickly on the cliffside there,and she held on to them whilst she peered across at the window.
　　‘I believe I could almost jump across to the sill,’ she called to the others.
　　‘Don’t you do anything of the sort,’ shouted back Philip at once. ‘Little donkey! You’d breakboth your legs if you fell! What can you see?’
　　‘Nothing much!’ called back Tassie, who still seemed to be considering whether or not to jumpacross and chance it. ‘There’s the window - very narrow, of course. I don’t know if we couldsqueeze through. And past the window I can see a room, but it’s so dark I can’t see if it’s big orsmall or anything. It looks very strange.’
　　‘I bet it does!’ said Jack. ‘Come on down, Tassie.’
　　‘I’ll just leap across and have a try at squeezing in,’ said Tassie, and poised herself for a jump.
　　But a roar from Philip stopped her.
　　‘If you do that we’ll never let you go with us again. Do you hear? You’ll break your legs!’
　　Tassie thought better of her idea. The threat of never being allowed to go about with thechildren she so much liked and admired filled her with horror. She contented herself with onemore look across at the window, and then she climbed down like a goat, landing directly besidethe waiting children.
　　‘It’s just as well that you did as you were told,’ said Philip grimly. ‘Suppose you had got across- and squeezed inside - and then couldn’t get out again! You’d have been a prisoner in that castlefor ever and ever!’
　　Tassie said nothing. She had great faith in her powers of climbing and jumping, and she thoughtPhilip was making a fuss about nothing. Kiki, hearing Philip’s stern voice, joined in the scolding.
　　‘How many times have I told you to shut the door?’ she said, flying on to Tassie’s shoulder.
　　Tassie laughed and scratched Kiki’s poll.
　　‘Only about a hundred times,’ she said, and the others laughed too. They made their way out ofthe dark tunnel-like passage, and were glad to be in the sun again.
　　‘Well, we know what to do, anyway,’ said Jack. ‘We’ll find a plank or something to bring uphere tomorrow, and we’ll send Tassie up with it, and she can put it across from the cliffside to thewindow. We’ll give her a strong rope too, so that she can knot it to some of that creeper up there,and we can pull on it to help ourselves up. We’re not as goat-footed as Tassie.’
　　‘No, she’s marvellous,’ said Lucy-Ann, and Tassie glowed with pleasure. They made their waydown the hillside again, finding it a little easier to climb down than up, especially as Tassie tookthem a good way she knew.
　　‘It’s really getting very late,’ said Jack. ‘I hope your mother won’t be anxious, Philip.’
　　‘Oh no,’ said Philip. ‘She’d know one of us would run down for help if anything happened.’
　　All the same, Mrs Mannering had been wondering what had become of the children and shewas very glad to see them. She had supper ready for them, and Tassie was asked to stay too. Shewas thrilled, and tried to watch how the others ate and drank, as she had never been invited outbefore. Kiki sat on Jack’s shoulder, and fed on titbits that Jack and the others handed her, makingodd remarks from time to time about putting the kettle on, and using handkerchiefs. Button curledup on Philip’s knee and went sound asleep. He was tired after his long walk, though Philip hadcarried him a good way.
　　‘You know, I half thought Button might run off when we took him out on the hillside he knowsso well,’ said Philip. ‘But he didn’t. He didn’t even seem to think of it.’
　　‘He’s a darling,’ said Lucy-Ann, looking at the sleeping fox club, who had curled his sharp littlenose into his big tail. ‘It’s a pity he’s a bit smelly.’
　　‘Well, he’ll get worse,’ said Philip. ‘So you might as well get used to it. Foxes do smell. Iexpect we smell just as strong to them.’
　　‘Oh! I’m sure we don’t,’ thought Lucy-Ann. ‘Oh dear, how sleepy I am!’
　　They were all sleepy that night. The long climb in the sunshine had tired them out. ‘Let’s go tobed,’ said Philip with such a loud yawn that Button woke up with a jump. ‘We’ve got an excitingday tomorrow, with a lot of climbing again. Don’t forget to look out your camera, Jack.’
　　‘Oh yes - I simply must take a snap of the eagles!’ said Jack. ‘Golly, we’ll have some funtomorrow!’
　　Then up they went to bed, yawning. Kiki yawned the loudest - not that she was tired, but it wasa lovely noise to copy!
第6章 他们怎么进去
　　第6章 他们怎么进去
　　现在他们离城堡已经很近了。厚实的围墙在他们头顶上高高耸起。墙壁严严实实的，找不到一个可以进出的口子，倒是有几个小小的观察窗，但距地面得有五米左右。
　　“这墙是用山上的巨石垒起来的。”菲利普说，“把它们运上来，再砌成墙，这活儿一定很艰难。瞧，那里有几扇更大的窗。看来，塔西说的那个邪恶的老头想让城堡里更亮堂些，光靠几个观察窗可不够。这真是个有意思的地方。你们能看得见那些修补过的地方吧？”
　　“那两只雕又出现了！”杰克大叫道，“它们正往下滑行。你们快看啊！”
　　孩子们站定，注视着那两只大鸟。两对巨大的翅膀张开在半空，看上去太令人惊叹了。
　　“它们好像飞落到城堡的院子里去了，”杰克说，“它们肯定在那里筑巢！没错，就在院子的什么地方。我一定要找到它。”
　　“但是你怎么进到那院子里？”菲利普问道。
　　“城堡的大门通道在哪里？”杰克转身问塔西。
　　“就在滑坡的路那儿，”塔西回答，“你过不去，太危险了。就算你过去了，你也进不去，大门锁着呢。不过我知道还有一扇门，就在前面不远处，但也是锁上的。反正你进不去。”
　　“那门在哪儿？”杰克不甘心。他们沿着城墙继续往前走，然后到了转角拐了个弯，一堵和墙面齐平的结实的橡木门出现在眼前。杰克从锁眼往里看，但什么都没看到。
　　“你的意思是说，除此之外再没有其他通道进入城堡了？”杰克对塔西说，“好奇怪的地方！就像一座监狱！”
　　“这就是座监狱。”露西安说，她一想起塔西之前讲的故事，就禁不住打冷战，“一座关押着那些前来拜访的可怜人的监狱！他们再也出不去了，就这样从世界上消失了！”
　　杰克简直要绝望了。在这堵墙的那一边，在这城堡的院子里，就是那两只雕筑的巢——但他根本过不去。这太糟糕了！
　　“我们要进去，一定要进去！”他望着墙上高高的窗子说道。但是，他们没办法爬到窗子那里，墙体太光滑了，也没有藤蔓可以攀缘。这座城堡牢不可破。
　　“之前肯定是有人进去过的，”菲利普说，“但现在看来，这里根本没人来过。”
　　“塔西，连你也没办法了吗？”杰克问。
　　塔西思考了一阵子，然后开口道：
　　“我可能有办法。虽然我从没进去过，但很有可能还有别的路可以进去。”
　　“快带我们去！”杰克急不可耐。
　　塔西带着他们继续前进，向城堡的后部走去。后墙几乎是挨着一段峭壁修建的。一条幽暗、狭窄的小路挤在墙与峭壁之间。这简直就是一条隧道，因为后墙和峭壁在某一处实际上是连在一起的。
　　塔西停下来，抬手向上指。另外四人顺着往上看，只见上面有一个观察窗。他们盯着塔西，实在不知道接下来该怎么做。
　　“你们不明白吗？”塔西说，“你们可以从这峭壁上往上爬，到那窗子对面的时候，顺着一截树干或什么东西爬过去，然后从窗子进城堡。”
　　“我明白她的意思了！”菲利普说，“我们可以搬一块大木板或者一截树干，从峭壁这里爬上去，把木板横着固定在峭壁和窗沿之间，然后我们就顺着木板爬到窗子那里，进入城堡。是个好主意！”
　　其他人听了菲利普的话，内心非常复杂。黛娜已经被幽暗过道里的蝙蝠吓坏了，她巴不得赶紧退出去，回到太阳底下。露西安一点都不认为这是个好主意：爬上高高的峭壁，顺着很可能掉下去的、危险的木板爬到窗沿，进入阴暗、荒凉的城堡。杰克则相反，他跃跃欲试，恨不能立刻爬上去。
　　“快开灯！”琪琪突然在黑暗中大叫起来，“快开灯！”
　　孩子们一下子都笑了。时常胡言乱语的琪琪有时也能说出非常理智的话，这真的很滑稽。
　　“我们还是赶紧找找树干、木板什么的吧。”杰克说道。于是大家分头在这充满霉臭的通道里行动起来，去找一个能像桥一样架在峭壁和观察窗之间的东西。
　　但是，他们什么都没找到。实际上，菲利普找到了一截枯木，但他们觉得这截枯木只要一受力，就会折断。而从树上锯下一根足够大的树枝也是不可能的。
　　“唉，真讨厌！”杰克说，“算了，我们还是回去试试能不能顺着峭壁爬上去吧。如果我们确信我们能像塔西建议的那样爬上去进入城堡的话，我们就明天再来，带着一块合适的木板来。”
　　“对极了，还是等到明天再说吧。”黛娜附和着，抬手看表，努力想看清楚现在到底几点了，“现在已经很晚了，我们明天再来，带上你的相机，杰克。”
　　“好吧。但是现在得确定，我们能不能沿着峭壁爬上去。”杰克说。说完，他就开始往上爬。山壁很陡，他不断滑下来。接着，菲利普要试一下。他紧紧抓住峭壁上的藤蔓，往上爬了一段。
　　然而，藤蔓很快就断了，杰克掉了下来，一个没站稳，身子在地上滚了两圈。幸好，他没有受伤，只擦出点瘀青。
　　“让我来。”塔西说着就像一只猴子似的爬了上去。她攀爬的方式很特别，但比其他人可强多了。她好像完全清楚在哪里下脚，手又要抓住哪里。
　　很快，她就到了观察窗对面。这里的藤蔓长得很粗壮，她抓着它们，倾着身子朝窗子望去。
　　“我觉得我应该可以从这里跳到窗沿上。”她冲大伙儿喊道。
　　“别干傻事！”菲利普在底下大声说，“你这头小驴子！如果你掉下来，两条腿都会摔断！你能看到什么？”
　　“没什么！”塔西回答，一边还在琢磨该不该碰运气跳过去试试，“这儿有个窗，很窄，不知道我们能不能挤过去。窗后面是个房间，但非常暗，我看不清里面的样子。看上去很诡异。”
　　“我也觉得！”杰克说，“快下来吧，塔西。”
　　“我跳过去看看，然后试着挤进去。”塔西说着就要准备跳过去了！菲利普的一声吼叫制止了她。
　　“你如果跳了，你以后就别跟着我们了，听明白了吗，你会摔断腿的！”
　　塔西好好考虑了一下她跳过去的想法。不许她再跟着这些她深深喜爱又崇拜的小伙伴，这个威胁太可怕了。她最后朝窗子里面望了一眼，然后像山羊一样灵活地爬了下来，稳稳地落在其他孩子边上。
　　“你做的这些正是别人告诉你的，”菲利普冷酷地说，“就算你安全地爬了过去，还从窗子里挤进了城堡，然后你就再也出不来了！你会被永远囚禁在城堡里面！”
　　塔西没有作声。她对自己的跳跃和攀爬能力非常自信，认为菲利普只是小题大做。琪琪此时也学着菲利普尖厉的声音责怪地说道：“我跟你们说了几次了？要随手关门！”
　　说完，琪琪便飞到塔西肩上。塔西笑着挠了挠琪琪的头。
　　“你只说了一百次。”塔西说，其他孩子也都笑了起来。他们小心翼翼地沿着隧道似的小路往回走，终于走出黑暗，来到太阳底下。
　　“我们好歹知道了能做些什么。”杰克说，“找一块结实的木板之类的东西，明天搬上山，然后让塔西带着木板爬上峭壁，再从木板爬到对面城堡的窗沿上。我们还可以准备一条粗绳子，让塔西牢牢绑在峭壁的什么地方，这样我们就能抓着绳子爬上去了。我们可是没有塔西那么好的身手。”
　　“是的，塔西实在太厉害了！”露西安说。塔西听了非常高兴。
　　他们现在只得下山了。塔西带他们走了另一条路，下山的路好走很多，比上山容易。
　　“天已经很晚了，”杰克对菲利普说，“希望你妈妈不要太着急。”
　　“她不会着急的，”菲利普说，“她知道，如果真的发生了什么事，我们中的一个会飞奔下山求救的。”
　　即便如此，曼纳林夫人还是有些担忧孩子们到底去了哪里。看到他们回来的身影，她感到非常高兴。晚饭已经做好了，曼纳林夫人邀请塔西留下来一道吃晚饭。塔西很紧张，一个劲瞧着大家怎样吃东西、怎样喝汤，因为她从未受到过邀请在别人家吃晚饭。琪琪站在杰克的肩头，一点一点吃着大家递给她的食物，并时不时地发出“把水烧上”或“用手帕”的指令。小纽扣则蜷缩在菲利普的腿上，睡得香甜。下午的外出让它筋疲力尽，虽然大部分时候都是菲利普背着它。
　　“你知道吗，我们上山时，我以为小纽扣会离开我们回到它熟悉的山林里，”菲利普说，“但是，它没走，它压根儿就不想走。”
　　“它太可爱了，”露西安看着这只睡着了的小狐狸——它用大尾巴盖住了自己的尖鼻子，“可惜的是，它身上有股味儿。”
　　“好吧，它的味儿只会越来越重，”菲利普说，“你最好赶快习惯它。所有的狐狸都有臭味。我觉得对它们来说，我们的味儿也很大。”
　　“不！我们没有这么大味儿。”露西安说，“天哪，我困死了。”
　　那个晚上，大家都觉得很困。长时间在太阳底下爬山耗尽了他们的体力。“我们睡觉去吧。”菲利普说着，打了个又长又响的哈欠，小纽扣被吵醒跳了起来，“明天也是令人激动的一天，需要长途跋涉。别忘了你的相机，杰克。”
　　“哦，对——我一定要把那两只雕拍下来！”杰克说，“天哪，明天一定很有趣！”
　　他们纷纷打着哈欠睡觉去了。琪琪的哈欠声最大，倒不是因为她累了，而是因为她觉得哈欠声听上去很好玩！
7 Inside the Castle of Adventure
　　7 Inside the Castle of Adventure
　　The next day Button woke Philip by licking the bare sole of his foot, which was sticking out fromthe bedclothes. Philip woke with a yell, for he was very ticklish there.
　　‘Stop it, Jack!’ he shouted, and then looked in surprise across the room, where Jack was justopening startled eyes. ‘Oh - it’s all right - it’s only Button. Button, you are never to lick the solesof my feet!’
　　Jack sat up, grinning. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. Then his glance fell on his fine camera,which he had put ready to take up the hill with him that day, and he remembered what they hadplanned.
　　‘Come on - let’s get up,’ he said to Philip, and jumped out of bed. ‘It’s a gorgeous day, and I’mlonging to go up to the castle again. I might get some wonderful pictures of those eagles.’
　　Philip was almost as interested in birds as Jack was. The boys began to talk about eagles as theydressed. They banged at the girls’ door as they went down. Mrs Mannering was already up, for shewas an early riser. A smell of frying bacon arose on the air.
　　‘Lovely!’ said Jack sniffing. ‘Kiki, don’t stick your claws so hard into my shoulder. I gotsunburnt yesterday and it hurts.’
　　‘What a pity, what a pity!’ said Kiki, in sorrowful tones. The boys laughed.
　　‘You’d almost think she really did understand what you say,’ said Philip.
　　‘She does!’ said Jack. ‘I say, what about getting a plank or something now, whilst we’re waitingfor breakfast - you know, to put across to the windowsill of the castle?’
　　‘Right,’ said Philip, and they wandered out into the sunshine, still sniffing the delicious smell offrying bacon, to which was now added the fragrance of coffee. Button trotted at Philip’s heels,nibbling them gently every time the boy stopped. He did not dare to go near Jack, for if he didKiki swooped down on him in a fury, and snapped her curved beak at him.
　　The boys went into the shed where the car was kept. They soon found just what they wanted - astout plank long enough to reach from the cliff wall to the sill. ‘Golly! It will be pretty heavy tocarry!’ said Jack. ‘We’ll all have to take turns at it. It wouldn’t do to have a smaller one - it justmight not reach.’
　　The girls came out and the boys showed them what they had found. In the night Lucy-Ann hadmade up her mind she wouldn’t do any plank-climbing or castle-exploring, but now, in the warmgolden sunshine, she altered her mind, and felt that she couldn’t possibly be left out of even asmall adventure.
　　‘Mother, could we go off for the whole day this time?’ said Philip. ‘Jack’s got his camera ready.
　　We’re pretty certain we know where those eagles are now, and we shall perhaps be able to takesome good pictures of them.’
　　‘Well, it’s a lovely day, so it would do you good to go off picnicking,’ said his mother. ‘Oh, dostop Kiki taking the marmalade, Jack! Really, I shan’t have that bird at the table any more, if youcan’t make it behave. It ate half the raspberry jam at tea yesterday.’
　　‘Take your nose out of the marmalade, Kiki,’ said Jack sternly, and Kiki sat back on hisshoulder, offended. She began to imitate Mrs Mannering crunching up toast, eyeing her balefullythe whole time, annoyed at being robbed of the marmalade. Mrs Mannering had to laugh.
　　‘You’re not going on that landslide, are you?’ she said, and the children shook their heads.
　　‘No, Mother. Tassie showed us another way. Hallo, here she is. Tassie, have you had yourbreakfast?’
　　Tassie was peeping in at the kitchen window, her eyes bright under their tangle of hair. MrsMannering sighed. ‘I might as well not have bothered myself to give her a bath,’ she said. ‘She’sjust as dirty as ever. I did think that she would like feeling clean.’
　　‘She doesn’t,’ said Dinah. ‘All she liked was that smell of carbolic, Mother. If you want tomake Tassie wash herself, you’ll have to present her with a bar of strong carbolic soap!’
　　Tassie, it appeared, had had her breakfast some time before. She climbed in at the window andaccepted a piece of toast and marmalade from Philip. Kiki at once edged over to her hopefully.
　　She liked toast and marmalade. Tassie shared it with the parrot.
　　The five children set off soon after breakfast. Dinah carried the knapsack of food. Lucy-Anncarried Jack’s precious camera. Tassie carried Kiki on her shoulder, very proudly indeed. The twoboys carried the plank between them.
　　‘Take us the shortest way you know, Tassie,’ begged Jack. ‘This plank is so awkward to carry. Isay, Philip, did you think to bring a rope too? I forgot.’
　　‘I’ve tied one round my waist,’ said Philip. ‘It’s long enough, I think. Button, don’t get undermy feet like that, and don’t ask to be carried when I’ve got to take this tiresome plank up the hill!’
　　With many rests, the little party went up the steep hill towards the castle. Jack kept a lookout forthe eagles, but he didn’t see either of them. Kiki flew off to have a few words with some rooksthey met, and then flew back again to Tassie’s shoulder. She couldn’t understand why Tassiecarried shoes round her neck, and pecked curiously at the laces, trying to get them out of theshoes.
　　At last they arrived at the castle, and made their way round the great wall to the back, where thewall of the castle ran level with the side of the hill.
　　‘Here we are at last,’ said Jack, panting, and put the plank down thankfully. ‘You girls cominginto the passageway to watch us putting the plank in place, or not?’
　　‘Yes, rather,’ said Dinah. They all went into the tunnellike passage, which smelt mustier thanever, after the clean heathery smell outside.
　　They came to where they had climbed up the day before. ‘Tassie, you go up first, and tie thisrope firmly to a stout creeper stem,’ said Philip, giving her the rope, which he had untied from hiswaist. ‘Then we can all pull ourselves up by it without slipping.’
　　Tassie climbed up the creeper-clad wall easily. She stopped opposite the slit window of thecastle. She tied the rope firmly round a strong creeper stem, and then tested it by leaning forwardwith all her weight on it.
　　‘Look out, silly!’ shouted Philip. ‘If that rope gives you’ll fall on top of us.’
　　But it didn’t give. It was quite safe. Tassie grinned down at them and then slid down, holdingthe rope, and landed beside them on her toes.
　　‘You ought to be in a circus,’ said Jack. But Tassie looked blank. She had no idea what a circuswas.
　　Philip had another, shorter piece of rope. ‘That’s to haul up the plank with,’ he said. ‘Now, let’stie the plank firmly with this rope, and I’ll drag it up after me as I climb up. Here goes!’
　　Holding with one hand on to the rope that now hung down from the creeper, and with the otherto the rope that dragged the plank, Philip started up the steep cliff wall. But he needed both handsto help himself up, and had to slide down again.
　　‘Tie the plank to my waist,’ he said to Jack. ‘Then I can have both hands to help myself up with,and the plank will come up behind me by itself.’
　　So the plank was tied to his waist, and then the boy went up again, this time pulling himselfwith both hands on the rope. His feet slipped, but he went on upwards, feeling the drag of theheavy plank on his waist.
　　At last he was opposite the castle window. He could see nothing inside the window at all,except black darkness. He began to try and clear a place to fix in one edge of the plank.
　　‘Look out - I’m coming up too to help,’ called Jack from below, and up he came, pulling onTassie’s rope. Then, between them, they managed to haul up the plank, and lift it so that it almostreached the windowsill.
　　‘A bit more over - that’s right - now a bit more to the right!’ panted Jack - and then, with athud, the plank at last rested on the sill of the narrow slit window. The other end rested firmly on amass of tangled creeper roots, and on some stout ivy stems.
　　Jack tested the plank. It seemed quite firm. Philip tested it too. Yes, it seemed safe enough.
　　‘Have you really fixed it?’ shouted Dinah, in excitement. ‘Jolly good! Look out, there goesKiki!’
　　Sure enough, Kiki, who had been watching everything in the greatest surprise, had sailed up inthe air and was now sitting on the plank, raising her crest and making a chortling noise. Then shewalked clumsily across to the window and hopped on the sill. She poked her beak inside theopening. There was no glass there, of course.
　　‘Kiki always likes to poke her nose into everything!’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Can we come up now,Philip?’
　　‘We’re just making a flat place among all these roots and things, so that you can stand heresafely till we can help you across,’ said Philip, stamping on the creepers around. ‘The cliff wallgoes in a bit just here - you can almost sit down, if I mess the creepers about a bit.’
　　‘I’ll go across the plank,’ said Jack. But a shout from Lucy-Ann stopped him.
　　‘No, Jack. Wait till I’m up there. I want to see you properly! I can only see your legs from downhere.’
　　Soon all three girls were up by the boys. It was easy to go up by the rope. They watched Jack sitastride the plank, and gradually edge himself across in that position. The plank was as firm ascould be. Jack felt quite safe.
　　He got to the windowsill. He stood up on the plank and clutched the stone sides of the narrowwindow. He stood in the opening.
　　‘Golly, it’s narrow!’ he shouted across the plank, to where the others were watching himbreathlessly. ‘I don’t believe I can squeeze through!’
　　‘Well, if you can’t I certainly shan’t be able to,’ said Philip. ‘Go on - try. You’re not as fat asall that, surely!’
　　Jack began to squeeze through the narrow stone window. It certainly was a squash. He had tohold his tummy in hard, and not breathe at all. He wriggled through gradually, and then suddenlyjumped to the floor the other side. He yelled back.
　　‘Hurrah, I’m through! Come on, everyone. I’m in a pitch-black room. We’ll have to bringtorches next time.’
　　Dinah went next, helped by Philip. Jack helped her down the other side. She hadn’t muchdifficulty in getting through the window. Then came Tassie, then Lucy-Ann, then Philip, who hadas much difficulty as Jack in squeezing through.
　　‘Well, here we are!’ he said, ‘inside the Castle of Adventure!’
第7章 进入城堡冒险
　　第7章 进入城堡冒险
　　第二天，小纽扣把菲利普叫醒——舔他露在被子外的光脚丫。菲利普痒得大叫一声醒来。
　　“快停下，杰克！”他一边叫一边惊奇地发现，杰克也才刚睁开眼，“好吧，是小纽扣。
　　小纽扣，以后不许你再舔我的脚心啦！”
　　杰克坐起身来，咧开嘴笑了。他揉了揉眼睛，又伸了个大懒腰。然后，他的目光落在了他那台精致的相机上，今天的计划是带着相机上山。
　　“来吧，快起床。”他说着跳下了床，“今天天气真棒，我们赶紧上山。没准儿我今天能拍到雕的一些好照片。”
　　菲利普对那些大鸟的兴趣和杰克一样足。两个男孩一边穿衣服一边讨论着雕的话题。
　　他们下楼的时候顺便大声敲了女孩子房间的门。曼纳林夫人已经起床了，她是个习惯早起的人。厨房里弥漫着煎培根的香气。
　　“真香！”杰克吸着鼻子说道，“噢，琪琪，不要这样用爪子紧紧地抓我的肩膀，我昨天晒伤了，很疼啊。”
　　“真可怜，真可怜！”琪琪用伤心的语调说着。男孩们不禁笑了起来。
　　“你一定以为她真能听懂你的话吧。”菲利普说。
　　“她听得懂！”杰克说，“要我说，这会儿早餐还没做好，我们不如去找块木板什么的，那种能让我们爬到城堡窗台的东西。”
　　“你说得对。”菲利普表示赞同。他俩往屋外的阳光里走去，此时，空气里除了煎培根的香气，又添加了咖啡的香气。小纽扣小跑着跟在菲利普的脚后，每每男孩子停下脚步，它就绕在菲利普脚边细细轻咬。它可不敢靠近杰克，因为只要它稍稍靠近，琪琪就会从杰克肩头俯冲下来，啄它的皮毛。
　　男孩们走进停车的雨棚，在那里找到了他们想要的——一块足够长、足够结实的木板。“天哪，这好重啊！”杰克说，“我们得轮流扛它。木板再小点就不行了，可能够不到那个窗台。”
　　这时候女孩们从房间出来了，男孩们向她们展示了找到的木板。昨天晚上，露西安其实已经下定决心不会去爬什么木板，也不会去城堡探险。但是，到了早上，当她站在温暖的金色阳光下的时候，她改变了主意，她可不想被这小小的冒险之旅给吓倒。
　　“妈妈，这回我们能去一整天吗？”菲利普问，“杰克会带上他的相机，我们已经确定那些雕在哪里，我们一定能拍到许多照片。”
　　“今天天气很好，很适合你们去山上野餐。”他的妈妈说，“啊，杰克！别让琪琪碰果酱！如果你不能让她老实待着，我就真的不允许她上餐桌了。她昨天已经吃掉一半树莓酱了。”
　　“琪琪，把你的嘴从果酱上拿开。”杰克严厉地说，琪琪只好退回到杰克肩头，一脸不爽。没有果酱吃，她只能气冲冲地瞪着曼纳林夫人，并一边模仿她，撕碎面前的吐司。曼纳林夫人无奈地笑了起来。
　　“你们不会靠近山体滑坡的地方吧？”她问。孩子们赶紧摇头。
　　“我们不去那儿，妈妈，塔西带我们去另一个地方。瞧，她来了！嘿，塔西，你吃早餐了吗？”
　　塔西正从厨房窗外朝里张望，一双大眼睛在毛蓬蓬的头发下闪闪发光。曼纳林夫人叹了口气，说道：“我不介意再给她洗一次澡。她又像以前一样脏了。我认为她还是喜欢变得干净的。”
　　“不，亲爱的妈妈，她不喜欢。”黛娜说，“她只是喜欢肥皂的味道。如果您要给她洗澡，您得给她准备一块气味大的肥皂。”
　　塔西看起来早就吃过了早餐。她从窗子里爬进屋，从菲利普手中接过一块涂了果酱的面包。琪琪满怀希望地靠了过去，她爱死了果酱和面包。塔西很愿意和这只鹦鹉分享美食。
　　早餐过后，五个孩子就出发了。黛娜带上了食物，露西安拿着杰克的宝贝相机，塔西带着琪琪，男孩们则扛着木板。
　　“带我们走一条最短的捷径吧，塔西。”杰克恳求道，“这块木板太难拿了。嘿，菲利普，你带绳子了吗？我忘带了。”
　　“带了，在我的腰上呢，”菲利普回答说，“我觉得够长了。小纽扣，你当心被我踩到。
　　我没法抱你上山，扛木板已经够累的啦！”
　　就这样，几个孩子走走停停，朝着城堡进发。杰克一直在张望那两只雕，但是一只都没有出现。琪琪中途飞去同他们遇到的黑嘴鸦打招呼，然后再飞回塔西的肩膀。她不明白塔西为什么把鞋挂在脖子上，于是不停地去啄鞋带，企图把它们拽下来。
　　最后，他们到了城堡前，然后沿着城墙绕到了城堡后面。
　　“谢天谢地，我们终于到啦！”杰克喘着粗气，把木板放在了地上，“你们女孩子也进通道去，我们架木板时帮忙看着点，行不行？”
　　“行，乐意至极！”黛娜回答。他们一起进入隧道一般的通道，里头闻起来仍是一股子霉味儿。
　　他们来到了前一天往上爬的地方。“塔西，你先上去，把这绳子牢牢地绑在长在峭壁的藤蔓上。”菲利普说着把缠在腰上的绳子解下来交给塔西，“然后我们就能拽着绳子爬上去，以防滑下来。”
　　塔西三两下就爬了上去，在城堡观察窗对面停下，把绳子绑在了一根粗粗的藤蔓上，然后把整个身子都挂在绳子上，以测试是否牢固。
　　“小心，你这个傻瓜！”菲利普在下面大叫道，“要是绳结松了，你就掉我们头上啦！”
　　但是绳结没有松开，绑得牢牢的。塔西咧开嘴冲下面笑，然后顺着绳子溜了下来，脚尖着地，完美地落在他们旁边。
　　“你都可以去马戏团表演了。”杰克说。塔西没什么反应，因为她都不知道什么是马戏团。
　　菲利普拿出另一根稍短些的绳子。“这是用来拖木板的。”他说，“现在，让我们紧紧绑住木板。然后，我会拖着木板一边往上爬。开始行动吧。”
　　菲利普一手拽着绑住木板的绳子，一手拉住从峭壁上垂下来的绳索，开始向上爬。但是，他很快发现需要两只手都抓住绳索才能爬得上去。
　　“把木板绑在我的腰上，”他对杰克说，“这样我就能腾出两只手往上爬了。”
　　于是，腰上绑着木板，菲利普再次出发了。这一次，他的两只手都能拉着绳子往上爬。他脚底打滑，身子被沉重的木板往下拖曳着，但是，他依然在慢慢地向上行进。
　　终于，他爬到了观察窗对面。透过窗子，他什么也看不见，只有一片漆黑。他收拾出一小块地方，为了能架住木板。
　　“小心——我也上来啦。”杰克在下面喊道。他很快抓着绳子爬了上来。两个男孩合力拖着木板，试图把木板架在峭壁和窗台之间。
　　“过来一点——对极了——现在往右挪一下！”杰克喘着气指挥着。只听砰的一声，木板架好了——一头刚好落在窄窄的观察窗的窗台上，一头稳稳地固定在峭壁藤蔓缠绕的根茎间。
　　杰克测试着木板，看起来非常稳固。菲利普也试了试，的确，很安全。
　　“你们真的把木板固定住了吗？”黛娜兴奋地喊着，“太棒了！小心，琪琪飞上去了。”
　　琪琪异常惊奇地看着上面发生的一切，她飞了上去，站在木板上，竖起自己的羽冠，发出得意的咯咯叫声。接着，她笨拙地跨过木板，走到了对面的窗台上。她把头探进了窗子——当然，窗上没有安玻璃。
　　“琪琪对什么都好奇！”露西安说，“我们可以上来了吗，菲利普？”
　　“我们刚理出一块平整的地方，你们可以安全地站在这里，然后我们帮你们爬过木板。”菲利普一边说一边用脚踏平周围的藤蔓，“这里有一处微微陷进去，你们过来可以坐在这里。”
　　“我先爬过去。”杰克说，但是露西安大喊着制止了他。
　　“不行，杰克！等我上来了再说，我得看着你，我现在在下面只能看见你的腿。”
　　很快，三个女孩都爬了上来，来到男孩身边。抓着绳子，爬上峭壁也变得很简单。他们看着杰克跨坐在木板上，缓缓挪动身体，向对面移去。木板很稳，没有一丝摇晃，杰克深感非常安全。
　　黛娜在菲利普的帮助下爬过了木板，又在杰克的帮助下进了城堡。
　　杰克到达窗台，慢慢站起身来，紧紧抓住观察窗边的石砖。现在，他站在了窗口。
　　“天哪，这里可真窄！”他朝着木板对面喊道——在那里，其他人正紧张地看着他的一举一动，“我觉得我可能挤不进去！”
　　“如果你挤不进去，那我就更挤不进去了，”菲利普说，“你试试，你没这么胖啦！”
　　杰克试着往这个石头小窗里挤。真的是挤压啊，他得使劲把肚子往里吸，也不敢大口呼吸，一点一点地扭动着。他终于过来了，一下子跳落在小窗的另一边！他回头大喊：
　　“耶——我过来啦！你们也快过来。我在一个漆黑的房间里，下回我们得带上手电筒。”
　　黛娜在菲利普的帮助下爬过了木板，又在杰克的帮助下进了城堡。穿过小窗对她来说不算难事。接着，塔西、露西安和菲利普陆续过来了。为了挤进小窗，菲利普也是费了大劲。
　　“好极了，我们都进来了！”菲利普说，“来到这冒险堡！”
8 Up in the tower
　　8 Up in the tower
　　‘The Castle of Adventure!’ echoed Lucy-Ann in surprise. ‘What makes you say that? Do youthink we shall have an adventure here?’
　　‘Oh, I don’t know!’ said Philip. ‘I just said it - but it’s got an odd feeling, this castle, hasn’t it?
　　My word, isn’t it dark?’
　　A mournful barking came from below. It was Button, left behind. Philip stuck his head out ofthe window. ‘It’s all right, Button. We’re coming back!’
　　Kiki stuck her head out too, and gave a railway-engine screech. ‘That’s just to tell poor Buttonshe’s up here, and he’s not!’ said Dinah. ‘Kiki, you do like to crow over poor Button, don’t you?’
　　It was very dark in the room they had jumped into. But gradually they could see better as theireyes got used to the darkness. The children blinked and tried to see their surroundings.
　　‘It’s just a big bare room,’ said Jack, rather disappointed. He didn’t quite know what he hadexpected to see. ‘I suppose the whole castle’s like this - full of big, bare, cold rooms. Come on -let’s do a bit of exploring.’
　　They made their way to the door, which opened into a long corridor. They went down this andcame to a lighter room, lit by one slit window and one wide one evidently added much later. Thisroom had a big fireplace and there were still old grey ashes there. The children looked at them.
　　‘Funny to think that people once sat round that fire!’ said Dinah. They went into the next room,which again was very dark, because it had only a slit window to light it. Dinah wandered to thewindow, and suddenly gave such a yell that everyone jumped violently.
　　‘Dinah! What is it?’ cried Philip.
　　Dinah ran back to him so quickly that she bumped into him. ‘There’s something in this room!’
　　she cried. ‘It touched my hair. I felt it. Come out quickly.’
　　‘Don’t be silly,’ began Philip, and then he stopped suddenly. Something had touched his hairtoo! He swung round but there was nothing there. His heart beat fast. Was there really somethingin the room, touching them, but invisible?
　　Then a ray of sunlight unexpectedly came slanting in through the slit window, and Philip gave asudden laugh. ‘How silly we are!’ he said. ‘It’s cobwebs - look, hanging down from the ceiling!
　　They must be years old!’
　　Everyone was very much relieved, but Dinah wouldn’t stay in the room one moment more. Shewas scared - and the very idea of cobwebs touching her made her more scared still. She shudderedwhen she thought of the spiders that might drop on her from the cobwebby ceiling!
　　‘Come out where it’s sunshiny,’ she begged, and they all went into a wide corridor, where thesun poured in at many windows. Tassie walked close to Philip, with scared eyes. She knew the oldvillage tales, and half expected the wicked old man to appear from somewhere and take them allprisoner! But where Philip went she meant to go too.
　　‘Look - this way leads across one of the battlemented walls to the eastern tower!’ cried Jack.
　　‘Let’s go along to the tower - we’ll get a magnificent view from there.’
　　‘I feel like an old-time soldier marching round the castle wall,’ said Philip, as they made theirway along to the tower. ‘Here we are. Goodness, it’s quite big, isn’t it? Look, there’s a room at thebottom of the tower, flush with this wall - and there’s a winding stone stair that leads to the top ofthe tower. Come on, up we go!’
　　And up they went, determined not to look at the view till they got to the highest point. The stonestair twisted awkwardly round and round, and led them straight into another room, out of which anarrow stair led them to the very roof of the tower itself.
　　They went up the tiny stair and found themselves on the top of the tower, its battlemented edgerising a few feet all round.
　　They all gasped, and gazed down in silence. Not one of them had ever been so high up before,nor had they seen such a wide and magnificent view. It seemed as if the whole world lay spreadout before them, sparkling in the sunshine. Below, far, far below, lay the valley, through whichcurved the silver river, like a gleaming snake. What houses they could see looked like toy ones.
　　‘Look at those hills opposite,’ said Jack. ‘There are hills behind those - and hills behind thosetoo - and hills behind those!’
　　Tassie was amazed. She never thought the world was so big. From the vantage point of the hightower the whole country was spread like a living map before her. It was so beautiful that for someextraordinary reason Lucy-Ann felt like crying.
　　‘What a wonderful place this must have been for a lookout!’ said Philip. ‘Any sentry here couldsee enemies coming miles and miles away. Look - is that Spring Cottage right down there, amongthose trees?’
　　It was, looking like a doll’s house, halfway down the hill. ‘I wish we could bring Mother uphere,’ said Dinah. ‘How she would love this view!’
　　‘Look! Look! There are the eagles again!’ said Jack, and he pointed up in the air, where twogreat eagles soared to the clouds. ‘I say - shall we have our lunch here, on the top of this tower,and see this marvellous view all the time, and watch my eagles?’
　　‘Oh yes!’ said everyone, including Kiki. She always joined in any chorus.
　　‘Poor little Button,’ said Philip. ‘I wish we could have brought him too. But it was too riskyacross that plank. I expect he’s feeling very lonely now. I hope he won’t run off.’
　　‘You know he won’t,’ said Dinah. ‘No animal ever runs away from you, worse luck. Oh, Philip- you haven’t brought that awful toad with you, have you? Yes, you have! It’s peeping out of yourneck! I just won’t sit up here with a toad crawling round.’
　　‘Now for goodness’ sake don’t start a quarrel up on the top of the tower,’ said Jack, in realalarm. ‘That stone edging won’t stop anyone from falling if they start fooling about. Dinah, do sitdown.’
　　‘Don’t order me about,’ said Dinah, beginning to flare up.
　　‘Where’s the food?’ said Lucy-Ann, hoping to change the subject. ‘Dinah, you’ve got it. Get itout, because I’m dying of hunger!’
　　Keeping as far away from her brother as she could, Dinah undid the knapsack. There were twobig packets inside, one marked ‘Dinner’ and one marked ‘Tea’.
　　‘Put the tea packet back,’ said Jack, ‘or we might gobble that up too! I feel hungry enough to eatall you’ve got there.’
　　Dinah divided out sandwiches, cake, biscuits, fruit and chocolate. Then she presented everyonewith a cardboard cup of lemonade from a bottle.
　　‘We’ve had plenty of picnics in our time,’ said Philip, biting hugely into a thick sandwich ofegg and ham, ‘but never one in such an extraordinary place as this. It almost makes me giddy,looking out at that enormous view.’
　　‘It’s lovely to sit here and eat, looking at those hills, and that winding river down in the valley,’
　　said Lucy-Ann contentedly. ‘I believe that old man Tassie told us about must have bought thiscastle for the view! I would, I know, if I had enough money.’
　　They ate and drank happily. Kiki shared the sandwiches, which she liked immensely. Then shewent exploring along the stone coping at the edge of the tower, climbing upside-down now andagain.
　　The children watched her, eating their cake. Suddenly Kiki gave an alarming screech, lost herbalance and fell right off the tower! She disappeared below, and the children leapt up in horror.
　　Then they sat down again, smiling and feeling rather foolish - for, of course, as soon as she fell,Kiki spread out her wings and soared into the air!
　　‘Idiot, Kiki!’ said Dinah. ‘You gave me quite a scare! Well, has everyone nearly finished? If so,I’ll clear up the paper and the cardboard cups and put them back into the knapsack.’
　　Jack had been watching the eagles, which, all the time they were at lunch, had been soaringhigh in the air, looking like black specks. Now they were coming down again, gliding in largecircles, their great wings spread out to catch the smallest current of air.
　　There was plenty of wind on the top of the hill. It blew steadily on the tower, and the children’shair was blown back all the time, as they sat facing the breeze. They watched the eagles go lowerand lower.
　　Below them and behind them lay the inner courtyard of the castle. It was overgrown with grassand patches of heather. Gorse bushes grew there, and a few small birch-trees. The hillside hadcome into its own again there, and pushed up strong-growing bushes, which had forced their waythrough.
　　‘I believe the eagles have their nest in that clump of trees over there, in the corner of theovergrown courtyard!’ said Jack excitedly. ‘It’s the sort of craggy place they might choose! Shallwe go and see?’
　　‘Are you sure they’re not dangerous?’ said Philip doubtfully. ‘They’re awfully big birds - and Ihave heard stories of them attacking men.’
　　‘Yes,’ said Jack. ‘Well - as soon as they fly off again, I’ll go and look. Anyway, we might aswell go down now and have a look round. Kiki, come here!’
　　Kiki flew to his shoulder, and nibbled his ear gently, talking her usual nonsense. The childrengot up and went down the two stone stairways. Both the top and bottom rooms of the tower werecompletely empty. Cobwebs hung in the corners, and dust lay thickly on the floor and ledges,except where the wind blew in strongly.
　　‘How do we get down to the courtyard?’ wondered Philip. ‘We’ll have to go back along thewall and into the castle itself, I suppose. There must be a stairway down to the rooms below.’
　　So back they went, and came to the main building of the castle again. They looked into roomafter room, all empty. Then at last they came to a very wide stone stairway that led down anddown. They clattered down it and came into a big hall. It was dark.
　　Something suddenly hurled itself against Philip’s legs and he leapt in fright, giving a loudexclamation. Everyone stood still.
　　‘What is it?’ said Lucy-Ann, in a whisper.
　　It was Button, the fox cub!
　　‘Now how in the world did he get to us!’ cried Philip, picking the little creature up. ‘He musthave found some hole, I suppose, and scrambled through it to find us. Button, you’re a marvel!
　　But my word, you did give me a fright!’
　　Button gave some of his little barks as he cuddled against Philip’s chest. Kiki addressed a fewscornful remarks to him about shutting the door. She was the only one sorry to see his arrival!
　　‘Now let’s get into the courtyard and explore round a bit,’ said Jack. ‘Look out for the eagles,all of you!’
第8章 在塔楼上
　　第8章 在塔楼上
　　“冒险堡！”露西安惊讶地重复着，“你为什么这么说？你是说我们会在这里冒险？”
　　“哎呀，我不知道，”菲利普回答，“我就是随便说说——不过，这座城堡很诡异，不是吗？天哪，这里可真黑。”
　　这时，下面传来一阵忧伤的叫声。原来是小纽扣，他们把它给忘在下面了。菲利普伸出脑袋，说：“别担心，小纽扣，我们很快就回来。”
　　琪琪也把脑袋伸了出去，发出火车鸣笛的声音。“她就是为了告诉小纽扣，她已经上来了，但小纽扣没有！”黛娜说，“琪琪，你真的很喜欢冲可怜的小纽扣瞎叫，是吧？”
　　房间里非常暗，好在很快他们的眼睛就适应了黑暗。孩子们试着观察四周。
　　“这好像就是个巨大的空房间。”杰克失望地说，他也不知道自己希望能看到些什么，“我猜这座城堡都是如此，到处都是又大又空又冷的房间。来吧，让我们去探查一番。”
　　他们出了房间门，来到一条长长的走廊上。穿过走廊，来到一个有着两个窗户、光线又亮一些的房间。房间里有一个大壁炉，里面积着很久之前留下来的灰烬。孩子们默默地看着灰烬。
　　“想到曾经有人坐在壁炉前烤火，真是不可思议。”黛娜说。他们又进入了隔壁房间，光线依然很暗，因为房间里只有一扇小窗。黛娜朝小窗走去，突然发出一声尖叫，吓得大家跳得老高。
　　“黛娜！你叫什么！”菲利普喊道。
　　黛娜飞快地转身朝菲利普跑去，一下撞在他身上。“这里有什么东西！”她带着哭腔说，“它碰了我的头发，我感觉到了。我们快走吧。”
　　“别傻了……”菲利普刚开口，突然就停住了。有什么东西也碰了他的头发！他猛地转身，却什么也没看到。他的心怦怦直跳：难道房间里真的有东西，能触碰到他们，他们却看不到？
　　就在这时，一缕阳光毫无征兆地从小窗照进房间，菲利普突然大笑起来。“我们真够傻的！”他说，“只是蜘蛛网啦——瞧，从屋顶一直垂下来，有年岁了！”
　　所有的人都松了一口气，但黛娜再也不想在房间里多待一秒钟了。她吓坏了——蜘蛛网碰了她的头发更让她感到恐惧。一想到蜘蛛可能会从屋顶上掉下来，落在她的身上，她就不住地发抖。
　　“我们快出去吧，到有亮光的地方去！”她恳求道，于是，大家再次回到走廊上，阳光透过众多窗户照进来。塔西紧紧挨着菲利普，眼里充满恐惧。她想起那些古老的传说，害怕不知什么时候城堡里的邪恶老头会突然出现，把他们统统抓住关起来！但是，菲利普想去的地方她也想去。
　　“瞧，这条路穿过一边的城墙，一直连着东面的塔楼！”杰克叫道，“让我们到塔楼上去，那里一定能看到壮丽的景色。”
　　“我觉得我们就像是古代的士兵，在城墙上巡逻。”菲利普一边走一边说着，“谢天谢地，我们终于到了。这塔可够高的。快看，塔底有个房间，紧靠着城墙，里面有个螺旋形的楼梯通往塔顶。快来，我们赶紧上去吧。”
　　他们开始爬楼梯。这楼梯好像无止境地旋转着向上，直到把他们送到另一个房间。出了房间，还有一个狭窄的小楼梯，直接通往塔顶。
　　他们走上小小的楼梯，来到塔顶。城墙垛在这里升高了几英尺。
　　他们猛吸了一口气，一言不发地向下望去。他们中没有一个人曾站在这么高的地方，也没有一个人曾看到过这样壮美、开阔的景象。整个世界就好像都在眼前展开，在阳光下熠熠生辉。下面，非常下面的地方，山谷延伸开去，银色的河流蜿蜒在山谷之间，好似一条发光的长蛇。那些房子在他们眼里就好像玩具一样。
　　“快看对面的群山，”杰克说，“山后面有山，那山后面还是山，再后面还有山！”
　　塔西震惊了，她从未想过，世界原来如此之大。从塔楼这里望过去，整个村庄就好像一幅立体的地图一样展现在她的眼前。这景象实在是太壮观了，露西安看得差点哭出来。
　　“这里真是一个绝佳的瞭望点！”菲利普说，“能发现好几英里外的敌情。瞧——那儿是不是我们的泉水小屋，就在那树丛中？”
　　是的，那就是泉水小屋，看上去就像娃娃屋，安静地坐落在山坡之上。“我真想带妈妈来这儿，”黛娜说，“她一定会爱上这里的风景。”
　　“快看，快看！那两只雕又出现了！”杰克兴奋地大叫起来，一只手指向天空，那里有两只大雕出现在云端，“要我说啊，我们就在这塔楼顶上吃午餐，看看这壮美的风景，也看看我的那两只大雕。”
　　“好极了！”大家都同意这个提议，包括琪琪，她就是喜欢附和大家。
　　“可怜的小纽扣，”菲利普说，“要是我们带着它就好了，不过爬过木板还是太危险了。
　　我打赌它现在一定很孤独，希望它不要跑了才好。”
　　“你知道它不会跑的。”黛娜说，“还没有哪个动物离开过你呢。啊，菲利普！你没有带着你那恶心的癞蛤蟆吧？哦，不，你带着它！就藏在你脖子后面！我才不要坐在这里，和这只爬来爬去的癞蛤蟆在一起！”
　　“老天呀，不要在这里吵架！”杰克严厉地说，“这里的墙垛不见得能防止你们掉下去。
　　赶紧坐下，黛娜！”
　　“不许命令我！”黛娜生气地说。
　　“食物放哪儿啦？”露西安马上转移话题，“黛娜，是你带的食物，快拿出来，我要饿死啦！”
　　黛娜坐到远离她哥哥的地方，然后解下背包。包里有两大袋食物，一袋标注着“正餐”，另一袋标注着“茶点”。
　　“把茶点放好，”杰克说，“不然我们会把那袋正餐也吃完的。我饿极了，能把你带的所有食物都消灭光！”
　　黛娜取出三明治、蛋糕、饼干、水果和巧克力。然后，她给每个人倒了一纸杯柠檬水。
　　“我们野餐了好多回，”菲利普咬了很大一口火腿鸡蛋三明治，“但第一次在这样特别的地方，看这一片大好的风景，我都眼花缭乱了。”
　　“坐在这里一边吃东西一边看风景，真是太棒了。看看这群山，还有山谷里蜿蜒的河流，”露西安满足地说，“我相信塔西说的那个老人买下这座城堡一定是为了这壮丽的景色。如果我有足够多的钱，我也会买下这里。”
　　他们愉快地享用着午餐。琪琪也吃到了她喜爱的三明治。吃完后，她又忙着探索塔楼边上的石头，不停地上上下下。
　　孩子们一边吃着蛋糕，一边看琪琪忙碌。突然，琪琪发出一声尖叫，她一个没站稳，从塔顶上掉了下去！孩子们大惊失色，一跃而起，朝塔楼下望去。很快，他们又笑着坐了回去，都觉得自己在冒傻气——可不是嘛，琪琪在跌落的瞬间，就张开了翅膀，一下子飞了起来。
　　“笨琪琪！”黛娜责怪道，“你差点把我吓晕！大家都吃完了吗？如果吃完了，我就把这些收起来了。”
　　杰克正忙着看那两只雕。刚才它们一直在高空盘旋，远远看去，就只是两个黑点。现在它们降下来了，在半空中画圈飞行，舒展开的大翅膀能捕捉到每一个微小的气流。
　　山顶上风很大，塔楼上也持续有大风刮过。孩子们迎风坐着，头发全被吹到脑后。他们看着那两只雕一点一点下降。
　　在他们的后下方就是城堡的院子。整个院子被野草和石楠丛覆盖，其中还长着一些金雀花和不大的桦树。院子的一面是山坡，几棵强壮的树顺着山坡向上长。
　　“我觉得那两只雕把巢筑在下面的树丛里，在院子的角落里。”杰克兴奋地说，“它们应该会选择崎岖的地方。我们过去看看？”
　　“你肯定它们不危险吗？”菲利普颇有疑虑，“它们可是非常大的鸟——我听说它们会攻击人类哦。”
　　“好吧，”杰克说，“那我等它们飞走了再去看。无论如何，我们现在要下去，到处看看。琪琪，快过来！”
　　琪琪飞过来，停在杰克的肩膀上，温柔地啄着他的耳朵，并像往常一样说着一些无意义的话。孩子们站起身，沿着石阶往下走。塔楼上的两个房间都是空空如也，陈年的蜘蛛网悬挂在角落里，地面上积着一层厚厚的灰。
　　“我们怎么下到院子里？”菲利普问，“我认为我们得按原路从城墙回到城堡里，那里一定有下去的楼梯。”
　　于是，他们又返回了城堡，一个接一个房间地探查，所有的房间都是空的。最后他们发现一条又宽又大的石头阶梯，沿着阶梯不断往下，来到一个大厅。里面还是一片黑暗。
　　突然，一个什么东西撞上了菲利普的腿，他吓得一下子弹跳起来，嘴里禁不住发出尖叫声。其他孩子则一动也不敢动。
　　“是什么？”露西安小声问道。
　　原来是小纽扣！
　　“它到底是怎么找到我们的！”菲利普喊着抱起这可爱的小东西，“它一定是发现了什么地洞，然后钻进来，找到我们的。小纽扣，你太厉害了！不过，你真的吓坏我了！”
　　小纽扣钻在菲利普的怀里，开心地叫着。琪琪则在一旁责备它没有关门，她恐怕是唯一一个不愿意见到小纽扣的成员。
　　“现在，让我们去院子里转转吧。”杰克说，“你们都注意着雕！”
9 The eagles’ nest
　　9 The eagles’ nest
　　The children picked their way over the big, overgrown courtyard. It was an absolute wildernessnow, though with a little imagination they could picture what it must have been like in the olddays - a vast stone-paved place, hewn out of the hillside itself, with craggy pieces towering up atthe far ends.
　　‘It’s in one of those craggy places that I think the eagles have got their nest,’ said Jack, as theypicked their way across the hot courtyard. ‘Tassie, take Kiki for me, will you, and hang on to her. Idon’t want her interfering just now.’
　　Tassie proudly took Kiki, and stood still whilst the others went towards a towering piece ofrock, clothed here and there with heather, that rose up at one end of the courtyard. Lucy-Anndidn’t particularly want to go too near to the eagles, but she wanted to be with Jack.
　　‘You girls stay down at the bottom of this crag,’ said Jack. ‘I’m going to climb up with Philip. Idon’t think the eagles will attack us, Philip, in fact I’m pretty sure they won’t; but look out, incase.’
　　The boys were just beginning to climb when a loud, yelping scream made them stop and clutchat one another in fright. The girls jumped violently. Button ran into the nearest rabbit-hole andstayed there. Only Kiki did not seem to be frightened.
　　Into Tassie’s mind jumped the thought that the scream must be from one of the wicked man’spoor prisoners! Perhaps he wasn’t dead, perhaps he was still there somewhere. The other childrenwere not so foolish as to think things like this, but the scream certainly made their blood run cold!
　　‘What was it, Jack?’ whispered Lucy-Ann. ‘Come back. Don’t go up there. The scream camefrom there.’
　　It came again, more loudly - a curious, almost yelping noise. Kiki cleared her throat to imitateit. What a fine noise to copy!
　　She gave a remarkably good imitation of the scream and made everyone jump again. Tassiealmost fell over, for Kiki was on her shoulder.
　　‘Bad bird! Naughty bird!’ said Jack fiercely, in a low voice. Kiki looked at him. From her throatcame the scream again - and almost at the same moment a great eagle, which must have beensomewhere on the rocky crag, rose up in the air on enormous wings, and soared over the littlecompany, looking down in amazement to see who had made such a noise.
　　And then, from the eagle’s own throat, there came again the yelping scream the children hadheard!
　　‘Gosh - it was the eagle screaming, that’s all!’ said Jack, in relief. ‘Why didn’t I think of that?
　　I’ve never heard one before. That shows their nest must be somewhere up here. Come on, Philip.’
　　The eagle did not swoop down to the children, but glided above them, looking down. Its interestwas centred on Kiki, who feeling rather thrilled at having found such a good new noise, yelpedagain.
　　The eagle answered and flew lower. Kiki went up to meet it, looking very small compared withthe big eagle. The children could plainly see the long yellowish feathers on the nape of its neck,shining in the sunlight.
　　‘It is a golden eagle,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Jack was right. Look at those golden feathers! Oh dear -I hope it doesn’t come any lower.’
　　All the five children watched Kiki and the eagle. Usually birds were either puzzled and afraid ofKiki, or angry. But the eagle was neither. It seemed intensely interested, as if wondering how itwas that this queer-looking little bird, so unlike an eagle, could make eagle noises!
　　Kiki was enjoying herself. She flew about the eagle, yelping to it, and then suddenly changedher mind and told it to blow its nose.
　　At the sound of an apparently human voice the eagle sheered off a little, still gazing in interestat Kiki. Finally, taking no notice at all of the children, it flew upwards to a high rock on the crag,and perched there, looking down in a very royal fashion.
　　‘Isn’t it a magnificent bird?’ said Jack in the utmost delight. ‘Fancy us seeing an eagle at closequarters like this! Look at its frowning brows, and its piercing eyes! I don’t wonder it’s called theking of the birds!’
　　The eagle was a truly splendid sight, as it sat there like a king. It was feathered in dark brown,except for the golden streaks on the nape of its neck. Its legs were covered in feathers almost to theclaws. It watched Kiki unblinkingly.
　　‘There’s the second eagle, look!’ said Lucy-Ann suddenly, in a low voice. The children saw theother eagle rising up into the air from the crag, evidently curious to see what was happening. Itsoared upwards, spreading out its strong pinions like fingers, the wing-tips curving up as it went.
　　Then, quite suddenly, the first eagle tired of Kiki, flapped its enormous wings, and joined its mate.
　　‘The first eagle is the male, the second one is the female,’ said Jack excitedly.
　　‘How do you know?’ asked Dinah disbelievingly. She couldn’t see any difference at all.
　　‘The second one is bigger than the first,’ said Jack. ‘The female golden eagle is always thebigger of the two; bigger wing-span too. Golly, I do feel thrilled.’
　　‘You ought to have snapped that eagle sitting on the crag,’ said Philip. Jack gave anexclamation of annoyance.
　　‘Blow! I never even thought of my camera! I was so absorbed in watching the birds. Whatmarvellous pictures I could take!’
　　The two birds were now only specks in the sky, for they had soared up to an immense height. ‘Itwould be a jolly good chance to explore this crag for their nest whilst they are safely up there,’
　　said Jack. ‘It’s funny they don’t seem scared of us, isn’t it? I suppose they know hardly anythingof man, always living up here on this hilltop.’
　　‘I can’t imagine what’s happened to Button,’ said Philip anxiously. ‘He went down that holeand he’s not back yet.’
　　‘Probably scaring a family of rabbits out of their senses!’ said Jack. ‘He’ll come back all right.
　　I’m not surprised he went down a rabbit-hole when he heard that scream. I’d have gone down onemyself if I could! It was an awful noise.’
　　The boys began to climb up again. It was fairly stiff going for the little crag was steep androcky. Its top was almost as high as the nearby tower.
　　On the western side, well hidden in a little hollow, Jack found what he wanted - the eagles’
　　nest!
　　‘Look!’ he said, ‘look! Did you ever see such an enormous thing, Philip! It must be six feetwide at the bottom!’
　　The boys looked at the great nest on the broad ledge of rock. It was about two feet high, madeof twigs and small boughs, with heather tucked in between. The cup of the nest was almost a footand a half across, and very well lined with moss, grass and bits of heather.
　　‘There’s a young one in the nest!’ said Jack, in delight. ‘Quite a big bird too - must be morethan three months old, and ready to fly.’
　　The young bird crouched down in the nest when it heard Jack’s voice. It was already so big thatPhilip would hardly have known it was a nestling. But Jack’s sure eye had noticed the white basesof the feathers, telling him that this was a young eagle, and not an old one.
　　Kiki flew inquisitively to the nest. She gave a yelp like the eagle had made. The young birdlooked up enquiringly, recognised the sound but not the maker of it.
　　‘Your camera, quick!’ whispered Philip, and Jack began to adjust his camera with quick, eagerfingers.
　　‘Quick, the old eagles are coming back,’ whispered Philip, and Jack gave a glance upwards. Theeagles had remembered their young one, and seeing the boys so near the nest were coming downto see what was happening.
　　Jack snapped the camera just in time, for Kiki flew off almost immediately to meet the eagles,screaming a welcome.
　　‘Better get down now,’ said Philip, thinking that the two old eagles looked pretty fierce. ‘Myword, I wish we could take pictures of that young one learning to fly. It looks as if it will take offfrom the nest any day now.’
　　With the two eagles gliding not far above them the boys climbed down as hastily as they could.
　　‘Did you get a snap?’ asked Lucy-Ann eagerly, and Jack nodded. He looked excited.
　　‘I shall have to come back again,’ he said. ‘Do you know, I might get finer close-up pictures ofeagles than anyone has ever got before? Think of that! I’d make a lot of money out of them, Idaresay, and I’d have them in all kind of nature magazines.’
　　‘Oh, Jack - do take some more pictures then,’ said Lucy-Ann, her eyes shining.
　　‘I’d have to almost live up here, to take good ones,’ said Jack. ‘It’s no good just coming up onthe off-chance. If only I could spend a few days here!’
　　‘Well - I suppose you could, if you wanted to,’ said Philip. ‘I expect Mother would let you, ifyou told her about the eagles. It would be quite safe up here, and we could bring you food.’
　　‘Can’t we all come and stay up here for a few days?’ said Lucy-Ann, who didn’t want herbrother to be away from them. ‘Why can’t we?’
　　‘Well - you know we can’t leave my mother all alone down there,’ said Philip. ‘She’d think itwas jolly mean.’
　　‘Oh yes - of course,’ said Lucy-Ann, going rather red. ‘I never thought of that. How awful ofme!’
　　‘All the same, I don’t see why I shouldn’t come up here for a few days,’ said Jack, finding theidea more and more exciting as he thought about it. ‘I could make a hide, you know - and . . .’
　　‘What’s a hide?’ asked Tassie, speaking for almost the first time that morning.
　　‘A hide? Oh, it’s a place I should rig up to hide myself and my camera in,’ said Jack. ‘Then,when the eagles had got used to it, I could take as many pictures of them as I wanted to, withoutshowing myself or putting them on their guard. I should make my hide somewhere on this crag,within good view of that nest. Golly, I might take a whole set of pictures showing the young eaglelearning to fly!’
　　‘Well, ask Mother if you can come up, then,’ said Philip. ‘I’d come up and be with you, only Ithink one of us boys ought to be down at the cottage to help bring the wood in for the fire andthings like that.’
　　‘I could do that,’ said Dinah, eager to get rid of the toad for a few days. She wouldn’t go nearPhilip as long as he had the toad about him.
　　‘Well, you can’t,’ said Philip. ‘Jack will have Kiki for company and we’ll come up and see himevery day. Come on, now - let’s explore the lower parts of the castle a bit more.’
　　So they made their way back across the yard into the lower parts of the great building, expectingto see the same vast empty rooms there as they had seen above. But what a surprise they got!
第9章 雕巢
　　第9章 雕巢
　　孩子们在这杂草丛生的院子里艰难前行。这里已经完全荒芜了，但他们依然可以想象出旧时景象——这是一个用大石板铺就的院子，一面是山坡，院子尽头巨石耸立。
　　“我认为雕一定是把巢筑在那个巨石上面。”杰克说，“塔西，帮我带着琪琪，看住她好吗？我可不想她干扰我们。”
　　塔西很骄傲地接过琪琪，在原地站住不动。其他人朝院子尽头的巨石走去，那巨石上布满石楠。露西安其实根本不想去看什么大雕，但她又想跟着杰克。
　　“你们女孩子站在下面等着，”杰克说，“我和菲利普爬上去看看。我觉得那两只雕不会攻击我们，我敢肯定。但是，菲利普，我们还是要小心，以防万一。”
　　他们刚开始往上爬，突然传来一声尖叫，吓得他俩赶忙抓牢对方，停下其他动作。女孩们更是吓得跳了起来。小纽扣一下子钻进附近的野兔洞里，不敢出来。只有琪琪还是面不改色。
　　塔西脑袋里蹦出来的头一个想法就是，这尖叫声一定是某个被邪恶老头关起来的人发出的！他可能还活着，只是被关在城堡某处。其他人则没有这么傻的念头，但无论如何，这声尖叫让他们感到脊背发凉！
　　“杰克，那是什么？”露西安颤声问道，“你们快回来，别上去，叫声就是从上面传来的。”
　　尖叫声再次响起，比之前更大声——听上去充满痛苦。琪琪清了清嗓子，开始模仿。
　　对她而言，这真是非常值得模仿的有趣声音！
　　琪琪惟妙惟肖地发出一声尖叫，着实又把大家吓了一跳。塔西差点跌坐在地上，因为琪琪就在她肩头。
　　“坏琪琪！臭琪琪！”杰克严厉地对琪琪低声说道。琪琪无辜地看着他，接着又发出了一声同样的尖叫。就在这时，一只大雕从巨石的某处升上空中，宽广的双翅完全展开。它从这群孩子头上飞过，饶有兴趣地盯着他们，想看看到底是谁发出的叫声。
　　接着，从这只雕的喉咙里，发出了跟之前听到的一模一样的尖叫声！
　　“啊哈，原来是这只雕发出的叫声！”杰克说着松了口气，“我怎么就没想到呢？我从未听到过它们的叫声。它们的巢肯定就在上面，我们快上去，菲利普。”
　　大雕并没有俯冲而下，只是在他们头顶上盘旋，并不住地朝他们看上一眼。它的注意力全在琪琪身上。此时的琪琪因为大雕的叫声而兴奋不已，接着又模仿着叫了一次。
　　大雕回应了琪琪的叫声，往下飞了些许。琪琪飞起来去迎接这只大鸟。在大雕巨大形体的对比之下，她显得如此渺小。孩子们甚至能清晰地看到大鸟脖子上金色的羽毛在太阳光下闪闪发亮。
　　“这真的是一只金雕，”露西安感叹道，“杰克说得没错。看它那漂亮的金色羽毛！天哪，我希望它不要再往下飞了！”
　　孩子们都抬头看着琪琪和大雕。通常而言，鸟儿们对琪琪不是感到害怕，就是感到恼怒。奇怪的是，这只雕既不害怕也不恼怒，它只是对琪琪感到好奇，好像心里在盘算：为什么这只和它完全不一样的奇怪小鸟会发出和它一样的叫声？
　　琪琪玩得很开心。她在大雕身边飞来飞去，并发出模仿的叫声。突然，她改变了主意，开始对大雕说“擤鼻涕”之类的话。
　　突然出现的人类的声音让大雕略吃一惊，它对眼前的小鸟更感兴趣了。最终，它完全忽略了底下站着的孩子们，径自飞到岩石上停下，俯视大家，神情显得非常高贵。
　　“真是一只神奇的大鸟！”杰克兴奋地说，“能在这么近距离观察一只雕实在是太幸运了！看它那紧皱的眉毛，严峻的目光，我觉得它就是百鸟之王！”
　　这只雕蹲坐在高处，看上去真的很像威严的国王。它周身披着深棕色的羽毛，脖子上的羽毛则是金色的；它强壮的爪子也被羽毛覆盖。此时，它正目不转睛地盯着琪琪。
　　“快看，那边还有一只雕！”露西安突然低声叫道。只见另一只大雕从巨石上升入空中，它显然也很好奇这里发生了什么。它越飞越高，双翼舒展，翼尖像手掌一样张开。这时，第一只雕对琪琪不再感兴趣，它呼扇着巨大的翅膀，从蹲坐的岩石上飞起，去到它的同伴身边。
　　“第一只雕是雄的，第二只是雌的。”杰克很兴奋地说。
　　“你怎么知道？”黛娜很怀疑。她看不出这两只雕之间有什么区别。
　　“第二只雕比较大。”杰克解释说，“一对金雕中，雌雕往往比雄雕大。天哪，我好激动啊！”
　　“刚才那只雕停在岩石上时，你应该拍张照片的。”菲利普说道。杰克听了发出一声懊恼的惨叫。
　　“哎呀！我完全忘记相机了！我光顾着看它们，本来我可以拍下绝佳的照片的！”
　　现在，这两只雕又成了两个黑点，它们已经飞得非常高了。“现在可是去探查它们的巢的好时机。”杰克说，“看上去它们好像都不怕我们，有意思。它们一直住在山顶，大概对人类一无所知。”
　　“不知道小纽扣现在怎么样了，”菲利普有些焦急，“它钻进那个洞里还没出来呢。”
　　“没准儿它已经把野兔一家全都吓跑啦！”杰克说，“它会安全回来的。我一点都不惊讶它会钻到野兔洞里去，洞要是够大，我也要躲进去，当时那尖叫声太恐怖了。”
　　男孩们又开始往上爬。这巨石很陡峭，和边上的塔楼一般高。
　　巨石的西侧有一小块凹下去的地方，很隐蔽，在那里，杰克找到了他一直在寻找的雕巢！
　　“快看！”他说，“快看！你见过这么大的鸟巢吗，菲利普？我说它的底部得有六英尺宽。”
　　两个男孩仔细观察这巨大的鸟巢。它高约两英尺，由小树枝搭建而成，树枝间塞满石楠枝叶，内部直径有一英尺半，细致地铺满了苔藓、干草以及小石楠枝。
　　“巢里有一只小雕！”杰克欣喜地说，“不算太小——看样子三个多月了，差不多能飞了。”
　　小雕听到了杰克的声音，在巢里蹲伏了下来。它的体形已经很大了，菲利普怎么都看不出它还是只幼雕。但杰克能看出来，因为它的羽毛底部还是白色的，而成年的雕不是这样。
　　琪琪好奇地飞到雕巢边，发出一声雕的叫声。小雕疑惑地抬起头，它认得出这叫声，却认不出发出叫声的鸟。
　　“快拍照！”菲利普小声提醒。杰克赶紧取出相机，对好焦，快速摁下快门。
　　“快，小雕的爸爸妈妈飞回来了，”菲利普说，杰克举着相机抬头。那两只大雕想起了它们的孩子，又发现男孩们离它们的巢这么近，于是降下来看看有什么情况发生。
　　就在琪琪飞身上去迎接它们的时候，杰克及时地拍下了这一景象。
　　“我们最好现在下去。”菲利普建议，两只大雕的样子看着确实有点骇人，“我真希望能拍到小雕学飞的照片。它瞧着好像随时都能从巢里飞起来。”
　　在大雕滑翔下来之前，男孩们赶紧爬下了巨石。“你拍到照片了吗？”露西安急忙问道。杰克点点头。他看上去兴奋至极。
　　“我还要回来的。”他说，“我可能是第一个如此近距离地拍到大雕的人！你们想想看，那些照片能给我带来多少钱啊，我敢说，所有的自然杂志都要刊登我的照片！”
　　“啊，杰克，那你一定要多拍些照片！”露西安说，两眼放着光。
　　“我得在这儿住下，才能拍到好照片。”杰克说，“只是爬上来碰运气可不行。我要是能在这里住几天就好了！”
　　“我想你能在这儿住下，只要你愿意。”菲利普说，“如果你告诉我妈妈关于大雕的事，我认为她会同意你的想法的。在这儿住着很安全，我们会给你送食物上来。”
　　“我们不能都在这儿住几天吗？”露西安说，她可不想她哥哥一个人待着，“我们可以吧？”
　　“那个——我们不能让我妈妈一个人住在小屋里，”菲利普说，“这对她而言不太好。”
　　“噢，是的，”露西安瞬间脸红了，“我竟没有想到这点，我太差劲了！”
　　“不管怎样，我觉得我完全可以在这里住上几天，”杰克越说越兴奋，“我可以弄一个隐藏点，然后……”
　　“什么是隐藏点？”塔西问。这几乎是她今天上午说的第一句话。
　　“隐藏点？啊，就是一个可以隐藏我自己和相机的地方，”杰克解释说，“等那些雕习惯了，我就可以随意拍照，既不用显露我自己，也不会让雕处于防备的状态。我可以在巢的附近设置隐藏点。天哪，我甚至可以拍一组完整的小雕学飞的照片！”
　　“嗯，你得先问问我妈妈，是不是能长时间待在巨石上面。”菲利普说，“我倒是很乐意在这里陪你，但是别忘了我们在泉水小屋是有活儿要干的，比如劈柴。”
　　“我可以替你们干活儿。”黛娜说，她巴不得能远离菲利普的癞蛤蟆几天时间。只要癞蛤蟆在，她根本就不想靠近菲利普。
　　“不行，我还是不能住在这里陪杰克。”菲利普说，“琪琪可以和杰克做伴，我们每天上来看看他，给他送吃的就行。现在，各位，让我们去看看城堡的下部是什么样的吧。”
　　于是，他们几个按原路穿过院子，回到城堡里，继续往下走。他们原以为这里和楼上一样也都是一个个又大又空的房间，然而，眼前的景象着实让他们大吃一惊。
10 A curious thing
　　10 A curious thing
　　They went into a great doorway, and walked across the dark hall, which echoed strangely withtheir footsteps. From outside came the yelping scream of the eagles again.
　　‘I expect it was the screams of the eagles that the villagers heard year after year up here,’ saidJack, as he made his way to a stout door that led off the hall. He opened it - and then stood still insurprise.
　　This room was furnished! It had once been a kind of sitting room or drawing room, and themouldy old furniture was still there, though the children could not imagine why it had been left!
　　They stood and stared into the old, forgotten room in silence. It was such a odd feeling to gazeon this musty-smelling, quiet room, lighted by four slit windows and one wide one, through whichsunlight came. It lit up the layers of dust on the sofas and vast table, and touched the enormouswebs and hanging cobwebs that were made by scores of busy spiders through the years.
　　Dinah shivered. When the others went further into the room, walking on tiptoe and talking inwhispers, she did not follow. Lucy-Ann patted a chair and at once a cloud of dust arose, makingher choke. Philip pulled at a cover on one of the sofas, and it fell to pieces in his hands. It wasquite rotten.
　　‘What a weird old room!’ he said. ‘I feel as if I was back a hundred years or so. Time has stoodstill here. I do wonder why this room was left like this.’
　　They went out and into the next one. That was quite empty. But the third one, smaller, andevidently used as a dining-room, was again furnished. And again the spiders’ webs stretchedeverywhere and hung down in long grey threads from the high ceilings. There was a greatsideboard in the room, and when the children curiously opened one of the doors, they saw oldchina and pieces of silver there - or what must have been silver, for now the cruets and sauce-boats were so terribly tarnished that they might have been made of anything.
　　‘Curiouser and curiouser!’ said Lucy- Ann, quoting Alice in Wonderland. ‘Why have theserooms been left like this?’
　　‘I expect the wicked old man Tassie told us about just lived in a few rooms, and these were theones,’ said Jack. ‘Mabye he went away, meaning to come back, and never did. And nobody daredto come here - or perhaps nobody even knew the rooms had been left furnished. It’s a mystery!’
　　The little fox cub went sniffing round all the rooms raising clouds of dust, and choking now andagain. Kiki did not seem to like the rooms. She stayed on Jack’s shoulder, quite silent.
　　They came to the kitchen. This was a simply enormous place, with a great cooking range at theback. Iron saucepans and an iron kettle were still there. Philip tried to lift one, but it wasimmensely heavy.
　　‘Cooks must have had very strong arms in the old days!’ he said. ‘Look - is that a pump by theold sink? I suppose they had to pump their water up.’
　　They crossed over to the sink. The old-fashioned pump had a handle, which had to be workedup and down in order to bring water from some deep-down well.
　　Philip stared at it in a puzzled manner, his eyes going to a puddle on the floor, just below thepump.
　　‘What’s the matter, Philip?’ said Jack.
　　‘Nothing much - but where did that water come from?’ said Philip. ‘See, it’s in a puddle - itcan only have been there a day or two, or it would have dried up.’
　　Jack looked up to the dark old ceiling, as if he expected to see a leak in the roof there. But therewas none, of course! He looked down at the puddle again, and he too felt puzzled. ‘Let’s pump abit and see if water comes up,’ he said, and stretched out his hand. ‘Maybe the thing is out of ordernow.’
　　Before he could reach the handle Philip knocked his hand aside, with an exclamation. Jacklooked at him in surprise.
　　‘See here, Freckles,’ said Philip, frowning in bewilderment, ‘the handle of the pump isn’tcovered with dust like everything else is. It’s rubbed clean just where you’d take hold of it topump.’
　　Dinah felt a little prickle of fright go down her back. Whatever did Philip mean? Who couldpump up water in an old empty castle?
　　They all stared at the pump handle, and saw that Philip was right. Button began to lap up thepuddle of water on the stone floor. He was thirsty.
　　‘Wait, Button, I’ll pump you some fresh water,’ said Philip, and he took hold of the pumphandle. He worked it up and down vigorously, and fresh, clear water poured in gushes into thehuge old sink. Some of it splashed out into the puddle already on the floor.
　　‘That’s how that puddle was made,’ said Jack, watching carefully. ‘By the splashes of the waterfrom the sink. But that means someone must have pumped up water here in the last few days!’
　　Tassie’s eyes grew big with fright. ‘The wicked old man’s still here!’ she said, and lookedfearfully over her shoulder as if she expected him to walk into the kitchen.
　　‘Don’t be so silly, Tassie,’ said Philip impatiently. ‘The old man’s dead and gone years andyears ago. Do you know if any of the villagers ever come up here?’
　　‘No, oh no!’ said Tassie. ‘They are afraid of the castle. They say it is a bad place.’
　　The five children certainly felt that it had a strange, brooding air about it. They felt that theywanted to go out into the sunshine. Kiki suddenly gave a mournful groan that made them all jump.
　　‘Don’t, Kiki!’ said Jack crossly. ‘Philip, what do you make of this? Who’s been pumping up thewater? Can there be anyone in the castle now?’
　　‘Well, we haven’t seen signs of anyone at all,’ said Philip. ‘And why should anyone be here,anyway? There’s nothing for them to live on - no food or anything. I think myself that probablysome rambler came up here in curiosity, wandered about, and got himself a drink of water fromthe pump before he went.’
　　This seemed the most likely explanation.
　　‘But how did he get in?’ said Dinah, after a moment or two.
　　That was a puzzler. ‘There must be some way,’ said Jack.
　　‘There isn’t,’ said Tassie. ‘I’ve been all round the castle, and I know. There isn’t any way ofgetting in.’
　　‘Well, there must be,’ said Philip, and dismissed the subject, feeling that they would all bebetter to be out in the open air, having their tea. ‘Come on - let’s find a comfortable place in thecourtyard and have our tea. I’m jolly hungry again.’
　　They went into the hot and sunny courtyard. There was little breeze there, for it was enclosed bythe high walls. They sat down and Dinah undid the tea packet. There was plenty there foreveryone - but all the lemonade had been drunk at dinnertime.
　　‘I’m so thirsty I simply must have something to drink with my sandwiches,’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　‘My tongue will hang out like a dog’s in a minute.’
　　Everyone felt the same - but nobody particularly wanted to go into that big lonely kitchen andbring back water in the cardboard cups.
　　‘I know - we’ll see if the spring that runs down to our cottage is anywhere about,’ said Philip.
　　‘It’s supposed to begin in this courtyard, I know. It should be somewhere down at the bottom ofit.’
　　He got up and Button went with him. It was Button who found the spring. It gushed out near thewall that ran round the castle, almost at the foot of the tower at the top of which the children hadhad their dinner. It was not a big spring but the water was cold and clear. Button lapped it eagerly.
　　Philip filled two cups and called to Jack to bring more. Jack and Tassie came up with the othercups. Jack looked with interest at the bubbling spring. It gushed out from a hole in the rock, andthen disappeared again under a tangle of brambles, into a kind of little tunnel that ran below thetower.
　　‘I suppose it goes right underneath the tower, and comes out again further on down the hillside,’
　　thought the boy. ‘It collects more and more water on the way, from the inside of the hill, and bythe time it reaches Spring Cottage it is quite a big spring, ready to become a proper little stream.’
　　The children enjoyed the icy-cold water. They finished all the tea, and lay back in the sun,watching the golden eagles, who were once more soaring upwards on wide wings.
　　‘This has been an exciting sort of day,’ said Philip lazily. ‘What do you feel now aboutspending a few days here, Jack - won’t you be too lonely?’
　　‘I’ll have Kiki and the eagles,’ said Jack. ‘And all the rabbits round about too!’
　　‘I wouldn’t like to be here all alone now,’ said Dinah. ‘Not until I knew who pumped thatwater! I should feel creepy all the time.’
　　‘That’s nothing new,’ said Philip. ‘You feel creepy if you even see the tip of a worm comingout of a hole. Life must be nothing but creepiness to you. Now if only you’d get used to havingtoads crawling over you, or a hedgehog in your pocket, or a beetle or two, you’d soon stop feelingcreepy.’
　　‘Oh don’t!’ said Dinah, shivering at the thought of beetles crawling over her. ‘You’re an awfulboy. Jack, you won’t really stay here by yourself, will you?’
　　‘I don’t see why not,’ said Jack, with a laugh. ‘I’m not scared. I think Philip’s right when hesays it was probably only some rambler who pumped himself a spot of water. After all, if we’recurious enough to make our way in here other people may be too.’
　　‘Yes, but how did they come?’ persisted Dinah.
　　‘Same way as old Button came in, I expect,’ said Philip.
　　Dinah stared at him. ‘Well - how did Button get in?’ she said. ‘Find out that, and we don’t needto use the plank every time!’
　　‘Oh - down a rabbit-hole, I should think, and up another,’ said Philip, refusing to take herseriously. Dinah gave an angry exclamation.
　　‘Do talk sense! Button could go up a rabbit-hole all right, but a man couldn’t. You know thatquite well.’
　　‘Of course - why didn’t I think of that before?’ said Philip aggravatingly, and dodged as Dinahthrew a clod of earth at him.
　　‘Here! Some of that went in my eye,’ said Jack, sitting up. ‘Stop it, you two. I know what we’lldo. We’ll leave old Button behind here when we go across the plank, and we’ll watch and seewhere he comes out. Then we can use his entrance, if it’s possible, the next time we come!’
　　‘Yes - that’s a good idea,’ said Lucy-Ann, and Tassie nodded too. The little girl was puzzled toknow how Button had got into the castle. She felt so certain that there was no way in besides thetwo doors, and the window through which they themselves had come.
　　‘Come on - time to go home,’ said Jack, and they all got up. ‘I’ll be back here tomorrow, Ihope!’
第10章 一桩奇怪的事
　　第10章 一桩奇怪的事
　　他们穿过巨大的门道，进入一个黑暗的大厅。大厅空荡荡的，走在里面连脚步声都有奇怪的回响。此时，外面又传来大雕的叫声。
　　“我估计，这么多年来当地人听到的恐怖叫声就是雕的叫声。”杰克说着来到大厅那头一扇结实的大门前。他伸手打开门——然后，整个人呆立当场。
　　门后竟是一个陈设完备的房间！曾经可能是一个起居室或是画室，各种陈旧的家具依然原样摆放着。孩子们实在想不通，为什么还保留着这些家具。
　　他们站在门口，望着这个被遗忘了的房间，一时不知该说些什么。房间里充满发霉的气味，寂静无声；阳光透过一扇大窗户洒进房间，除此之外还有四扇小小的观察窗；沙发上、大桌子上布满厚厚的灰尘；到处都是蜘蛛日复一日结的网。
　　黛娜吓得直发抖。当其他人小心翼翼地步入房间并小声讨论时，她却不敢有所动作。
　　露西安拍了一下椅子，顿时一团尘土扬起，呛得她禁不住咳嗽起来。菲利普上前去扯铺在沙发上的罩布，罩布却一下碎成了几块——它已经严重老化了。
　　“真是个诡异的老房间！”菲利普说，“我感觉我好像穿越回了几百年前，时间似乎在这里静止了。为什么这里会一直保留着？”
　　他们退出房间，然后打开隔壁房间的门。这又是一个空房间。接着，他们来到第三个房间。这个房间比前两个稍小些，竟也是陈设完备，看起来像是一个餐厅。蜘蛛也在这里结了无数的网，沾着厚厚的灰尘，从天花板上悬垂下来。靠墙立着一个巨大的餐边柜，孩子们好奇地上前打开其中一个柜门，发现了一些旧瓷器和银餐具——事实上，几个调味瓶表面早已失去光泽，很可能是其他材料制成的。
　　“越来越奇怪了！”露西安说，“为什么这两个房间要这样保留着？”
　　“我认为，塔西说的那个邪恶的老头只使用了城堡里的几个房间，这就是其中的一个。”杰克说，“或许，某一天他离开城堡外出，本来还要回来的，但最终却没有回来。再没有其他人敢来这里——或许根本没有人知道这里还有几个陈设完备的房间。太神秘了！”
　　小纽扣在房间里不停走动，到处嗅着，扬起了许多灰尘，惹得大家不住地咳嗽。琪琪看上去不喜欢这个房间，她只是安静地待在杰克的肩头。
　　他们又来到厨房。这里非常宽敞，后面是一大排炉灶，铁锅和茶壶还坐在炉子上。菲利普试着去拎一个壶，却发现这非常重。
　　“那时的厨师们一定拥有强壮的手臂！”他说，“快看！水槽那儿有个压水井。我猜他们就是从那里打水上来的。”
　　他们朝水槽走去。这是一个老式的压水井，人们通过上下压动压水杆，把水井深处的水打上来。
　　而菲利普此时则奇怪地盯着地上的一个小水洼，就在压水井下面。
　　“怎么啦，菲利普？”杰克问。
　　“没什么——但是，这一摊水是哪儿来的？”菲利普说，“你们看，在这个水洼里——这些水只能存在一两天，然后肯定就干了。”
　　杰克抬头望向又黑又旧的天花板，想看看是不是上面在漏水。上面什么也没有！他又低头看着水洼，脸上也露出疑惑的表情。“我们试试能不能压水上来，”他说，“没准儿这玩意儿已经坏了。”
　　没等杰克伸出手碰到压水杆，菲利普就一下子拨开他的手。杰克吃惊地看着菲利普。
　　“大家快看这里，”菲利普说，表情非常困惑，“压水杆上手握的地方完全没有灰尘，擦得非常干净！”
　　黛娜听了后背一阵发凉。菲利普的话是什么意思？是谁在这城堡里打水？
　　大家看向压水杆，菲利普说得一点没错。小纽扣跑到水洼边准备喝水，它快渴死了。
　　“等一等，小纽扣，我给你打一些新鲜的水上来。”菲利普说着上前双手握住压水杆，使劲压着，新鲜、清澈的井水喷涌而出，落入水槽，也溅落在地上的小水洼里。
　　“小水洼就是这么来的，水从水槽里溅出。”杰克一边观察一边说，“而这就表示，在这几天里，一定有人在这里打过水！”
　　塔西睁大了双眼，眼里满是恐惧。“邪恶的老头还在这里！”她说着惊恐地扭过头看厨房门，仿佛看到那老头正走进厨房。
　　“别傻了，塔西。”菲利普不耐烦地说，“老头很久很久以前就已经死了。你知道村里有人会来这里吗？”
　　“不不不，没有人来，”塔西忙说，“他们都怕这座城堡，他们说这是坏地方。”
　　这五个孩子确实感受到这里有一股阴森可怕的气息，他们都希望能回到太阳底下。就在这时，琪琪突然发出一声悲伤的鸣叫，吓了大家一跳。
　　“别这样，琪琪！”杰克生气地说，“菲利普，你认为这是怎么回事？是谁在这里打水？
　　还有谁现在就住在这座城堡里？”
　　“然而我们完全没有发现这里有人住的痕迹。”菲利普说，“再者说，这里怎么住人？没有食物或任何其他东西——他们怎么活？要我说，大概是某个好奇的流浪汉爬进了城堡，在里头逛了逛，然后走之前在这里打了点水喝。”
　　这个解释听上去很合理。
　　“但是，他是怎么进来的？”一阵沉默后，黛娜问。
　　这是个问题。“肯定还有其他的路可以进来。”杰克说。
　　“没有路了。”塔西说，“我已经绕着城堡仔细看过了，我敢肯定，没有其他的路可以进来。”
　　“肯定有的。”菲利普说，然后他转移了话题，认为他们最好赶紧离开这里，到太阳底下去吃茶点，“走吧，让我们到院子里去吃东西，我又饿了。”
　　他们回到院子里，这里很热，四面的高墙把风都挡住了。他们都坐了下来，黛娜取出了茶点。还有很多点心，但柠檬水已经喝完了。
　　“我好渴啊。我需要一些水来就着吃我的三明治。”露西安说，“再这样下去，我只能像狗一样吐舌头了。”
　　所有的人都很渴，但是，没有人想回到那个孤寂的大厨房去打水。
　　“我有办法了——我们找找那股流到山下的泉水。”菲利普说，“我知道泉水的源头就在这个院子里，就在这附近。”
　　他站起身来，小纽扣紧紧跟上。小纽扣找到了泉水，就在他们吃午餐的塔楼旁的墙脚边。泉水汩汩地冒出，这股泉不大，但水又清又凉，小纽扣迫不及待地上前舔水。
　　菲利普灌了两杯水，又让杰克和塔西拿来更多的纸杯。菲利普很感兴趣地观察这股泉水。它从一块岩石上的洞中涌出，接着消失在一片黑莓丛中，然后流入塔楼下的一条小通道里。
　　“泉水一定是从塔楼底下流过，然后顺着山坡向下流。”菲利普心想，“泉水一路上汇集了其他来自山体内部的水流，当它流到泉水小屋时，已经形成一股较大的泉水，最后变成溪流。”
　　孩子们愉快地享用了清凉的泉水，吃完了茶点，然后躺在阳光下，看那两只金雕在空中展翅飞翔。
　　“今天真是令人兴奋的一天。”菲利普懒洋洋地说，“杰克，现在你觉得你还想在这里住上几天吗——你会不会觉得很孤独？”
　　“我有琪琪，还有那几只雕的陪伴，”杰克说，“还有随处可见的野兔！”
　　“我可不想在这里一个人待着，”黛娜说，“除非我弄清楚了到底是谁在那里打水！我总是感到很害怕。”
　　“这可不稀奇，你一直都感到害怕，”菲利普说，“哪怕只是看见毛毛虫从洞里爬出来。
　　你的人生除了恐惧，估计就没有其他了。如果你想要摆脱恐惧，那你得试着接受随时出现的癞蛤蟆、躲在口袋里的刺猬，以及一两只甲壳虫！”
　　“噢，不要！”黛娜一想到虫子向她爬过来就开始发抖，“你是个讨厌的男孩。你不会真的想一个人住在这里吧，杰克？”
　　“为什么不呢？”杰克笑着说，“我可不怕。我认为菲利普的推测是对的，只是某个路过此地的流浪汉打水上来解渴而已。毕竟我们对这座城堡感到好奇，别人也会有相同的想法。”
　　“你说得没错，但是，他们到底是怎么进来的呢？”黛娜再次提出疑问。
　　“还有其他进来的路，就像小纽扣，也不是和我们一起进来的。”菲利普说。
　　黛娜瞪着菲利普，接着说：“那么，小纽扣是怎么进来的？快找到那条路，这样我们就不用每次都爬木板了。”
　　“从一个兔子洞钻进去，我就知道，然后从另一个兔子洞钻出来。”菲利普开玩笑地说。黛娜听了气得大叫：
　　“说点靠谱的话！小纽扣可以钻兔子洞，可人怎么钻？！”
　　“哦，你说得太对了，我先前怎么就没考虑到呢？”菲利普装模作样地说道，气得黛娜捡起土块扔向他。
　　“哎呀，土都飞进我眼里啦！”杰克叫起来，“你们不要吵了。我知道我们该怎么办。我们爬木板出去时把小纽扣留在这里，然后看它是从哪里出来的。然后下次我们就可以从那里进来啦，如果我们钻得进来的话。”
　　“好主意！”露西安说，塔西也在一旁不住点头表示赞同。她很想知道小纽扣到底是怎么进来的，因为她真的没有发现其他可以进来的路了。
　　“那我们现在就回家吧。”杰克说，大家都站起身来，“希望我们明天还能来这儿。”
11 An unexpected meeting
　　11 An unexpected meeting
　　They went back into the castle and up the wide stone stair. Dinah felt a little uncomfortable andkept close to the others. So did Tassie. They went down the wide corridor and looked into roomafter room to find the one with the plank.
　　‘Golly! Don’t say it’s gone!’ said Jack, after they had looked into about six rooms. ‘This is odd.
　　I’m sure the room wasn’t as far along as this.’
　　But it was - for in the very next room they saw the edge of their plank on the stone sill. Theyhurried over to it. It was dark in that room. They all wished heartily they had a torch, anddetermined to bring both torches and candles with them next time!
　　Jack went across first, with Kiki clutching his shoulder, murmuring something about putting thekettle on. He got across safely, and then caught hold of the rope on the other side. He helpedLucy-Ann across, then Dinah and then Tassie. Lucy-Ann slipped hurriedly down the cliffside,followed by Dinah. Tassie leapt down like a goat, without even touching the rope.
　　Then came Philip, and poor little Button was left behind, yelping shrilly.
　　‘You go your own way and join us outside the castle!’ called back Philip. Button jumped up tothe sill but kept falling back. He could not reach it. The children heard him barking away byhimself as they made their way down the tunnel-like passage into the sunshine.
　　‘I may have to go back for Button, you know, if he doesn’t come after us,’ said Philip. ‘Icouldn’t really leave him behind. But foxes are so sharp - I bet he’ll come rushing after us in aminute.’
　　‘Keep a good lookout then,’ said Jack, ‘because we want to know where he gets in and out, sothat we can use the place ourselves.’
　　But it wasn’t any good keeping a lookout, for suddenly Button was at their heels, leaping up atPhilip, making yelping sounds of happiness and love. Nobody saw him come. Nobody knew howhe had got out of the castle!
　　‘How annoying!’ said Jack, with a laugh. ‘Button, how did you get out?’
　　Button couldn’t tell them. He kept so close to Philip’s heels all the way home that Philip couldfeel his sharp little nose the whole time. Button was like a little shadow!
　　They were all so tired when they got in that they could hardly tell their adventures. When Philiptold about the puddle of water below the pump, Mrs Mannering laughed.
　　‘Trust you children to imagine something to scare yourselves with!’ she said. ‘Probably thepump leaks a bit on its own. It’s funny about those old furnished rooms though. It shows how thevillagers fear the castle, if no one has interfered with the furniture! Even thieves, apparently, willnot venture there.’
　　Mrs Mannering was intensely interested in the golden eagles. She and Philip and Jack talkedabout them till darkness fell. Mrs Mannering was quite willing for Jack to try and take pictures ofthe young eagle with its parents.
　　‘If only you can make a good hide,’ she said, ‘and get the birds used to it, so that you can liethere and take what pictures you please, it would be marvellous. Philip’s father used to do thingslike that.’
　　‘Can I go with Jack, please, Aunty Allie?’ asked Lucy-Ann, who couldn’t bear to let Jack go offby himself for even a day or two.
　　‘No, you can’t, Lucy-Ann,’ said Jack decidedly. ‘I’m the only one to be there, because if you orthe others start messing about too, we shall scare the birds and I shan’t get any decent pictures atall. I shan’t be gone long! You can’t hang on my apron strings all the holidays.’
　　Lucy-Ann said no more. If Jack didn’t want her, she wouldn’t go.
　　‘You can come up each day and bring me food, if you like,’ said Jack, as he saw Lucy-Ann’sdisappointed face. ‘And I can always signal to you from the tower. You know we could see thishouse from the tower, so, of course, you can see the tower from this house.’
　　‘Oh yes - you could signal goodnight to us each night,’ said Lucy-Ann, cheering up. ‘Thatwould be fun. I wonder which room is best to see the tower from.’
　　It so happened that it was her own bedroom that was the best. Good! She could even watch thetower from bed. ‘Jack, will you sleep in the tower?’ she said. ‘Then I shall look at the tower whenI wake, and know you’re there. I’ll wave a white hanky from my window when I see you wavingone.’
　　‘Oh - I don’t know where I’ll sleep,’ said Jack. ‘The tower would be too draughty. I’ll curlmyself up in the rug in a warm corner somewhere - or maybe clear a place on one of those big oldcouches. If I can get the dust off!’
　　Tassie couldn’t imagine how anyone could possibly dare to sleep alone in the old castle. Shethought Jack must be the bravest boy in the world.
　　‘Time for you to go home, Tassie,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘Go along. You can come backtomorrow.’
　　Tassie disappeared, running off to her tumble-down cottage and her scolding, untidy mother.
　　The others helped Mrs Mannering to clear the supper away, and the two girls washed up, halfasleep.
　　They went to bed, to dream of the old deserted castle, of strange cobwebby rooms, high towers,screaming eagles - and a puddle on the floor below the pump!
　　‘That’s really a puzzle,’ said Philip to himself, as he fell asleep. ‘But I’m too tired to think aboutit now!’
　　The next day was rainy. Great clouds swept over the hillside, making it misty and damp. Thesun hardly showed all day long. The little spring suddenly became twice as full, and made quite anoise as it gurgled down the garden.
　　‘Blow!’ said Jack. ‘I did want to go up to the castle today. I feel that that young eagle may fly atany time now, and I don’t want to miss its first flight.’
　　‘Have you got plenty of films for your camera?’ asked Philip. ‘You know how you keeprunning out of them just when you badly want them.’
　　‘Well, it wouldn’t be much good wanting them if I hadn’t got enough!’ said Jack. ‘I couldn’tbuy them in that tiny village. There’s only one shop.’
　　‘You could take the train and go off to the nearest big town,’ said Mrs Mannering. ‘Why don’tyou do that, instead of staying here cooped up all day? I can see Dinah is longing to squabble withsomeone!’
　　Dinah laughed. She did hate being ‘cooped up’ as Mrs Mannering said, and it did make herirritable. But Dinah was learning to control herself a little more now that she was growing older.
　　‘Yes, it would be fun to take the train and go off shopping,’ she said. ‘Let’s do it! We’ve justgot time to catch the one and only train that leaves the station, and we’ll come back by the one andonly train that returns!’
　　So they put on macks and sou’westers and hurried to catch the train. But they needn’t havehurried, really, for the leisurely little country train always waited for anybody coming along theroad.
　　It was twenty miles to the nearest town. It took the train a whole hour to get there, and thechildren enjoyed running through the valleys in between the ranges of high hills. Once they sawanother castle on the side of a hill, but they all agreed that it wasn’t a patch on theirs.
　　Button had been left behind with Tassie, much to his dismay. The children had offered to takeTassie with them, but the little girl was terrified of the train. She shrank back when they suggestedit. So they gave Button to her with strict injunctions not to let him worry Mrs Mannering.
　　Kiki, of course, went with Jack. But then she went everywhere with him, making her remarks,and causing a great deal of amusement and interest. She always showed off in company andsometimes became very cheeky.
　　The children had left the train and were walking down the street, when suddenly a voice hailedthem, and made them jump. ‘Hallo, hallo! Whoever would have thought of seeing you here!’
　　The children turned round at once and Kiki let out a delighted squawk.
　　‘Bill Smugs!’ cried the children, and ran to the ruddy-faced, twinkling-eyed man who hadhailed them. Lucy-Ann gave him a hug, Dinah smiled in delight, and the two boys banged BillSmugs on the back.
　　Bill Smugs was not his real name. It was a name he had told the children the year before, whenthey had come across him trying to track some clever forgers. He had not wanted them to knowwho he was nor what he was really doing - but although they now knew his real name, he was stillBill Smugs to them, and always would be.
　　‘Come and have lunch with me,’ said Bill Smugs. ‘Or have you any other plans? I really mustknow what you are doing here. I thought you were at home for the holidays.’
　　‘What are you doing here?’ asked Philip, his eyes shining. ‘On the track of forgers again? I betyou’re on some sort of exciting job.’
　　‘Maybe, maybe not,’ said Bill, smiling. ‘I shouldn’t tell you, anyway, should I? I’m probablyholidaying, just as you are. Come on - we’ll go to this hotel. It looks about the best one this towncan produce.’
　　It was an exciting lunch. Bill Smugs was an exciting person. They talked eagerly about thethrilling adventure he had had with them the year before, when they had all got mixed up withcopper mines and forgers, and had been in very great danger. They reminded each other of thetimes they had shivered and trembled!
　　‘Yes, that certainly was an adventure,’ said Bill, helping himself to apple tart and ice cream.
　　‘And now, as I said before - you really must tell me what you are doing in this part of the world!’
　　The children told him, interrupting each other in their eagerness, especially Jack, who waslonging to tell him every detail about the eagles. Bill listened and ate solidly, giving Kiki titbitsevery now and again. She had been delighted to see their old friend too, and had told him at least adozen times to open his book at page six, and pay attention.
　　‘What a pity you’re twenty miles away or more,’ said Bill. ‘I’m stuck here in this district for atime, I’m afraid, and can’t leave. But if I can I’ll come over and see you. Maybe your motherwould put me up for a day or two, then I can come up to this wonderful castle of yours and see theeagles.’
　　‘Oh yes, do come!’ they all cried. ‘We aren’t on the telephone,’ added Philip, ‘but never mind,just come - we are sure to be there. Come at any time! We’d love you to.’
　　‘Right,’ said Bill. ‘I might be able to slip over next week, because it doesn’t look as if I’m goingto do much good here. Can’t tell you any more, I’m afraid - but if I don’t make any headway withwhat I’m supposed to be doing, I’ll have a break, and come along to see you and your nice mother.
　　Give her my kind regards, and say Bill Smugs will come and pay his respects if he possibly can.’
　　‘We’ll have to go,’ said Jack regretfully, looking at his watch. ‘There’s only the one train backand we’ve got a bit of shopping to do. Goodbye, Bill, it’s been grand to bump into you like this.’
　　‘Goodbye. See you soon, I hope!’ said Bill, with his familiar grin. And off they ran to catchtheir train.
第11章 意外的会面
　　第11章 意外的会面
　　他们回到城堡里面，沿着石阶梯往上走。黛娜总感到怪怪的，紧紧跟着大家。塔西也是如此。他们来到了那条宽大的走廊，一个一个房间寻找架着木板的小窗。
　　“天哪，木板不会不见了吧？”杰克说，他们已经看了六个房间了，“这太奇怪了，我肯定那个房间没那么远。”
　　不过，事实上确实有那么远——在第七个房间里，他们看到了架在窗台上的木板。他们赶紧过去，不想耽误一刻时间。房间里很黑，所有的人都希望此时能有一个手电筒。下次一定要带上手电筒，还有蜡烛！
　　杰克第一个爬上木板，琪琪紧紧抓着他的肩头，嘴里喃喃着关于水壶的话。他安全地爬着过去，抓住了系在对面的绳子。然后，他帮露西安爬过了木板，接着是黛娜，再是塔西。露西安和黛娜都抓着绳子下到了峭壁下，而塔西则像一只小山羊，灵活地爬下峭壁，甚至连绳子都没有碰。
　　菲利普最后一个出来。小纽扣被留在了城堡里，不断地尖叫着。
　　“你从你进来的路出来，我们在城堡外会合！”菲利普转身对小纽扣说。小纽扣跳上窗台，但是它够不到木板。孩子们都爬下峭壁，顺着狭窄的通道重又回到阳光之下，任由小纽扣在城堡窗台上叫唤。
　　“如果小纽扣没有出来，我还是要回去找它。”菲利普说，“我不能真的把它留在城堡里。不过狐狸都非常机灵，我打赌它很快就能出来。”
　　“大家仔细看，”杰克说，“我们得搞清楚它是从哪里进出的，这样我们就能换个方式进城堡。”
　　不过，大家并没有仔细看的机会，因为一眨眼工夫，小纽扣就已经出现在大家面前。
　　它围着菲利普又蹦又跳，嘴里发出幸福的叫声。
　　没有人知道小纽扣是怎么进去的，也没有人知道它是怎么出来的！
　　“真是的，小纽扣！”杰克笑着说，“你到底是从哪里出来的？”
　　小纽扣没法告诉他们任何事。在回家的路上，它紧紧跟着菲利普，像一道小影子。它的小鼻子不断撞在菲利普的脚上。
　　回到家，他们已经累得不想说话了。当菲利普告诉曼纳林夫人压水井边那摊奇怪的水时，曼纳林夫人笑了起来。
　　“你们一定是想象出一些事情来自己吓自己了！”她说，“这或许只是因为压水井有点漏水。房间里还保留着家具，这倒是很有趣。可见，村民们都不敢进到城堡里去把家具搬出来。连小偷都不愿意光顾！”
　　曼纳林夫人对金雕也很感兴趣。她同男孩们聊了很久，直到夜幕降临。她希望杰克能够拍到金雕一家三口的照片。
　　“如果你能隐藏得足够好，”曼纳林夫人说，“不让它们发现，你就能拍到你想要的照片，一定非常棒！菲利普的父亲曾经也这样拍过照片。”
　　“我也能和杰克一起去吗，艾莉阿姨？”露西安问。她可不愿意杰克一个人出门，哪怕一天也不行。
　　“不行，露西安，你不能去。”杰克坚决地说，“我只能一个人去。你们会把那些雕吓着的，我就拍不到好照片了。我不会去很长时间！你不能整个假期都黏着我。”
　　露西安不再说什么。杰克不许她去，那她就不去。
　　“如果你愿意，你可以每天上去给我送吃的。”杰克看到露西安脸上失望的神情，赶紧宽慰她，“另外，我会从塔楼上给你发信号。从塔楼上可以看到我们的小屋，所以你也能从这里看到塔楼。”
　　“对极了——你可以每晚都从塔楼上给我们发信号。”露西安说，“那肯定很有趣，我在想，从哪个房间看塔楼最清楚。”
　　非常巧的是，从露西安的卧室看塔楼最清楚。太棒了！她甚至躺在床上就能看见塔楼。“杰克，你要在塔楼上过夜吗？”她问，“这样的话，我每天醒来看见塔楼就知道你在那里了。一旦我看见你的信号，我就会在窗前挥舞一块白手帕。”
　　“啊，我不知道我要在哪里过夜。”杰克说，“塔楼上太透风。我会找个暖和的角落，盖着小毯子过夜——没准儿我会找个干净的长沙发，如果我能把那些陈年老灰都掸掉。”
　　塔西无法想象怎么会有人敢在那座老城堡里单独过夜。她认为杰克一定是世界上最勇敢的男孩。
　　“塔西，你是时候回家了，”曼纳林夫人说，“快走吧，明天再来。”
　　塔西很快消失了，奔跑着回到她那破败的小屋和终日里责备孩子的、不爱清洁的妈妈那里。其他孩子帮曼纳林夫人收拾了餐桌，洗漱完毕时都昏昏欲睡了。
　　他们很快就上床睡觉了。每个人的梦里几乎都出现了荒芜的老城堡、挂着蜘蛛网的房间、高高的塔楼、鸣叫着的大雕，还有那一摊诡异的水！
　　菲利普在睡着之前，还自言自语道：“虽然这非常奇怪，但我现在实在没有力气去思考这个问题了！”
　　第二天下雨了。巨大的雨云扫过山坡，留下一片雾气与潮湿。太阳一整天都没有露面。那股小泉水一下子变成两倍大，哗啦啦地从山上奔流而下。
　　“真烦人！”杰克说，“我今天也很想到城堡去啊！小雕随时都可能学会飞翔，我可不想错过它的第一次飞行。”
　　“你带够了胶卷吗？”菲利普问，“你知道的，每次你要拍好照片的时候，胶卷总是恰好用完了。”
　　“胶卷不够我也没办法。”杰克说，“我没法在这个小村庄买到胶卷，这里只有一家商店。”
　　“你可以乘火车到最近的镇子上去。”曼纳林夫人说，“你为什么不今天就去呢？不要闷在家里了，我发现黛娜闷得都要跟人吵架了。”
　　黛娜笑了起来。她最怕闷在家里了，总会感到很烦躁。但随着年龄的增加，她现在知道控制自己的情绪了。
　　“是啊，乘火车去镇子上购物很有意思。”她说，“让我们出发吧！我们还有时间赶上今天唯一一班从这里出发的火车，下午乘坐唯一一班回程火车回来！”
　　于是，他们穿上雨衣，戴上防雨帽，出门赶火车去了。不过，他们不用着急，因为这趟优哉游哉的乡村火车总会等着沿途任何一位赶火车的乘客。
　　最近的镇子离这儿二十英里远，火车要开整整一个小时，孩子们非常享受快速穿过山谷的感觉。途中，他们在某个山坡上看到另一座城堡，他们一致认为这比他们的老城堡差远了。
　　小纽扣留在家里和塔西在一起，它为此感到很失望。孩子们也邀请塔西一起去，但是这个小姑娘却不敢乘火车。当他们邀请她时，她不由得倒抽一口冷气。就这样，他们把小纽扣托付给塔西，请她严格看管，免得它给曼纳林夫人添乱。
　　琪琪当然是跟着杰克一起去了。不论杰克去哪儿，总是带着琪琪。一路上，琪琪喋喋不休，引来不少注意，也为大家带来许多欢乐。
　　到站后，孩子们下了火车，徒步往镇中心走去。突然，一个声音叫住了他们，把他们吓了一跳：“哎呀，哎呀，谁能想到能在这里见到你们呢！”
　　孩子们立刻转过身，琪琪则发出愉悦的尖叫声。
　　“比尔•斯莫格斯！”孩子们异口同声叫出了这个人的名字。他们纷纷跑向这个面色红润、眼睛闪亮的男子。露西安上前给了他一个大大的拥抱，黛娜冲他露出兴奋的笑容，两个男孩则亲热地拍他的后背。
　　比尔•斯莫格斯并不是这个男子的真名。一年前，孩子们在追踪一伙假钞制造者的时候遇见了他，当时，他告诉他们他叫比尔•斯莫格斯，他并不希望这些孩子知道他的真实身份，以及他在做的事。当然，如今孩子们已经知道了他的真名，但仍然叫他比尔•斯莫格斯。
　　“来吧，我们一起吃午餐。”比尔•斯莫格斯说，“或者你们还有其他计划？我必须知道你们来这里做什么。现在是学校放假时间，不是吗？”
　　“那么，你在这里做什么呢？”菲利普问，两眼放光，“又在追踪假钞制造者？我敢打赌，你的工作一定特别刺激。”
　　“可能是这样，也可能不是，”比尔笑着说，“我可不能告诉你们！我也许就是在度假，和你们一样。来吧——我们去这家饭店，这里看上去是这镇子上最好的地方。”
　　这是一顿开心的午餐。比尔•斯莫格斯是个有趣的人。他们谈论着一年前共同经历过的那场激动人心的冒险：他们如何同铜矿里的造假钞的人纠缠在一起，又是如何身处险境；他们互相提醒着那些令人胆战心惊的危急时刻。
　　“是啊，那是一场真正的冒险。”比尔一边说，一边吃着苹果派和冰激凌，“现在，就像我之前说的，你们必须立刻告诉我你们出现在这里的目的！”
　　孩子们争先恐后地把所有事情都告诉了比尔，尤其是杰克，他几乎讲到了金雕们的每一个细节。比尔静静地听着，一边吃着甜点，并时不时喂给琪琪两口。琪琪见到老朋友也非常兴奋，她对比尔说了十几次“翻开课本第六页”和“注意”！
　　“太可惜了，你们住的地方离这里二十英里远，”比尔说，“恐怕我得待在这里一段时间，不能离开。如果有机会，我一定去看望你们。或许你们的妈妈会让我在那里住上一两天，然后我就可以去你们的城堡逛逛，看看金雕了。”
　　“太好了，你一定要来！”孩子们说。“我们没有电话，”菲利普补充道，“不过没关系，你直接来就行——我们一定在家。你随时都可以来！我们都盼着你来。”
　　“行啊，”比尔说，“我大概能在下周抽出点时间，下周我没那么多事情要做。我恐怕不能再多说什么了——如果我现在做的事没什么进展，我就会休息一下，然后就去看望你们和你们的妈妈。替我向她问好，告诉她我将登门拜访。”
　　“我们得走了。”杰克看了看表，遗憾地说，“我们要去买点东西，然后赶唯一一班回去的火车。再见，比尔，能在这里遇到你真是太好了。”
　　“再见，孩子们。我希望我们能很快再次见面！”比尔说着露出熟悉的笑容。
12 Jack is left at the castle
　　12 Jack is left at the castle
　　Mrs Mannering was delighted to hear that they had by chance met Bill Smugs again, for she feltvery grateful to him for the help he had given the children in their amazing adventure the yearbefore.
　　‘If he comes, I will sleep in with you girls and he can have my room,’ she said. ‘Good old Bill!
　　It will be nice to see him again. He must lead an interesting life, always hunting down criminaland wicked people.’
　　‘I bet he’d have been after the wicked old man who used to live in the castle!’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　‘It will be fun to take him up there. Jack, I hope it won’t be raining tomorrow again.’
　　But it was. Jack felt very disappointed. He was afraid that the old eagle might take the youngone away. But it was no good going up the hill in this pouring rain. For one thing, the clouds wereso low that they sailed round the hillside itself, big patches of moving mist. He would get lost if hetried to go up.
　　‘I suppose Tassie could find her way up even in the mist,’ he said. Tassie was there. She raisedher bright black eyes to him and nodded.
　　‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I will take you now if you like.’
　　‘No,’ said Mrs Mannering firmly. ‘Wait till tomorrow. I think it will be fine then. I’m not goingto have to send out search-parties for you and Tassie!’
　　‘But, Mother, Tassie could find her way up this hillside blindfold, I’m sure she could!’ saidPhilip. However, Mrs Mannering didn’t believe in Tassie and her powers as much as the childrendid. So Jack had to wait for the next day.
　　Luckily it was fine. The sun rose out of a clear sky, and not even the smallest cloud showeditself. The hillside glistened and gleamed as the sun dried the millions of raindrops left on twig andleaf. It was a really lovely day.
　　‘We’ll all come up with you, Jack,’ said Philip, ‘and help to carry what you want. You’ll need acouple of thick rugs, and some food - a candle or two and a torch - and your camera and films, ofcourse.’
　　They all decided to have a day up at the castle again, and leave Jack behind when they cameback in the evening. So, about eleven o’clock, with the morning sun blazing hotly down on theirbacks, they began the climb up the hill.
　　Button came, of course, and Kiki. Kiki was to stay with Jack. The eagles evidently didn’t mindher. In fact it was quite possible that they might make friends with her, and Jack might get someinteresting photographs.
　　Carrying various things, the little party set off once more. Dinah was glad to feel her torchsafely in her pocket. She didn’t mean to stand in dark rooms again and feel cobwebs clutching ather hair!
　　They climbed in through the window as before. Button again appeared in the courtyard fromsomewhere, though still no one knew where. Kiki flew to the crag on which the eagles had theirnest, yelping her eagle scream in what was plainly meant to be a kindly greeting.
　　The startled eagles rose up in surprise, and then seeing the strange and talkative bird again,circled round her. Quite clearly they didn’t mind her in the least. They probably took her to besome sort of strange eagle cousin, as she spoke their language!
　　It wasn’t long before Jack climbed up to see if the young eagle was still in the nest. It was! Themother had just brought it a dead rabbit, and the young eagle was busy on the meal. When it sawJack it stood over the rabbit with wings held over it, as if afraid that Jack would take it.
　　‘It’s all right,’ said the boy gently. ‘Eat it all. I don’t want any. I only want a picture of you!’
　　He looked around for a place to make a good hide in. There was one spot that looked ideal. Itwas a thick gorse bush, almost on a level with the eagles’ ledge. Jack thought he could probablysqueeze into the hollow middle of it, and make an opening for his camera in the prickly branches.
　　‘The only thing is - I’ll get terribly pricked,’ he thought. ‘Never mind. It will be worth it if I getsome good pictures! I bet the eagles will never know whether I’m hiding in that bush or not!’
　　He told the others, and they agreed with him that it would be a splendid place, if a bit painful.
　　The bush was quite hollow in the middle, and once he was there he could manage not to bepricked. It was the getting in and out that would be unpleasant.
　　‘You’ll have to wrap this rug round you,’ said Lucy-Ann, holding up the thick rug she hadbrought. ‘If you creep in with this round you, you’ll be all right.’
　　‘Good idea,’ said Jack.
　　They went up to the tower-top and had their dinner there again, seeing the countryside spreadout below once more in all its beauty.
　　‘I’d like Bill Smugs to see this,’ said Jack. ‘We must bring him up here when he comes.’
　　‘Where do you think you will sleep tonight, Jack?’ asked Lucy-Ann anxiously. And will youwave your hanky from the tower before you go to sleep? I’ll watch for it.’
　　‘I’ll wave my white shirt,’ said Jack. ‘You probably wouldn’t notice anything so small as ahanky, though you can borrow my old field-glasses and look through them, if you like. They’re inmy room.’
　　‘Oh yes, I will,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I shall easily see your shirt. I hope you won’t be too lonely,Jack.’
　　‘’Course not. I’ll have Kiki. Nobody could possibly be lonely with that old chatterbox of abird,’ said Jack, scratching Kiki’s feathered poll.
　　‘Pop goes the weasel,’ said Kiki, and nibbled at Jack’s ear.
　　‘You haven’t said where you’ll sleep, Jack,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘You won’t really sleep on one ofthose old sofas, will you?’
　　‘No, I don’t think so. More likely in a sandy corner of the courtyard,’ said Jack. ‘There’s asandy bit over there, look - it’ll be warm with the sun. If I curl up there and wrap the rugs allround me, I’ll be very snug.’
　　‘I’d rather you slept out in the courtyard somehow, than in the strange old castle!’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I don’t like those musty, dusty, fusty rooms!’
　　‘Musty, dusty, fusty!’ sang Kiki, delighted. ‘Musty, fusty, dusty, musty, fusty . . .’
　　‘Shut up, Kiki,’ said everyone; but Kiki loved those three words, and went to repeat them overand over again to Button, who sat listening, his ears cocked, and his little foxy head on one side.
　　‘It’s time for us to go,’ said Philip at last. They had tried in vain to find the place where Buttonhad got in and out, and had wandered once more all over the castle, switching on their torches, andexploring even more thoroughly than before. Only the three rooms they had seen before werefurnished - the sitting room, the dining-room and the kitchen. There was no bedroom furnished,which, as Philip pointed out, was rather a pity, as Jack could probably have made himselfcomfortable in a big old four-poster bed!
　　Jack said goodbye to them all as they went across the plank. He held Button in his arms, quitedetermined to follow him and find out where he went when he got out of the castle. He was notgoing to set him free till the others had gone. One by one they crossed the plank and disappeared.
　　Their voices died away. Jack was alone.
　　He went down the wide corridor, down the stone stairway that led to the dark hall, and out intothe courtyard, where the last rays of the sun still shone. When he came to the yard, he set thewriggling fox cub down.
　　‘Now you show me where you go,’ he said. Button darted off at once - far too quickly for Jack!
　　By the time the boy had run a few steps after him, the fox cub had disappeared, and there was notrace of him.
　　‘Blow!’ said Jack, annoyed. ‘I did mean to discover the way out you went, this time - butyou’re so jolly nippy! I suppose you have already joined the others now.’
　　Jack went to try and arrange his camera safely in the gorse bush. He had a very good cameraindeed, given to him last Christmas by Bill Smugs. In his pocket were many rolls of film. Heought to be able to take a fine series of pictures of those eagles.
　　He wrapped one of the rugs round him, as Lucy-Ann had suggested, and began to squeezethrough the prickly branches. Some of the prickles reached his flesh even through the thick rug.
　　Kiki sat beside the bush, watching Jack in surprise.
　　‘What a pity, what a pity, what a pity!’ she said.
　　‘It is a pity that I’m being pricked like this!’ groaned Jack. But he cheered up when he saw whata fine view of the eagles’ nest he had - and of the ledge where the eagles sat to look out at thesurrounding country. The distance was perfect, and Jack rejoiced.
　　By making an opening in the bush on the side where the nest was, he managed to point hiscamera in exactly the right direction, and lodged it very firmly on its tripod legs. He lookedthrough it to see what kind of a picture he would get.
　　‘Perfect!’ thought the boy joyfully. ‘I won’t take one now, because the light is awkward. Buttomorrow morning would be exactly right. Then the sun will be just where I want it.’
　　The little eagle caught sight of the camera peering out of the bush. It did not like it. It cowereddown in the nest, afraid.
　　‘You’ll soon get used to it,’ Jack thought. ‘I hope the old birds will too. Oh, Kiki, did you haveto get into the middle of the bush too? There’s really only just room enough for me!’
　　‘Fusty, musty, dusty!’ whispered Kiki, evidently thinking that Jack was playing a game of hide-and-seek with somebody and mustn’t be given away. ‘Fusty, musty, dusty.’
　　‘Silly old bird,’ said Jack. ‘Now get out, please. I’m coming out too. It’s certainly fusty andmusty in this gorse bush, even if it isn’t dusty!’
　　Kiki crawled out and then Jack forced his way out, trying to protect himself from the pricklystems. He stood up, stretched himself, took the rug and went down the crag lightly, leaving hiscamera in position. It was clear that there would be no rain that night!
　　The boy read a book until daylight faded. Then he remembered about waving his shirt from thetower. So up he went, hoping he hadn’t left it too late for Lucy-Ann to see.
　　He stood on the top of the tower, and stripped off his white shirt. Then he waved it gaily in thestrong breeze there, looking down on the cottage far below as he waved. And from the topmostwindow there came a flash of white.
　　Lucy-Ann was waving back.
　　‘He’s just waved,’ she called to Dinah, who was undressing. ‘I saw the white shirt. Good. NowI know he’s all right and will soon be curling himself up to go to sleep.’
　　‘Why you must fuss so about Jack I don’t know,’ said Dinah, jumping into bed. ‘I never fussabout Philip. You’re silly, Lucy-Ann.’
　　‘I don’t care,’ thought Lucy-Ann, as she settled down in bed. ‘I’m glad to know Jack is safe.
　　Somehow I don’t like him being all alone in that horrid old castle!’
第12章 杰克留在城堡过夜
　　第12章 杰克留在城堡过夜
　　曼纳林夫人很高兴孩子们能在镇上遇见比尔•斯莫格斯，她一直以来都非常感谢比尔一年前对他们提供的帮助。
　　“如果他来了，可以住我的房间，我会搬到女孩子的房间去。”曼纳林夫人说，“比尔真是了不起！能再次遇见他真是太好了。他的生活一定很有意思，不停地追逐坏蛋，惩治罪恶。”
　　“我觉得他一定是在追捕城堡里的邪恶老头！”露西安说，“他来了一定很有趣。杰克，我希望明天不会下雨。”
　　然而，第二天还是在下雨。杰克非常失望。他担心小雕已经被它的父母带走了。但是在这种大雨天上山可不是什么明智之选。别的且不说，单单那些游荡在山坡上的雨云，就能让人在林子里彻底迷路。
　　“我在想，塔西是不是能在有迷雾的情况下找到上山的路。”杰克说着看向塔西。塔西点点头，黑眼睛里闪着光。
　　“是的，我认识路。”塔西说，“如果你愿意，我现在就能带你上山。”
　　“不行！”曼纳林夫人坚决地说，“你们得等到明天，我想明天就天晴了。我可不想请搜救队上山去找你和塔西！”
　　“可是，妈妈，塔西蒙上眼睛也能找到路上山，我肯定她能！”菲利普说。但是，曼纳林夫人可不像孩子们那样相信塔西和她的能力。因此，杰克只能再等一天。
　　一天后，天终于放晴。太阳高高挂在清澈的天空中，万里无云。在太阳的照耀下，山坡闪着金光。这真是一个好天气！
　　“今天我们和你一起上山。”菲利普对杰克说，“我们帮你扛东西。你需要带两条厚毯子，一些食物，一两根蜡烛和手电筒，还有就是相机和胶卷。”
　　他们决定再在城堡待一天，然后就留杰克在那里过夜。十一点左右，他们出发了，热烘烘的阳光照在他们背上。
　　小纽扣也一起去了，当然还有琪琪。琪琪要和杰克一起留在城堡。现在，这两只雕显然已经不在意琪琪的行为了。事实上，它们很有可能会跟琪琪交朋友，这样杰克也许能拍到一些很有趣的照片。
　　这一次他们带了许多东西。黛娜感到很放心，因为此时她的手电筒乖乖地躺在她的口袋里。她可不想再一次站在黑漆漆的房间里，任由蜘蛛网掉在她的头发上！
　　和上次的路线一样，他们爬过木板，从观察窗钻进了城堡。小纽扣再一次出现在城堡院子里，没有人知道它是从哪里进来的。琪琪飞上了巨石，来到雕巢边，发出雕的叫声，对它们表示致意。
　　受到惊吓的大雕们飞起来，惊讶地发现又是上次那只爱说话的怪鸟。它们围着琪琪飞翔，但并不警惕她。没准儿它们把琪琪当成了它们某个外形奇特的亲戚，毕竟她能发出和它们一样的叫声！
　　杰克没花多少时间就爬上了巨石，去看看小雕是否还在巢里。它还在！它正在享用妈妈刚捕来的一只野兔。它发现了杰克后，赶紧张开翅膀护住了野兔，好像杰克会上前抢它的食物。
　　“别紧张，”杰克柔声说道，“都给你吃，我不要。我只想给你拍张照片！”
　　他环顾四周，想找一个好的藏身之处。只有一个地方看起来很理想：那是一小片茂密的荆棘丛，恰好和雕巢一样高。杰克觉得他可以躲在荆棘丛里，在枝叶间给他的相机镜头开个口子。
　　“唯一的问题是，荆棘丛太扎人了。”杰克心想，“但是，如果我能拍到好照片，这点问题不足挂齿。我敢说，那些雕根本不知道我是不是藏在这堆荆棘丛里了。”
　　他把他的计划告诉给其他人，他们都认为那是一个很好的隐藏点，除了躲进去会有点疼。荆棘丛中间是空的，只要杰克钻进去，就不会再被刺扎到了。就是进出的时候不大舒服。
　　“你可以披上这个，”露西安说着递给杰克一条厚毯子，“有了它，就不怕被扎了。”
　　“好主意！”杰克高兴地说。
　　他们再次来到塔楼上，一边欣赏着山下的美景，一边享用丰盛的午餐。
　　“我真想让比尔•斯莫格斯也看看这番景象。”杰克说，“如果他来了，我们一定要带他来这里。”
　　“杰克，你今晚打算睡在哪里？”露西安紧张地问，“你睡觉之前不要忘记挥舞你的手帕，我会在房间里等着。”
　　“我会挥动我的白衬衫，”杰克说，“手帕可能太小了，你根本看不见。当然了，你也可以用我的望远镜看，就在我的房间里。”
　　“好的，我会用的。”露西安说，“这样我就能看得更清楚了。我希望你不会感到太寂寞，杰克。”
　　“肯定不会的，有琪琪陪着我呢！有了这个话匣子，谁都不会感到寂寞的。”杰克一边说，一边挠着琪琪的头。
　　“砰，追黄鼠狼！”琪琪也一边说着，一边亲昵地咬着杰克的耳朵。
　　“你还没告诉我你晚上睡哪儿，”露西安追问，“你不会是真的要到那些老沙发上去睡吧？”
　　“不，我不会的。”杰克说，“我很可能就会在院子里找个角落。看那儿，有一些沙，白天的太阳一定把它们烤得热乎乎的。如果我晚上裹着厚毯子在那儿睡觉，一定很暖和、舒服。”
　　“我情愿你睡在院子里，也不要到这诡异的老城堡里。”露西安说，“我一点也不喜欢那些发霉、肮脏、古怪的老房间。”
　　“发霉、肮脏、古怪，”琪琪开始唱起来，“发霉、古怪、肮脏，发霉、古怪……”
　　“住嘴，琪琪！”孩子们都冲琪琪吼道。可是琪琪很喜欢这几个词，依然不断地重复唱着，确切地说，是冲着小纽扣唱的。小纽扣则蹲坐在地上，偏着脑袋，竖起耳朵，好奇地听着。
　　“我们要走了。”菲利普最后说。他们围着城堡走了一圈，仔细搜索了一遍，但依然没有找到小纽扣进来出去的通道。他们还是只发现三个带家具的房间，起居室、餐厅和厨房。没有卧室，这实在可惜，不然杰克就能舒舒服服躺在老式的大床上过夜了。
　　杰克在窗台前跟其他人道别。他紧紧抱住小纽扣，等他们都走后再放手，这样他就能跟着小纽扣，看它从哪里出去了。其他孩子一个接一个爬过木板，然后消失在峭壁下。只剩杰克一人了。
　　他抱着小纽扣走过长廊，走下石阶，穿过昏暗的大厅，来到院子里。夕阳的余晖洒在院子里。
　　他放下怀里的小纽扣，说道：“走吧，指给我看你出去的路。”小纽扣立刻冲了出去——快到杰克都没反应过来！他赶紧跑上前追了过去，但是，小纽扣已经消失了，无影无踪。
　　“讨厌！”杰克愤愤地说，“本来我今天计划要找到你进出的通道的，但是你也实在太快了吧！估计你现在都已经跟上大部队了。”
　　杰克回到巨石上，在荆棘树丛里安置好相机。这是一台很好的相机，是去年圣诞节比尔•斯莫格斯送他的。在他的口袋里有许多胶卷。他应该能拍出一系列关于雕的精彩照片。
　　他按照露西安的建议先裹上毯子，再往荆棘丛里钻。还是有一些尖刺穿透厚毯子，扎进了他的肉里。琪琪站在荆棘丛边，惊讶地瞧着杰克。
　　“真可怜，真可怜，真可怜！”她说道。
　　“我被刺扎成这样确实可怜！”杰克抱怨道。但他很快就高兴起来，因为这里真是拍照片的绝佳地点：角度刚好，正好能看到两只大雕站在巢的外缘俯视山下景象；距离也正合适。
　　杰克在荆棘丛朝雕巢的那面挖了个空，把相机朝向右边，然后，把它装在三脚架上。
　　最后，他透过取景框，调整了相机的拍摄景象。
　　“完美！”杰克愉快地想，“我现在不拍，光线不好。明天一早光线就合适了，那时的太阳出现在我想要的位置。”
　　小雕看到了这个在荆棘丛间鬼鬼祟祟的相机。它不喜欢这个，还感到害怕，于是它在巢里蜷起了身子。
　　“你马上会习惯的，”杰克心里说，“希望大雕们也能习惯。嘿，琪琪，你一定要到荆棘丛里来吗？这里只有一个人的空间！”
　　“发霉、肮脏、古怪！”琪琪悄声说着，她以为杰克在和什么人玩捉迷藏，说话也得轻声轻气，“发霉、肮脏、古怪！”
　　“你这个笨鸟！”杰克说，“请你赶紧出去，我也要出去了。荆棘丛里当然有霉味，但并不脏！”
　　琪琪钻出荆棘丛，杰克也护着自己的身子勉强钻了出来。他站起来，伸展了身子，然后带着毛毯轻轻地爬下了巨石。天空清澈无云，看起来晚上不会下雨，杰克把相机留在了巨石上。
　　小雕看到了这个在荆棘丛间鬼鬼祟祟的相机。它不喜欢这个，还感到害怕，于是它在巢里蜷起了身子。
　　杰克读了一会儿书，直到天光完全变暗，他这才想起来要在塔楼上向露西安挥舞衬衫，希望没有太晚，让露西安等太久。
　　他顺着阶梯爬上塔顶，脱下他的白衬衫，朝着下面远处的小屋使劲挥动起来。小屋的顶窗此时也闪动着白色的东西。
　　那是露西安在向杰克挥舞白手帕。
　　“他在挥动白衬衣，”露西安对黛娜说，“我看见了。太好了。现在我知道他一切平安，然后就要裹着毯子去睡觉了。”
　　“你为什么这么关心杰克，我真是不明白。”黛娜一边说一边钻进了被窝，“我可不在乎菲利普。你好傻，露西安。”
　　“我可不傻。”露西安心想，然后也钻进了被窝，“只要杰克安全，我就放心了。我还真有点担心他一个人待在那恐怖的老城堡里！”
13 Noises in the night
　　13 Noises in the night
　　Jack went down the stone stairways of the tower, whistling softly. Kiki whistled with him. If itwas a tune she knew, she would whistle it all through with Jack.
　　They came into the old courtyard. There was no sign of the eagles. They were probably roostingnow. But, at Jack’s coming, there was a general scurrying all around the yard.
　　‘Rabbits!’ said Jack, in delight. ‘Golly, what hundreds of them! I suppose they all come out thistime of the evening. I’ll curl myself up in that sandy corner and watch them for a bit. Now, don’tyou frighten them, Kiki.’
　　He went over to the soft sand, taking with him the thick rugs and a packet of chocolate biscuits.
　　He curled himself up, and lay there, watching the rabbits creeping out of their holes again.
　　It was a lovely sight to see. There were big ones and little ones, dark ones and light ones andplayful ones. Some nibbled patches of wiry grass here and there. Others leapt about madly.
　　Jack lay there contentedly and nibbled his biscuits, enjoying the chocolate on them. He watchedthe rabbits in delight. Kiki watched them too, murmuring a few remarks into Jack’s ear now andagain.
　　‘I bet the eagles catch a good few of those rabbits,’ thought Jack, suddenly feeling sleepy. Hefinished his last biscuit, and pulled the rugs more closely around him. He felt a little chilly now.
　　The sand didn’t feel quite so soft as it had done before, either. Jack hoped he wasn’t going to beuncomfortable. Perhaps it would have been better to have chosen a patch of heather.
　　‘Well, I’m too sleepy to change my bed now,’ he thought. ‘Much too sleepy. Kiki, move up abit. Your claws are digging into my neck. You’d better get off me and perch somewhere else.’
　　But before Kiki could move, Jack was asleep. Kiki stayed where she was. The rabbits grewbolder and played nearer to the sleeping boy. A half-moon came out of the evening clouds andlighted up the dreaming courtyard.
　　What woke Jack he never knew. But something woke him with a jump. He opened his eyes andlay there, looking up into the night sky, full of surprise. For a moment or two he had no idea wherehe was.
　　Usually when he woke he saw the ceiling of his room - now there were stars and clouds. Thenhe suddenly remembered. Of course - he was in the courtyard of the old castle. He sat up and Kikiawoke too, giving an annoyed little squawk.
　　‘I wonder what woke me?’ thought Jack, looking round the shadowy yard. The moon came outagain and he saw a few rabbits here and there. Behind rose the great dark bulk of the castle.
　　Jack felt absolutely certain that something had awakened him. Some noise perhaps? Or had arabbit run over him? He listened intently, but he could hear nothing save the hoot of an owl on thehillside: ‘Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!’ Then he heard the high squeak of a bat, catchingbeetles in the night air.
　　He glanced up at the tower from which he had waved his white shirt - and he suddenly stiffenedin surprise. Surely that was a light he saw flash there?
　　He stared intently, waiting for it to come again. It had seemed rather like the sudden flash of atorch. But it didn’t come again.
　　Jack sat and thought hard. Was it a flash? Had someone walked along the battlemented wall tothe tower, and was it their footsteps that awakened him? Was there someone in the castle after all?
　　It seemed rather weird. Jack wondered what to do. He didn’t really feel inclined to get up andfind out what the flash was - if it had been a flash. He was beginning to doubt that it was now. Ifonly it would come again, he would know.
　　He decided that it was cowardly to stay in his bed just because he felt a bit scared. He had betterget up and make his way to the tower to see if anyone was there. That would be the brave thing todo.
　　‘I don’t feel at all brave,’ thought Jack, ‘but I suppose a person is really bravest when he doessomething although he is frightened. So here goes!’
　　Warning Kiki to be quite quiet, he made his way very carefully across the yard to the entranceof the castle, keeping in the blackest shadows. The feel of Kiki’s feet on his shoulder wassomehow very comforting.
　　He went into the vast hall and listened. There was not a sound to be heard. He switched on historch, cautiously covering it with his handkerchief. The hall was empty. Jack went up the widestone stairway, and found his way to the wall that led to the tower. He walked quietly along it,keeping close to one edge, and soon came to the tower.
　　‘Shall I go up or not?’ wondered the boy. ‘I don’t want to in the least. If there’s anyone therethey can’t be up to any good. Did I imagine that flash?’
　　He screwed up his courage and stole up the tower stairway. There was no one in the towerroom. He crept up the stairway that led to the very top, and put his head carefully out. The moon’slight was enough to show him that there was nobody there either.
　　‘Well - I just must have imagined it,’ thought the boy. ‘How silly of me! I’ll go back to bedagain.’
　　Down he went once more, Kiki still on his shoulder. As he came into the wide hall, he suddenlystopped still. He had heard a sound. What could it be?
　　It sounded like a muffled clanking - and then surely that was the splash of water?
　　‘Is it somebody in the kitchen - somebody getting a drink of water again?’ wondered Jack,feeling a prickle of panic go down his back. ‘Golly, I don’t like this. I wish the others were here.’
　　He stood quite still, wondering what to do. Then, overcome by fear, he fled out of the hall andinto the moonlight yard, keeping in the shadows. He was trembling. Kiki bent to his ear,murmuring something supposed to be comforting. She knew he was frightened.
　　In a minute or two he was ashamed of himself. ‘Why am I running away?’ he thought. ‘Thiswon’t do. Just to show myself that I’m no coward I’ll walk into that kitchen and see who’s there!
　　It’s a tramp, I expect, who knows the way in. He’ll be far more frightened to see me than I shall beto see him!’
　　Boldly, but very quickly, the boy went back into the dark, brooding castle. Through the hall hewent, and made his way softly to the kitchen entrance. He slipped inside the doorway, and thenwent behind the door, where he waited, listening and watching to see if any light was shown.
　　But there was dead silence. There was no clank of the pump. There was no splash of water. Jackwaited for two or three minutes, with Kiki, perfectly silent.
　　He could not even hear anyone breathing. The kitchen must be empty.
　　‘I’ll switch on my torch very quickly, flash it round the kitchen, and see if there’s anyonestanding quietly there,’ he thought. ‘I can easily run out of the door if there is.’
　　So he took his torch from his pocket, and suddenly pressed down the switch. He flashed it to thesink, where the pump stood. There was no one there. He flashed it all round the kitchen. It wasquite empty. There was no sign of anyone at all.
　　Jack heaved a sigh of relief. He went across to the sink and examined the floor beside it. Therewas again a puddle there - but was it a freshly made one from the sink splashes - or was it thesame one they themselves had made when they used the pump?
　　Jack couldn’t tell. He looked closely at the pump, but that told him nothing, of course.
　　‘It’s a puzzle,’ Jack said to Kiki, in a whisper. ‘I suppose the clank and the splashing were allmy silly imagination. I was frightened, and people always imagine things then. I imagined thatflash in the tower, and I imagined the clanking noise and the splashing. Kiki, I’m as timid as Lucy-Ann - I really am.’
　　Still feeling a bit puzzled, but rather ashamed of all his fears and alarms, Jack went back to hisbed in the courtyard.
　　It seemed uncomfortably hard now. Also he was a bit cold. He pulled the rugs round him andtried to get comfortable. He shut his eyes and told himself to go to sleep. The moon seemed tohave gone now, and everything was pitch-black. Whatever he heard or saw, Jack was determinedhe was not going to leave his bed again that night. Let people flash lights all they liked, and pumpwater all night long if they wanted to! He wouldn’t bother about it!
　　He was wide awake. He simply couldn’t go to sleep. He didn’t feel frightened any more. Heonly felt annoyed because sleep wouldn’t come to him. He began to think about his eagles, andplanned some fine camera work for the next day.
　　He could feel Kiki perched on his shoulderbone. He knew she had her head under her wing, andwas sleeping. He wished she was awake and would talk to him. He wished the other children werewith him. Then he could tell them what he had imagined he saw and heard.
　　At last he fell asleep, just as the dawn was making the eastern sky silvery. He didn’t see it turngold and pink, nor did he see the first soaring flight of the two eagles. He slept soundly, and so didKiki. But she awoke at the first yelping scream of one of the eagles, and answered it with one ofher marvellous imitations.
　　That woke Jack with a jump, and he sat up. Kiki flew off his shoulder, waited till he called her,and flew back again. Jack rubbed his eyes and yawned.
　　‘I’m hungry,’ he said to Kiki. ‘Are you?’
　　‘Fusty, musty, dusty,’ said Kiki, remembering the three words she had so much liked the daybefore. ‘Fusty, mus . . .’
　　‘Yes, I heard you the first time,’ said Jack. ‘I say, Kiki, do you remember how we got up in themiddle of the night and went to the tower and to the kitchen?’
　　Kiki apparently did. She scratched her beak with one of her feet and looked at Jack. ‘What apity, what a pity!’ she remarked.
　　‘Yes - I think it was a pity we disturbed ourselves so much,’ said Jack. ‘I was an idiot, Kiki.
　　Now that it’s broad daylight, and I’m wide awake, I begin to think I must have dreamt or imaginedall that happened in the night - not that anything much did happen, anyway.’
　　Kiki listened with her head on one side. Jack unwrapped himself from the rug. ‘I tell you what,Kiki - we won’t either of us mention that flash in the tower, or the mysterious clanking orsplashing we thought we heard, see? The others would only laugh at us - and Lucy-Ann andTassie might be frightened. I’m sure it was all my imagination.’
　　Kiki appeared to agree with every word. She helped Jack to get biscuits out of a packet, andfruit out of a bag, and watched him take the top off a bottle of ginger beer.
　　‘I wonder what time the others will be up,’ said Jack, beginning his breakfast. ‘We’ll try andtake a few pictures before they come, shall we, Kiki?’
第13章 夜半声响
　　第13章 夜半声响
　　杰克又顺着阶梯下了塔楼，边走边吹着口哨。琪琪也在一旁附和着。碰到她熟悉的曲调，她就会跟杰克一起从头哼到尾。
　　杰克回到院子里。大雕没有现身，它们应该已经回巢休息了。就在杰克迈步走时，一阵窸窸窣窣的奔跑声在院子某处响起。
　　“是野兔！”杰克喜出望外，“天哪，听上去有很多啊！我想它们每晚这时候都会出来吧。我要到沙地那里去躺着观察它们。琪琪，不许你去吓唬它们！”
　　他带着两条厚毯子和一袋巧克力饼干来到柔软的沙地上。他把自己包裹起来，看着兔子们从洞里爬出来，四处走动。
　　那是个很棒的观察点。他看到了大兔子、小兔子，黑兔子、灰兔子，都那么活泼好动。它们中有的在草丛里东啃一口西啃一口，有的则疯狂地来回跳跃。
　　杰克很满足地躺在那里，小口小口地吃着饼干，享受着香甜的巧克力味道。他愉快地看着兔子们，琪琪也在看，还时不时地小声说着话。
　　“我敢说，那两只雕抓了不少兔子。”杰克想着想着，觉得有点困了。他吃完最后一块饼干，把毯子裹得更严实些，因为他感到有点冷了。身下的沙子没有刚才软和了，杰克只希望不要变得更不舒服。或许他应该选择在一片石楠丛里睡觉的。
　　“我实在太困了，不想换地方了。”他心里想，“琪琪，你挪开点，你的爪子都要扎进我脖子里了。你最好别停在我身上，换个地方睡觉去吧。”
　　但是，琪琪还没来得及挪窝，杰克就已经睡着了。琪琪便待着不动。周围的兔子胆子都大起来，逐渐靠近这个睡着了的男孩。半个月亮出现在夜空中，月光照亮这梦幻般的院子。
　　什么东西跳了一下，把杰克给惊醒了。他猛地睁开眼睛，发现自己躺在地上，眼里充满疑惑。一时间，他竟不知道自己身在何处。
　　以往他醒来看到的会是天花板，然而，现在他看到的是星星和云朵。他突然想起来了——他此刻正躺在老城堡的院子里。他坐起身来，琪琪也被惊醒，正恼怒地发出抱怨的叫声。
　　“是什么把我吵醒的？”杰克在心里发问，一边环视幽暗的院子。月亮从云层中探出头，借着月光，他看到几只兔子散落在院子里，院子那头是黑漆漆的巨大城堡。
　　杰克很肯定，一定有什么东西把他吵醒了。难道是什么声响，或者是一只兔子从他身上跳过？他竖起耳朵仔细听，却只听到猫头鹰嗷嗷的叫声，以及忙着捉虫的蝙蝠发出的吱吱声。
　　他抬起头望向他之前在上面挥舞白衬衫的塔楼——突然，他吓得不敢动弹——他很确定，他看到塔楼上闪过一道光！
　　他瞪大眼睛仔细看着，等待光再次闪现。那亮光就好像是一束手电筒的亮光。遗憾的是，那道亮光再也没有出现过。
　　杰克坐在那里使劲想着，思绪万千：那是手电筒的光吗？难道有人走过城墙，爬到了塔楼上面？是这人的脚步声吵醒了自己？城堡里到底还有没有人？
　　这一切看上去实在是太诡异了。杰克不知道该做些什么。他真的不想站起来，去搞清楚那道亮光是什么——如果真有这道亮光的话。他现在开始怀疑自己看错了。要是真有亮光，他一定还能看见。
　　他认为因为害怕而待在原地不敢行动是懦夫的表现。他现在应该起来，设法走到塔楼上，去看看那里是否有人。那才是勇者应该做的事。
　　“我一点也不勇敢，”杰克心里说，“但我想，一个人能在已经感到害怕的情况下依然鼓起勇气做些什么，那才是最勇敢的表现。所以，动身吧。”
　　杰克示意琪琪不要出声，然后小心翼翼地穿过院子，来到城堡的入口。奇怪的是，他竟然感到琪琪的爪子抓在他的肩膀上非常舒服。
　　他走进城堡大厅，仔细听，没有听到一丝声音。他打开手电筒，谨慎地用手帕盖住光线。大厅里空无一物。杰克走上宽大的石阶来到城墙上，又一路蹑手蹑脚贴着墙走到塔楼下。
　　“我应该上去吗？”男孩自言自语，“我一点也不想上去。如果上面有人，那他肯定也没干好事。那道亮光会不会是我的幻觉？”
　　最后，他鼓起勇气，轻轻踏上塔楼的阶梯。塔楼房间里没有人。他继续往上，来到塔顶，小心地伸出头张望。明亮的月光照亮了一切，这里也没有人。
　　“好吧，那就是我的幻觉了。”杰克心想，“我真够傻的，还是回去继续睡觉吧。”
　　杰克原路返回，琪琪依然停在他的肩头。就在进入大厅的时候，他突然停住了。他听到了一个响声。是什么？
　　先是沉闷的哐啷声，接着，是水溅出来的声音？
　　“是谁在厨房吗——在打水？”杰克心想，背后传来一阵凉意，“天哪，我讨厌这感觉。
　　要是他们都在就好了。”
　　他一动不动地站着，不知该怎么办。片刻之后，恐惧将他打败，他飞也似的逃出大厅，回到院子里，躲在阴影之中。他不住地发抖，琪琪俯下身在他耳边说着安慰的话。她明白，他已经吓坏了。
　　一两分钟后，杰克就为自己刚才的行为感到脸红了。“我为什么要逃呢？”他对自己说，“逃有什么用？我要证明自己不是胆小鬼，我要去厨房看看到底是谁在那里！肯定是那个流浪汉，他从其他通道进来。他见到我肯定更害怕！”
　　杰克飞快地回到古老的城堡里。穿过大厅，轻轻地朝厨房走去。他溜进过道，然后躲进门后。他等在那里，聚精会神地听着、看着，看是否还会出现什么亮光。
　　但是，还是一片寂静。没有按动压水杆的声音，也没有水溅出的声音。就这样，杰克和琪琪静静地等着。
　　厨房里连人呼吸的声音都没有，一定没有人。
　　“我可以打开手电筒，快速地照一下厨房，看看是否有人站在那里。”杰克下定决心，“如果有人，我也可以很快逃出去。”
　　于是，他从口袋里取出手电筒，猛然按下开关。他把手电筒快速扫向水槽和压水井。
　　没有人，连个人影都没有。
　　杰克松了口气。他走向水槽，边上依然是一摊水。这是刚才溅出来的水，还是昨天他们打水时溅出来的？
　　杰克无法确定。他仔细查看了压水井，但看不出任何端倪。
　　“这真是个谜。”杰克轻声对琪琪说，“哐啷声和溅水声大概也都是我的幻觉。人受到惊吓，就会产生幻觉。塔楼上的亮光和这里的声音统统都是我的幻觉。琪琪，我其实和露西安一样胆小！”
　　虽然还是感到有点困惑，也为自己的胆小感到害羞，杰克不再理会这些，返回院子睡觉去了。
　　此时沙地已经硬得让人不舒服了。杰克还感到有点冷。他把毯子裹裹紧，想尽量弄得舒服些。他闭上眼睛，强迫自己赶紧入睡。月亮似乎躲了起来，周围的一切都陷入阴暗之中。今晚不论再看见什么或听见什么，杰克都不打算起身离开他的“床”了。他们要照手电筒就让他们照去吧，他们想打水就打去吧，打一夜水都可以！他不在乎！
　　他失眠了，怎么也睡不着。恐惧感已经消失，只剩懊恼，因为睡意也消失了。他开始想他的大雕，心中盘算着明天能拍到什么样的好照片。
　　琪琪现在正停在他的肩膀上，头埋在翅膀下，呼呼大睡。杰克希望琪琪能醒来，跟他说说话。他也希望其他孩子能在这里陪着他，而他则会详细地告诉他们刚才发生的一切，他看到的，听到的，以及幻想到的。
　　最后，杰克终于睡着了，此时晨曦已经划破了最东面的天空。他没有看到天空一点点亮起来，由金色变为粉红；他也没有看到两只大雕翱翔在清晨的天空中。他睡得很香，琪琪也是，但是琪琪在其中一只大雕发出第一声鸣叫的时候醒来了，她惟妙惟肖地模仿大雕的叫声，向它们问好。
　　琪琪的叫声一下子把杰克惊醒，他一骨碌爬了起来。杰克打着哈欠揉了揉眼睛。
　　“我好饿啊，”杰克对琪琪说，“你呢？”
　　“发霉、肮脏、古怪！”琪琪用这三个词回答杰克，“发霉，肮脏……”
　　“好了，我听见了。”杰克说，“琪琪，你还记得我们半夜爬起来去塔楼和厨房吗？”
　　琪琪当然记得。她看着杰克，抬起一只爪子挠了挠嘴。“真可怜！真可怜！”她突然说道。
　　“是啊，我也觉得我们好可怜，自己吓唬自己。”杰克说，“我可真蠢，琪琪。现在天已经亮了，我也完全清醒了，我觉得那一切好像都是梦境或者幻觉，反正肯定什么都没有发生过。”
　　琪琪偏着头仔细听着。杰克拿开身上的毯子，继续说道：“你听着，琪琪，我们谁也不许再提塔楼上的亮光，还有厨房里的哐啷声和溅水声。其他人会笑话我们的，而且，黛娜和露西安听了肯定会害怕。我肯定那些都只是我的幻觉。”
　　琪琪看上去同意杰克说的每一个字。她帮杰克从袋子里拿出一包饼干，还有水果，看杰克打开他的姜汁汽水。
　　“不知道他们什么时候来。”杰克一边吃着早餐一边说，“趁他们还没来，我们先去拍些照片，怎么样，琪琪？”
14 Jack gets a shock
　　14 Jack gets a shock
　　After he had had his breakfast Jack went to his hide. It was a lovely day. He could take some finepictures if only the eagles were there.
　　He wrapped the thickest rug round him and crawled in through the prickly stems of the gorse.
　　Kiki remained outside this time.
　　When he was in the hollow centre of the bush Jack examined his camera to make sure that itwas all right. It was. He looked through the shutter to see if he had it trained exactly on the nest.
　　‘Perfect!’ he thought. ‘That young eagle appears to be asleep. I might get a good picture when itwakes up. I suppose the other birds are soaring miles high into the sky.’
　　It was boring, waiting for the eagle to wake up. But Jack didn’t mind. Both he and Philip knewthat the ability to keep absolutely still and silent for a long time on end was essential to the studyof birds and animals in their natural surroundings. So Jack settled back in the gorse bush, andwaited.
　　Kiki went off on errands of her own. She flew to the top of the nearest tower and looked downon the countryside. She flew down to the courtyard and looked inside a paper bag there, hoping tofind a forgotten biscuit. She sat on the branch of a birch tree, practising quietly to herself thebarking noise that Button the fox cub made. So long as Jack was somewhere near she was happy.
　　He was safe in that gorse bush. Kiki didn’t know why he had chosen such a peculiar resting place,but Jack was always wise in her eyes.
　　The young eagle suddenly awoke and stretched out first one wing and then another. It climbedto the edge of the nest and looked out over the ledge, waiting for its parents to come back.
　　‘Fine!’ whispered Jack, and pressed the trigger of the camera to take the eagle’s picture. Theyoung bird heard the click and cowered down at once - but the snap had been taken!
　　Soon the bird recovered from its fright and climbed up again. Then, with yelps, the two growneagles came gliding down on outspread wings, and the young one greeted them gladly, spreadingout its wings and quivering them.
　　One of the eagles had a young hare clutched in its claws. It dropped it into the nest. At once theyoungster covered the food with its big wings, cowered over it, and began to pull at it hungrilywith its powerful beak.
　　Jack snapped it. All three birds heard the click and looked towards the gorse bush suspiciously.
　　The male eagle glared and Jack felt uncomfortable. He hoped the bird wouldn’t pounce at thegleaming camera lens and ambush it.
　　But Kiki saved the situation by flying down in a most comradely manner to the eagles, andsaluting them in their own yelping language.
　　They appeared to be quite pleased to see her again although the young eagle covered the deadhare threateningly with its wings as if to keep Kiki off.
　　‘Open your books at page six,’ said Kiki pleasantly. The eagles looked startled. They had notyet got used to the parrot talking in human language. She barked like Button, and they lookedrather alarmed.
　　The female eagle bent herself forward, opened her cruel beak, and made a curious snarlingnoise, warning Kiki to be careful. She at once spoke in eagle language again, and gave such a finescream that both eagles were satisfied. The young one fell upon its meal and ate till it could eat nomore. Then it sank back into the big nest.
　　The female eagle finished the dead hare in a very short while. Jack got another wonderful snapwhilst it was tearing up its food.
　　This time, except for an enquiring look in the direction of the click, the eagles took no notice.
　　‘Good,’ thought Jack. ‘They won’t mind the click soon or the gleaming eye of the camera!’
　　He spent a pleasant morning, using up the rest of his film, delighted to think of the wonderfulpictures he could develop. He imagined them in nature magazines, with his name under them asphotographer. How proud he would feel!
　　Kiki suddenly gave a most excited squawk, making the two grown eagles rise in the air inalarm. She flew into the air, and made for the wall that ran round the courtyard. Jack, peeringthrough the back of his hiding-place, saw her fly right over the wall, and disappear.
　　‘Now where’s she gone?’ he thought. ‘I was just going to take a picture of her and the twoeagles together.’
　　Kiki was gone for about half an hour before Jack saw her again. Then she came into thecourtyard on Tassie’s shoulder! She had heard the other children coming up the hillside and hadflown to meet them. They had got into the castle in the usual way, and were now looking for Jack.
　　The eagles soared into the air when they heard the children coming towards their crag. Jackgave a hail from the inside of his hide.
　　‘I’m here! Hallo, it’s good to see you. Wait a sec and I’ll be out.’
　　He crawled out with the rug round him and went down to the others. Lucy-Ann eyed himanxiously, and was relieved to see him looking cheerful and well. So he hadn’t minded his lonelynight at the castle after all.
　　‘We’ve brought a fine dinner,’ said Philip. ‘Mother managed to get some cooked ham and a bigfruit cake in the village.’
　　‘Good!’ said Jack, realising that he was terribly hungry. ‘I’ve only had biscuits and fruit for mybreakfast, washed down with ginger beer.’
　　‘We’ve got some more ginger beer too,’ said Dinah. ‘Where shall we have our dinner? On thetop of the tower again or where?’
　　‘Here, I think,’ said Jack, ‘because the light is perfect for taking pictures this morning, and ifthose eagles come back I want a few more snaps of them. I’ve an idea they are going to make thatyoung one fly soon. The female eagle tried to tip it off the edge of the nest this morning.’
　　‘Kiki came to meet us,’ said Tassie. ‘Did you see how Button came in this morning, Jack? Weleft him outside, but he’s here again.’
　　‘No, I didn’t,’ said Jack. ‘I can’t see much from the inside of that gorse bush, you know. Weshall never find out how Button gets in - bet it’s down an old rabbit-hole. He won’t be able to dothat when he gets a bit bigger. Has he been good?’
　　‘Not very,’ said Philip. ‘He somehow got into the larder and gobbled up all Mother’s sausages.
　　She wasn’t at all pleased. I can’t imagine how he can eat anything else at the moment. He musthave eaten a pound and a half of sausages.’
　　‘Greedy pig,’ said Jack, giving Button half his ham sandwich. ‘You don’t deserve this butyou’re so sweet I can’t help spoiling you.’
　　‘It’s a pity he smells so strong,’ said Dinah, wrinkling up her nose. ‘You won’t be able to keephim when he’s grown a bit more, Philip - he’ll smell too much.’
　　‘That’s all you know!’ said Philip. ‘I shall probably keep him till he dies of old age.’
　　‘Well, you’ll have to wear a gas mask then,’ said Jack, grinning. ‘Another sandwich, please,Dinah. Golly, these are good.’
　　‘What sort of a night did you have, Jack?’ asked Lucy-Ann, who was sitting as close to Jack asshe could.
　　‘Oh, very good,’ said Jack airily. ‘I woke up once and took some time to go to sleep again.’
　　He was determined not to say anything about his alarms and fears in the night. They seemed sosilly now, in the full sunshine with people all round him.
　　‘You should have seen the rabbits in the late evening,’ he said to Philip. ‘You’d have lovedthem. They wouldn’t come to me of course, but I daresay you’d have got them all over you! Theyseemed as tame as anything.’
　　The four children stayed with Jack till after tea. Each crept into his hide to watch the eagles.
　　They went up to the tower again, and Jack cautiously looked round to see if there was anythingdifferent about the tower - a cigarette end, a scrap of paper - but there was nothing at all.
　　‘Won’t you come back with us tonight, Jack?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘Of course not,’ said Jack, though secretly he felt that he would rather like to. ‘Is it likely, just asI’m certain that young eagle is going to learn to fly?’
　　‘All right,’ said Lucy-Ann, with a sigh, ‘I don’t know why I hate you being here alone in thishorrid old castle, but I just do.’
　　‘It’s not a horrid castle,’ said Jack. ‘It’s just old and forgotten, but it’s not horrid.’
　　‘Well, I think it is,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I think horrid, wicked things have been done here in thepast - and I think they might be done again in the future.’
　　‘You’re just dreaming,’ said Jack, ‘and you’re frightening poor Tassie. It’s only an old emptyplace, forgotten for years, with nobody in it at all except me and the eagles, bats and rabbits.’
　　‘It’s time to go,’ said Philip, getting up. ‘We brought you another rug, Jack, in case you feltcold. Coming to see us off at the window?’
　　‘Yes, of course,’ said Jack, and they all went inside the castle, their footsteps echoing on thestone floor. They went to the room where the plank reached to the windowsill, and one by onethey got across.
　　Lucy-Ann called a farewell to Jack.
　　‘Thank you for waving your shirt to me last night!’ she called. ‘And oh, Jack, I saw you flashingyour torch from the tower later on, too! I was in bed, but I was awake and I saw the flash of thetorch three or four times. It was nice of you to do that. I was glad to see it and to know you wereawake too!’
　　‘Come on, Lucy-Ann, for goodness’ sake!’ called Dinah. ‘You know Mother said we weren’t tobe late tonight.’
　　‘All right, I’m coming,’ said Lucy-Ann, and slid down the creepers to the ground. Everyonecalled goodbye and then they were gone.
　　But Jack was left feeling most puzzled and uncomfortable! So there had been someone in thetower last night flashing a torch! He hadn’t dreamt it or imagined it. It was true.
　　‘Lucy-Ann saw it, so that proves I wasn’t mistaken as I thought,’ said the boy to himself as hewent back to the courtyard. ‘It’s terribly mysterious. That clanking I heard and the splashing musthave been real too. There is someone else here - but who - and why?’
　　He wished now that he had told the others the happenings in the night. But it was too late, theywere gone. Jack now longed to be gone with them! Suppose he heard noises again and sawflashes? He didn’t like it. It was weird and eerie and altogether unpleasant.
　　‘Shall I go after the others and join them?’ he thought. ‘No, I won’t. I’ll wait and try and findout who’s here. Fancy Lucy-Ann seeing those flashes! I am glad she told me!’
第14章 杰克吓到了
　　第14章 杰克吓到了
　　杰克吃完早餐就来到巨石上的隐藏点。今天天气非常好，只要大雕们出现，他就能拍出很棒的照片。
　　他披上厚毯子，钻进扎人的荆棘丛。琪琪在外头等着。
　　杰克在荆棘丛里检查他的相机——它一切正常。他又查看了取景框——角度正好对着雕巢。
　　“非常完美！”杰克心想，“小雕好像正在睡觉，我在这里等着，到时能拍它刚醒来的样子。我想它的爸爸妈妈正在远处的高空中翱翔。”
　　干等小雕醒来真的很无聊，不过杰克不介意。他和菲利普都很明白，在自然界观察鸟类等动物时，掌握长时间保持静止的能力非常关键。杰克此时就安静地坐在荆棘丛里，耐心等待。
　　琪琪去干自己的事儿了。她飞到最近的塔楼顶上，俯视城堡的院子；她又飞到院子里，把头探进一只纸袋子里，希望能在里头找到一块饼干；然后她飞上一棵白桦树的树枝，悄悄练习小纽扣的叫声。只要杰克在，琪琪就很开心。杰克在荆棘丛里很安全，虽然琪琪不明白为什么他会选择这样一个糟糕的地方休息，但在琪琪眼里，他总是很明智的。
　　那只小雕突然睡醒了。它伸展开一边的翅膀，接着是另一边。它爬到巢的边缘，向外望去，等待爸爸妈妈回家。
　　“真不错！”杰克小声说道，一边及时按下快门，拍下小雕的精彩瞬间。小雕听到了相机快门的声音，吓得赶紧蜷缩了起来——不过，照片已经拍到了！
　　一会儿工夫，小雕已经克服了恐惧，重新爬了上来。伴随着声声鸣叫，那两只大雕伸展翅膀，滑翔而下。小雕兴奋地朝它们致意，张开翅膀欢迎它们归来。
　　一只大雕把爪子里抓着的小野兔扔进巢里。小雕立刻用翅膀护住它的食物，然后贪婪地吃了起来。
　　杰克拍下了这一幕。这下，一家子都听到了快门的声音，一起吃惊地朝荆棘丛看去。
　　雄性大雕睁眼怒视着，杰克感到一阵心慌。他希望这只大鸟不会一下子扑上来，袭击他的相机镜头。
　　这时，琪琪飞过来打破了僵局。她模仿雕的叫声向它们亲切致意。
　　看到这只奇怪的小鸟又回来了，大雕们显然都非常高兴，只有小雕很警惕地护着它的野兔，生怕被琪琪抢走了。
　　“翻开课本第六页。”琪琪开心地说。大雕们露出惊讶的神情。它们还不习惯一只鸟说人类的语言。接着，琪琪又发出了小纽扣的叫声，它们立刻变得警觉起来。
　　雌性大雕身子前倾，张开嘴发出古怪的叫声，警告琪琪要小心。琪琪赶紧又模仿雕的声音叫了一声，告诉大雕们不要担心。小雕专心致志地吃着它的食物，把自己的那份肉都吃完后，它满足地坐回了巢里。
　　雌性大雕很快把剩下的野兔吃完。杰克非常及时地拍下了它撕扯食物的照片。
　　这次，大雕们忽略了快门的声音，也没有朝相机投来探询的目光。
　　“好极了，”杰克心想，“它们不再介意快门和镜头了。”
　　他度过了一个愉快的早晨，也用光了胶卷。他确信拍下了许多精彩的照片，想象着照片被刊登在各种自然杂志上，照片下则是他的大名。真让人感到自豪！
　　突然，琪琪兴奋地尖叫了一声，两只大雕立刻警觉地飞到空中。琪琪呼扇着翅膀朝城墙飞去。杰克透过荆棘丛，发现她飞过城墙，消失了。
　　“她要去哪儿？”杰克心想，“我正打算拍她和两只大雕在一起的照片呢。”
　　半小时后，琪琪回来了，站在塔西的肩膀上回到了院子里！原来，她刚才听到了孩子们在山坡上行进的声音，飞过去迎接他们了。他们还是从原路进来的，正在院子里寻找杰克的身影。
　　听到孩子们朝这里过来的声音，大雕们一下子飞升到高空。杰克在荆棘丛里向他们打招呼：“嘿，我在这儿！见到你们太高兴啦。等一下，我马上出来。”
　　他披着毯子钻出荆棘丛，然后爬下巨石。露西安紧张地端详他，发现他看上去很愉快。露西安松了口气，看样子他根本不介意孤零零地在城堡里过夜。
　　“我们给你带了很多好吃的。”菲利普说，“妈妈设法在村子里买到了火腿肉和一个大水果蛋糕。”
　　“太棒了！”杰克这才发现自己已经饿坏了，“早上我只吃了一些饼干和水果，就着姜汁汽水。”
　　“我们也带了姜汁汽水，”黛娜说，“我们在哪儿吃午餐呢？还去塔楼上还是哪里？”
　　“就在这里吃吧。”杰克说，“上午的光线特别好，如果大雕们回来，我还要去给它们拍照。我认为它们准备要教小雕飞行了。今早，雕妈妈打算把小雕弄到巢外。”
　　“琪琪去迎接我们了。”塔西说，“你看到小纽扣是怎么进来的了吗？我们把它留在外面，可是它一下子又进来了。”
　　“不，我没看到。”杰克说，“我躲在荆棘丛里什么也看不到。我们可能永远也不知道小纽扣是怎么进来的了——八成儿就是从一个野兔洞里进来的。它再长大点，就钻不进野兔洞了。它今天乖吗？”
　　“不怎么乖，”菲利普说，“它钻进了橱柜，吃光了妈妈的香肠。妈妈很生气。它几乎吃了一磅半的香肠。”
　　“贪吃的小猪！”杰克说着给了小纽扣半块三明治，“其实你不能吃这个，但你太可爱啦，我就忍不住想喂你好吃的。”
　　“太可惜了，它身上有味儿。”黛娜说着皱了皱鼻子，“它再长大点你就不能养它了，菲利普，那时候它就太臭了。”
　　“就你知道！”菲利普说，“我会一直养着它，直到它变老！”
　　“好吧，那你得戴上防毒面具。”杰克笑着说，“再给我一块三明治，黛娜，太好吃了！”
　　“昨晚怎么样，杰克？”露西安紧挨着杰克，关切地问。
　　“不错。”杰克无所谓地说，“我醒来过一次，过了好一会儿才又睡着。”
　　他决定不把昨晚的遭遇和恐惧告诉大家。在这耀眼的阳光之下，在伙伴们之中，昨晚那些想法现在显得特别傻。
　　“后半夜你应该见到了许多野兔。”菲利普说，“你很喜欢它们吧？当然了，它们不敢靠近我，但是我觉得它们肯定喜欢你，它们都那么温驯。”
　　四个孩子一直陪着杰克直到吃完下午茶。他们轮流钻进荆棘丛去观察雕的一家子。他们也一起爬上塔楼，杰克留心观察塔楼上有什么变化——比如一截烟头或一张纸屑——但什么异常都没有。
　　“你今晚也不和我们一起回去吗，杰克？”露西安问。
　　“当然不回去。”杰克说，虽然在心底，他还是很想回去的，“我敢肯定，那两只大雕很快要教小雕飞翔啦。”
　　“那好吧，”露西安说着叹了口气，“我一点都不希望你一个人待在这恐怖的老城堡里，但也只能随便你。”
　　“这里不恐怖，”杰克说，“这里只是很古老，被人遗忘了，但一点也不恐怖。”
　　“但我认为这里很恐怖，”露西安说，“我肯定这里曾经发生过什么邪恶的事，很可能将来还会发生。”
　　“这只是你的想象，”杰克说，“你把可怜的塔西吓坏了！这里只是一座空空的城堡，被人遗忘了数年，除了我、这雕一家子还有野兔们，没有其他人进来过。”
　　“我们该回去了。”菲利普说着站了起来，“我们又给你带了条毯子，怕你晚上冷。到小窗那儿送送我们吧？”
　　“那是当然。”杰克说。他们一起走进了城堡，脚步声回荡在大厅里。他们来到那个房间，一个接一个地从架在窗台上的木板上爬了过去。露西安跟杰克道别。
　　“谢谢你昨晚记得朝我挥衬衫！”露西安喊道，“哦，对了，我还看到你在塔楼上打手电。那时我已经上床了，但没有睡，我看到三四次手电筒的光。你这么做太贴心了，我很高兴能看到这些光，让我知道你也没睡着！”
　　“快走吧，露西安！”黛娜在下面叫道，“你知道我妈妈说过今天不能再这么晚回家了！”
　　“知道了，我来啦！”露西安说着溜下峭壁。最后大家都大声地跟杰克说了声“再见”，然后离开了。
　　但是，杰克此时却感到非常困惑和不舒服！因为，昨晚，塔楼上确实是有人在打手电！那不是他的幻觉或梦境，那是现实。
　　“露西安看到了亮光，那证明我昨晚没有看错。”杰克自言自语道，“这太神奇了！哐啷声和溅水声也一定都是真的。那里一定有人——但是谁呢？——为什么待在那里呢？”
　　他很后悔没有把昨晚的经历告诉大家。一切都晚了，他们已经走了。杰克现在多想跟他们走啊！今晚是不是也要看到亮光，听到声响呢？他可不喜欢这样。这一切显得太诡异、太恐怖，实在让人感到很不舒服！
　　“我现在应该赶紧出去跟上他们吗？”他心想，“不行，我不出去。我一定要找出谁在那儿。我很高兴露西安告诉我她昨晚看到塔楼上发出的亮光了！”
15 The hidden room
　　15 The hidden room
　　Jack wandered back to his hide. He felt safe there. He was sure no one would ever think of lookingin the very middle of a prickly, thick gorse bush for anyone. As evening fell he felt sleepy. Shouldhe try and go to sleep now, and keep awake later on? Could he possibly go to sleep in the hollowgorse bush?
　　He curled up in the thickest rug and made a pillow of another one. Kiki crawled in beside himand perched uncomfortably on his knees, her head bent to avoid a prickly bit of gorse. The eagleswere not to be seen. The young one was down in the nest. Anyway, the light was now too bad tobother about photographs.
　　Jack managed to fall asleep. He snored a little, for he had his head in an uncomfortable position.
　　Kiki imitated the snore perfectly for a little while, and then, as Jack made no remark about it toher, put her head under her wing and slept too.
　　Jack slept till midnight. Then he awoke suddenly, feeling dreadfully uncomfortable. Hestretched out, wondering where he was, and was immediately and painfully pricked by the gorse.
　　He drew his legs in again hastily.
　　‘I’m in the gorse bush, of course,’ he said to himself. ‘I must have been asleep for ages. What’sthe time?’
　　He looked at the phosphorescent hands of his watch and saw that it was ten past midnight.
　　‘Hm,’ said Jack, ‘Just about the time that someone in the castle starts to wake up! I suppose, if Iam going to do any tracking, I’d better get out of here and watch and listen.’
　　He crept painfully out of the bush, disturbing Kiki, who protested loudly till he made her besilent. ‘I’ll leave you behind if you make a row like that!’ whispered Jack furiously. Kiki fellsilent. She always knew when Jack wanted her to be quiet.
　　Now he was out of the bush, climbing silently down the crag, glad of the faint light of themoon, now a little bigger than the night before. He came into the yard and stood listening.
　　There was no sound to be heard except the wind blowing fairly hard. And then Jack thought heheard the far off sound of water splashing again - and the clank of the pump handle!
　　He stood listening. After a while he felt sure he heard quiet footsteps on stone somewhere - wasit someone walking on the castle wall - going to the tower to flash a torch again?
　　‘Well, if he’s gone to the tower, he’s safely out of the castle,’ thought Jack. ‘I’ll go in and see ifI can discover any signs of him - where he hides, for instance. He must live somewhere! But itdidn’t look as if anyone had gone into any of those furnished rooms in the castle. So where in theworld does he hide? And what about food? Gosh, it’s a mystery!’
　　The boy stole quietly into the castle, Kiki on his shoulder. He was too excited to feel frightenedtonight. Now that he was certain someone else was in the castle besides himself he was tooanxious to find out about them to feel any real fears.
　　He went into the hall of the castle - and at once something struck him with surprise - there wasa light coming from somewhere! A dim light certainly, but a light. Jack stared round him, puzzled.
　　Then he saw where it came from. It came from the floor - or rather, underneath the floor of thehall! The boy stepped forward cautiously. He came to a hole in the floor of the hall - there was notrap-door; it looked exactly like a hole, and yet Jack was sure it had never been there before - andup from this hole came the light.
　　Jack looked down. Stone steps went down into whatever was below - cellar or dungeon, hedidn’t know. He ran swiftly to the front entrance of the castle to see if anyone was in the tower. Ifthere was, there would be time for him to slip down the steps and explore.
　　He saw a flash from the tower. Good. Whoever was there was signalling again. It would be aminute or two before they came back. There would be time to explore this curious opening. In aflash Jack was down the stone steps and then looked around him in the very greatest surprise.
　　He seemed to be in a kind of museum! He was in a large, underground room, with tapestries onthe stone walls, and a thick covering on the floor. Round the room stood suits of armour, just asthere often are in a museum. Old heavy chairs stood here and there, and a long narrow table, withcrockery and glass on it, ran the length of the room.
　　Jack stared round in the utmost astonishment. Everything was old - but it was plain that thisroom was not neglected and deserted as the other furnished rooms were. There were no cobwebshere, no dust.
　　In the corner was a big old four-poster bed, hung with heavy tapestries. Jack went over to it. Ithad obviously been slept in, for the pillows were dented, and the sheets hurriedly thrown back as ifsomeone had leapt out in a hurry.
　　There was a pitcher of ice-cold water on the table. ‘Got from the pump, I suppose!’ thoughtJack. ‘So that’s why there are always puddles on the floor there. Someone goes for water eachnight.’
　　Kiki flew to a suit of armour and stood on the helmet, looking in through the visor as if sheexpected to glimpse someone inside. Jack giggled a little. Evidently Kiki thought the suits ofarmour were real people and couldn’t understand them at all.
　　At this moment he thought he heard a noise, and in sudden fright he darted up the stone steps tothe top, taking Kiki with him. He hopped out just in time, and fled to the dark shadows at the backof the hall. Then, fearing that the person whose footsteps he heard might see him by the light ofthe torch he was using, he went into one of the furnished rooms - the old drawing-room.
　　But in going inside he fell over a stool and came to the ground. The footsteps outside stoppedsuddenly. The torchlight went out. Evidently the person was standing perfectly still and listeninghard. He had heard the noise.
　　With his heart beating fast Jack slipped round the corner of an old couch, and knelt there, withKiki on his shoulder. Both were as quiet as they could be, but Jack couldn’t help feeling certainthat the man who was listening must be able to hear the beating of his heart!
　　The boy heard a cautious footstep coming into the room. Then there was silence again. Thenanother footstep sounded, a little nearer. Jack’s hair began to prickle on his scalp and stand upstraight. If the man came round the couch and switched on his torch, he would be bound to seeJack.
　　The boy’s heart pounded away, and his forehead felt suddenly wet. Kiki clung to his shoulder,feeling the fright of her master. She couldn’t bear it any longer.
　　She suddenly rose into the air and flew at the head of the unseen man, giving one of the yelpingscreams she had picked up from the eagles. He uttered a startled exclamation, and tried to beat offthe bird. His torch clattered to the floor. Jack hoped fervently that it was broken.
　　Kiki screeched again, this time like an express train, and the man lashed out at her. He caught afeather and ripped it out. Kiki found Jack once more, and perched on the crouching boy, growlinglike a dog.
　　‘Good heavens, this place is full of birds and dogs!’ said someone, in a disgusted voice, deepand hoarse. The man felt over the floor for his torch and at last found it.
　　‘Broken!’ he said and Jack heard the click as he tried to switch it on. ‘One of those eagles, Isuppose. What does it want to come indoors for?’
　　Muttering, the man went out. Jack heard a curious grating sound and then there was completesilence. He did not dare to get up for a long time, but crouched behind the enormous old sofa. Kikiappeared to have gone fast asleep on his shoulder.
　　At last he got cautiously up and tiptoed to the door, glad of his rubber shoes. He peeped out.
　　There was now no light to be seen shining up dimly from underground. All was darkness andsilence. Jack stared at the back of the hall. Somewhere over there had been a strange opening,leading to a hidden room - an old room, so full of strange things that it looked like a museum.
　　Maybe it was the very room where the wicked old man had hidden his guests and starved them sothat they were never heard of again! Jack didn’t like the thought at all.
　　Without trying to see what had happened to the curious opening, he ran into the courtyard andmade his way back to the old gorse bush. He felt safe there. He crawled in, accompanied bygroans and protestations from Kiki, and tried to settle down to go to sleep again.
　　But he couldn’t. His mind was full of that strange room, and he kept shuddering when heremembered how nearly he had been caught. If it hadn’t been for old Kiki he would certainly havebeen discovered. Another step or two and the man, whoever he was, would almost have troddenon him!
　　He wished that the others were with him. He longed to tell them. Well, they would be uptomorrow, so he must wait in patience. There didn’t seem any likelihood of the hidden mancoming out in the daytime. He was keeping well hidden for some reason. He wouldn’t expose hishiding-place by day and come out.
　　‘How does he get food?’ Jack wondered. It was easy to get water from the pump. But whatabout food? Well, perhaps that was what he signalled about from the tower. His torch sentmessages to friends. In that case other people might come. How in the world did they get in?
　　‘I believe this is an adventure!’ said Jack suddenly, and a funny feeling crept up his body. ‘Yes,it is. It’s the same feeling I had last year - when we sailed away to the Isle of Gloom, the Island ofAdventure, where so many things happened to us. Golly, what will the others say when I tell themwe’ve jumped straight into the middle of an adventure again! The Castle of Adventure! Philip wasright when he called it that.’
　　After an hour or two of thinking and wondering, Jack at last fell asleep again. He awoke to findlittle fingers of sunlight coming through the gorse bush, and was glad that the day had come. Heremembered the nighttime happenings, and wondered if that curious museum-like room couldhave been real.
　　‘Well, I certainly couldn’t have dreamt a room like that,’ thought Jack, tickling Kiki to wakeher. ‘It would be impossible!’
　　He crawled out of the bush and breakfasted on biscuits and plums, which the others had broughtto him the day before. He sat and looked thoughtfully at the castle. Who was hiding there?
　　Suddenly he went stiff and looked in amazement at two men walking through the courtyard.
　　They were going towards the castle. How in the world had they got in? There simply must besome way in - or had the men keys to one of the big gates or doors?
　　The men went into the castle. Evidently unlike the hidden man, they did not fear being seen indaylight. ‘Will the hidden man tell them he thought there was someone about last night?’ thoughtJack in a panic. ‘Will they come and look for me?’
第15章 一间密室
　　第15章 一间密室
　　杰克回到他的隐藏点，在那里，他感到很安全。他确信，谁都不会想到往这个扎人的荆棘丛里瞧，看里面是否有人。夜幕降临，睡意袭来。他是现在就睡呢，还是再强打精神撑一会儿？他能在荆棘丛里过夜吗？
　　他蜷起身子，钻进厚毛毯里，并用另一条毛毯做了个枕头。琪琪爬了进来，停在了杰克的膝盖上。她不得不低下头，以防被刺扎到。两只大雕还没有回巢，小雕在巢里趴着，看不到身影。无论如何，现在光线太暗，也不适合拍照。
　　杰克终于睡着了。他有点打呼噜，因为他的头摆得实在不舒服。琪琪开始一下一下地模仿杰克打呼噜。发现杰克并没有回应，琪琪也就埋起头睡觉了。
　　杰克一直睡到半夜，突然醒了过来，感到身体僵硬，一点也不舒服。他刚伸展了一下身子，就被荆棘丛的刺扎得生疼，赶紧把腿缩了回来。
　　“差点忘了我在荆棘丛里，”他自言自语道，“我大概已经睡了很久了，现在几点？”
　　他看了一眼手表，发现已经是半夜十二点十分。
　　“嗯，现在应该是城堡里那人醒来开始活动的时间了。”杰克想，“如果我要追踪他，我最好现在就去城堡那里探查一番。”说着，他忍痛从荆棘丛里往外钻，没想到吵醒了琪琪。
　　琪琪大声抗议，杰克赶紧上前制止：“你要是再乱叫，我就把你留在这里！”琪琪乖乖地闭上了嘴，她知道她什么时候该保持安静。
　　杰克钻出荆棘丛，然后轻轻地爬下巨石。今晚的月光比昨天亮。他来到院子里，站立住，侧耳倾听。
　　除了风呼啸的声音，周围没有其他声响。接着，杰克认为他听到了从远处传来的水花飞溅的声音，还有压水杆的哐啷声！
　　他站着没动。一会儿之后，他确信听到了石头上的脚步声——是有人从城墙上走过，然后到塔楼上去打手电吗？
　　“如果他去了塔楼，那表示他已经离开了城堡。”杰克心想，“现在我进城堡正是时候，去看看能不能发现他的藏身之处，有没有留下什么痕迹。他肯定住在城堡里的某个地方！
　　他到底藏在哪儿呢？他靠吃什么过活？天哪，这简直是个谜案！”
　　杰克悄悄走进了城堡，琪琪安静地停在他的肩头。今晚，他的兴奋远大于害怕。他很确定，除了他自己外，还有人住在城堡里。到底是谁？杰克急于找到答案，竟没有感到真切的恐惧。
　　他进入大厅——眼前的一幕令他震惊不已——不知哪里传来一道亮光！虽然很暗淡，但确实是亮光。杰克疑惑地四下里张望。
　　然后，他看清楚了亮光的来源。亮光从地板里来——准确地说，从大厅地板之下而来！杰克小心翼翼地往前走去，只见地板上有一个洞——那里并没有什么暗门，看起来就像是个洞，杰克非常确定，原本并没有这么个洞——而现在，光就是从这个洞里透射上来的。
　　杰克往下看去，石台阶向下延伸，通往地窖还是地牢，他不得而知。他快速跑到城堡门口，往塔楼上看，是否有人在上面。如果有，那他就可以沿石阶下去探个究竟。
　　他看到塔楼上有一束手电筒的光。太好了。不管是谁在塔楼上发信号，一两分钟之内回不来，他正好可以下去查看一番。杰克打着手电沿着石阶走了下去，眼前的景象让他大吃一惊。
　　他仿佛置身于某个博物馆！在这巨大的地下室里，石墙上挂满挂毯，地上铺着厚厚的地毯，周围摆放着一套套的盔甲，就跟在博物馆里看到的一样。古老而沉重的扶手椅这里一把，那里一把；又窄又长的木桌几乎跨过整个房间，桌上摆着一些陶器和玻璃器皿。
　　杰克瞪大眼睛环视房间一圈，简直惊讶极了。每一样东西都很古老——但很明显的是，这里和那些还有家具的房间不同。这里没有灰尘，也没有蜘蛛网。
　　角落里有一张带有四根帷柱的老式大床，周边挂着厚实的挂毯。杰克向床走过去。床上有人睡过的明显的痕迹，枕头是陷下去的，床单堆在一边，好似床上的人匆忙起床离开了房间。
　　桌子上的一个陶杯里还盛有冰凉的冷水。“一定是从压水井里打上来的水！”杰克想，“难怪压水井边总有一摊水，原来每天晚上都有人在打水。”
　　琪琪朝一套盔甲飞去，站在头盔上，朝面罩里面看，好像能在里头看见什么人似的。
　　杰克咯咯轻笑。显然，琪琪错把这套盔甲当成一个人了。
　　就在这时，杰克好像听到一个声响。他浑身一惊，然后带着琪琪飞快地冲向阶梯跑上楼。但愿他及时上来躲进大厅后部的阴影之中。脚步声越来越近，他害怕那个人是不是已经看见了他。情急之下，他进入了其中一个带家具的房间——起居室。
　　然而，就在进去的时候，他撞翻了房间里的一个小凳子。门外的脚步声突然停住了，手电筒光也熄灭了。显然，那个人正静静站立，仔细听着周围的动静。他听到了凳子翻倒的声音。
　　杰克的心怦怦直跳。他溜到起居室沙发后蹲了下来，琪琪依然牢牢地站在他的肩头。
　　他们俩尽可能保持安静，但杰克不由自主地觉得外面那人能听得到他心脏剧烈的跳动声！
　　杰克听到谨慎的脚步声进入了房间。接着，整个房间又陷入寂静。然后，脚步声再次响起，越来越近。杰克此时吓得毛发直立。如果那人绕过沙发，打开手电筒，他就能发现杰克！
　　杰克的心都快从嗓子眼里跳出来了，额头也已被冷汗浸湿。琪琪的爪子紧紧抓住杰克的肩头，她已经感受到小主人的恐惧。她再也受不了了。
　　突然，琪琪一个腾空，朝那个看不见的人飞了过去，一边嘴里发出大雕的叫声。那人吓得惊叫出声，挥舞双手企图把头顶盘旋着的怪鸟赶开。他的手电筒哐啷一声掉在了地上。杰克真心希望它已被摔坏。
　　琪琪再次发出尖叫，这次声音好像火车的鸣笛。那人朝琪琪乱打一气，他抓住一根羽毛，猛地拔了下来。琪琪回到杰克身边，停在他的肩头，发出狗的吼声。
　　“老天呀，这屋里全是野狗和鸟！”一个低沉的声音憎恶地说道。那人蹲下身在地上摸索他的手电筒，最后找到了。
　　“摔坏了！”杰克听到那人一边按手电筒开关一边说道，“肯定是其中一只雕，它进来要干吗？”
　　那人嘀嘀咕咕着出去了。杰克听到了一个令人怀疑的尖厉的声音，然后一切再次安静下来。他又在沙发后面蹲了半天，琪琪看上去都快要睡着了。
　　最后，他小心翼翼地站起身来，蹑手蹑脚地朝门走去。他很庆幸今天穿了胶鞋。他从门缝里往外看。地下室的暗淡的亮光也没有了。四周一片黑暗与寂静。杰克死死盯着大厅后部。在那里，有一个奇怪的缺口，通向一个像博物馆展厅一样的房间。可能那里就是那个邪恶的老头关押他的客人，把他们活活饿死的地方！杰克一点都不喜欢自己的猜测。
　　他可不想去看缺口那里到底有什么，只是飞快地跑回院子，爬上巨石，来到荆棘丛前。只有在那里面他才感到安全。顾不得琪琪的哼哼和抱怨，他钻进荆棘丛，重新躺下睡觉。
　　但是，他睡不着。他的脑子里全是那奇怪的房间。一想到刚才差点被抓到，他就忍不住发抖。要不是琪琪，他早就被发现了。就差这么一两步，那人就要踩到他了！
　　他真希望这时大家能和他在一起。好吧，他们明天才会来，他只能在这里耐心等待。
　　那人白天似乎从不出现，是特意躲藏在那里的。他不能在白天暴露自己，暴露自己的藏身之处。
　　“那他吃什么？”杰克很好奇。从压水井里打水很容易，但是食物呢？这可能就是他在塔楼上用手电筒发信号的缘故。他在给同伴传递信息。如果是这样，那其他人就可能也会来这里。那他们又是怎么进来的呢？
　　“我就说这里也是一场冒险！”杰克突然说道，一种奇特的感觉在他体内升起，“是的，去年我也是这种感觉——就是航行去幽暗岛，冒险岛，我们那时经历了许多。天哪，如果我告诉他们我们又进入了一场冒险，他们会说什么呢？冒险堡！菲利普说得一点没错。”
　　又胡思乱想了一两个小时，杰克终于睡着了。等他醒来的时候，几道阳光已经穿过树丛射了进来，他很高兴天又亮了。他回想起半夜的经历，琢磨着那个像博物馆展厅一样的房间是真是假。
　　“我不可能只是做梦梦到那个房间！”杰克心想，顺手挠了挠琪琪，把她叫醒。
　　他钻出荆棘丛，吃了点饼干和杏子当早餐。之后，他便坐在那里，望着城堡思考：“是谁藏在那里？”
　　突然，他僵住了，惊愕地发现两个男人正穿过院子朝城堡走去。他们是怎么进来的？
　　肯定是从其他的进出通道——又或者他们有某个大门的钥匙？
　　那两个男人进入了城堡，他们显然不是那个藏在城堡里的人，因为他们并不害怕在白天暴露自己。“是昨天那人告诉他们城堡里还有其他人的吗？”杰克变得惊慌失措，“他们是来找我的吗？”
16 Things begin to happen
　　16 Things begin to happen
　　Jack crawled hurriedly back into the bush again, not waiting to wrap himself up in the rug, andgetting terribly scratched. When he was inside he remembered that he had left some paper bags inthe courtyard below, with some apple cores in them.
　　‘Dash!’ he thought. ‘If those are found they’ll know there’s someone here besides themselves.’
　　He waited in the bush for an hour or so, taking peeps at the eagles’ nest now and again. Hedidn’t know whether to hope the others would come soon, so that he would no longer be alone, orwhether to hope that they would be late, to give the men a chance to go off again without seeingthem.
　　‘If they’ve chosen this for a safe hiding-place for somebody, they won’t be too pleased to knowthat we are here,’ thought Jack uneasily. ‘I suppose we really oughtn’t to have come to the castleat all. I suppose it does belong to someone - those men perhaps!’
　　He heard the sound of voices and peeped between the prickly branches to see who it was. It wasthe two men again. The hidden man was evidently not going to risk coming out of his hiding-place.
　　Jack peeped at them. They were great hulking men, one of them with a black beard. He didn’tlike their faces at all. As they came near he tried to hear what they said, but they were not talkingany language he knew. That somehow made things all the stranger.
　　Suddenly they stopped, and with an exclamation the bearded man picked up Jack’s paper bags.
　　He saw the apple cores inside, and showed the other man. The cores were still moist, and Jackguessed that the men knew they had not been there very long! He squeezed himself hard into thehollow of the gorse bush, glad that it was so thick.
　　The men then separated and began to make a thorough search of the castle, the towers, the wallsand the courtyard. Jack watched them through a chink in the bush. Kiki was absolutely quiet.
　　Then the men joined up and came across to the crag where the eagles nested. It was plain theywere going to climb up to explore that place too, in case anyone was hiding there.
　　Jack crouched as still as a mouse when an owl is near. His heart began to beat painfully again.
　　The men came right up the crag, and gave a cry of amazement when they saw the eagles’ nest withthe young one in.
　　Evidently they did not know the ways of eagles, for they went quite near to the nest and one ofthe men put out his hand.
　　There was a whirr of mighty wings and the female eagle seemed to drop like a stone from thesky on to the man’s head. He turned away, whilst the other man beat off the angry bird. Theattacked man put his arms across the top of his head to protect himself, and looked up at the malebird, scared, for that too was dropping quickly downwards.
　　Jack could see all this, and an idea came to him. He had a marvellous view of the first man theeagle had attacked - he was still looking up, showing the whole of his face, and his neck in anopen-collared shirt. Jack pressed his camera release. Click! The man’s photograph was taken,though unfortunately the other man was by then looking away, and his face was hidden.
　　Both men heard the click of the camera, and looked puzzled. Then, as the female eagle came atthem again, they hurriedly descended the crag and ran down into the courtyard. They were notgoing to explore up there any more. In any case they both decided that nobody could possibly hideup there with fierce birds like that around!
　　Jack waited in the bush, watching the eagles, who had been much upset by the visit of the twomen. Soon it was plain to Jack that they meant to take the young bird away from the nest. It mustlearn to fly! It could no longer be left in safety if two-legged creatures came right up to the nest.
　　The boy forgot his fears in his interest at the efforts of the two eagles to make the young one fly.
　　They persuaded it to the edge of the nest, and then, with a push, dislodged it on to the ledge onwhich the nest was built. The young bird tried to get back again, but the female eagle flew roundand round it, yelping, trying to tell it in all the eagle words she knew that it must go with her. Theyoung one listened, or seemed to listen, then turned its head away, bored.
　　Then, for no reason that Jack could see, it suddenly spread out its wings. They were enormous.
　　The boy had been taking snap after snap, and now he took a splendid picture of the young eagletrying out his wings.
　　The youngster flapped his wings so hard that he danced about on tiptoe - and then, mostsuperbly, he took off from the ledge, and rose into the air, with his parents screaming on eitherside of him. He could fly!
　　‘Marvellous!’ said Jack, and cautiously took the roll of film from his camera. ‘I wonder ifthey’ll come back. It doesn’t matter much if they don’t, because I’ve got the most wonderful set ofpictures now. Better than any anyone else has ever got!’
　　As he slipped a new roll of film into his camera, he heard the voices of the other children. Hewas very glad - but where were those men?
　　He crept out from the bush, hardly feeling the prickles, and climbed down to join them. Theysaw by his face that he had news for them. Lucy-Ann ran to him.
　　‘Has anything happened, Jack? You look very serious! What do you think! We’ve come up withpiles of things, because Mrs Mannering says we can stay for two or three days! She’s got to go toDinah’s Aunt Polly, who has been taken ill again, but she’ll be back soon.’
　　‘And she thought we might as well join you up here if we wanted to!’ said Dinah. ‘But youdon’t look very thrilled about it, Jack!’
　　‘Well, listen,’ said Jack. ‘There’s something odd here. Really odd. I don’t know if you ought tocome. In fact, as I’ve really taken all the snaps I need to take of the eagles, I honestly think itwould be better if we all went home.’
　　‘Go back to Spring Cottage!’ said Philip, in surprise. ‘But why? Quick, tell us everything, Jack.’
　　‘All right. But first, where’s Tassie?’ said Jack, looking round for the little gypsy girl.
　　‘Her mother wouldn’t let her come,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘When Tassie told her we were all going tostay up at the castle with you, her mother nearly had a fit. She’s like the villagers, you know -thinks there’s something bad and creepy up here. She absolutely refused to let Tassie come. So wehad to leave her behind.’
　　‘She was in an awful temper with her mother,’ said Philip; ‘worse than any Dinah gets into. Sheflew at her mother and banged her hard. And her mother took hold of her and shook her like a rat.
　　I think Tassie’s got an awful mother. Anyway, she can’t come. But go on - tell your story.’
　　‘I suppose - I suppose you didn’t by any chance meet anyone coming down the hill, did you?’
　　said Jack suddenly, thinking that perhaps the two men had gone.
　　‘We saw what looked like three men in the distance,’ said Philip. ‘Why?’
　　‘What were they like? Did one have a black beard?’ asked Jack.
　　‘We couldn’t possibly see what they were like, they were too far away, going down anotherpath altogether,’ said Philip. ‘They might have been shepherds or anything. That’s what wethought they were, anyway.’
　　‘ Three men,’ said Jack thoughtfully. ‘That looks as if the hidden man went too, then.’
　　‘What are you talking about?’ cried Dinah impatiently.
　　Jack began his story. The others listened in astonishment. When he described the hiddenunderground room, Lucy-Ann’s eyes nearly fell out of her head!
　　‘An underground room - with someone living there! Oh, I know what Tassie would say - she’dsay it was that wicked old man still there!’ cried Lucy-Ann. ‘She’d say he would like to catch usand imprison us, so that no one ever heard of us again!’
　　‘Don’t be silly,’ said Jack. ‘The thing is - something is going on here, and we ought to find outwhat. I wish old Bill Smugs was here. He’d know what to do.’
　　‘We don’t even know his address,’ said Philip. ‘All we know is that he’s in a town twenty milesaway. And now Mother is away too, so we can’t ask her advice either.’
　　‘Well, whether she is away or not, I think we ought to go back to Spring Cottage,’ said Jacksoberly. ‘We have dealt with dangerous men before, and it wasn’t pleasant. I don’t want to bemixed up in anything dangerous like that again. We’d better all go back.’
　　‘Right,’ said Philip. ‘I agree with you. But, seeing that you think all three men are out of theway, what about having a squint at that hidden room? We might find something there to tell uswho uses it and why.’
　　‘All right,’ said Jack. ‘Come on. Kiki, come along too. Where’s Button, Philip?’
　　‘I left him with Tassie, to comfort her for not coming with us,’ said Philip. ‘She was somiserable. Anyway, she’ll be pleased to see us back again so soon.’
　　They all went into the vast hall, and the boys switched on their torches. Sure that there was noone but themselves in the castle, they made no effort to be quiet, but talked and laughed in theirusual way. Jack led them to the back of the hall, and looked at the floor.
　　There was no hole to be seen at all. It had gone completely. The children looked about for atrap-door in the floor, but there was none. Philip began to wonder if Jack had dreamt it all.
　　Then his sharp eyes saw a spike made of iron set deeply in the wall at the back of the hall. Itshone as if it had been much handled. Philip took hold of it.
　　‘Here’s something strange!’ he began, and pulled hard. The spike moved smoothly in some sortof groove, and suddenly there was a grating noise at Lucy-Ann’s feet. She leapt back with astartled cry.
　　The ground was opening at her feet! A big stone there was disappearing downwards in somemysterious fashion, and then swung itself smoothly to one side, exposing a short flight of stonesteps, leading down into the hidden room that Jack had seen the night before. The children gasped.
　　‘It reminds me of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves or Aladdin and his cave!’ said Dinah. ‘Shallwe go down? Do let’s! This is most exciting.’
　　There was an oil lamp left burning on the long narrow table below, and by the light of this thechildren saw the room. Philip, Lucy-Ann and Dinah went eagerly down the steps to examineeverything. They saw the tapestries on the walls, depicting old hunting scenes, they saw the oldsuits of armour standing round the room, and the big, heavy chairs that looked as if they weremade for giants, not men.
　　‘Where’s Jack?’ said Philip.
　　‘Gone to get Kiki,’ said Dinah. ‘Oh, look, Philip, here’s another spike in the wall, just like theone upstairs. What happens when you pull it?’
　　She pulled it - and with a grating noise the stone swung up and into place, imprisoning the threechildren down below!
第16章 有怪事发生
　　第16章 有怪事发生
　　杰克连滚带爬地回到了荆棘丛里，顾不上裹毯子，浑身上下被刺扎得够呛。待他冷静下来，他想起来，院子里有他留下的纸袋子，里面有他吃剩的苹果芯子。
　　“糟糕！”他心想，“如果他们找到纸袋子，就知道这里除他们以外还有别人了。”
　　他蹲坐在荆棘丛里等了大约一个钟头，时不时透过小洞观察雕巢。他很矛盾，既希望其他孩子早点来陪他，又希望他们晚点来不要碰到城堡里的那几个男人。
　　“他们如果选择这座城堡作为藏身之处，一定不欢迎我们的到来。”杰克不安地想，“我们真的不应该到这里来的。这座城堡没准儿就是属于那些人的！”
　　这时，杰克听到下面传来人说话的声音。他偷偷向下望去，发现那两个男人又回到了院子里。那个藏起来的人依然没有冒险走出城堡。
　　那是两个很粗壮的男人，其中一个还留着黑色的胡子，长得都面目可憎。当他们走近时，杰克竖起耳朵想听听他们在说些什么，可是，他们使用的是一种他听不懂的语言。这让所有事情变得更加古怪。
　　突然，两个男人停住了脚步。那个留胡子的男人惊呼一声，从地上捡起了杰克留下的纸袋子。他在里面发现了吃剩的苹果芯子，并拿给另一个男人看。苹果芯子还是潮湿的，杰克猜他们一定明白这些是不久前才留下的！在荆棘丛里，他紧紧地将自己抱紧，庆幸这树丛长得足够密实。
　　接着，那两个男人一起往巨石走过来。对他们而言，爬上巨石，看看上面是否有人躲着，是再正常不过了。
　　杰克一动不动地蜷缩在荆棘丛里，就像一只离猫头鹰越来越近的老鼠。他的心又剧烈跳动起来。两个男人爬上了巨石，看到一个巨大的雕巢，里面还有一只小雕，都不禁发出惊讶的叫声。
　　显然，他们非常不了解雕。他们靠近了雕巢，其中一人甚至伸出了手。
　　翅膀呼扇的声音响起，只见雌性大雕像一块石头一样从天空中朝着那人的脑袋直击下来。他躲开了，另一人挥动手臂试图击退大雕。被攻击的那人用手护住脑袋，抬头发现雄性大雕此时也快速地俯冲了下来。
　　杰克看着外面发生的一切，脑子里有了一个想法。从这里看出去，角度刚好，杰克看到了那个被攻击的男人的正脸，他穿着一件开领衬衫，正抬头看着天上的大雕。杰克快速摁下快门，那人正好被拍了下来，只是可惜，另一人刚好看向别处，没有被拍到脸。
　　两个男人都听到了快门的声音，露出疑惑的神情。就在这时，雌性大雕再次发起了进攻，他们只得慌忙爬下巨石，跑回院子里去。有这样两只凶悍的巨型大鸟在，他们确信这巨石上不可能还藏着其他什么人。
　　杰克在荆棘丛里等着，观察两只大雕。它们显然很不高兴那两人的贸然到来，它们决定带小雕离开巢。这样小雕就必须学习飞行！它不能再被独自留在巢里了，万一那两个两脚怪物再来，它就危险了！
　　杰克渐渐忘记了害怕，全神贯注地看大雕怎样教小雕飞行。它们让小雕站在巢的边缘，然后猛地一推。小雕一下子跌出它的巢，掉在岩架上。它试着爬回巢里，但雌雕在它头上一圈圈飞着，叫着，似乎在用雕的语言告诉它，要像妈妈这样挥动翅膀飞起来。小雕似乎是在听着，但很快它就感到厌烦，扭过头去。
　　然后，小雕张开了它的那对翅膀，太突然了，连杰克都看不出一点端倪。他赶紧拍下了小雕第一次展翅的照片。
　　小雕用力扑扇着它的翅膀，非常用力，爪子几欲离地——接着，精彩的一幕发生了：
　　小雕双脚离地，升到空中。它的爸爸妈妈在两边叫着陪伴着它。它会飞了！
　　“太棒了！”杰克说着为他的相机换胶卷，“不知道它们还会不会回来。即使不回来也没关系，因为我已经拍到了最精彩的照片。别人谁都拍不到！”
　　刚把新胶卷放进相机，杰克就听到了其他孩子的声音。他们来了！他非常高兴——可是，那两个男人此时在哪里？
　　他赶紧钻出荆棘丛，已经顾不得身上被扎，然后爬下巨石去迎接他们。看他那不同寻常的样子，菲利普就知道一定有事发生了。露西安迫不及待地跑向他：
　　“发生什么事了，杰克？你看上去很严肃！你在想什么？我们带了好多好多东西，因为曼纳林夫人允许我们也在这里住上两三天！她要去探望黛娜的波莉姨妈，她病了。”
　　“妈妈同意我们和你一起住在这里，”黛娜说，“但是你看上去一点也不高兴啊，杰克！”
　　“大家听着，”杰克说，“这里有古怪，非常古怪。我不知道你们是不是应该来。事实上，我已经拍到了我想要拍的照片。说真的，我觉得我们最好还是回家去。”
　　“回泉水小屋？！”菲利普惊讶地说，“为什么？快告诉我们到底怎么回事？”
　　“好吧……塔西呢？”杰克四下看没有发现这个小姑娘。
　　“她妈妈不让她来了。”露西安说，“当她告诉她妈妈我们都要到城堡里过夜时，她妈妈大发雷霆。她和其他村民一样，认为这里有邪恶、恐怖的东西。她坚决不允许塔西跟我们一起来，所以我们只好撇下塔西了。”
　　“她对妈妈态度极差，”菲利普说，“比黛娜脾气差多了。她冲向妈妈，用力撞她，但她妈妈一把就抓住了她，像捏着个老鼠那样晃悠她。塔西的妈妈很糟糕。不管怎样，她不来了。你还是接着告诉我们你的事吧！”
　　“我说——我说你们上山时没有碰到有人下山吧？”杰克突然问道，他觉得那两人也可能已经下山了。
　　“我们看到大概有三个人下山。”菲利普说，“怎么啦？”
　　“他们长什么样？是不是有一个人留着黑胡子？”杰克问。
　　“距离太远了，我们没有看见他们的长相。我们走的不是一条道。”菲利普说，“他们可能是放羊的，至少我们是这么认为的。”
　　“三个人。”杰克若有所思地说，“这么说，那个藏着的人也走了。”
　　“你到底在说什么？”黛娜不耐烦地说道。
　　杰克这时开始讲他的遭遇。其他孩子听了都极为震惊。尤其是当杰克描述地下室时，露西安的眼珠子都快掉出来了。
　　“一个地下密室——还有一个人住在那里！我都能想到塔西会说什么——那个邪恶的老头还在这里！”露西安说，“她还会说，那个老头想方设法要把我们抓住、关起来，然后人们就再也找不到我们了！”
　　“别傻了，”杰克说，“事实是，这里有什么事发生，我们得去找出真相。我真希望老比尔在这儿，他一定知道下一步该怎么做。”
　　“我们甚至都不知道他住哪里，”菲利普说，“我们只知道他现在在二十英里外的镇上。
　　现在妈妈也不在家，我们也没法问她该怎么办。”
　　“好吧，不管她在不在家，我认为我们都应该马上回泉水小屋。”杰克严肃地说，“我们之前遇到过危险的人，那经历可一点也不美好。我可不想再像上次那样陷入危险的境地。
　　我们最好还是回去吧。”
　　“没错，”菲利普说，“我赞同你的提议。但是，既然我们已经看见那三人都离开了城堡，为什么不去偷偷看看那个密室呢？没准儿我们能发现什么线索。”
　　“你说得对。”杰克说，“我们走，琪琪，你也一起去。小纽扣呢，菲利普？”
　　“我让它陪着塔西，为了安抚她。”菲利普说，“她难过极了。不过，见到我们很快就回去了，她会很高兴的。”
　　他们一起走进城堡大厅，男孩们打开手电筒。知道了城堡里除了他们外没有别人，这几个孩子就不再保持安静，一边走一边说说笑笑。杰克带他们来到大厅后部，查看地板。
　　可是，地板上根本没有昨晚看到的那个小洞，它消失得无影无踪。他们又在地板上找暗门，但也一无所获。菲利普开始怀疑那都是杰克在做梦。
　　突然，他发现大厅后部的一面墙上钉着一根大铁钉——它微微发亮，好似经常被手摩擦。菲利普上前握住铁钉。
　　“这个钉子很奇怪！”他一边说一边用力往外一拔。铁钉被拔出半截，然后从露西安的脚下传来一个巨大的响声。露西安吓得惊叫一声，赶忙向后一跳。
　　她脚下的地面竟然打开了！一块大石板慢慢向下移动，最后悬挂在一边，露出一段石头阶梯，通往杰克昨晚看到的那个密室。孩子们倒抽一口气。
　　她脚下的地面竟然打开了！一块大石板慢慢向下移动，最后悬挂在一边，露出一段石头阶梯，通往杰克昨晚看到的那个密室。
　　“这让我想起了阿里巴巴和四十大盗，或者阿拉丁和他的秘密洞穴！”黛娜说，“我们要下去吗？走，我们下去！这太令人激动了！”
　　地下室长桌子上还点着一盏油灯，亮光正好能让孩子们看清房间。菲利普、露西安和黛娜迫不及待地走进地下室，查看房间里的每一件东西。他们看到墙上的挂毯，上面描绘着古代狩猎的情形；他们看到一套套古老的盔甲立在房间四周；还有一张张巨大、沉重的椅子，好似它们不是为人类设计的，而是为巨人。
　　“杰克，你在哪儿？”菲利普问。
　　“他上去找琪琪了。”黛娜说，“瞧，菲利普，这里墙上也有一个大铁钉，和上面的一样。如果拔它会怎样？”
　　黛娜说着握住铁钉往外一拔——又是一阵声响，那块大石板回归了原位，把三个孩子关在了地下室里！
17 Things go on happening
　　17 Things go on happening
　　The three children watched the great stone slide into place like magic. It was an extraordinarysight. But Philip suddenly felt worried.
　　‘Dinah! Let me have that spike. Move away. I hope to goodness it will move the stone backagain!’
　　The boy pulled at it, but it remained fixed. He tried to move it the other way. He jerked it. Itwould not move at all.
　　‘It closes the hole in the floor, but it doesn’t open it,’ he said. He looked round for another spikeor lever or handle - anything that he thought might open the hole to allow them to get out - but hecould see nothing.
　　‘There must be something!’ he said, ‘or the man that hides here wouldn’t be able to come out atnight. There must be something!’
　　The two girls were scared. They didn’t like being shut up like this in an underground room.
　　Lucy-Ann felt as if all the suits of armour were watching her and enjoying her fright. She didn’tlike them.
　　‘Well, Philip, Jack will be along soon,’ said Dinah, ‘and he’ll see the hole is shut and will workthe spike upstairs in the hall to open it again. We needn’t worry.’
　　‘I suppose he will,’ said Philip, looking relieved. ‘You are an idiot, Dinah, messing about withthings before you know what they do.’
　　‘Well, you’d have done the same thing yourself,’ retorted Dinah.
　　‘All right, all right,’ said Philip. He began to look all round the peculiar room. The suits ofarmour interested him. He wished he could put one on, just for fun!
　　An idea came to him. ‘I say, I’ll play a trick on Jack!’ he said. ‘I’ll get inside one of these suitsof armour, and hide. Then when Jack opens the hole and comes down don’t you tell him where Iam - and I’ll suddenly step off one of these pedestals the armour is on, with a frightful clangingnoise, and scare him stiff!’
　　The girls laughed. All right,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Hurry up. Do you know how to get into one?’
　　‘Yes. I’ve tried one before, when we had one at school to examine,’ said Philip. ‘It’s quite easywhen you know how. You can help me.’
　　Before long Philip was in the suit of armour. He had the helmet on his head, and the visor overhis face. He could see quite well through the visor, but nobody would know there was anyoneinside the armoured suit! He got back on the pedestal with a lot of clanking. The girls giggled.
　　‘Won’t Jack get an awful shock! I wish he’d come,’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　‘Are you comfortable, Philip?’ asked Dinah, looking at her armoured brother standing quite stillon his wooden pedestal, looking for all the world exactly like the others around.
　　‘Fairly,’ said Philip. ‘But golly, I wouldn’t much like to go to war in this - I’d never be able towalk more than a few yards! How they fought in them, those old-time soldiers, I really don’tknow!’
　　The girls wandered round the room. They looked at the tapestry scenes. They sat in theenormous old chairs. They fingered the ancient weapons that were arranged here and there. Itcertainly was a curious room.
　　‘What is Jack doing?’ said Lucy-Ann, at last, beginning to feel anxious. ‘He’s been simply ages.
　　Oh, Dinah - you don’t think those men have come back, do you - and captured him?’
　　‘I shouldn’t think so,’ said Dinah, also beginning to feel worried. ‘I can’t imagine what he’sdoing. After all, he’d only got to call Kiki, wait for her to come to him and then follow us!’
　　‘You know,’ said a hollow voice from inside the suit of armour, ‘you know, I don’t believethose men we saw were the men from the castle. I’ve suddenly thought - they couldn’t be!’
　　‘What do you mean?’ cried both girls, staring in dismay at the place where Philip’s face wasbehind the visor.
　　‘Well, think where we saw them,’ said Philip. ‘We saw them a good way down the hill, justabove the farm, didn’t we? We know there’s no path up to the castle there. And now I think thematter over carefully, I’m pretty certain they were men belonging to the farm. One was thatenormously tall fellow we sometimes see when we fetch eggs.’
　　The girls thought hard. Yes, that was where the men had been seen - just above the old farm.
　　‘I believe you’re right, Philip,’ said Lucy-Ann, scared. ‘And anyway, if they didn’t want to beseen, it would be silly to take the farm path, wouldn’t it? All the farm dogs would bark at them,and the farmer would look out.’
　　‘Yes - and the dogs were not barking, or we would have heard them,’ said Philip. ‘So thatrather proves our point. Dash! I don’t believe those were Jack’s men, after all. It’s quite likely theynever left the castle, and are still somewhere about.’
　　‘I do wonder what Jack is doing,’ said Dinah. ‘I do wish he’d come.’
　　Jack was certainly a long time coming - but he couldn’t help it! He had gone after Kiki, whohad flown into the furnished room in which they had both hidden the night before - and suddenly,from the window, he had seen the three men in a corner of the yard!
　　‘Golly!’ thought the boy, ‘Philip was wrong - the men he saw weren’t the ones from the castle!
　　They must have been farm workers seeing to the sheep or something. My word, I hope they’re notgoing to that hidden room!’
　　The boy darted back into the hall, and went to the place where the hole should be. But it wasgone, and a stone now covered the entrance to the room. He was surprised. He had no idea, ofcourse, that Dinah had found the lever below and used it, closing the entrance.
　　He debated what to do. Should he open the hole and see if the others were down there? Wouldthe men come into the hall just as he was doing it? He could hear their voices quite clearly now.
　　Jack darted back into the furnished room and, accidentally touching a chair as he went, raised acloud of dust at once. He ran to the wide window and hid behind a long tapestry curtain there. Hedid not dare to touch it, because he felt sure it would fall to pieces in his hands.
　　The men were evidently still worried about the bag of apple cores. It was obvious that theyknew someone was there besides themselves - and then, to Jack’s dismay, he saw that they hadfound the pile of things the others had brought up with them that morning!
　　They had brought them from the courtyard and had spread them out at the entrance to the castle,looking through them carefully. Jack caught one or two words, but he couldn’t understand them.
　　‘We shall have to get out of here the very first moment possible,’ thought the boy. ‘We may getinto serious trouble. If only I could get everyone up into the room with the plank!’
　　Two of the men now separated and went off into the castle, evidently to make another goodsearch. The third man stood at the great doorway, puffing at a cigarette and apparently keeping awatch over the courtyard.
　　It was impossible for Jack to open the way to the hidden room, for the man at the doorwaywould see and hear him. There was nothing to do but wait, and hope for a chance to do it beforeany of the men did it themselves.
　　So the boy stood behind the curtain, watching and waiting. He wished Bill Smugs was there!
　　Bill always knew what to do when things were awkward - but then Bill was a grown-up andgrown-ups knew how to handle things in the right way, somehow.
　　The man at the doorway finished his cigarette. He did not throw the end away but carefullystubbed it out against a coin he took from his pocket, and put it into a little tin box. Evidently hewas not going to leave any signs about that would tell anyone he was living there.
　　He turned and came into the hall. Jack heard his feet echoing, and held his breath. Was he goingback to the hidden room?
　　He was! He walked to the back of the hall, and felt about in the wall there for the spike. Jack,fearing that he was doing this, crept to the door of the room he was hiding in, and peered throughthe crack. From there he could see what happened.
　　The man pulled at the spike, and the stone moved with a grating sound, first downwards andthen to the side. It was a marvellous piece of mechanism, very old, but still in perfect workingorder.
　　Jack’s heart almost stood still. Now what was going to happen? What would the man say whenhe saw the other three?
　　Dinah and Lucy-Ann heard the grating noise of the stone as it moved, and looked up. Philippeered through his visor, hoping Jack was coming at last. But to their horror a man stood on thesteps, looking at them in the greatest astonishment and anger!
　　He could only see Dinah and Lucy-Ann, of course. The two girls stared at him and trembled.
　　His face was not a pleasant one. He had an enormous nose, narrow eyes, and the thinnest lipsimaginable. Shaggy eyebrows hung over his eyes, almost like a sheepdog’s hair.
　　‘So!’ said the man, and narrowed his eyes still more. ‘So! You come here, and you go to myroom. What is the meaning of this?’
　　The girls were terrified, and Lucy-Ann began to sob. Jack, listening, longed to push the mandown the steps and break his neck! ‘Hateful fellow, frightening poor Lucy-Ann like that!’ thoughtthe boy angrily, wishing he dared to show himself and comfort her.
　　Then he heard the footsteps of the other two men returning from their hunt. The first man heardthem too and went back up the stairs to the top. He called to the others in a language Jack did notunderstand, evidently telling them to come and see what he had found.
　　Philip, still hidden in the suit of armour, took the opportunity of whispering instructions to thegirls. ‘Don’t be frightened. They’ll probably only think you’re two girls visiting the old castle.
　　You tell them that. Don’t say a word about me or Jack, or we shan’t be able to help you. Jack’s upthere somewhere, we know, and he’ll look out for you and get you away. I’ll stay down here till Ican escape myself. They won’t know I’m in the armour.’
　　He couldn’t say any more, because all three men now came down the steps and into the hiddenroom. One man had a dense black beard, the other was clean-shaven, but the man the girls hadalready seen was the ugliest of a really ugly trio.
　　Lucy-Ann began to cry again. Dinah was very scared, but she would not cry.
　　‘What are you here for?’ asked the shaggy-browed man. ‘Now - you tell us everything - or youmay be very very sorry!’
第17章 怪事还在继续
　　第17章 怪事还在继续
　　三个孩子就眼睁睁地看着石板自己归位，像被施了魔法一样。这情境真是离奇。但菲利普突然感到担忧。
　　“黛娜！快让开，让我来控制铁钉。我希望它能让石板再次打开！”
　　菲利普去拔铁钉，但是拔不动。他又试着朝其他方向拉动铁钉，手都快抽筋了，铁钉还是纹丝不动。
　　“这个只能控制关闭，不能控制打开。”他说着在周围找其他铁钉、杠杆或把手——任何他认为可以打开这扇石门的东西，可是，什么也没有发现。
　　“这里肯定有机关，”他说，“不然藏在这里的男人没法半夜里出去。肯定有机关！”
　　女孩们已经吓坏了。她们讨厌被这样关在地下室里。露西安恍惚觉得那些盔甲都在盯着她，享受她的恐惧。她一点也不喜欢它们。
　　“好吧，菲利普，杰克很快就回来了，”黛娜说，“他发现地道门又关上了，就会去拉动大厅里的铁钉开门。不要担心。”
　　“我想他会的。”菲利普说，略松了口气，“你是个傻瓜，黛娜，你都不知道那是干什么的，为什么要动呢，搞得一团糟！”
　　“可是，你之前也是这样做的啊。”黛娜反击。
　　“好吧，好吧。”菲利普说。他环顾四周，那些盔甲引起了他的兴趣。他很想穿上试试，多有意思呀！
　　他突然有了个主意。“我们跟杰克开个玩笑，怎么样？”他说，“我穿上盔甲站在基座上，等杰克开门下来，你们不要告诉他我在哪儿，然后我从基座上走下来，吓他一跳！”
　　女孩们笑起来。“好主意，”露西安说，“快行动。你知道怎么穿盔甲吗？”
　　“知道，我以前在学校里研究过。”菲利普说，“这不是很难，不过你得帮帮我。”
　　不久，菲利普就全副武装了。他戴上头盔，拉下面罩。透过面罩，他看外面一清二楚，但从外面看里面就什么也看不到！他重新回到基座上，每动一下，盔甲就发出很大的响声。女孩们在一旁咯咯直笑。
　　“杰克到时可别吓坏啦，”露西安说，“希望他快点来。”
　　“你在里头还舒服吗，菲利普？”黛娜问，只见她哥哥穿着盔甲一动不动地站在基座上，看上去和周围其他盔甲没有任何差别。
　　“相当舒服。”菲利普说，“但说实话，我可不想穿着这个上战场——我走上几步就够呛！真不知道古代那些士兵穿着这个怎么打仗的。”
　　女孩们在房间里闲逛，看看挂毯上描绘的场景，坐坐那些巨大的古董椅子，摸摸四处摆放着的古代兵器——她们对一切都感到新鲜。
　　“杰克在干什么呢？”露西安说，她感到有点着急了，“他出去很久了。天哪，黛娜，那几个男人是不是又回来了，他们——把杰克抓走了？”
　　“我不该这么想，”黛娜说，也开始担忧，“但我真不知道他在干吗。毕竟，他只是去找琪琪，叫她回来，然后就下来找我们！”
　　“知道吗？”一个空洞的声音从盔甲里传来，“我认为我们看到的那几个男人不是城堡里的那几个。我突然想到，他们不可能是从城堡里出来的！”
　　“你说什么？”女孩们同时叫道，瞪着菲利普的那套盔甲。
　　“你们想想，我们是在哪里看见他们的。”菲利普说，“我们看到他们快下山了，离农场不远了。但我们知道，那里是没有路能到城堡的。我仔细想了一下这件事，我很肯定，他们是农场里的人。其中那个高个子，我们是见过的，去农场取鸡蛋的时候。”
　　女孩们努力回忆着。是的，那几个男人当时确实在离农场不远的地方。
　　“我想你是对的，菲利普。”露西安说，她感到很害怕，“而且，如果他们不想被人看见，他们就不会蠢到往农场走。农场里的狗会大叫，农夫们会跑出来看个究竟。”
　　“的确，农场里的狗都没有叫，不然我们肯定会听到，”菲利普说，“这也证明了我们的观点。可恶！反正我认为他们不是杰克看到的城堡里的人。很有可能，杰克看到的人根本就没有离开城堡，他们还在这附近。”
　　“我真的想知道杰克现在在哪里，”黛娜说，“我希望他赶快回来。”
　　杰克离开的时间真的太长了——但是他也没办法！琪琪飞到昨晚他们躲藏的起居室里去了，他只得追过去——但突然，他透过窗户，看到院子的一个角落里站着三个男人！
　　“老天！”杰克心想，“菲利普他们看到的不是城堡里的男人！他们可能只是农场里的牧羊人。我的天哪，这几个可千万不要去地下室啊！”
　　杰克飞奔回大厅，来到地下室的入口处。可是入口处已经不见了，石板把入口处封了起来。他很惊讶，他不知道黛娜在下面触动了另一个机关，把入口处关起来了。
　　该怎么办？他的内心在挣扎。要不要打开暗门，看其他人是不是还在里面？但如果他开门的时候那些男人刚好过来了怎么办？他都已经能清楚地听到他们说话的声音了。
　　杰克又跑回了那个起居室，不小心撞上了一把椅子，立刻扬起一团灰尘。他跑到窗边，躲到了一条长挂毯后面。但他不敢去碰那挂毯，怕一碰就碎了。
　　那几个男人显然还在担心那几个装在纸袋里的苹果芯子。他们很明白，除了他们以外，这里还有其他人。然后，令杰克更沮丧的是，他们还发现了其他孩子今早带来的成堆的东西！
　　那几个男人把孩子们的东西从院子里拿到了城堡门口，仔细地一一检查。杰克听到了他们讲的一两句话，但是听不懂。
　　“我们必须第一时间离开这里，”杰克心想，“我们遇上大麻烦了。如果我能带大家到架着木板的那个房间就好了！”
　　其中的两个男人走进城堡，显然想在里面好好搜查一番。第三个人站在大门口，点了根香烟，注意着院子里的动静。
　　杰克没法去打开地下室的暗门，因为守在门口的那个人会听到甚至会看到他。什么也不能做，除了等待。他只希望他们不会在他之前打开地下室的门。
　　杰克站在挂毯后，等着并观察着外面。他真希望比尔•斯莫格斯此时能在这里！每当事情变得让人难以处理时，比尔总是知道该怎么办——当然，比尔是成年人，成年人知道怎样正确处理各种难题。
　　站在门口的男人抽完了烟。他并没有随手把烟头扔掉，而是取出一枚硬币，将烟头摁在硬币上熄灭，接着又拿出一个马口铁盒子，把烟头装在里面。显然，他不想留下任何痕迹，告诉他人他也住在城堡里。
　　他转过身返回了城堡大厅，在墙上摸索着那根铁钉。杰克感到害怕，他蹑手蹑脚地来到起居室的门后，从门缝里向外张望，正好能看到那人的一举一动。
　　那个男人拔了一下铁钉，地上的石板轰隆隆动了起来，先往下沉，接着又移到一边。
　　这是一个非常精妙的机关，年代久远，但依然可用。
　　杰克的心漏跳了一拍。之后会发生什么？当这个男人见到其他孩子的时候又会说些什么？
　　听到石板移动的声音，黛娜和露西安都抬起了头。菲利普从面罩后仔细往外瞧，希望是杰克来了。但是，让他们倍感惊吓的是，阶梯顶端站着的是一个男人，眼里充满着极端惊讶和怒气！
　　当然了，他只能看见露西安和黛娜。两个女孩瞪着他，浑身发抖。他长得可一点都不亲切，大大的鼻子、窄窄的眼睛，还有薄薄的嘴唇；眉毛在眼睛上面杂乱地生长着，就像牧羊犬的毛发。
　　“你们！”那个男人说着眯起了眼睛，“你们到这里来，进入我的房间，到底是什么目的？”
　　女孩们都吓坏了，露西安开始啜泣。杰克在起居室门后听着，希望此时能从后面把那人推下阶梯，摔断他的脖子！“可恶的家伙！竟然这样吓唬露西安！”杰克生气地想，希望自己有勇气现身，并安慰露西安。
　　就在这时，杰克听到另外两个男人走过来的脚步声。第一个男人也听到了，他站在台阶上用他们的语言呼唤着，显然是在告诉他们，快过来看看他发现了什么。
　　菲利普依然还在盔甲里面，抓住机会对女孩们小声说道：“别害怕。他们一定以为只有你们俩进了城堡。不要告诉他们我和杰克的存在，不然我们就没法救你们俩了。杰克在上面，他会找到你们并带你们离开。我会等待时机逃出去。他们还不知道我藏在盔甲里。”
　　他没法说更多的话了，因为此时三个男人已经走下阶梯，来到地下密室里。其中一个男人留着浓密的黑色胡子，另两个没有；第一个发现她们的男人是这丑陋三人组中最难看的一个。
　　露西安又开始大哭起来。黛娜非常害怕，但她没有哭。
　　“你们到这里来干什么？”粗眉毛男人问，“现在，要么你们告诉我们所有事情，不然可就非常遗憾了！”
18 Prisoners in the castle
　　18 Prisoners in the castle
　　‘We only came to have a look at the castle,’ said Dinah, trying to keep her voice from trembling.
　　‘Does it belong to you? We didn’t know.’
　　‘How did you find this room?’ demanded the bearded man, scowling.
　　‘By accident,’ said Dinah. ‘We were so surprised. Please let us go. We’re only two girls, and wedidn’t mean any harm.’
　　‘Does anyone outside this castle know we are here, or anything about this room?’ asked theshaggy man.
　　‘No, nobody,’ said Dinah truthfully. ‘We have never seen you before this moment, and we onlyfound the room today. Please, do let us go!’
　　‘I suppose you’ve been messing about here for some days,’ said the man. ‘We found yourthings. Interfering little trespassers!’
　　‘We didn’t know the castle belonged to anyone,’ said Dinah, again. ‘How could we know? Noone ever comes here. The villagers keep away from the place.’
　　‘Is anyone with you?’ asked the bearded man, suspiciously.
　　‘Well, you can see that for yourselves,’ said Dinah, hoping fervently that none of the menwould think of looking into the suits of armour standing round the room.
　　‘We’ve looked all over the place,’ said the third man to the shaggy one. ‘There’s no one elsehere, that we do know!’
　　‘Please let us go,’ begged Dinah. ‘We won’t come here again, we promise.’
　　‘Ah - but you will go home and you will tell about things you have found here and seen here,isn’t that so?’ said the bearded man, in a horrid, smooth kind of voice. ‘No, little missies - youmust stay here till our work is done. Then, when it no longer matters, maybe we shall let you go. Isaid maybe! It depends on how you behave.’
　　Philip trembled with anger inside the suit of armour. How dared these men speak like that to thetwo girls? But the boy did not dare to show himself. That might only make things worse.
　　‘Well,’ said the bearded man, ‘We have business to discuss. You may leave this room, but donot go beyond our call.’
　　To the girls’ intense relief the men allowed them to go up the stone steps into the hall. Then thehole closed once more, and they were left alone.
　　‘We must escape,’ whispered Dinah, taking Lucy-Ann’s hand. ‘We must get away immediatelyand bring help to Philip. I daren’t think what would happen to him if those men found him.’
　　‘Where’s Jack?’ sobbed Lucy-Ann. ‘I want him.’
　　Jack was not far away. As soon as he heard the stone close the hole up, and recognised the girls’
　　voices, he darted out of the old drawing-room. Lucy-Ann saw him and ran to him gladly.
　　He put his arms round her, and patted her. ‘It’s all right, Lucy-Ann, it’s all right. We’ll soon beout of here, and we’ll get help to rescue Philip. Don’t worry. Don’t cry any more.’
　　But Lucy-Ann couldn’t stop crying, though now she cried more from relief at having Jack againthan from fright. The boy guided her to the wide stone stairs that led to the upper rooms of thecastle.
　　‘We’ll get across the plank in no time,’ he said. ‘Then we’ll be safe. We’ll soon rescue Philiptoo. Don’t be afraid.’
　　Up they went and up, then along the long corridor, lit dimly by its slit windows. They came tothe room they used for the plank.
　　Dinah ran gladly to the window, eager to slip across to safety. But she paused in dismay. Therewas no plank.
　　‘We’re in the wrong room!’ she said. ‘Oh, quick, Jack, find the right one!’
　　They ran out and into the next room - but there was no plank on the sill there either. Then intothe next room further on they went - but again there was no plank.
　　‘This is like a bad dream,’ said Dinah, trembling. ‘We shall go into room after room, and theplank will never be there! Oh, Jack - is this a nightmare?’
　　‘It seems like one,’ said the boy. ‘Come now - we’re upset and excited - we’ll begin at thebottom of the corridor and work our way along each room - then we shall find the right one.’
　　But they didn’t. Room after room had no welcome plank on its sill. At the last room the childrenpaused.
　　‘I’m afraid,’ said Jack, ‘I’m very much afraid that the men discovered how we got in - andremoved the plank!’
　　‘Oh dear!’ said Dinah, and sat down suddenly on the dusty floor. ‘My legs won’t hold me upany more. I suppose the men would never have let Lucy-Ann and me out of the hidden roomunless they had discovered our way in, and made it impossible for us to escape that way.’
　　‘Yes - if we’d stopped to think for a moment we’d have guessed that ourselves,’ said Jack,gloomily. He also sat down on the floor to consider things. ‘I wonder where they put the plank. Itmight be a good idea to look for it.’
　　‘They’ve probably just tipped it off the sill and left it lying on the ground,’ said Dinah, just asgloomily.
　　‘No, they wouldn’t do that, in case anyone else did happen to know that way in,’ said Jack.
　　‘We’d better look for it.’
　　So they hunted all over the place, but there was no sign of the plank at all. Wherever it was, itwas too well hidden for the children to find. They gave it up after a bit.
　　‘Well, what are we going to do, now that we can’t escape?’ said Dinah. ‘Do stop sniffing, Lucy-Ann. It doesn’t do any good.’
　　‘Don’t bother her,’ said Jack, who felt sorry for his small sister. ‘This is pretty serious. Here weare, stuck in this old castle with no way of escape - and Philip down below in the hidden room ingreat danger of being discovered. He’s only got to sneeze or cough, you know!’
　　Lucy-Ann pondered this statement of alarm. She at once imagined poor Philip trying to stiflesneeze after sneeze.
　　‘We’ve apparently fallen headlong into some strange mystery,’ said Jack. ‘I can’t make head ortail of it. Why these men want to hide up here, I don’t know. But they are ugly customers - nastyfellows, each one of them. They must belong to a gang of some sort, up to some mischief. I’d liketo put a stop to it, but it’s impossible as things are. The only good things about the whole affair arethat the men don’t know I’m here, and they don’t know that Philip is hidden in their secret meetingplace!’
　　‘If only we could get out!’ sighed Lucy-Ann. ‘I know Aunt Allie is away, but we could get holdof the farmer or someone.’
　　‘I don’t see how we can possibly get out, now that our one and only way of getting in is gone,’
　　said Jack. ‘I don’t think even Tassie will come up, now that her mother has threatened her with ahiding if she does.’
　　‘We mustn’t let the men know you’re here too, Jack,’ said Dinah. ‘Where will you hide forsafety?’
　　‘In the middle of my gorse bush,’ said Jack. ‘That’s as safe as anywhere. You girls go down tothe hall and see if that room is still shut - if it is I’ll slip down and go up the crag to my gorsebush. You can sit about on the rocks there and whisper to me what goes on.’
　　‘I wish we knew where Button got in and out,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘If we did we might try his way.
　　Only I suppose if it’s a rabbit-hole it would be far too narrow for us.’
　　They made their way to the hall. The stone was still in place over the hidden room. Theybeckoned Jack down, and he sped across the hall, out of the great doorway, across the courtyardand up the craggy, gorse-grown rock in the corner to the safety of his hiding-place. He crawled in,and the bush closed round him.
　　The girls climbed up the rocks to be near him. From there they had a good view of everything todo with the castle. They undid a packet of food and began to have a meal, though Lucy-Annchoked over almost every mouthful. They handed Jack some food through the prickly branches ofthe bush.
　　‘Good thing we brought up such stacks of food,’ said Dinah. ‘If we are going to be prisoners forages it’s just as well!’
　　‘Of course, if your mother hadn’t gone away she would have got worried when we didn’t gohome, and have sent a search party up to the castle,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘It’s bad luck she should havegone away just now! No one will miss us at all.’
　　‘Sh! Here are two of the men!’ said Dinah. ‘Don’t say a word more, Jack.’
　　The men gave a loud shout for the two girls. Dinah answered sulkily. They beckoned to them tocome down from the crag.
　　‘And did you find your little plank?’ enquired the bearded man politely, and the other mansniggered.
　　‘No. You took it away,’ said Dinah sullenly.
　　‘Of course. It was such a good idea of yours - but we didn’t like it,’ said the man. ‘Now, youcannot get away, you know that. So you may stay here unharmed in the courtyard, and at nightyou may sleep peacefully in the big bed downstairs, for we have work to do that will take uselsewhere. But we forbid you to go up to the towers, or upstairs at all. We are not going to haveyou signalling for help. You understand that if you disobey us, you will be very sorry - and youwill probably be put down into a dungeon we know of, where rats and mice and beetles live.’
　　Dinah shuddered. The very idea filled her with horror.
　　‘So you be good girls and obedient, and no harm will come to you,’ said the bearded man.
　　‘Always be where we can see you, somewhere in this courtyard, and come when we call. Youhave plenty of food, we know. And there is water in the kitchen, if you pump it.’
　　The girls did not answer. The men walked off and disappeared once more into the castle.
　　‘What’s happening to Philip?’ said Lucy-Ann, after a pause. ‘Will he starve down there? I wishwe could rescue him.’
　　‘He won’t starve. There’s plenty of food on the table, if only he can step off his pedestal and getit,’ said Dinah. ‘If only we could send word to Tassie! She might get help. But there is no way ofsending word.’
　　‘I suppose Kiki wouldn’t go, with a note tied to her leg, like pigeons have in wartime?’ saidLucy-Ann. ‘No, I’m sure she wouldn’t leave Jack. She’s an awfully clever and sensible bird, but itwould be too much to expect her to become a messenger for us.’
　　However, a messenger did turn up - a most unexpected one, but a very welcome one indeed!
第18章 城堡里的囚徒
　　第18章 城堡里的囚徒
　　“我们只是进来参观城堡的。”黛娜说，尽量保持声音不发抖，“这是你们的城堡吗？我们并不知道。”
　　“你们是怎么发现这个房间的？”留黑胡子的男人怒视着她们问道。
　　“我们不小心碰了机关，”黛娜说，“我们也非常惊讶。请让我们走吧，我们只是两个小女孩，我们没有恶意。”
　　“还有谁知道我们在这里，或者知道这个房间？”粗眉毛问。
　　“没人知道，”黛娜如实说，“我们之前都不知道你们在这儿，这个房间也是我们今天才发现的。求求你们，让我们走吧。”
　　“我想你们已经在这里胡闹几天了！”一个男人说，“我们找到了你们的东西，你们这些小不法侵入者！”
　　“我们不知道这座城堡有主人，”黛娜重申，“我们不可能知道。从来没有人来过这里。
　　村民们都不敢到这里来。”
　　“还有人跟你们一起来吗？”黑胡子很怀疑地问。
　　“没有，不信你可以搜。”黛娜说。她希望他们千万不要搜查房间里的盔甲。
　　“我们已经搜遍了所有地方，”另一个男人对粗眉毛说，“没有别人了。”
　　“请让我们走吧，”黛娜请求道，“我们保证不再来了。”
　　“啊哈，但是，等你们回到家，你们就会把这里的一切告诉别人，对吧？”黑胡子的声音令人毛骨悚然，“哦，不，姑娘们，你们必须待在这里，直到我们完成工作。到那时，当它不再重要的时候，我们可能就会让你们离开。我是说可能！这就要看你们的表现了。”
　　菲利普在盔甲里气得直发抖。他们怎么敢对两个女孩这样讲话？但菲利普没有勇气冲出去，而且，这只会让情况变得更糟。
　　“好吧，”黑胡子说，“我们还有事要商量。你们可以离开这个房间，但只要我们叫你们，你们就得答应。”
　　这几个男人允许她们离开密室，这让她们稍稍松了口气。回到大厅里，地上的暗门重新被关起来后，男人们走开了。
　　“我们得想办法逃出去，”黛娜握着露西安的手，悄声说，“我们必须马上走，找人来救菲利普。我不敢想如果他们发现了他……”
　　“杰克在哪儿？”露西安啜泣着说，“我需要他。”
　　杰克就在不远处，他听到石板门关闭的声音，又辨认出女孩们的声音，就从起居室里冲了出来。露西安看到他，开心地跑过去。
　　杰克伸手搂住了露西安，安慰道：“没事了，没事了。我们很快就离开，我们现在去救菲利普。别担心。不要哭了。”
　　但露西安无法停止哭泣，虽然此时见到杰克她已不再那么害怕。
　　杰克把露西安带到上楼的宽石阶上，说：“我们爬过木板就出去了，那时就安全了。我们很快就会把菲利普救出来的，不要害怕。”
　　他们上了楼梯，来到长长的走廊，找到了进来的那个房间。黛娜跑到窗台前，想赶快爬过木板。但是她呆住了：窗台上并没有木板。
　　“我们进错了房间！”她说，“快，杰克，我们得找到对的房间。”
　　他们跑出去，进入隔壁房间——但是那里的窗台上也没有木板。又进到一个房间——还是没有木板。
　　“这就像是噩梦。”黛娜颤抖着说，“我们进入一个又一个房间，但木板永远不会出现！
　　天哪，杰克，这真是一场噩梦吗？”
　　“这看起来像是一场梦。”杰克说，“来吧——我们一下子沮丧一下子兴奋——我们重新回到走廊前面，然后一个房间一个房间地查看，肯定能找到正确的房间。”
　　然而，他们还是没有找到。一个房间又一个房间，所有的窗台上都没有木板。在最后一个房间里，他们停下了。
　　“恐怕——”杰克说，“恐怕那些人发现了我们是怎样进出城堡的，他们拿走了我们的木板！”
　　“噢，天哪！”黛娜说着一屁股坐在了积满灰尘的地板上，“我的腿撑不住了。我猜他们就是因为发现了我们进出城堡的方法，才把我们从地下室里放出来的——我们现在根本就没法离开城堡了！”
　　“是的——但是我们能不能不要再猜想这些了。”杰克说，“我在想，他们把木板放在哪里。我们最好去找一找。”
　　“他们有可能只是把木板从窗台上推了下去。”黛娜沮丧地说。
　　“不，他们不会这么做。”杰克说，“万一有人发现掉在下面的木板，就有可能猜到进城堡的方法。我们还是找找看。”
　　于是他们四下寻找这块木板，但是没有一丝痕迹。它被藏得太好，他们有点想放弃了。
　　“好吧，我们不能逃出去，接下来该怎么办？”黛娜说，“别哭了，露西安，哭一点也没用。”
　　“让她哭吧。”杰克说，他很担心他的小妹妹，“现在事态很严峻。我们被困在这古老的城堡里，出不去——菲利普被关在地下室里，一旦被发现就非常危险。要知道他只要打个喷嚏或咳嗽一声，就会被发现！”
　　露西安听了杰克的话，立刻想象到可怜的菲利普使劲憋着不打喷嚏。
　　“我们显然一头栽入了某个奇怪的神秘事件之中。”杰克说，“我想不出这事的来龙去脉。我不知道这些人为什么藏在这里。但看他们的样子就知道，他们没一个是好人。他们肯定是某个黑帮团伙里的小混混，准备干什么坏事。我很想去阻止他们，可照现在的情况看来不太可能。整个事情唯一好的地方是，他们不知道我的存在，也不知道菲利普就藏在他们的地下密室里！”
　　“只要我们能够出去！”露西安叹着气说，“艾莉阿姨不在，但我们可以去农场找人帮忙。”
　　“我不知道我们该怎么出去，我们进出的唯一一条路都被他们毁了。”杰克说，“我觉得现在连塔西都爬不进来了，尤其她妈妈又不许她再来了。”
　　“我们千万不能让那几个人知道你在这儿，杰克，”黛娜说，“你能在哪里安全藏身？”
　　“我可以藏在巨石上的荆棘丛里。”杰克说，“那里很安全。你们俩到大厅里去，看看暗门是不是还关着——如果还关着，我就偷偷地到院子里，爬上巨石钻进我的荆棘丛里。你们可以坐在荆棘丛边上，悄悄告诉我事情的进展。”
　　“我真希望我们能知道小纽扣是怎样进出城堡的。”露西安说，“如果我们知道，我们就能试试它的方法了。只是，我在想，如果真的是通过野兔洞，那么我们恐怕是钻不进去的。”
　　她们来到大厅，发现暗门还是关着的，于是便招手示意杰克下来。杰克快速穿过大厅，走出大门，然后又穿过院子，爬上巨石，钻进了安全的荆棘丛。
　　女孩们也爬上巨石，在荆棘丛附近坐下。在这里，她们能将城堡和周围的一切尽收眼底。她们拆开一包食物，开始吃午餐，虽然露西安没什么胃口。她们偷偷地把食物递给荆棘丛里的杰克。
　　“幸亏我们带了那么多食物。”黛娜说，“如果我们要被囚禁很长时间，那也没关系！”
　　“当然，如果你妈妈没有外出，她会因为我们这么晚没回家而担心，然后会和救援队一起来城堡里救我们。”露西安说，“不幸的是，她现在不在家，没有人会担心我们！”
　　“嘘！那两个男人来了！”黛娜说，“你不要讲话，杰克。”
　　那两个男人大声喊着女孩们。黛娜生气地应着。他们招手让她俩下来。
　　“你们找到那块小木板了吗？”黑胡子故作礼貌地问，另一个人在边上窃笑。
　　“没找到，是你们藏起来了。”黛娜面露愠色。
　　“那是当然。你们确实想了个好办法，但是，我们不喜欢。”那个男人说，“现在，你们很明白，你们出不去了。所以，你们白天可以完好无损地待在院子里，晚上则可以睡在地下室的大床上。我们要到某个地方去工作。但是，你们绝对不允许去塔楼。我们是不会让你们去塔顶发求救信号的。你们要明白，如果你们不遵守规定，你们一定会非常遗憾的——你们可能会被关进地牢，那里到处都是老鼠和爬虫。”
　　黛娜吓得发抖。地牢让她恐惧万分。
　　“你们是听话的好姑娘，我们不会伤害你们。”黑胡子说，“就在我们看得见你们的地方待着。在这院子里，我们叫你们，就乖乖过来。我们知道，你们带了很多食物。厨房里有水，从压水井里打上来就行。”
　　女孩们没有说话。两个男人走进大门，再次消失在城堡里。
　　“菲利普会怎样？”露西安问，“他会饿死在下面吗？我希望能尽快救他出来！”
　　“他不会挨饿，桌上有好多食物，只要他能走下基座，就能拿到它们。”黛娜说，“要是我们能给塔西带个信就好了！她可能会去求救。但是现在根本没有办法带信出去。”
　　“我觉得琪琪可以，我们在她腿上绑上字条，就像打仗时用信鸽传递信息。”露西安说，“噢，不，我觉得她不会离开杰克。她是一只非常聪明、敏感的鸟，但是要求她成为信使还是太过分了。”
　　然而，信使确实出现了——完全没有想到！
19 Lucy-Ann has an idea
　　19 Lucy-Ann has an idea
　　All that day the girls hung about the courtyard, never keeping very far from the crag, so that theycould talk to poor bored Jack in his hiding-place. They wondered how Philip was getting on downin the hidden room. Had he been discovered?
　　‘It’s a great pity those men talk together in some language we don’t understand,’ said Dinah. ‘Ifthey talked in English Philip might learn quite a lot of secrets, standing there so close beside them,without them knowing!’
　　‘Yes, he might,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I wish he wasn’t down there though. I should feel so scared ifit was me, hidden in armour that might creak or clank if I moved just a little bit.’
　　‘Well, Philip won’t feel scared,’ said Dinah, ‘He is hardly ever scared of anything. I expect he isquite enjoying himself.’
　　But Lucy-Ann didn’t believe that for one moment. She thought Dinah was silly to say such athing. But then, Dinah wasn’t as fond of her brother as she, Lucy-Ann, was. It was bad enough tohave Jack being compelled to hide in that horrid gorse bush - but it would have been far worse tohave him down in the hidden room with the men, likely to be discovered at any moment!
　　‘Cheer up!’ whispered Jack, from the gorse bush, seeing her gloomy face. ‘This is an adventure,you know.’
　　‘I only like adventures afterwards,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I don’t like them when they’re happening. Ididn’t want this adventure at all. We didn’t look for it, we just seemed to fall into the middle of it!’
　　‘Well, never mind. It’ll turn out all right, I expect,’ said Jack comfortingly.
　　But poor Lucy-Ann couldn’t see how. It was quite clear that they couldn’t escape from thecastle, and equally clear that no one could rescue them.
　　They had tea on the crag, the girls passing food to Jack, who was now feeling very crampedindeed, and longed to get out and stretch his legs. But he didn’t dare to. When night came hewould, but not till then.
　　The sun went down. Kiki, bored with her long imprisonment, became very talkative. The girlslet her talk, keeping a sharp lookout in case the men came and heard her.
　　‘Poor old Kiki, what a pity, what a pity! Put the kettle on, God save the Queen! Now, now, now,now, attention please! Sit up straight and don’t loll. How many times have I told you to pop theweasel?’
　　The girls giggled. Kiki was very funny when she talked, for she brought into her chattering allthe words and sentences she knew, running them one into another in a most bewildering way.
　　‘Good old Kiki!’ said Jack, scratching her neck. ‘You’re bored, aren’t you? Never mind, youshall have a fine fly round when it’s dark. Now don’t start your express-engine screech, or you’llbring our enemies up here at a run!’
　　The sun sank lower. Long shadows lay across the courtyard and then the whole of it went intotwilight. The stars came out one by one, pricking the sky here and there.
　　The men came up the yard, two of them together. They called the girls.
　　‘Hey, you two girls! You’d better come down and go to bed.’
　　‘We don’t mind the dark. We’ll stay a bit longer,’ shouted back Dinah, who wanted to walkround the yard with Jack, before she and Lucy-Ann retired to the hidden room.
　　‘Well, come down in half an hour,’ shouted the bearded man. ‘It will be quite dark then, andyou’d be better inside.’
　　They disappeared. Dinah slipped down from her perch and went silently after them. She sawthem going down the steps of the hidden room. Then she heard the now familiar grating noise asthe entrance hole was closed by the sliding stone.
　　She ran back to Jack. ‘Come on, Jack,’ she whispered. ‘The men are down in the hidden room,and it’s almost dark now. You’ll be safe if you come out.’
　　Very glad to come from his uncomfortable hiding-place, Jack squeezed out of the bush. Hestood up thankfully and stretched his arms high above his head.
　　‘Golly, I’m stiff!’ he said. ‘Come on, let’s go for a nice sharp walk round the courtyard. It’s toodark for me to be seen now.’
　　They set off, linking their arms together. They hadn’t gone more than halfway before somethinghurled itself against them out of the shadows, and almost knocked Jack over. He stopped, startled.
　　‘What’s that? Where’s my torch?’
　　He flicked it on quickly, and then off again, in case the men were about. He gave a low cry.
　　‘It’s Button! Dear little old Button - how did you get here? I am glad to see you!’
　　Button made happy noises in his throat, rolled over like a puppy, licked the girls and Jack, andgenerally behaved as if he was mad with delight. But he kept going off to the side and back again,and it was soon clear to the others that he had come to find Philip, his master.
　　‘You can’t get to Philip, old boy,’ said Jack, fondling the little fox cub. ‘You’ll have to make dowith us. Philip isn’t here.’
　　The fox cub made a barking noise, and Kiki, who was sitting on Jack’s shoulder, evidentlyrather disgusted to see Button appear again, immediately imitated the barking. Button jumped up,trying to reach her, but he couldn’t. Kiki made a jeering noise, which would have been mostinfuriating to Button if he had understood it, but he didn’t.
　　‘Jack! I’ve got an idea!’ said Lucy-Ann, suddenly clutching her brother’s arm.
　　‘What!’ said Jack, who never thought very much of Lucy-Ann’s good ideas.
　　‘Can’t we use Button as a messenger? Can’t we send him back to Tassie with a note, telling herto get help for us, Jack? Button is sure to go back to her when he can’t find Philip, because, next toPhilip, he loves Tassie. Can’t we do that?’
　　‘Jack! That’s really a good idea of Lucy-Ann’s!’ said Dinah, in excitement. ‘Button is the onlyone of us who knows how to get out of here. He could be our messenger, as Lucy-Ann says.’
　　Jack considered it. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘I must say it seems a sound idea, and worth trying. It can’tdo any harm, anyway. All right, we’ll make Button our messenger.’
　　The next thing was to write a note to Tassie. Jack had a notebook, and he tore out a page. Hewrote a few words in pencil and read them out to the others.
　　‘Tassie, we are imprisoned here. Get help as soon as you can. We may be in serious danger.’
　　They all signed it. Then Jack folded it up and wondered how to get Button to take it.
　　He thought of a way at last. He had some string in his pocket, and first of all he tied the notetightly round and round with it. Then he twisted the string fairly tightly round Button’s sturdy littleneck. He knew that if he made it too loose the fox cub would work it off over his head, for, like allwild things, he resented anything tied to him.
　　‘There,’ said Jack, pleased. ‘I don’t think Button can get that off, and the note is tied very tightlyto the string. I’ve made him a kind of string collar, with the note at the front, under his chin.’
　　‘Go back to Tassie, Button,’ said Lucy-Ann. But Button didn’t understand. He still hoped Philipwould appear, and he didn’t want to go back until he had seen him - or, better still, he would staywith him if he could. So the little fox cub hunted all around for Philip again and again,occasionally stopping and trying to get off this new thing round his neck. But he couldn’t.
　　Suddenly one of the men called loudly, making everyone jump violently. ‘Come in, you twogirls!’
　　‘Good night, Jack. We must go,’ whispered Lucy-Ann, giving her brother a hug. ‘I hope youwon’t be too uncomfortable tonight. Take some of our extra rugs into the bush with you, when yougo to sleep.’
　　‘I shan’t go back to that beastly bush for ages,’ said Jack, who was thoroughly tired of hishiding-place and would have been glad never to see it again. ‘Good night. Don’t worry aboutanything. Once Button gets to Tassie, she’ll soon bring help.’
　　The girls left him in the dark courtyard. They went into the hall, and saw the dim light of thelamp shining up from the hidden room. They went down the stone steps, and looked hurriedlyround. Was Philip still in the suit of armour? They couldn’t tell. All the suits of armour werestanding around as usual, but whether one had Philip inside or not they didn’t know.
　　‘We’re going to shut you in here,’ said the shaggy man, his ugly face looking even uglier in thelamplight. ‘You can use that bed to sleep in. We shall see you in the morning.’
　　He went up the steps, and then the stone swung sideways and upwards, closing the holecompletely. The girls were prisoners once again. They stood in silence for a moment or twolistening. There was nothing to be heard.
　　‘Philip!’ whispered Lucy-Ann, looking at the suit of armour in which she had last seen him. Areyou there? Speak to us!’
　　‘I’m still here,’ came Philip’s voice, sounding queerly hollow. ‘But I hope I never have to spendanother day like this. I’m going to get out of this armour. I can’t stay in it another minute!’
　　‘Oh, Philip - do you think you’d better?’ said Dinah anxiously. ‘Suppose the men come back?’
　　‘I don’t think they will - but if they do I jolly well can’t help it. I’m desperate,’ said Philip.
　　‘I’ve got cramp in all my limbs, I’m tired out with standing so still and I’ve had to stop myselfsneezing at least three times. It’s been a most awful strain, I can tell you.’
　　A clanking noise came from the suit of armour as Philip began to get out of it, clumsily andawkwardly, for he felt very stiff.
　　‘The worst of it was my toad couldn’t bear being in here with me and he got out through acrack, and hopped and crawled about for all he was worth,’ said Philip. ‘The men saw him andwere awfully surprised.’
　　Dinah looked about at once for the toad. She hoped it wasn’t anywhere near her.
　　‘Poor old Philip,’ said Lucy-Ann, going to help. ‘You must have had an awful day.’
　　‘I have - but I wouldn’t really have missed it for worlds!’ said Philip. ‘My word, I’ve learnt afew things, I can tell you! For instance, there’s a secret way out of this room - behind the tapestrysomewhere!’
　　‘Oooh,’ said Lucy-Ann, looking at the tapestry, as if she expected to see a secret way openingbefore her eyes. ‘Is there really? How do you know?’
　　‘I’ll tell you all about it, once I get out of this awful armour,’ said Philip. ‘My word, I hope Inever wear it again! You wouldn’t believe how hot I got inside it. There - I’m out, thankgoodness! Now to stretch myself a bit!’
　　‘And then tell us what happened in here today,’ said Dinah, eager to hear. ‘I bet you’ve gotsome exciting things to tell us!’
　　She was right. Philip certainly had!
第19章 露西安有了主意
　　第19章 露西安有了主意
　　整个白天，两个女孩都待在院子里，没有离开巨石太远，因此能常和荆棘丛里的杰克讲上几句话。他们都很想知道菲利普在地下室还好吗，他们发现他了吗？
　　“那三个人总是用另一种语言商量事情，我们都听不懂，太可惜了。”黛娜说，“如果他们都讲英语，那菲利普一定已经听到很多秘密了，他们不知道菲利普可就在他们边上啊。”
　　“是的。”露西安说，“可我宁愿他不在那里。要是我躲在那盔甲里，我一定吓死了，只要稍微动一下，就会发出很大的声响。”
　　“我觉得菲利普不会害怕，”黛娜说，“他从没怕过什么。他可能还很享受待在那里的感觉呢。”
　　但是露西安并不相信，只觉得黛娜在说傻话。杰克被迫躲在扎人的荆棘丛里已经够糟糕的了，更糟糕的是，菲利普此时在地下密室，就和那三个男人在一起，他随时会被发现！
　　“高兴点！”杰克看到露西安愁眉苦脸，忙宽慰道，“要知道，这是一场冒险。”
　　“我只喜欢谈论冒险，”露西安说，“不喜欢参与冒险！我一点也不想加入这次冒险。不是我们想要加入冒险，完全是我们被迫卷入其中！”
　　“好吧，这不要紧。一切都会好的。”杰克说。
　　但是可怜的露西安真的不知道，这一切怎么才能变好。他们不能逃离城堡，也不会有人来营救他们，这再明显不过了。
　　女孩们在巨石上吃茶点，又偷偷地给杰克递进了一些食物。杰克在里面都快抽筋了，他真希望能赶紧出去伸展一下四肢。但是他不敢，不到天黑他可不敢出来。
　　太阳开始落山了。琪琪在荆棘丛里憋了这么长时间，变得很健谈。女孩们没有制止她，只是更加留心那几个男人，以防他们听见。
　　“可怜的琪琪，太可怜了，太可怜了！把茶壶放到炉子上，天佑吾王！现在，现在请注意！坐直了，挺起背！告诉你们多少次了，黄鼠狼跑啦！”
　　女孩们咯咯直笑。琪琪讲起话来真的很好笑。她喋喋不休地把她知道的词语和句子胡乱说出来，前言不搭后语。
　　“好琪琪，”杰克说着挠了挠琪琪的脖子，“你觉得很无聊吧？没关系，等天黑了，你就出去好好飞上几圈。现在请不要再说话了，不然你会把我们的敌人引过来的！”
　　太阳继续西沉。长长的影子跨过整个院子，最终沉没于暮色之中。星星一颗接一颗出现在天空中。
　　三个男人来到院子里，其中两个一起呼叫女孩们：
　　“嘿，你们俩最好赶紧从那上面下来，到里头睡觉去！”
　　“我们不怕黑，想再待会儿。”黛娜喊着回答，她还想和杰克还有露西安一起在院子里散散步，然后再回地下室去。
　　“好吧，半小时后一定要下来。”黑胡子喊道，“天很快就黑透了，你们最好到里面去。”
　　然后，他们就走了。黛娜爬下巨石，悄悄地跟着他们，只见他们下到了地下密室。然后，她听到熟悉的石板滑动的声音，密室的暗门关上了。
　　黛娜跑回杰克身边。“快，杰克，”她轻声说，“那几个人都到密室去了，现在天也已经黑了，你出来很安全。”
　　杰克挤出荆棘丛，他很高兴能离开这不舒服的藏身处。他站起身，将手臂高高地举过头顶。
　　“老天，我都快僵住了！”他说，“来吧，我们到院子里去，现在光线这么暗，没人能看到我。”
　　他们手拉着手出发了。刚走到一半，就有个什么东西从阴影里猛地向他们撞了过来，差点把杰克绊倒。他惊奇地停下脚步。
　　“是什么？我的手电筒呢？”
　　他打开手电筒，然后迅速又关了。他怕那几个人此时就在附近。他轻声叫了起来：
　　“是小纽扣！亲爱的小纽扣！你怎么也来啦？真高兴见到你！”
　　小纽扣喉咙里发出愉悦的声音，像只小狗似的转圈圈，小舌头一会儿舔舔杰克一会儿舔舔女孩们，它好像快乐得就要发疯了。
　　小纽扣跑开去，又折回来，就这么往返着。大家终于明白，原来它是在找小主人菲利普。
　　“小纽扣，菲利普不在这里。”杰克一边说一边抚摸着这只小狐狸，“你要和我们一起去找他。”
　　小纽扣发出一声嗥叫。琪琪坐在杰克的肩头，对小纽扣的出现感到十分不耐烦，她模仿小纽扣也叫了一声。小纽扣跳起来去够琪琪，可又够不到。琪琪又冲小纽扣发出嘲笑的叫声。如果小纽扣能听得懂，它一定会气坏的，所幸它不懂。
　　“杰克！我想到一个主意！”露西安说着一下子抓住了她哥哥的胳膊。
　　“我们可以让小纽扣当信使啊！我们可以让它给塔西带个字条，让她来救我们。如果小纽扣找不到菲利普，它一定会回去找塔西。它对塔西的依赖仅次于对菲利普。这么做行不行？”
　　“杰克！露西安说的是个好办法！”黛娜兴奋地说，“小纽扣是我们中间唯一一个能从这里出去的。就像露西安说的，它能当我们的信使！”
　　杰克仔细想了想。“是的，”他说，“我得说，这听上去是个好点子，值得一试。无论如何不会带来任何害处。好吧，就让小纽扣当我们的信使。”
　　现在就要给塔西写个字条。杰克正好带着一本笔记本。他撕下一页，用铅笔在上面写了几句话：
　　“塔西，我们被关在城堡里了。赶紧去叫人来救援。情况可能会很危险。”
　　他们每个人都签上了名。接着，杰克把字条折了起来，思忖小纽扣该怎么带这字条。
　　最后，他想到了一个办法。他从口袋里找出一团细绳，先将字条一圈圈地绑了个结实，然后把字条服服帖帖地系在小纽扣的脖子上。他知道不能系太松，不然小纽扣会想办法把绳子从它脖子上蹭下来。作为一个野生动物，它可不愿意接受被绑缚的感觉。
　　“好了，就像给小纽扣戴了个项圈，”杰克满意地说，“这下它就蹭不掉了。字条系在前面，就在它的下巴下面。”
　　“回去找塔西吧，小纽扣。”露西安说。但是，小纽扣根本听不懂。它还希望能尽快见到菲利普，在见到菲利普之前，它可不想回去——或者，更好的是，它能被允许和菲利普待在一起。于是，小纽扣只是来来回回地到处找菲利普。偶尔停下来，想把脖子上的“小玩意儿”弄下来，可没有办法。
　　突然，其中一个男人大叫起来：“姑娘们，快进来！”
　　“晚安，杰克，我们必须得走了。”露西安轻轻地说着，拥抱了一下她哥哥，“我希望你今晚不会感觉太难受。把我们带来的毯子也拿进荆棘丛里，这样你能睡得舒服些。”
　　“我可不想再在荆棘丛里待这么长时间了。”杰克说，他真受够了他的藏身之处了，最好不要再见到它，“晚安，不要担心其他事。只要小纽扣回到塔西身边，她就很快会来救我们的。”
　　女孩们把杰克留在了昏暗的院子里，然后走进大厅。只见地板上透出从地下密室里发出的昏暗的灯光。她们走下石阶，仓促间观察了周围的情况。菲利普还在某套盔甲里吗？
　　她们不知道。所有的盔甲都井然有序地立在密室周围，但是菲利普在其中的哪一套里，大家都不知道。
　　“我们要把你俩都关在这里。”粗眉毛说。在微弱的灯光下，他的脸看上去更加丑陋：“你们可以睡那张床，我们明早来叫你们。”
　　说完，他回到大厅，石板再次移回原位，封住密室的出口。女孩们再次困在这里成了囚犯。她们静静地站了一会儿，仔细听外面的声音。她们什么都没听到。
　　“菲利普！”露西安朝着一套盔甲悄声叫道，“你在那里吗？快回答我们。”
　　“我在这里。”盔甲里传来菲利普的声音，听上去格外空洞，“但我不希望还要再这样过一天。我要从盔甲里出来，实在受不了了。”
　　“噢，菲利普，你确定你要出来吗？”黛娜焦急地说，“万一那几个人又回来了呢？”
　　“我觉得他们今晚不会回来了——如果他们要回来，那我也不管了，只能拼命了。”菲利普说，“我的胳膊和腿都抽筋了，这么长时间一动不动地站在这里，我已经累死了。而且，我已经憋住了三次喷嚏，这实在是太难受了！”
　　一阵哐啷声从盔甲里传来，菲利普正试着从里面出来。他的动作看上去非常笨拙，因为他的四肢此时已经僵硬了。
　　“最糟糕的是，我的癞蛤蟆因为不能忍受待在盔甲里，从缝隙里逃了出去，在外面拼命地蹦蹦跳跳。”菲利普说，“后来被那几个人看见了，他们感到特别惊讶。”
　　黛娜马上四下找癞蛤蟆的身影。她可不希望癞蛤蟆在她附近。
　　“可怜的菲利普，”露西安说着赶紧上前帮忙，“你这一天可真太糟了。”
　　“确实太糟了——可我无论如何也不愿意错过今天！”菲利普说，“我知道了好多秘密！
　　比如，这里有一个出去的密道，就在挂毯后面的什么地方！”
　　“噢——”露西安朝挂毯看去，好像希望看到密道就在她眼前出现，“真的有密道吗？你怎么知道？”
　　“等我从盔甲里出来就告诉你。”菲利普说，“天哪，我再也不想穿这些了。你都想象不到，这里头有多热。好了，我出来了，谢天谢地！赶紧舒展一下！”
　　“快说说这里今天发生了什么。”黛娜急着想知道，“你一定知道了一些很刺激的事！”
　　黛娜说得很对，菲利普当然知道了很多！
20 Philip tells a strange story
　　20 Philip tells a strange story
　　‘We’d better get on the bed, in case those awful men come back,’ said Dinah. ‘What will you do ifthey do, Philip?’
　　‘I shall hear the grating noise the stone makes when it moves, and I’ll hop out of the bed and getunderneath it,’ said Philip. ‘I don’t really think the men will suspect there is anyone here but you -they’re not likely suddenly to make a search in the middle of the night!’
　　There was plenty of room for them all on the enormous old bed. There was an eiderdownmattress, which the three children sank into. Philip was pleased. After the hardness of the suit ofarmour, it was pleasant to feel something so soft.
　　He sat up and told his story.
　　‘Well, you remember when you went up the steps by yourselves and left me there?’ he said. ‘Iwas awfully angry to think those men should talk to you like that, but I couldn’t do anything aboutit, of course. Anyway, I just stayed put for ages, and after some time all three men came down,shut up the entrance hole, and sat round the table.’
　　‘Could you understand their talk?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘No, more’s the pity, I couldn’t,’ said Philip. ‘They had maps out, and were tracing things onthem, but I couldn’t see what. I almost over-balanced myself, trying to see.’
　　‘Gracious! What a shock you’d have given those men if you had toppled over with a crash,’
　　said Dinah, with a laugh. ‘Good thing you didn’t though.’
　　‘Well, they sat about for a long time, talking and poring over their maps,’ said Philip, ‘and thenthey had a jolly good meal. They opened stacks of tins. It made my mouth water to see them.’
　　‘Poor Philip - have you had anything to eat?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　Philip nodded. ‘Don’t worry. The very next time the men disappeared up the stone steps andshut the hole, I clanked off my pedestal, and finished up most of what they had left. I had to hopethey wouldn’t notice it was gone. But I was so hungry and thirsty I didn’t care. It was funny to seeall the other suits of armour standing round, looking at me. I half expected them to walk up andjoin me in my meal!’
　　‘Don’t say things like that!’ said poor Lucy-Ann, looking quite scared. She gazed with wideeyes at the suits of armour standing so silently on their pedestals, and imagined them suddenlywalking off them, with a clash and a clank.
　　Philip laughed, and gave Lucy-Ann a pat. ‘It was awfully difficult to drink,’ he said. ‘I couldn’ttip my head back properly in that armour. I poured half of it down the inside of it, and I wasterrified I’d have puddles coming out of my feet, when I went back.’
　　The girls couldn’t help laughing. Philip always told a story very well, making them see everydetail of it.
　　‘Well, I got back to my pedestal, feeling a whole lot better, and hadn’t been there more thantwenty minutes or so when the men came back again. And then an extraordinary thing happened.’
　　‘What?’ said the girls together, holding their breath.
　　‘See the tapestry over there - the one with the dogs and the horses on?’ said Philip, pointing.
　　‘Exactly opposite where my suit of armour stands? Well, behind there is a secret door!’
　　He paused and the girls gazed first at the tapestry and then at Philip. ‘The men talked a bit, andthen one of them went to that piece of tapestry. He lifted it up and hung it back on that nail youcan see. I could see everything perfectly through my visor. Well, at first I couldn’t make out whatthe man was doing, because the wall looked as if it was made of solid stone all along.’
　　‘And wasn’t it?’ said Lucy-Ann, in excitement.
　　‘No,’ said Philip. ‘Part of it is only a thin slab of stone, not immensely solid and thick like therest of the walls here, and that thin piece slides right back! Then when it had moved back, the manstepped into the square hollow place left and felt about there. On one side of the hollow place wasa door of some kind, which he opened - and all three men disappeared through the door!’
　　‘Gracious!’ said Dinah. ‘Where did they go?’
　　‘I don’t know,’ said Philip. ‘But I’d dearly like to! There’s some secret here, some big mystery.
　　Those men are up to some mischief. Why should foreigners - because two of them are foreigners,you can tell that by their accent - why should foreigners come to a lonely place like this, and hideand have meetings, and use secret rooms and doors?’
　　‘Shall we see where that door leads to?’ said Dinah, overcome with curiosity.
　　‘No, don’t let’s,’ said Lucy-Ann, who had had enough excitement for one day.
　　‘You’re scared,’ said Dinah scornfully.
　　‘No, she’s not, said Philip. ‘Anyway, I think it would be a mistake to mess about behind thattapestry just now. If the men happened to come back and saw that we had found their secret door,goodness knows what they’d do. We might never be heard of again!’
　　Dinah was silent. She longed to explore behind that tapestry - but she knew Philip was right.
　　They must wait and take their time. Dinah began to tell Philip about their day with Jack in thecourtyard, and all that had happened. He was very glad that Jack hadn’t been caught.
　　‘Well, that’s two people those men have no idea are here,’ he said. ‘Me and Jack. That’s good.
　　As long as they think it’s only a couple of girls they’ve got to deal with, they won’t be so much ontheir guard.’
　　Then Dinah told him about sending Button with a message to Tassie. He listened thoughtfully,and then made a remark that sent their hearts down into their boots.
　　‘It was a fine idea,’ he said, ‘but it won’t be a bit of good, I’m afraid. You’ve forgotten thatTassie can’t read or write!’
　　The two girls stared at one another in the greatest dismay. They had forgotten that. Of course -Tassie wouldn’t be able to make head or tail of the note. What a blow! Lucy-Ann looked verywoebegone to think that her good idea shouldn’t have been so very good after all.
　　Philip put his arm round her and gave her a friendly hug. ‘Never mind. Perhaps Tassie will havethe common sense to show the note to somebody who can read! Cheer up.’
　　This exchange of news took a long time. The girls began to feel sleepy. Lucy-Ann lay down onthe soft bed and shut her eyes. Dinah and Philip talked a little longer and then lay down too. Philipwas tired with his long day in the suit of armour, and fell sound asleep almost at once.
　　Dinah was awakened suddenly, two or three hours later, by the sound of the entrance hole beingopened. At first she did not recognise the noise - then, very suddenly, she knew what it was. In arush it all came back to her.
　　Philip and Lucy-Ann did not awake. Dinah shook the boy desperately. ‘Philip!’ she whisperedurgently. ‘Wake up! Quick, get under the bed! They’re here!’
　　Half asleep, Philip rolled off the bed, and underneath it, just as the first man came down thesteps. Dinah lay still as if she was asleep. Lucy-Ann did not stir.
　　The man, hearing the noise of Philip falling off the bed, stared suspiciously over into the cornerwhere the four-poster bed stood. He turned up the wick of the oil lamp, which had burned down,and went over to the bed.
　　His toe almost touched Philip, who was crouching underneath. The man pulled back the heavycurtains around the old bed and looked down at the girls. Dinah felt sure he knew she was awake.
　　He stared down at the two of them for a few seconds and then pulled the curtains back again.
　　Apparently he was satisfied that the girls were really asleep. He did not dream that a third childwas there, hidden safely under the bed!
　　Dinah, looking between her eyelashes, saw that there were five men there, two that she had notseen before. They spoke in a language she could not understand. One of the men she knewunlocked a big drawer in a chest, and took out a roll of maps, which he threw on the table.
　　Then, one after another, the maps were spread out and apparently discussed. Finally they wereput back again, and the drawer locked. Then, to Dinah’s excited delight, the shaggy-brown manthrew back a piece of tapestry from the wall, and exposed the place where the secret door washidden.
　　One of the men laid his hand on his arm, saying something in a low voice, and nodding towardsthe bed in the further corner.
　　Then he walked swiftly across the bed and drew the thick curtains so closely round it that Dinahcould see nothing more. How annoying! She did not dare to peep, because she knew if she did, shewould probably be seen.
　　After that she could only lie and listen, wondering what was happening. She heard a slidingnoise, a click, a little thud, and the sound of a key turning in a lock. Then she heard voices again.
　　After that she heard men going up the stone stair, and peeped quickly to see who they were. Theywere the three she knew. Evidently the others had gone through the secret door, to wherever thatled to. It was all most mysterious.
　　There came the familiar grating noise - and then silence. Dinah peeped out. There was no onein the room. The tapestry was replaced, and hung down over the wall again.
　　She called softly to Philip, and he came out from under the bed. ‘Don’t wake Lucy-Ann, or shewon’t go to sleep again,’ said Philip in a low voice. ‘Did you see much, Dinah?’
　　‘Lots,’ said Dinah, and told him everything. Philip listened intently.
　　‘Five men now,’ he said. ‘I do wonder what they’re all up to. You see, Dinah, it was much thebest thing not to go messing about trying to find that secret door tonight. We’d have been properlycaught if we had!’
　　‘Yes, we should,’ said Dinah. ‘Philip, what are these men up to?’
　　‘I don’t know,’ said Philip. ‘If we went through that hidden door, and found out where it led to,we might learn their secret. But we must wait and take our chance, not just rush in withoutthinking.’
　　‘I shouldn’t think they’ll come back again, would you?’ said Dinah, lying down. ‘Do you thinkyou’d better sleep under the bed, in case? You made an awful noise rolling off.’
　　‘Perhaps I’d better,’ said Philip. He took one of the blankets off the bed and went underneath it,arranging himself as comfortably as he could.
　　‘Are you going to stand in that suit of armour again tomorrow?’ asked Dinah suddenly.
　　‘No, rather not! I’ll hide under the bed. I’m sure the men won’t dream of looking for someonethey don’t know is there!’ said Philip. ‘I feel as if I never want to see a suit of armour again in mylife! Beastly, uncomfortable things!’
　　They fell asleep again, and this time nothing disturbed them till the morning. It was impossibleto tell whether it was morning or not in the hidden room, but Dinah’s watch showed her that it washalf-past seven.
　　The shaggy man came down into the room. ‘You can clear out for the day,’ he said. ‘But keepwithin sight and call as I told you - or most unpleasant things might happen!’
第20章 菲利普讲述的奇怪故事
　　第20章 菲利普讲述的奇怪故事
　　“我们赶紧上床睡觉吧，以防那些人再回来。”黛娜说，“如果他们回来，你怎么办，菲利普？”
　　“石板移动时会发出声响，一旦我听到声响，我就立刻躲到床底下去。”菲利普说，“我认为他们不会怀疑这里还会有除了你们以外的第三个人，他们也不会三更半夜返回来搞突然搜查。”
　　这张古老的床很大，他们三个睡在上面绰绰有余。孩子们躺上去，一下子就陷进了厚厚的羽绒垫子里。菲利普满意极了。在坚硬的盔甲里待了这么长时间后，他很高兴能感受到如此柔软的东西。
　　然后，他开始讲他的事。
　　“还记得那时你们都上去了，只有我一个人留在这里吗？”菲利普说，“我真的很生气，他们竟然对你们说如此无礼的话，但是，我什么也不能做。我就待在这里等着，等了很久，然后那三个人下来了，关了门，围坐在桌边。”
　　“你听得懂他们讲话吗？”露西安问。
　　“不，很可惜，我听不懂。”菲利普说，“他们拿出一些地图，在上面查找什么东西，但是我看不到是什么。为了看清楚，我差点失去平衡跌倒。”
　　“老天！如果你跌倒了，那些人就要吓死了！”黛娜大笑起来，“还好你没有跌倒。”
　　“他们坐了很长时间，一直在讨论、研究地图，”菲利普说，“然后，他们大吃了一顿。
　　他们开了好多罐头吃，我看着都流口水了。”
　　“可怜的菲利普，你还什么都没吃吧？”露西安问。
　　“别担心，”菲利普说，“他们后来离开了这里，我就走下基座，把他们剩下的都吃完了。我希望他们没有注意到剩下的东西都被吃完了。但我也管不了这么多了，我实在饿死了，也渴死了。你们想想看，这是一个多么有趣的场景：我穿着盔甲在桌边吃东西，而其他盔甲都站在周围看着我。我都希望它们也过来和我一起吃了！”
　　“别说这么诡异的事！”可怜的露西安看着周围的那些盔甲，越看越害怕。她想象着它们突然从基座上走下来，还发出丁零当啷的声响。
　　菲利普笑起来，手轻轻拍了拍露西安的背。“穿着盔甲喝水特别困难。”他说，“我不能抬头，一半水都倒进了盔甲里。我吃完往回走的时候，发现每走一步脚边都留着一摊水，我吓坏了！”
　　女孩们忍不住都笑出声来。菲利普特别会讲故事，她们好像身临其境。
　　“我回到基座，感觉好多了。不到二十分钟，那些人又回来了。然后，发生了一件不得了的事。”
　　“什么事？”女孩们齐声问，大气也不敢出。
　　“看那块挂毯——画着狗和马的那块。”菲利普指着挂毯说，“刚好就在我的盔甲对面。
　　挂毯后面也有一个暗门！”
　　他停下来，女孩们先看向挂毯，然后又看着他。“那几个人谈论了一会儿，接着，其中一个走向那块挂毯。他掀起挂毯，把它挂在墙上那根钉子上。我透过面罩看得一清二楚。
　　一开始，我不太明白那人到底在做什么，因为那面墙看起来就是全由结实的大石块砌成的。”
　　“难道不是吗？”露西安兴奋地说。
　　“不是的，”菲利普说，“墙其中一部分只是一块薄薄的石板，不像其他部分那样厚实坚固。然后，这块石板向右后方移动了！石板后有一个方形的空洞，那人走了进去，在边上摸索了一下，打开了一扇门。最后，他们三个人都进了那扇门，消失了。”
　　“天哪！”黛娜很吃惊，“他们去哪儿了？”
　　“我不知道，”菲利普说，“但我很想知道！这秘密后面一定是个巨大的神秘事件。那几个人肯定是在谋划什么坏事！为什么这几个外国人——从他们的口音来看，其中两人肯定是外国人——为什么这几个外国人要到这么偏远的地方，躲藏起来，秘密开会，还使用地下密室和暗门？”
　　“我们要去看看那扇门通向哪里吗？”黛娜问，她的脑袋已被好奇完全占据了。
　　“不，别去。”露西安说。对她来说，今天已经够刺激了。
　　“你是胆小鬼。”黛娜嘲笑说。
　　“不，她不是。”菲利普说，“无论如何，我觉得我们现在不能去乱动那块挂毯。万一那些人回来了，发现我们知道了那扇暗门的秘密，天知道他们会怎么处置我们！恐怕我们都得从这世上消失！”
　　黛娜沉默了。她渴望去探究那块挂毯后的暗门——但她知道菲利普是对的。他们只能等着，慢慢来。于是，黛娜告诉菲利普白天她们俩在院子里和杰克待在一起的事。杰克安然无恙，没有被他们抓住，这让菲利普感到欣慰。
　　“现在，他们不知道这里还有另外两个人，我和杰克，这是好事情。”菲利普说，“只要他们认为只需应付两个小姑娘，他们就不会那么警觉。”
　　然后，黛娜又告诉菲利普，他们让小纽扣带信出去给塔西。菲利普听了，略加思索，然后说出了一个让两个女孩都很沮丧的事实。
　　“这是个好主意，但是，”他说，“你们忘了，塔西不识字！”
　　女孩们面面相觑，倍感失望。他们确实都忘了——塔西根本看不懂字条。真糟糕！露西安看上去尤其悲伤，原来她所谓的好主意根本就没有一点用！
　　菲利普伸出手，给了露西安一个友好温暖的拥抱：“别担心。没准儿塔西会把字条交给某个识字的人，他们一样能收到消息。高兴点。”
　　他们交谈了很长时间，女孩们开始犯困。露西安在柔软的床上躺下，闭上了眼睛。菲利普和黛娜又聊了一会儿，也躺下了。在盔甲里站了整整一天，菲利普筋疲力尽，马上就睡着了。
　　刚睡了两三个小时，黛娜突然醒了，被石板移动的声音惊醒！一开始她并没有意识到发生了什么，但在下一个瞬间，她就全明白了。
　　菲利普和露西安还在熟睡。黛娜拼命摇菲利普。“菲利普，快醒醒！”她急促地小声喊道，“快到床底下去！他们来了！”
　　半梦半醒中，菲利普滚下床。他刚躲进床底下，一个男人就走进了房间。黛娜一动不动地躺在床上，假装还在睡觉。露西安没有被惊醒。
　　那个男人听到了菲利普下床的声音，很警惕地朝大床看去。他点起了油灯，然后拿着灯来到大床前。他的脚指头几乎就要碰到菲利普了！
　　那个男人拉开床上悬挂的厚帘子，低下头看躺在床上的女孩们。黛娜肯定他已经知道她是在装睡。
　　他盯着看了女孩们一会儿，然后把帘子拉了回去。显然，他很满意女孩们乖乖地睡在床上。他做梦也想不到，这里还有另外一个人，正躲在床底下！
　　黛娜眯缝着眼睛，看到密室里一共来了五个人，其中有两个她从未见过的男人。他们都说着她听不懂的语言。一个她见过的男人打开了橱柜上一个带锁的抽屉，拿出一卷地图扔在桌子上。
　　接着，他们一张张地展开地图，讨论起来。最后，他们又把地图收起来，锁住了抽屉。这时，黛娜看到了让她兴奋的一幕：那个粗眉毛走过去掀起一块挂毯，要去启动挂毯后的那扇暗门！
　　另一个男人抬起手制止了粗眉毛。他低声说了一些话，然后朝大床走来。
　　他把大床的帘子紧紧拉拢，完全挡住了黛娜的视线。真讨厌！但是，黛娜不敢扒开帘子偷看，她会被发现的。
　　她只能躺在床上仔细听，想象着外面发生的一切。她听到石板移动的声音、咔嗒一声、轻轻的砰的一声，以及转动钥匙开锁的声音。然后，她听到说话声。在听到一群人走上石阶的声音后，她飞快地偷看了一眼，房间里只剩那三个她见过的男人了。显然，另两个人从那扇暗门走了。暗门通向哪里？这是最神秘的部分。
　　接着又是熟悉的地下室石门合拢的声音，然后一片寂静。黛娜偷偷地往外看，房间里没有人了。挂毯被放回原位，原封不动地挂在墙上。
　　她轻轻地呼唤菲利普，他从床底下爬了上来。“不要叫醒露西安，不然她就不会再睡了。”菲利普压低嗓门说，“你看到了什么，黛娜？”
　　“很多。”黛娜把看到的一切告诉了菲利普，菲利普仔细听着。
　　“现在是五个人。”他说，“我想知道，他们到底要干什么！你看，黛娜，我们没有去碰那挂毯是明智的。如果我们动了，我们这会儿肯定已经被抓起来了。”
　　“是的。”黛娜说，“菲利普，你说他们在忙什么？”
　　“我不知道。”菲利普说，“如果我们打开那扇神秘的暗门，看看到底通向哪里，我们大概就能发现他们的秘密了。但是我们现在只能等着，见机行事，不能不管不顾地冲上去。”
　　“我想他们今晚不会回来了，你说呢？”黛娜说着躺下身去，“你是不是应该睡在床底下，以防万一？刚才你滚下床的动静真够大的！”
　　“恐怕我应该睡在床底下。”菲利普说。他拿着一块毯子爬下了床，把床底下尽量弄得舒服些。
　　突然，黛娜问：“你明天还要躲进那盔甲里面去吗？”
　　“不，我不要！我会躲在床底下。我确定，他们不会去搜查一个他们认为不存在的人！”菲利普说，“我这辈子都不想再见到什么盔甲了！讨厌的硬东西！”
　　他们再次睡着了。这一次没有什么来打扰他们，他们一觉睡到天亮。在地下室无法分辨白天还是黑夜，但黛娜的手表显示，现在是早上七点半。
　　粗眉毛下来了。“起来吧，你们可以到上面去了。”他说，“待在我们看得见的地方，我们一叫就回答——不然就有令人非常不愉快的事发生！”
21 Another day goes by
　　21 Another day goes by
　　Jack felt lonely when the girls had gone down the steps to the hidden room for the night. He wasleft up in the courtyard with Kiki, and he felt bored.
　　‘I hope the girls will be all right,’ he thought. ‘Oh, hallo, Button, are you still here? Why don’tyou go back to Tassie? You won’t be able to get to Philip, you know.’
　　The fox cub whined and rubbed his head against Jack, asking him as plainly as a fox cub couldto take him to his beloved Philip.
　　‘Listen. You go back to Tassie with that note,’ said Jack, still forgetting that Tassie couldn’tread a word. ‘Go on, Button. Once you get to Tassie, things will be easier for us, because whenshe reads that note, she will get help.’
　　Button stayed in the courtyard with Jack almost all night long. He didn’t give up hope of findingPhilip, and kept going off to hunt for him. Kiki was very scornful of him but Button took no noticeof her.
　　The moon came up and lighted the courtyard strangely. An owl hooted, and Kiki at oncemimicked it perfectly. The owl came into the yard on silent wings, to look for the one who hadanswered. Kiki was delighted. She kept hooting softly from one place and another, and the owlwas astonished to find what seemed to him to be a perfect host of owls all over the place, callingfirst from one spot and then another.
　　Jack enjoyed the fun. Then suddenly he saw the three men standing in the moonlight, and feltglad that he had not been wandering about, for he would certainly have been seen.
　　He slipped away into the shadows of the great wall, and came near to the enormous door thatstood facing what had once been the road to the castle. He sat down by a big bush, knowing itwould hide him completely.
　　Suddenly he jumped violently, and stared as if he could not believe his eyes. The big door wasopening! It swung slowly back without a sound, and where it had been was now a moonlit space,gateway to the outer world!
　　Jack half rose - but sank back again. Two men entered the castle yard, and then the great soliddoor closed silently behind them. There was a loud click, and then the two men passed quite closeto Jack. They did not see him, for he was in black shadow. He crouched down like a toad againstthe earth.
　　The men passed and soon joined the other two. Then they all disappeared into the castle. Jackimagined they were going down to the hidden room - as indeed they were.
　　He waited till they had gone, and then made his way as quickly as he could to the big door inthe high wall. If only he could open it! If only he could get out, and go down the hillside, even ifhe had to walk over the treacherous landslide! After all, those men must have come up that way.
　　He felt about for the handle of the door. It was a large iron ring. Jack twisted it this way andthat, but the door did not open.
　　‘That click I heard must have been the men locking it!’ he thought angrily. ‘It’s impossible toget out. Blow it! Maybe if I’d been near enough I could have slipped out as they slipped in! Itwouldn’t have mattered if they had seen me because I could have run down the hillside beforethey could stop me!’
　　He sat and brooded near the door. ‘I’ll wait here in the shadows till they come back. Then I’lldash out with them. They’ll be so taken by surprise that maybe they won’t even put out a hand tome!’
　　So Jack sat there hour after hour, almost falling asleep. But the men did not return. Dinah couldhave told him why! They had gone through the secret door under the tapestry in the hidden room.
　　The other three were somewhere in the castle.
　　When the eastern sky began to turn silver Jack knew it was time to return to his gorse bush. Kikiwas fast asleep on his shoulder, having tired of the owl hours since. Button too had vanished.
　　Jack had not seen him go. He had forgotten about the little fox cub in the excitement of seeingthe castle door open. He wondered where he had gone.
　　‘I hope he’s gone back to Tassie,’ he thought. ‘We can expect help sometime today if he has.
　　About time too! I’m fed up with being here. Not an eagle left now, and the two girls in danger, tosay nothing of poor old Philip. I wonder how he has got on. Perhaps the girls will tell me today.’
　　The girls came out of the hidden room about eight o’clock. The three men had gone down thereand turned them out. Dinah had begged Philip to get back into the suit of armour before the menreturned, but he wouldn’t.
　　‘No, I’d rather be under the bed,’ he said firmly. ‘One day in that horrible stiff suit is enough forme. I’d rather be caught than stand there all day again. You put me some food and drink under thebed, and I’ll stay here. I can always wander about and stretch my legs when the men are not here.’
　　‘Well - fortune favours the bold!’ said Dinah, who thought that she would have felt the same ifshe had been Philip. ‘It’s a bold thing to do, to lie in hiding under the very bed the men may sleepon today - but maybe you’ll be all right there. Don’t sneeze, though!’
　　Apparently it was the men’s intention to sleep the day away on the big four-poster. They camedown into the room and ordered the girls out. The bearded man flung himself on the bed. All themen looked tired, and the unshaven faces of the other two were not nice to see.
　　‘We’ll call you down tonight,’ said the bearded man, from the bed, and he yawned. ‘Take whatfood you want from that pile of tins. There’s a tin opener on the table. Now clear out and leave us.
　　Couple of little nuisances!’
　　The girls grabbed a tin of sardines, a tin of salmon, one of peaches and one of apricots, and fledup the stairs. No sooner had they reached the top than the hole was closed by the stone.
　　‘Sleep well!’ said Dinah mockingly, and then the two girls went in search of Jack. He was underhis gorse bush, wishing they would come.
　　‘Jack! Are you all right? You can come out for a bit because the men are safe down in theunderground room!’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Do you want some sardines - or peaches? We’ve got both.’
　　‘Hallo!’ said Jack, delighted to see them. ‘Is it really safe for a bit? All right, I’ll come out andwe’ll squat behind this rock here. I’m longing for something to eat. Didn’t you bring biscuits withyou when you came yesterday?’
　　Dinah found the tin of biscuits, and they had a comic breakfast of sardines, biscuits andpeaches, washed down by ginger beer. Still they all enjoyed it thoroughly, and exchanged theirnews eagerly.
　　Jack was intensely interested to hear all that Philip had told them. ‘A secret way behind thattapestry!’ he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming. ‘But where does it lead to?’
　　‘Goodness knows - into the hillside somewhere, I suppose,’ said Dinah, dipping a biscuit intopeach-juice and sucking it.
　　‘Wait now - what side of the hidden room is the secret door in the wall?’ asked Jack. ‘Oh -opposite where Philip stood at the back - well, let me see - that means that the door would leadinto the hill at the back of the castle. At the back of the castle! How funny! I wonder if there aredungeons there or something?’
　　‘Oh dear - do you think the men are keeping people prisoners and perhaps starving them todeath?’ said Lucy-Ann, at once. ‘Like that wicked old man did. Oh, Jack, you don’t suppose thatold man is still alive, do you, living like an old spider in his castle, still doing wicked things?’
　　‘Of course not,’ said Jack. ‘Haven’t I told you he’s dead and gone years and years ago? Don’tget such wild ideas into your head, Lucy-Ann. Now let me think a bit. Don’t interrupt.’
　　He nibbled his biscuit and pondered again. ‘Yes, I think I’m right,’ he said. ‘That door under thetapestry must lead underground through the hill at the back of the castle. I’d like to go down thatpassage and see what is there! I bet Philip will sooner or later!’
　　‘I hope he’ll be sensible and keep under the bed,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘With men wandering in andout of secret doors and things, he might easily bump into one of them and be caught.’
　　‘Did Button leave you last night?’ said Dinah suddenly. ‘Where is he?’
　　‘Yes, he went at last,’ said Jack. ‘But where I don’t know. I only hope he’s found Tassie bynow, and she has seen the note.’
　　‘Philip says it won’t be any good, that note,’ said Lucy-Ann mournfully. ‘We forgot that Tassiecan’t read.’
　　‘Blow!’ said Jack. ‘Of course she can’t. What silly-billies we are!’
　　‘Silly-billy, silly-billy, silly-billy,’ at once chanted Kiki, pleased. ‘Pop goes the silly-billy!’
　　‘You’ll go pop in a minute if you eat any more peaches,’ said Jack. ‘Is the tin empty, Dinah?
　　Put it away from Kiki, for goodness’ sake. She’s been tucking in like anything while we’ve beentalking.’
　　‘Poor old silly-billy,’ said Kiki gloomily, as Dinah removed the tin and tapped her smartly onthe beak.
　　‘What are we going to do today?’ said Lucy-Ann.
　　‘Well, what can we do except wait?’ said Jack.
　　‘And hope that Tassie has the sense to show our note to someone,’ said Dinah. ‘Surely shewould do that? She knows she can’t get to us herself - or she would know, if she came, and sawthe plank was gone!’
　　The day passed slowly. There was nothing to do, not even an eagle to watch. ‘Wish I could do aspot of developing,’ sighed Jack, feeling in his shorts pocket for his precious rolls of film. ‘But Ican’t. I’m just longing to see how the eagles have come out.’
　　There was nothing to read. The girls wandered round a bit and wondered whether they dared togo up into the tower, and try to signal from there. But who would see? No one but Tassie, and shewould not know what to make of the signals.
　　‘Anyway, if you did go up into the tower, you might be badly punished by any of those men,’
　　said Jack. ‘It’s not worth risking it. We must just wait in patience for Tassie to send help.’
　　The day passed at last and night came. The men yelled for the two girls to go down into thesecret room again. They said a hurried goodnight to Jack and went. There was no question ofdisobeying the men. All the children were afraid of them.
　　Jack did not hide in his gorse bush. When it was dark enough he went down to the spring nearthe bottom of the wall, to get a drink. He dared not go into the kitchen for one, in case he bumpedinto one of the men, or they heard the pump clanking.
　　He bent down to the spring - and then listened in amazement. A most curious noise was comingfrom the little tunnel into which it disappeared.
　　‘Oooph! Ow! Ooooph!’ A scraping, dragging noise could be heard too. Something was comingup the tunnel. Jack stepped back in great alarm. Whatever could it be?
第21章 又过了一天
　　第21章 又过了一天
　　女孩们回密室睡觉后，杰克才感到孤独。他和琪琪来到院子里，只感到无聊。
　　“我希望她们安然无恙。”杰克心想。突然，他发现小纽扣还在这里：“嘿，小纽扣，你怎么不回塔西那里？你今天是见不到菲利普的。”
　　可小纽扣并没有理会杰克的话，只是用头蹭着杰克，发出呜呜的声音，请求杰克带它到菲利普身边。
　　“听着，你快带着这张字条回塔西那里。”杰克说，他也完全忘记塔西不识字了，“快走，小纽扣。一旦塔西看到字条，她就会去请求帮助，我们就得救了。”
　　但是，小纽扣还是和杰克一起待了几乎一晚上，它不会放弃找到菲利普的希望，坚持到处找他。琪琪不住地嘲笑它，但它并不理会。
　　月亮高高挂在天上，月光把院子照得透亮。一只猫头鹰呜呜叫着，琪琪立刻模仿着叫了一声，惟妙惟肖。猫头鹰展开翅膀静悄悄地飞到院子里，寻找那个回应它的生物。琪琪来了兴致，她温柔地呜呜叫着，一会儿飞到这，一会儿飞到那，弄得那猫头鹰一头雾水，在它看来，院子里似乎有一群好客的猫头鹰，站在不同地点，依次向它呜呜叫着问好。
　　杰克看着这有趣的一幕。突然，他看到三个男人站在月光下。他庆幸自己没有在院子里闲逛，不然一定会被发现。
　　他悄悄走进城墙的阴影之中，来到城门边，坐进一堆树丛中，藏起身来。
　　突然，他惊跳起来，瞪大了眼睛，不敢相信所看到的一切。那扇巨大的城门缓缓打开了！无声无息，那扇门就这样打开了，月光照过来，照到城堡的外面！
　　杰克探出半个身子，接着又缩了回来。有两个男人从门外走进了院子，然后大门又轻轻关上了。只听咔嗒一声，那两个男人走了过来，离杰克越来越近。他们并没有看到杰克，因为此时他正处于黑色阴影之中。他像癞蛤蟆那样趴在了地上。
　　那三人走过来和那两人会合，然后都走进了城堡。杰克认为他们去了地下密室，确实如此。
　　杰克等他们全部不见了，便飞快地跑到大门边。只要他打开门，他就能出去了！他要跑下山坡，即便山坡非常危险！无论如何，那几个男人也一定是从那里上来的。
　　他摸到了大门的把手，是一个巨大的铁环。他顺时针转转，又逆时针转转，可门都没有打开。
　　“我听到的咔嗒声一定是他们锁门的声音。”他生气地想，“我没法出去了。真讨厌！如果我靠得足够近，在他们出去的时候，我就能偷偷地跟在后面溜出去。就算他们看见我了也没关系，我只要在他们反应过来之前，赶紧跑下山就行了。”
　　他在大门附近埋伏下来：“我只要在这阴影里等着，直到他们出来，然后在他们开门的当儿冲出去。他们肯定会吓一大跳，根本来不及抓我！”
　　杰克坐在那里很久很久，几乎都快睡着了。但是那些人根本没有出来过。黛娜能告诉他为什么！因为那两个人都进到地下室里那扇秘密暗门里去了，而另三个人还在城堡里的某处。
　　当东方泛起鱼肚白的时候，杰克知道是时候回到他的荆棘丛里去了。琪琪已经和猫头鹰玩腻了，很快在他的肩头睡着了。小纽扣此时也不知道跑哪儿去了。
　　杰克没有留意它是否离开了城堡。他看到大门打开的时候实在太激动了，一下就忘记了这只小狐狸。
　　“我希望它下山回到塔西身边去了。”他心想，“如果他回去了，那我们今天就能等到救援。是时候了！我一点也不想再待在这里了。那几只雕已经走了，现在黛娜和露西安还处在危险之中，更别提可怜的菲利普了。不知道他现在情况如何。黛娜她们今天大概会告诉我。”
　　女孩们在大约八点的时候出来了。那三人进了密室，把她们赶了出来。出来之前，黛娜恳求菲利普回到盔甲里，可他不愿意。
　　“不，我宁愿躲在床底下。”他态度坚决地说，“在那硬邦邦的东西里待一天已经足够了。我宁愿被他们抓住，也不愿再那样站一天。你把食物和喝的拿到床底下来，我就在这里待着。房间里没人的时候，我会出来走走，伸展一下胳膊和腿。”
　　“好吧——命运眷顾有胆识的人！”黛娜说，她很理解她的哥哥，如果是她，她也会这样做，“这么做非常冒险，有可能他们还会在床上睡觉——但你可能在这里很安全。千万不要打喷嚏！”
　　很显然，那几个人是打算白天在这大床上睡觉。他们走进地下室，把女孩们赶了出去。黑胡子一下子躺倒在床上。那三人看上去都很疲惫，其他两人胡子拉碴，也是面目凶恶。
　　“晚上我们会叫你们下来。”黑胡子在床上打着哈欠说，“那里有一堆罐头，你们想吃什么就拿什么。开罐器在桌子上。现在，离开这里，你们这两个小麻烦精！”
　　女孩们拿了一罐沙丁鱼、一罐三文鱼、一罐桃子和一罐杏子，跑出了密室。密室门在她们脚下合拢。
　　“祝你们睡个好觉！”黛娜嘲笑说。她俩来到荆棘丛边，杰克正在里面等着她们。
　　“杰克，你还好吗？你可以出来活动活动了，因为那三人正在地下室睡觉！”露西安说，“你要吃点沙丁鱼吗，还是桃子？我们两样都有。”
　　“啊哈，”杰克很高兴见到她俩，“这会儿是安全的吧？太好了，我这就出来，我们可以蹲在这石头后面。我好想吃东西呀。昨天你们来的时候带饼干了吗？”
　　黛娜翻出了饼干罐子。他们的早餐是很奇怪的组合：沙丁鱼、饼干、桃子，还有姜汁汽水。但他们很享受这些食物，一边吃，一边交换昨夜得到的信息。
　　杰克对菲利普所说之事很感兴趣。“挂毯后面的密道！”他惊呼，眼中放着光，“但是密道通向哪里？”
　　“天知道——通往山的那一面，我猜。”黛娜说着用饼干蘸着桃子汁，然后吸干。
　　“等等，密道暗门在地下室的哪面墙上？”杰克问，“嗯，就是菲利普站着的对面的那面墙——让我想想——这说明那密道通往山里城堡的后部。城堡的后部！多有意思啊！我想知道，那里是不是有地牢或其他什么。”
　　“啊，天哪——你是说那些人把人都关在那里，就这么让他们活活饿死？”露西安立刻说，“就像那个邪恶的老头做的。噢，杰克，你是不是也认为那个老头还活着？他是不是一直都在城堡里，像那些恶心的蜘蛛，干着坏事？”
　　“我当然不这么认为。”杰克说，“我不是已经告诉过你，他很久很久之前就已经死了？
　　不要再有这样无知的想法啦，露西安。现在让我好好想想，不要打扰。”
　　他小口地咬着饼干，开始专心思考。“是的，我想我是对的。”他说，“挂毯后的密道穿过山体，正通向城堡的后部。我要到密道里，看看里面有什么！我打赌菲利普迟早也会进去。”
　　“我希望他能在床底下保持理智！”露西安说，“有人在密道里来来回回，做着秘密的事，他进去就会碰到他们，然后被抓！”
　　“小纽扣昨天晚上回去了吗？”黛娜突然说，“它在哪儿？”
　　“是的，它终于走了。”杰克说，“不过，我不知道它去哪儿了。我希望它现在已经回到塔西身边了，塔西也看到了那张字条。”
　　“菲利普说那张字条没什么用，”露西安伤心地说，“我们都忘了，塔西根本不识字。”
　　“糟糕！”杰克说，“她确实不识字！我们真够傻的！”
　　“真够傻，真够傻，真够傻，”琪琪立刻开心地反复唱起来，“来了一个大傻瓜！”
　　“你再多吃一口就会炸开的！”杰克说，“罐头已经空了吗？快从琪琪身边拿开。老天，她趁我们说话的时候，吃了好多桃子！”
　　“可怜的大傻瓜。”琪琪难过地看着黛娜拿走了桃子罐头，只能用嘴轻轻地拍打她的手。
　　“今天我们打算怎么办？”露西安问。
　　“除了等待，我们还能做什么？”杰克说。
　　“希望塔西会把字条拿给别人看，”黛娜说，“她肯定会这么做的吧？她知道她没法独自找到我们——或者她会明白情况异常，只要她上来，她就会发现木板已经不见了！”
　　这一天过得很慢。什么事都没法干，甚至连一只雕都观察不到。“要是这里能冲洗胶卷就好了。”杰克摸着口袋里一卷卷的胶卷，叹了口气，“但是不能。我真想看看那些雕是怎么飞走的。”
　　这里也没有书可读。女孩们来回逛了一圈，思忖着她们是否有胆量到塔楼上去，发求救信号。但是，又有谁能看得到信号呢？只有塔西了，只有她知道这信号是什么意思。
　　“再说了，如果你们去了塔楼，那几个人会狠狠惩罚你们的。”杰克认真地说，“不值得冒这个险。我们最好还是耐心等待，等塔西来救我们。”
　　白天终于过去了，夜幕降临。那些人又把女孩们喊回了地下室。她们和杰克匆匆道别，爬下巨石。她们都不想违抗那些人的命令。孩子们都怕他们。
　　杰克没有再回荆棘丛。等到天黑下来了，他来到泉眼处喝水。他不敢去厨房打水，以防遇到那些人，或者他们会听到他压水的声音。
　　他俯下身子去喝水，但令他分外惊讶的是，他听到一个非常奇怪的声响从泉水流入的地道里发出来：“嗷！嗷！嗷！”
　　另外还能听到剐蹭、拖曳的声音。什么东西正在地道里跑动，杰克警觉地退后。到底是什么？
22 Tassie is very brave
　　22 Tassie is very brave
　　Then Jack heard the unmistakable sound of Button yelping, and he knew that part of the noisemust be made by the fox cub. He bent over the tunnel, and flashed his torch on to see down itsnarrow mouth.
　　He saw a white face staring up at him, and he jumped. It was Tassie’s. She was lying still forthe moment, but began to wriggle again when the light flashed on her.
　　‘Tassie! What are you doing? Tassie!’ said Jack, in a low but most astonished voice.
　　Tassie didn’t answer. She squeezed herself up a bit more, until her head and shoulders wereoutside the tunnel. Then Jack gave her a pull and she came out at once. Button followed, lookingvery forlorn. Tassie had him on a lead, and he couldn’t get away.
　　Tassie sat down and gasped painfully. She put her head over her knees, which were drawn up,and seemed quite unable to speak a word. Jack flashed his torch over her. She was soaking wetand unspeakably dirty. Mud streaked her face and arms and legs.
　　She was shivering with cold and fright. Jack made her get up and go with him to the crag. Heput her behind a rock, and fetched the rugs. He made her strip off the soaked dress she wore, andcover herself from head to foot with a couple of rugs. Then the boy sat close to her to warm her.
　　Kiki perched on her shoulder and pressed against her cold cheek. Soon Tassie’s breath grew moreeven, and she turned to look at Jack, trying to summon up a faint smile.
　　‘Where’s Philip?’ she whispered at last.
　　‘With the girls,’ said Jack, not wanting to tell her everything at once. ‘Don’t worry for a minuteor two. Get your breath back. You’re exhausted.’
　　He sat with his arm round her, feeling the pounding of her heart shaking her body. Poor Tassie!
　　How had she managed to get so exhausted?
　　But she soon recovered, as her body grew warm. She pressed against Jack. ‘I’m so hungry,’ shesaid.
　　Jack fed her with biscuits and salmon from the tin. Then she drank the rest of the peace-juice,whilst Kiki copied the gulping noises she made.
　　‘Now I feel better,’ she said. ‘What has been happening, Jack?’
　　‘Well, suppose you tell me a few things first,’ said the boy. ‘And keep your voice low. Thereare enemies about.’
　　This was news to Tassie. Her eyes widened and she looked round, scared. ‘Is it that wicked oldman?’ she whispered.
　　‘Of course not,’ said Jack. ‘Tassie, did Button take you our note?’
　　‘Yes,’ said Tassie. ‘But, Jack, I gave my mother the slip and came up here yesterday to spend afew hours with you - and oh, Jack, the plank was gone. Where’s it gone?’
　　‘That’s just what I should like to know!’ said Jack grimly. ‘Well, what did you do then?’
　　‘I went back home,’ said Tassie. ‘And I was worried about you. Then this morning Button cameto find me, and I saw his string collar, and the letter someone had tied to it.’
　　‘Go on,’ said Jack.
　　‘Well - I couldn’t read it,’ said Tassie, with tears in her voice. And there was nobody to ask.
　　My mother was angry with me, and Mrs Mannering had gone away. I didn’t like to go to the farmwith it - so I suddenly thought I would make a lead for Button, and when next he went up to thecastle to look for Philip, I would go with him, and find the way he went.’
　　‘That was clever!’ said Jack admiringly. Tassie felt pleased.
　　‘So I found an old dog lead,’ she said, more cheerfully, ‘and I fastened it to his collar, and Iwent wherever he went that day. He was awfully angry about it. He kept trying to bite the lead,and he almost tried to bite me too!’
　　Jack patted the little fox cub who was lying quietly beside them. ‘He didn’t understand whatwas happening,’ he said. ‘Well - he brought you up here at last, I suppose?’
　　‘Yes. After he had wandered for miles on the hillside, and almost worn me out, going up anddown, up and down!’ said Tassie. ‘When it was dark he decided to come and look for Philip again- and he shot off like an arrow then!’
　　‘I bet he did,’ said Jack. ‘Poor old Button - he must wonder where Philip has gone to!’
　　‘Well, he dragged me behind on the lead,’ said Tassie, ‘and brought me all the way up besidethe spring. Below the castle it goes into a narrow sort of tunnel - terribly narrow in parts - and oh,Jack, it goes right underneath the wall! Think of that! And comes up the other side!’
　　‘Did you really wriggle all the way?’ said Jack, in amazement. ‘What a marvel you are, Tassie!
　　But didn’t the water pour down on you all the time?’
　　‘Oh yes - it nearly choked me sometimes,’ said Tassie. ‘And it was so icy-cold! But most of theway up the spring the tunnel wasn’t too bad - it was through rock, and it had worn it away, so thatthe water ran in a kind of channel in the rock, and there was space for me to wriggle up moreeasily. It was at the beginning and at the end, where it comes up in the castle yard, that it was sonarrow. Once I thought I was really stuck! I couldn’t go up and I couldn’t go down - and I thoughtI might have to stay there for ever, because no one would ever know where I was!’
　　‘Poor Tassie!’ said Jack, giving her a hug. ‘You’re a very brave girl. Wait till Philip hears aboutthis! He’ll think you are wonderful.’
　　Tassie glowed with delight. She hoped Philip would be pleased with her. She had come to helpthem. And now, in her turn, she questioned Jack eagerly, wanting to know everything that hadhappened to her four friends since they had left her.
　　Jack told her the story. She listened in alarm and astonishment. Philip hiding in a suit of oldarmour - down in a hidden room - the girls prisoners there - cruel men wandering about furtively,nobody knew why - secret passages - why, it was like a dream! But at least here was Jack withKiki, safe and sound!
　　‘Could you wriggle down the tunnel with me, and we’ll fetch help?’ said Tassie.
　　‘That’s just what I thought of doing,’ said Jack. ‘I think I’d better go tonight, Tassie, and notwait to take the two girls. Anyway I’m afraid there would be more risk of someone getting stuckin that watery tunnel. I’d better go and get help as soon as possible. You’d better stay here and tellthe girls what has happened. You can hide in my old gorse bush till they come tomorrowmorning.’
　　Tassie sighed with relief. She did not in the least want to go back down that terrible way again.
　　She would dream about it all her life long! Neither did she really want to stay in the courtyardalone for the night, but Jack said he would leave both Kiki and Button with her, and they couldsleep in the gorse bush all together.
　　‘So you be brave and do that,’ he said. ‘Maybe you’ll see Philip tomorrow too. He will besurprised to hear your adventures!’
　　Tassie, still clad in the rugs, went with Jack to the place near the wall, where the bubblingspring ran into the beginning of the tunnel. Jack marvelled how anyone could wriggle down muchless wriggle up, with water splashing into her face all the time.
　　‘Now, you go straight back to the bush with Button and Kiki, wrap yourself up warmly in therugs, and go to sleep,’ said Jack. ‘Don’t let Kiki see me disappearing down here, or she’ll want tofollow me.’
　　So Tassie obediently went back to the gorse bush and crawled inside. She curled up in the rugslike a little animal, with Button on her feet and Kiki perched on her middle, waiting for Jack.
　　Tassie hoped Kiki would not fly off when she found Jack did not come. She might make a dreadfulnoise if she found he had disappeared!
　　Jack crawled head-first into the cold water. He wriggled into the tunnel. It smelt damp andnasty. He dragged his body down, using hands and elbows to lever himself along. It wasn’t at allpleasant.
　　‘I wish Button had found some better way of getting into the castle and out!’ thought the boy.
　　‘How could Tassie have crawled up, with the water splashing into her face half the time? She’sreally a heroine!’
　　When he had got down some way, the rather earthy tunnel gave way to hard rock. Jack thoughthe must be under the wall by now. The tunnel widened out considerably, and the boy sat on aledge to rest. He was worried about his rolls of film. He had wrapped them up very carefully in asou’wester one of the children had brought up to the castle, and had tied the strings round tightly.
　　It would be too sickening if his precious films were spoilt.
　　He began to shiver with the cold, for he was now soaked through. As long as he was dragginghimself along the tunnel he was warm, for it was very hard work - but as soon as he stopped, thecold got him, and he shook like a leaf.
　　He went on again. It was quite dark, and he could only feel his way along. He went onwriggling down the watery passage, glad when it was wide and high, anxious when it closed in onhis body, and made it difficult for him to get along.
　　It seemed hours before he reached the outlet, but at last he was there! He dragged himself out,and sat panting on a patch of soft heather. He hoped that never in his life again would he have tocrawl through a tunnel like that! He was sure that if the girls had been with him, someone wouldhave got stuck with fright, and would not have been able to go either up or down, after a while. Itwas just as well that he had decided they must not all use this way of escape.
　　He began to shiver, and he stood up, his knees shaking after his long ordeal underground. Hewas not as exhausted as Tassie, but he was almost tired out.
　　‘I shall get an awful chill if I don’t get warm,’ he thought, and he set off down the hill, glad ofthe bright moonlight.
　　He stumbled along, looking eagerly for a sight of Spring Cottage as he at last dropped downinto the lane that led to it. Yes - there it was, black with the moonlight behind it, its roof silveredand shining.
　　Then suddenly Jack stopped. He had seen something that struck him as odd.
　　‘There’s smoke - smoke coming from the chimney!’ he said to himself, and he leant against atree. ‘What does that mean? Can Aunt Allie be back? No, Tassie would have known. Well, then -who has lighted the kitchen fire? Who is there? Oh, surely one of those wretched men hasn’t gonethere to find out something about the girls?’
　　He crept near to the cottage. He came to the little garden. There was a light shining out of one ofthe windows!
　　Jack tiptoed to the window, anxious and puzzled. He looked cautiously in. Someone was sittingin a tallbacked armchair that had its back to Jack. Was it Mrs Mannering?
　　A cloud of smoke suddenly came from the chair - thick blue pipe-smoke!
　　‘It’s a man,’ whispered Jack to himself. ‘Whoever can it be?’
第22章 勇敢的塔西
　　第22章 勇敢的塔西
　　接着，杰克听到了小纽扣的叫声，没错，就是小纽扣，它特有的小狐狸的叫声。杰克弯下腰，打开手电筒，照向地道狭窄的出口处。
　　地道里有一张惨白的脸，正对着他，杰克吓了一跳。仔细一看，原来是塔西！她正一动不动地趴在地道里，突然被光一照，开始扭动起来。
　　“塔西！你怎么在这儿！”杰克压低嗓音，震惊地说。
　　塔西没有回答，她一点点往外挤，终于将脑袋和肩膀挤出了地道。杰克赶紧拉了她一把，她才完全钻了出来。小纽扣紧跟着出来，它看上去很绝望，塔西在它脖子上拴了一根牵狗绳，它没法挣脱。
　　塔西坐在一旁，痛苦地喘着气。她把头搁在膝盖上，说不出一个字来。杰克在塔西身上用手电筒上上下下照了一遍。她浑身湿透，满身污泥，脸上、胳膊上、腿上都是。
　　寒冷和恐惧使她不住地发抖。杰克搀扶着她起来，带她到巨石上的大石头后面坐下，并取来毯子。他脱下她湿透了的棉罩裙，然后用毯子将她从头到脚裹了个严实。他紧挨着她坐下，给她取暖。琪琪落在她的肩膀上，用头蹭着她冰冷的脸颊。过了一会儿，塔西的呼吸开始平稳下来，她扭过头看向杰克，露出虚弱的笑容。
　　“菲利普在哪儿？”她小声问道。
　　“和女孩们在一起。”杰克说，他不想现在什么都告诉塔西，“别担心。休息一下，你累坏了。”
　　他伸手揽住塔西，感到她的身体在不停地抖动。可怜的塔西！她怎么弄得这样精疲力竭？
　　塔西很快恢复了，身体渐渐温热起来。她靠着杰克，说：“我好饿啊。”
　　杰克给她吃了饼干和三文鱼，她最后还把剩下的桃子汁喝了个精光。琪琪则在一旁模仿她大口吞咽的声音。
　　“我现在感觉好多了。”塔西抹抹嘴说，“发生什么事了，杰克？”
　　“你先告诉我一些事，”杰克说，“小声说话，这附近有敌人。”
　　有敌人，对塔西而言，这可是不得了的消息。她睁大了眼睛，环顾四周，感到很害怕。“是那个邪恶的老头吗？”她小声问。
　　“当然不是。”杰克说，“小纽扣给你带去字条了吗，塔西？”
　　“带去了。”塔西回答，“但是，杰克，我昨天趁妈妈不注意溜了出来，爬上来，和你待了几个钟头。啊，对了，那块木板不见了！它去哪儿了？”
　　“我也想知道答案！”杰克严肃地说，“然后你干什么了？”
　　“后来我回去了，”塔西说，“但我很担心你。到了今天早上，小纽扣找到我，我发现了它脖子上的字条。”
　　“接着说。”杰克说。
　　“我看不懂字条，”塔西说，话音里带着哭腔，“也不知道去问谁。我妈妈很生气，曼纳林夫人又不在家，我也不想去农场求人——我突然想到一个主意。小纽扣要来城堡里找菲利普，我可以跟着它，看它是怎么进来的。”
　　“你真聪明。”杰克钦佩地说。听到夸奖，塔西很高兴。
　　“我找了根牵狗绳，”她兴奋地说，“拴在小纽扣的脖子上，它去哪儿我就去哪儿。小纽扣很讨厌这根牵狗绳，总是去咬它，还差点咬到我！”
　　杰克轻轻地抚摸着乖乖趴在身边的小纽扣。“它不明白发生了什么。”杰克说，“最后，它还是带你来这儿了？”
　　“是的。它在山上逛荡了好几英里，把我累得够呛，一会儿上，一会儿下，一会儿下，又一会儿上！”塔西说，“天快黑了，它才决定来这里找菲利普——它冲出去简直跟射出去的箭一样快！”
　　“它真是快！”杰克说，“可怜的小纽扣，它一定一直在想，菲利普到底去哪儿了！”
　　“它拽着我使劲地向前跑，”塔西说，“一直沿着山泉。到了城堡下面时，它钻进了一个窄窄的地道——有些地方真的太窄了！这地道最后竟然通到城墙里！你能想得到吗，杰克？一条从外到里的通道！”
　　“你是一路挤进来的吗？”杰克问，他感到太不可思议了，“你太厉害了，塔西！你过来的时候，水就一直浇在你身上吗？”
　　“是的，有几次差点把我呛着，”塔西说，“而且，水跟冰一样冷！不过，大部分时候并不难爬，泉水在岩石上磨出了一条沟渠，水只在沟渠里流淌，我就有足够的空间往上钻。
　　地道的开始部分和在院子里的结束部分就实在太窄了，我几乎都卡住动不了了！上也上不去，下也下不来——我差点以为我这一辈子都要待在里面啦，因为根本没有人知道我在这里！”
　　“可怜的塔西！”杰克说着给了塔西一个大大的拥抱，“你真是个勇敢的女孩。如果菲利普知道了你的经历，他一定会赞叹你是个了不起的女孩的。”
　　塔西听了十分高兴，脸上洋溢着光彩。她真的希望菲利普能为她感到骄傲。她来帮助他们了。现在，轮到她问杰克，他们四个到底发生了什么事。
　　杰克把一切都告诉了塔西。塔西感到惶恐又震惊：菲利普躲在古老的盔甲里——一个地下密室——女孩们正被关在里面——几个残暴的男人在城堡里鬼鬼祟祟干着什么，没有人知道来龙去脉——那些秘密通道——天哪，这一切就像是在做梦！但至少，在这里，杰克和琪琪是安然无恙的。
　　“你能跟我一起钻出地道，去找人帮忙吗？”塔西问。
　　“我就是这么打算的，”杰克说，“我今晚就走，塔西，不等女孩们了。毕竟卡在地道里的风险也很大。我要尽快出去找救援。你最好就待在这里，然后告诉她们我去干什么了。
　　你可以藏在我的荆棘丛里，直到明天她们过来。”
　　塔西松了口气。她实在不想再回到那可怕的地道里。恐怕她一辈子都忘不了这地道！
　　她也并不想一个人待在院子里，杰克让琪琪和小纽扣留下来陪她，她们可以都睡在荆棘丛里。
　　“你一定有勇气待在这里过夜的。”杰克安慰道，“很可能明早就见到菲利普了。他会对你的历险感到惊讶的！”
　　塔西裹着毯子和杰克一起来到城墙脚下的泉眼处。杰克惊叹塔西是如何从里面爬上来的，尤其泉水不停地溅到她脸上。
　　“现在，你和琪琪，还有小纽扣，直接回到巨石上的荆棘丛里，把自己裹严实了，好好睡一觉。”杰克对塔西说，“不要让琪琪看到我从这里离开了，不然她会跟过来的。”
　　于是，塔西听话地回到荆棘丛里躺下。她紧紧裹着毯子，蜷缩着，像一个小动物。小纽扣趴在她的脚上；琪琪则停在她身上，等着杰克。塔西希望当琪琪发现杰克不见了时，不会飞走，但她很可能会发出可怕的叫声。
　　杰克头朝下钻进了冰冷的水中。他挤进了地道，里面又脏又湿。他吃力地扭动着身子向下，用手和肘部支撑。这可不是什么让人愉快的行程。
　　“我希望小纽扣能发现一条更容易进出城堡的通道！”杰克心里想着，“塔西是怎么爬上来的？劈头盖脸全是水。她真是个英雄！”
　　地道里光线极暗，他只能用身体感受前进的方向，在这潮湿的通道里挣扎着往下移动。
　　爬了一段距离后，杰克感到地道周围变成了坚硬的岩石，他估摸着现在他正在城墙的下面。突然，地道变宽敞了好多，他坐起身歇一歇。他开始担心他的那些胶卷。他已经用雨衣仔仔细细地将它们包了起来，又用绳子紧紧地扎住。如果它们损坏了，那可就实在太让人难过了！
　　杰克此时开始打冷战，他浑身上下都湿透了。在地道里爬行的时候他倒不觉得冷，因为整个人都在奋力活动着，一旦停下来，寒意立刻侵袭而来，身子像北风中的枯叶不住地抖动。
　　他继续向下爬。地道里光线极暗，他只能用身体感受前进的方向，在这潮湿的通道里挣扎着往下移动。地道变宽敞时，他感到高兴；地道变窄时，他感到焦虑。他就这样艰难地挪动着。
　　他似乎在里面爬了好几个钟头。终于，他出来了，一屁股坐在地上喘着粗气。他希望这辈子都不要再经历相同的事。他敢肯定，如果女孩们跟他一起来，必定有人会因为恐惧而被困在里面，一时之间上不得又下不得。这就是他认为大家不能用这个通道逃生的原因。
　　杰克又开始打冷战，他站起身，经过地底下这样长时间的折磨，他的膝盖不停地颤抖。他没有像塔西那样精疲力竭，但也感到非常疲惫。
　　“如果再不让自己暖和起来，我会冻病的。”他心想，然后开始往山下跑去。他很庆幸，今晚的月光格外明亮。
　　一路上，杰克跌跌撞撞地走着，到处寻找泉水小屋的身影。终于，他来到了通往小屋的山道上。是的，他看到了，在月光下，小屋的屋顶闪着银色的光。
　　突然，杰克猛地停下了脚步，觉得有什么事情不对劲。
　　“有烟，烟囱里有烟冒出来！”他躲到大树后，自言自语道，“这意味着什么？艾莉阿姨回来了？不，不可能。如果她回来了，塔西一定会知道。那么，是谁在屋里生火？谁在那里？不会是那些男人中的一个在调查女孩们的事吧？”
　　他蹑手蹑脚地靠近小屋，偷偷进入院子。小屋的窗子里透出灯光。
　　杰克悄悄地来到窗前，感到既紧张又疑惑。他小心翼翼地往里看。有人背对着杰克坐在高靠背椅里。是曼纳林夫人吗？
　　椅子里突然升腾起一团烟雾——那是抽烟斗吐出来的烟！
　　“是个男人！”杰克小声说道，“到底是谁？”
23 A few surprises
　　23 A few surprises
　　Jack stayed at the window, shivering. If only the man would get up - then he could see if it wasone of the men he knew at the castle. But how dare he get into the house like that!
　　Jack made up his mind to creep into the house and peep through the crack in the kitchen door.
　　Then he would be able to see who it was sitting in the armchair. So, still shivering, as much withexcitement as with cold, he stole round to the other side of the house, where his bedroom windowwas. If it was open, Jack knew he could climb the tree near by and slip inside.
　　It was open - just a crack. But Jack remembered that the catch was very loose, and he couldprobably put in his hand and jiggle it off the iron peg that held it down. It was a casement windowand would open very wide to let him in.
　　He stumbled over a bucket or something outside a door, and stopped still, wondering if the maninside had heard anything. Then on he went to the tree, and climbed it quickly.
　　He slipped his hand inside the crack of the window and jiggled the catch. It dropped, and thewindow swung open. Jack cautiously climbed inside, and stood there, hardly daring to breathe.
　　He made his way into the dark little passage between the bedrooms, and stood there, waiting fora moment before he ventured down the rather creaky, winding stairs. Then he began to go down,one step at a time, hoping to goodness they wouldn’t creak too loudly.
　　There was a bend in one place, and Jack meant to stand there quietly before he went on - but nosooner had he got there than someone leapt on him, caught his arms, and jerked him violentlydown the last four stairs! He fell, and all the breath was bumped out of his body.
　　Whoever had jumped on him stood up and then pulled him roughly to his feet. Then he waspropelled swiftly into the lighted kitchen, and he looked at once to the armchair to see who wasthere.
　　But it was empty! Whoever had sat there must have heard him, and lain in wait for him. Jackturned to face his captor, wriggling, fully expecting to see one of the men from the tower.
　　The two stared at one another in the very greatest surprise, and stepped backwards inamazement.
　　‘Bill Smugs!’
　　‘Jack! What on earth are you doing creeping in like this? I thought you must be a burglar!’
　　‘Golly! You’ve bruised me properly,’ said Jack, rubbing himself. He began to shiver violentlyagain. Bill looked at his soaking clothes and pale face, and pulled him to the fire, on which a kettlewas boiling merrily.
　　‘What have you been up to? You’re dripping wet! You’ll get a frightful chill. Where are theothers? When I arrived today to ask Mrs Mannering if she could put me up for a night or two, thehouse was shut, and there was no one here!’
　　‘Well, how did you get in, then?’ asked Jack, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
　　‘Oh, I have my ways,’ said Bill. ‘I thought you must all have gone picnicking, so I waited andwaited for you to come back - but you didn’t. So I decided to spend the night here by myself, andmake enquiries somewhere tomorrow to see what had happened to you all. Then I heardmysterious sounds, decided it was a burglar - and caught you!’
　　‘Well, I looked in at the window, and couldn’t see who was sitting in that chair, so I thought I’dcreep in and have a squint round,’ said Jack. ‘Oh, Bill, I’m glad to see you. We’re in danger!’
　　‘What do you mean?’ said Bill, astonished. ‘Where are the girls? And Philip?’
　　‘It’s a long story, but I must tell you from the very beginning,’ said Jack. ‘What about a hotdrink whilst we are talking, Bill. I could do with one. That kettle’s on the boil.’
　　‘I was about to make the same remark myself,’ said Bill. ‘Hot cocoa and biscuits for you, Ithink! I’m glad you’ve stopped shivering. By the way, where’s Mrs Mannering? Don’t tell meshe’s in danger too!’
　　‘Oh no - she’s gone off to look after Philip’s Aunt Polly, who is ill again,’ said Jack. ‘She’s allright.’
　　Bill made a jug of hot cocoa and milk, found some biscuits, and gave them to Jack, who wasnow feeling a lot warmer. He had stripped off his wet things, and was sitting in a dressing-gown.
　　‘I don’t feel I ought to waste time like this, really,’ he said, ‘as the others are in danger. But I’llhave to tell you the whole story, and then leave it to you what to do.’
　　‘Go ahead,’ said Bill.
　　So Jack began, and Bill listened in the greatest interest and astonishment. He burst into laughterat Philip’s idea of hiding in the suit of armour.
　　‘Just like old Philip! What a good idea! The men would never guess anyone was hiding there.’
　　He grew serious as the tale went on. He pulled at his pipe and kept his eyes fixed on Jack. Hisruddy face grew even redder in the fire-light, and the bald top of his head gleamed and shone.
　　‘This is an extraordinary tale, Jack,’ he said at last. ‘There is a lot more in this than you know.
　　What were those men like? Describe them. Was there a man with a scar right across his chin andneck?’
　　‘No,’ said Jack, thinking. ‘Not one of them as far as I know. I took a jolly good snap of oneman, though - when they were at the eagles’ nest. You know I told you I had my camera pokingout of the gorse bush to snap the eagles. Well, I snapped him when one of the eagles flew at him. Isnapped both men, as a matter of fact, but one unfortunately had his face turned away.’
　　‘Have you got those snaps?’ said Bill eagerly.
　　‘I’ve got the films,’ said Jack, and he pointed to the tightly rolled up sou’wester on the table.
　　‘They’re in there. They’re not developed yet, Bill.’
　　‘Well, whilst you have a good sleep, I’ll develop them,’ said Bill. ‘I see you’ve got a littledarkroom fixed up for yourself off the hall there, where you meant to do developing - you’ve goteverything necessary there, haven’t you?’
　　‘But - but - oughtn’t we go right back and rescue the girls?’ asked Jack.
　　‘I shall have to drive over to the town where you met me the other day,’ said Bill, ‘and collect afew men, and arrange a few things. If these men are doing what I think they are, then we stand agood chance of roping them all in together. I don’t think they will harm the girls at all.’
　　‘What are the men doing?’ asked Jack curiously. ‘Are they anything to do with the job you saidyou were on, Bill?’
　　‘Can’t tell you yet,’ said Bill. ‘I hardly think so - but I shall soon know.’ He paused and lookedat Jack.
　　‘What children you are for falling headlong into adventures!’ he said. ‘I never knew anyone likeyou for that! It seems to me I’d better stick close to you all the year round, and then I shall have agood chance of sharing them!’
　　He put Jack on the sofa, arranged rugs over him, turned down the lamp, and went off into thelittle darkroom with the films. Jack had shown him which roll contained the snap of the man.
　　Jack slept peacefully, for he was tired out. How long he slept he didn’t know, but he wasawakened by Bill coming into the room in the greatest excitement, holding a film.
　　‘Sorry to wake you, Jack - but this is a marvellous thing!’ he said, and held up the film to thedaylight, which was now coming in at the window. ‘You have snapped this man perfectly - everydetail is as clear as could be. He’s the man with the beard - but just look here! He is holding hishead up, and the whole of his neck is exposed from chin to chest, because his collar has flappedopen. What can you see?’
　　‘A mark - like a long scar,’ said Jack, sitting up.
　　‘Quite right!’ said Bill. He took out a notebook from his pocket, slipped a snap from it andshowed it to Jack. ‘Look there - see that scar on that man’s chin and neck?’
　　Jack saw a clean-shaven man in the photograph, his chin and neck disfigured by a terrible scar.
　　‘That’s the same man, though you wouldn’t think it, because in your snap he wears a blackbeard, which he has probably grown lately. But the scar on the neck still gives him away, if hiscollar happens to be open - and it was, in your snap! Now I know for certain what those men inthe castle are up to. I’ve been looking for this fellow for six months!’
　　‘Who is he?’ asked Jack curiously.
　　‘His name, his real name is Mannheim,’ said Bill, ‘but he is known as Scar-Neck. He is a verydangerous spy.’
　　‘Golly!’ said Jack, staring. ‘Were you after him?’
　　‘Well, I was detailed to keep an eye on him and watch his movements,’ said Bill. ‘I wasn’t tocapture him because we wanted to know what he was up to this time, and who his friends were.
　　Then we hoped to rope in the whole lot. But Scar-Neck is a very clever fellow with an absolutegift for disappearing. I traced him to the town where you met me - and then I lost himcompletely.’
　　‘He went to the castle!’ said Jack. ‘What a wonderful hiding-place!’
　　‘I should rather like to know the real history of that castle,’ said Bill thoughtfully. ‘I mustenquire into its ownership. Do you know what is on the other side of the hill, Jack?’
　　‘No,’ said Jack, puzzled. ‘We’ve never been there. Why?’
　　‘I just wondered if you had heard anyone talking,’ said Bill. ‘I can’t tell you any more now. Myword, I am glad I bumped into you the other day, and came on here to look you up!’
　　‘So am I, Bill,’ said Jack. ‘I simply didn’t know what I was going to do! Now you’re here, and Ican leave the whole thing to you.’
　　‘You can,’ said Bill. ‘Now I’m off in the car to the town, to do a little reporting on the telephonethere, and to collect a few friends, and one or two necessary things. You go to sleep again till Icome back. I promise you I won’t be a minute longer than I can help.’
　　Jack settled back on the sofa again. ‘I don’t think I’ve caught a chill after all,’ he said. ‘What alucky thing for me you had a fire, Bill!’
　　‘Well, there was nothing else to boil a kettle with!’ said Bill. ‘So I had to light one. No, I don’tthink you’re going to get a chill either. You’ll be able to go up to the castle with me when I comeback, and show me the way.’
　　‘But how will we get in!’ called Jack, as Bill went out to get his car. There was no reply exceptthe sound of the car being started up.
　　‘I can leave everything to Bill,’ thought Jack. ‘Golly, I wonder what will happen now!’
第23章 意外的惊喜
　　第23章 意外的惊喜
　　杰克站在窗外，不住地发抖。只有屋里的男人站起来，他才能辨认这是不是城堡里的那些人之一。但是，他怎么有胆子就这样闯进别人的房子！
　　杰克决定偷偷摸进小屋，透过厨房门缝往里看，这样他就能看到是谁坐在高靠背椅上。他的身子还在继续发抖，因为寒冷，也因为兴奋。他慢慢绕到小屋另一边，那里有二楼卧室的窗子。如果窗子开着，他就可以借助边上的大树，爬上去，从窗子溜进小屋。
　　窗子真的开着——只开了一条缝。但杰克知道，这扇窗的窗扣很松，他只需把手伸进去稍稍摇两下，窗扣就会松开。窗子可以开得很大，他能轻易钻进去。
　　即使再小心，他还是绊倒了大门边的一只水桶。他立刻停下，不知屋里的人有没有听到什么响动。接着，他来到大树下，快速地爬了上去。
　　他把一只手伸进窗子里，轻轻地晃动窗扣，窗扣松开了，窗子大开。杰克小心翼翼地爬进窗子，来到卧室里，大气也不敢出。
　　接着，他走出卧室，蹑手蹑脚地穿过卧室外的走廊。他在那儿停了一会儿，然后鼓起勇气踏上会发出嘎吱嘎吱声响的楼梯，一次往下走一级，心中暗暗祈祷不要发出太大的嘎吱声。
　　到了楼梯的转角处，杰克停了下来——就在这时，有人向他冲了过来，一下抓住他的胳膊，把他直接从楼梯上拽了下来！杰克重重地摔在了地上，感觉身体里的空气都被挤压了出去。
　　那人站到杰克边上，猛地把他拉了起来，抓着他把他推进了厨房。杰克立刻朝高靠背椅看去，看到底是谁坐在那里。
　　然而，没有人坐在那里。那个本来坐在高靠背椅上的男人一定听到了他下楼的声音，然后跑到楼梯下面等着他。杰克扭动着身子，挣扎着回过头去看偷袭他的男人，他已经肯定，那人是城堡里的某一个。
　　等到看清了对方的脸，两个人都惊讶极了，不可置信地倒退了两步。
　　“比尔•斯莫格斯！”
　　“杰克！你在这里偷偷摸摸地干吗？我还以为进了强盗呢！”
　　“老天，你真把我弄疼了。”杰克一边说，一边揉着胳膊。他又开始浑身发抖了。看着他浸湿的衣服和苍白的脸，比尔赶紧把他拉到正在烧开水的火炉边。
　　“你去干什么了？浑身湿透！你会着凉的。其他孩子呢？我今天来这里，本想问问曼纳林夫人是否能借住一两天，可发现大门紧闭，屋里一个人也没有。”
　　“那你是怎么进来的？”杰克问，身子渐渐暖和过来。
　　“哦，我自有办法。”比尔说，“我以为你们大家都出去野餐了，我就坐在屋里等你们回来——可没人回来。于是我就决定在这里住一晚，明早去附近问问你们的情况。后来，我听到了一个诡异的声音，我以为是强盗——然后，我就抓到了你！”
　　“好吧，我从窗户里看到屋里有人，但看不到是谁，所以我想偷偷溜进来看看，没想到弄出了声响。”杰克说，“啊，比尔，我真高兴见到你，我们有危险了！”
　　“你说什么？”比尔吃惊地问，“女孩们在哪儿？还有菲利普呢？”
　　“说来话长，但我必须从头说起。”杰克说，“我想喝点热的东西，水开了。”
　　“我也正有此意。我给你弄杯热巧克力，再搞些饼干。”比尔说，“还好，你不发抖了。
　　曼纳林夫人去哪儿了？别告诉我，她也遇到危险了！”
　　“噢，没有——她去照顾菲利普的波莉姨妈了，她病了。”杰克说，“曼纳林夫人非常安全。”
　　比尔递给杰克一杯热巧克力和几块饼干。杰克脱下湿透的衣服，换上干燥的睡袍。
　　“我不应该这样浪费时间，其他人处境都很危险。”杰克说，“但我必须把整件事都讲给你听，然后由你决定该怎么办。”
　　“说吧。”比尔点头。
　　于是，杰克开始讲他们的经历，比尔听着，心里充满好奇与震惊。当听说菲利普躲进盔甲的主意时，他忍不住笑出声来。
　　“这像是菲利普干的事。是个好主意！他们永远也想不到会有人躲在盔甲里面。”
　　杰克继续往下说，比尔的表情渐渐严肃起来。他放下了烟斗，眼睛盯着杰克；他红光满面的脸在炉火的映照下更红了，光秃秃的脑门闪闪发亮。
　　“这是个离奇的事件。”他最终说道，“这其中必然还有很多你不知道的阴谋。那几个男人长什么样子？你描述一下。是不是有一个人的下巴和脖子上有一道疤。”
　　“没有。”杰克想了想，说，“至少我见过的人没有带疤的。我拍下了其中一个人的照片——他们在雕巢边上的时候。我说过，我在雕巢边上的荆棘丛里躲着偷怕那几只雕。其实我当时拍到了两个人，可不走运，另一个人的脸没有冲着镜头。”
　　“你有那些照片吗？”比尔着急地问。
　　“我只有胶卷，”杰克拿出他包装得仔仔细细的包裹，放在桌上，“都在里面，还没有洗出来。”
　　“好的。你去好好睡一觉，我负责把照片洗出来。”比尔说，“我知道你准备了一个洗照片的小暗房——那里什么都有吧？”
　　“但是——但是，我们不是应该立刻出发去解救女孩们吗？”杰克问道。
　　“我会开车去镇上，调几个人来，做好部署。如果城堡里的几个人正在做的坏事是我想到的那些，这就是一个把他们一网打尽的好机会。我倒不觉得他们会去伤害女孩们。”
　　“他们在做什么坏事？”杰克对此非常好奇，“他们跟你正在执行的任务有关系吗，比尔？”
　　“我现在还不能告诉你。”比尔说，“我不是很确定——但很快就知道了。”他停下不说了，只看着杰克。
　　“瞧瞧你们这几个孩子又卷入了什么样的冒险之中啊！”他接着说，“我从没见过谁像你们这样充满冒险精神！看样子，我得一年到头牢牢地跟着你们，这样我就能跟你们一起去冒险啦！”
　　他让杰克躺到沙发上，给他盖上毯子，并关上了灯，然后去了杰克的小暗房。杰克已经将拍到那个男人的胶卷找了出来。
　　杰克平静地睡着了，他真的累坏了。不知睡了多久，他被比尔叫醒。比尔拿着胶卷，满脸兴奋。
　　“很抱歉叫醒你——但是，这真的太不可思议了！”他说着把胶卷对着日光举起来，“你的这张照片太完美了——每一个细节都非常清晰。这个男人留着胡子，但你看这里！他抬着头，衣领解开，他的脖子——下巴到胸口这部分全部暴露着。你看到了什么？”
　　“一道痕迹——是一条长长的疤！”杰克猛地坐了起来。
　　“正是！”比尔说，他从口袋里掏出一本笔记本，从笔记本里拿出一张照片给杰克看，“看这儿，看到这个男人下巴和脖子上的疤了吗？”
　　杰克在照片上看到一个没有蓄胡子的男人，他的下巴和脖子上有一道非常明显的疤痕。
　　“是同一个人，你可能不这么认为，因为你拍到的人有胡子，这胡子很可能是后来蓄的。但是如果他把衣领解开，就像在你的照片里那样，他脖子上的疤就完全暴露了。现在我完全确定，这些人在城堡里干什么了。我已经找他们找了六个月了！”
　　“这个人是谁？”杰克好奇地问。
　　“他的名字，真实的名字是曼海姆，”比尔说，“不过，他们都叫他疤脖子。他是一个非常危险的间谍。”
　　“天哪，”杰克瞪起眼睛大叫，“你在追踪他？”
　　“是的，我的任务就是监视他，注意他的一举一动。”比尔说，“我没有抓捕他，因为我们想知道他这次在预谋什么，他的同伙又是谁。然后，我们要将他们一网打尽。疤脖子可是个很聪明的人，最擅长逃跑。我跟踪他到了镇上，但很快又让他给跑了。”
　　“他逃到了城堡！”杰克恍然大悟，“那是个多么完美的藏身之处啊！”
　　“我很想知道这座城堡的历史。”比尔若有所思地说，“我必须调查一下它的主人。你知道山的另一边是什么吗，杰克？”
　　“不，我不知道。”杰克疑惑地说，“我们从没去过那边。为什么这么问？”
　　“我只是想知道你们是不是听说过什么。”比尔说，“我不能再多说了。我太高兴了，幸亏那天我在镇上遇见了你们，然后又到这里来找你们！”
　　“我也是，比尔。”杰克说，“我实在不知道该怎么办了！现在你在这里，我可以把一切都交给你来处理。”
　　“交给我吧。”比尔说，“我现在要开车去镇上，去做个汇报，再去召集几个弟兄，还有一两件要紧的事。你还可以接着睡，在这儿等我回来。我向你保证，我一分钟也不会耽搁。”
　　杰克坐回沙发。“我一点也没有着凉，”他说，“我真幸运，你生了火。”
　　“这里没有其他东西可以烧水，”比尔说，“我只能生火。我也认为你不会着凉。等我回来，你要和我一起去城堡，给我带路。”
　　“但是，我们怎么进去呢？”杰克喊着，可比尔已经走出小屋，上车了。除了汽车发动的声音，再没有其他响声。
　　“现在一切都交给比尔了，”杰克心想，“那我现在该做什么呢？”
24 Kiki gives a performance
　　24 Kiki gives a performance
　　Up in the castle courtyard Tassie passed an exciting night. She had tried to go to sleep in themiddle of the gorse bush, and had fallen into a doze, when Kiki began to get restless. She dug herclaws into Tassie, and woke her up.
　　‘Don’t, Kiki,’ said Tassie sleepily. ‘Keep still, do!’
　　But Kiki was waiting for Jack, and couldn’t make out why he hadn’t come back. She began tomurmur to herself, and Tassie reached out a hand and tapped her on the beak.
　　‘Be quiet, Kiki! Do go to sleep! Button is as good as gold.’
　　There was a sound in the courtyard outside. Kiki put her head on one side, and listened. Shethought it was Jack.
　　‘Put the kettle on!’ she cried joyfully, and scrambled out from the bush. ‘Put the kettle on!’
　　There was an astonished silence in the yard below. Then a torch was switched on, and itspowerful beam swept round. But Kiki was behind a rock and could not be seen.
　　Two men were down in the yard. They had heard Kiki’s voice, and, not knowing there was aparrot about, they thought it was someone talking.
　　‘Wipe your feet!’ called Kiki. ‘How many times have I told you to wipe your feet?’
　　The men began to talk together in low voices, planning to capture whoever it was calling insuch a loud voice. Kiki began to realise that it was not Jack down there, and she was disappointedand cross.
　　‘Pop goes the weasel,’ she said in a mournful voice. One of the men stooped down in thedarkness, felt about for a stone, and sent it whizzing in Kiki’s direction. The parrot would certainlyhave been killed if the stone had hit it. But it missed by about an inch.
　　Kiki was startled. No one had ever thrown a stone at her in her life. She spread her wings andflew up to the wall behind the men.
　　‘Naughty boy!’ she said reprovingly, ‘naughty, naughty boy!’
　　The men gave cries of fury, and swung round, trying in vain to see who was now on the wall.
　　They thought there must be two people now, one up on the crag, and the other on the wall.
　　‘You come down,’ said one of the men threateningly. ‘We’ve got you covered! We’re notstanding any more of this nonsense!’
　　‘Fusty, musty, dusty!’ chanted Kiki, and then flew down into the courtyard, just behind the men.
　　They were in darkness and so was she.
　　Kiki growled like a dog, and the men jumped in fright. The sound was just behind them.
　　‘There’s a dog about too,’ said one of the men. ‘Look out! Shoot, if you like!’
　　The frightened man pressed the trigger of the revolver he was carrying, and the sound of theshot cracked out in the night, making Tassie, in the gorse bush, jump almost out of her skin.
　　Button, too, leapt with fright and ran out of the bush.
　　He still had his lead on. He ran down into the courtyard, and his lead dragged after him. As heran by the men the lead touched one of them, and he fired again. Button yelped, though he was nothit, and the man switched on his torch. He caught sight of the cub slinking away.
　　‘Was that the dog?’ he said. ‘It’s a mighty small one.’
　　Kiki was enjoying herself. She flew to a tree near by, and began to mew. She could mew just aswell as she could bark. The men listened to this new sound in the greatest surprise.
　　‘Cats now,’ said one. ‘I can’t understand it! There never seems anything here in the daytime. Isit children having a joke?’
　　‘God save the King, silly-billy, silly-billy,’ said Kiki from the tree, and went off into one of hercackling laughs. Then she clucked like a hen, and finished up with an eagle’s yelping scream. Itwas a very fine performance, but the men didn’t like it at all.
　　‘Let’s go back inside,’ said one of them nervously. ‘This place is bewitched. It’s all voices andnoises but nothing much to show for them. Let’s go back.’
　　Kiki let off one of her express-train screeches, and that finished the men completely. They ranfor the castle as if an engine was about to run them down! Kiki laughed again, and her cacklesounded very eerie in the dark courtyard. Even Tassie felt frightened, though she knew it was onlyKiki.
　　There was peace after that. Kiki, after flying round a little while to look for Jack, came back tothe old gorse bush and struggled inside to join Tassie.
　　The little girl was glad of her company. ‘Button’s gone,’ she said to Kiki. ‘I expect he’s gonedown that watery tunnel again. Now, Kiki, settle down and go to sleep. I’m so very tired.’
　　This time Kiki did settle down. She put her head under her wing, gave a little sigh, and went tosleep. Tassie too slept, and there was complete silence except for the trickling noise made by thespring in the corner of the yard.
　　Tassie was wakened by Dinah and Lucy-Ann. They had passed quite a peaceful night down inthe hidden room, undisturbed this time, with Philip on the floor under the bed. He was getting verytired of living underground, and wanted to make a dash for it with the girls. But Dinah persuadedhim that that would be dangerous for him, and make things even worse for them. So, grumbling,he had resumed his place under the big bed, where the girls had also put a good supply of food.
　　‘Jack!’ said Lucy-Ann, in a low voice, as she came to the bush. ‘Jack! Are you there?’
　　Jack was not there, of course, but Lucy- Ann didn’t know that. Tassie awoke and sat up,pricking herself against the bush.
　　‘Jack!’ said Lucy-Ann again, and parted the bush to see inside. ‘Oh - you, Tassie! How did youget here?’
　　Tassie grinned. She was feeling quite all right again after a night’s rest. Her face lookeddreadful. It was muddy and scratched, and her hair was a wild mass of muddy tangles. She had puton her old dress once more.
　　‘Hallo,’ said Tassie. ‘I came to help you. I got your note, but I couldn’t read it. So I came up tosee what it was all about. But the plank was gone. So I found out where Button came in and out,and came with him!’
　　‘Did you really?’ said Dinah. ‘Where did Button get in, Tassie?’
　　Tassie told her. The girls listened in surprise. ‘How could you crawl up a horrid, wet tunnel likethat?’ said Lucy-Ann, shuddering at the thought. ‘Tassie, you are marvellous, you really are! Icould never do that, I know I couldn’t.’
　　‘I don’t believe I could either,’ said Dinah. ‘It was wonderful of you, Tassie.’
　　Tassie felt pleased, and smiled at the two girls. It was nice to be praised like this.
　　‘But where’s Jack?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘Gone down the tunnel to get help,’ said Tassie. ‘He said I was to tell you he was sorry to gowithout saying goodbye, but he thought it best to go at once.’
　　‘Oh,’ said Lucy-Ann, her face falling in dismay. ‘I wish he hadn’t gone without me.’
　　‘Well, you know you’ve just said that you couldn’t possibly go down that tunnel,’ said Dinah.
　　‘I’m jolly glad you came up, Tassie, so that Jack knew the way to escape. He’ll get help and bringsomebody up here, I’m sure. That’s good!’
　　‘But how will they get in?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
　　‘They could bring a plank again, couldn’t they?’ said Tassie.
　　Kiki joined in the conversation. ‘Don’t sniff,’ she said amiably. ‘Where’s your handkerchief?’
　　‘Oh, Kiki was so funny last night!’ said Tassie, remembering, and told the two girls what hadhappened. When she described how the men had shot at Kiki, Lucy-Ann looked alarmed.
　　‘Gracious! They are very dangerous men!’ she said. ‘I don’t like them. I want to escape too. Ithink I’ll crawl down that horrid tunnel after all, Dinah. You come too, and Tassie as well. We’llall go.’
　　‘What, and leave Philip all alone here?’ cried Tassie indignantly. ‘You go if you like, but Ishan’t.’
　　lsquo;Yes, of course - we can’t leave Philip,’ said Dinah. ‘Oh, Tassie, do come and wash yourface. It’s simply awful. You look like a sweep. And your clothes! Gracious, they’re filthy, and allin rags.’
　　‘I couldn’t help it,’ said Tassie. ‘It was awful in that tunnel. I kept getting caught on things. I’llcome and wash if you think it’s safe.’
　　‘Well - I suppose it isn’t, really,’ said Dinah, thinking about it. ‘The men might come out andsee you, and know you’re not one of us two. We’ll bring you some water, and you can cleanyourself up, outside the bush.’
　　‘Then we’ll all have breakfast,’ said Lucy-Ann, who was hungry.
　　It was difficult to get Tassie clean, because all they had to bring water in was an empty ginger-beer bottle and a cardboard cup. But by means of a couple of handkerchiefs and the water, she didmanage to clean her face and hands a bit. Then they ate breakfast.
　　Kiki ate breakfast with them. Of Button there was no sign. They thought he must have gonedown the tunnel some time in the night, and was probably with Jack again.
　　‘Look - there are the eagles back again!’ said Dinah suddenly. Tassie looked round withinterest, for she had not seen them that morning. The three birds came dropping down to the ledge,and sat there, looking regally out on the courtyard.
　　‘The young one flies as well as the older birds now, doesn’t he?’ said Lucy-Ann, and threw hima biscuit. But he didn’t even give it a look! He continued his impassive stare, appearing to befrowning deeply.
　　‘I wish Jack was here. He would like to snap them all together like that,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘Hiscamera is still in the bush, but I don’t like to use it. I suppose it’s all right there if it rains, Dinah?’
　　‘It doesn’t look as if it will rain,’ said Dinah. But Tassie disagreed.
　　‘It feels stormy,’ she said. ‘I think there will be a thunderstorm, and maybe torrents of rain. Ihope we shan’t be here, on the top of the hill, if there is a storm, because it would be a frighteningsight. The thunder rolls round and round the top, and the lightning seems to run down the hillside!’
　　‘I expect we’ll all be rescued before the storm comes,’ said Dinah. ‘I’m expecting to see Jackany time now - bringing us help of some sort!’
第24章 琪琪的精彩表演
　　第24章 琪琪的精彩表演
　　在城堡院子里的巨石上，塔西度过了一个令人激动的夜晚。她试着在这一片荆棘丛中入睡，刚打了个盹，琪琪就不安分起来。她的爪子深深抓入塔西的身体，把塔西弄醒。
　　“别这样，琪琪。”塔西睡意蒙眬地说，“好好待着！”
　　但是琪琪一直在等杰克，她不明白为什么杰克这么久还不回来。她开始喃喃自语，塔西没办法，只好伸出手，捏住了她的嘴。
　　“安静点，琪琪！快睡吧！你看小纽扣多乖！”
　　院子里突然传来一声响动。琪琪偏着脑袋仔细听，她以为是杰克回来了。
　　“把水烧上！”她愉快地喊叫着，并钻出了荆棘丛，“把水烧上！”
　　院子里是一片令人惊讶的静默。紧接着，手电筒被打开，一束强光在院子里扫荡。但是琪琪躲在一块石头后面，谁都看不见她。
　　两个男人来到院子里，他们听到了琪琪的说话声。他们并不知道这只是一只会说话的鹦鹉，他们认为是有什么人在讲话。
　　“把鞋底擦干净！”琪琪接着喊道，“我告诉你们多少次了，把鞋底擦干净！”
　　那两个男人低声商量着，他们要想办法把这个大声说话的人抓住。琪琪现在意识到，院子里的并不是杰克，她非常失望，感到有点生气。
　　“砰，去追黄鼠狼！”她用悲痛的声音说道。其中一个男人在黑暗中弯下腰，捡起一块石头，朝琪琪所在的方向飞快地投了出去。如果琪琪被这石头击中，她必死无疑，但是差了一点，石头没有击中她。
　　琪琪吓了一大跳。这辈子还没有人向她扔过石头。她展开翅膀，朝那两人背后的城墙飞去。
　　“淘气的男孩！”她责备地说，“非常非常淘气的男孩！”
　　两个男人生气地大喊一声，猛地转身，想看一下，到底是谁在城墙上说话。现在，他们认为这里有两个人，一个在巨石上，一个在城墙上。
　　“你有本事下来。”其中一个男人威胁道，“我们已经准备好了，我们不再忍受你的无聊的话了！”
　　“发霉，肮脏，古怪！”琪琪继续叫道，接着飞到院子里，站到那两人身后。光线很暗，他们并没有看到琪琪。
　　琪琪发出狗吠的声音，把那两人着实吓了一跳，因为声音就是从他们身后传来的。
　　“还有条狗，”其中一人说，“要小心！如果可以，就开枪！”
　　受到惊吓的男人扣动了他手枪的扳机，一声枪响响彻夜空。塔西吓了一跳，小纽扣也是，吓得冲出了荆棘丛。
　　它拖着它脖子上的牵狗绳跑下巨石，来到院子里，当它跑过那两人时，牵狗绳碰到了其中一人，吓得他立刻开了一枪。小纽扣当然没有被打中，但吓得大声尖叫。一人打开手电筒照过去，但只瞥到小纽扣跑开的背影。
　　“那是一条狗吗？”他说，“体形很小。”
　　琪琪可高兴坏了。她飞到附近的一棵树上，开始喵喵叫。学猫叫和学狗叫都是琪琪的拿手好戏。那两人对于这新的叫声颇感讶异。
　　“又来了一群猫，”一人说，“我不能理解。白天可没有这些啊。难道是几个孩子搞的鬼？”
　　“天佑吾王，傻瓜，傻瓜！”琪琪在树上说，中间还夹杂着她嘎嘎嘎的笑声。接着，她又发出母鸡的咯咯叫声，最后以雕的啸叫声收尾。这是一场非常精彩的表演，可惜那两个男人一点也不喜欢。
　　“我们回城堡里去吧，”其中一人紧张地说，“这里被诅咒了。有人在说话，有动物在叫，但看不见他们的影子。我们赶紧回去吧。”
　　琪琪又发出了火车汽笛的声音，这下彻底把那两人弄崩溃了。他们慌忙跑回城堡，速度之快就好像后面有一列火车在追赶！琪琪大笑起来，嘎嘎嘎的声音在漆黑空旷的院子里显得格外诡异。连塔西都觉得毛骨悚然，即便她知道这一切都是琪琪搞的鬼。
　　之后，院子里又恢复了平静。琪琪绕着城堡飞了一圈，没有发现杰克，便又回到荆棘丛边，挣扎着钻了进去，老老实实地和塔西待在一起。
　　塔西很高兴有琪琪陪伴。“小纽扣跑了，”塔西说，“我希望它从地道跑下山了。我们赶紧睡吧，琪琪，我累坏了。”
　　现在，琪琪总算安静了。她把脑袋埋在翅膀之下，轻叹了一口气，就睡了。塔西也进入了梦乡，周围一片安宁，只有院子角落的泉水发出汩汩流淌的声音。
　　第二天，塔西被黛娜和露西安吵醒了。她俩在地下室度过了安稳的一夜，没有人来打扰。菲利普就一直睡在床底下，他快憋坏了，也想同女孩们一起冲出地下室。但是，黛娜制止了他：这对他而言太危险了！没办法，菲利普只得满腹牢骚地回到床底下。女孩们也给他准备了许多食物。
　　“杰克！”露西安来到荆棘丛边，低声叫道，“杰克，你在哪儿？”
　　杰克当然不在里面，可露西安并不知情。塔西醒了，一下子坐起来，被荆棘的刺扎得生疼。
　　“杰克！”露西安一边叫，一边拨开荆棘往里看，“呀，是你，塔西！你怎么在这儿！”
　　塔西咧嘴一笑。经过一晚的休息，她感觉好多了。她的脸看上去很糟糕，到处是泥巴和划痕，头发也被泥水糊住，成了一坨一坨的。她还穿着她的旧衣服。
　　“嘿，”塔西跟她们打招呼，“我是来救你们的。我收到了你们的字条，但是我看不懂。
　　于是，我决定亲自上来看看发生了什么事。那块木板不见了，但我发现了小纽扣进出的通道，我就跟着它一起进来了！”
　　“真的？”黛娜简直不敢相信，“小纽扣是从哪里进来的，塔西？”
　　塔西把昨晚的一切都告诉了她。女孩们听得目瞪口呆。“你是怎么从那条恶心、潮湿的地道爬上来的？”露西安问道，对这一想法不寒而栗，“塔西，你真是太棒了，真的！我这辈子都办不到，我知道我不行。”
　　“我也觉得我办不到。”黛娜说，“你真厉害，塔西！”
　　塔西感到非常高兴，对着两个女孩开心地笑。被表扬的感觉真的很好。
　　“但是，杰克在哪儿？”露西安问。
　　“钻出地道，去找救援了。”塔西说，“他让我对你说抱歉，没有道别就先走了。但是，他认为要立刻出发才行。”
　　“哦，”露西安沮丧地说，“我倒是希望他能带上我一起走。”
　　“你瞧，你刚才还说你根本没办法从地道里钻出去。”黛娜说，“塔西，你来了我真是太高兴了，杰克也知道了逃出去的路。他很快就会带着人来这里救我们出去，我肯定。太好了！”
　　“但是，他们怎么进来？”露西安问。
　　“他们可以再带一块木板来，不是吗？”塔西说。
　　琪琪也加入了她们的对话。“不要吸鼻子，”她亲切地说，“你的手帕呢？”
　　“噢，对了，昨天晚上琪琪的表现太逗了！”塔西想起昨晚的那一幕，仔仔细细地讲给两个女孩听。当她说到那两个人是怎样朝琪琪开枪时，露西安一下变得很惊恐。
　　“天哪，他们是非常危险的人！”她说，“我讨厌他们。我也想尽快逃跑。我想我也可以从那个可怕的地道里钻出去。黛娜，你也一起，塔西，你也是，我们一起逃。”
　　“什么？留菲利普一个人在这里吗？”塔西生气地叫起来，“要走你走，我可不走。”
　　“是的，我们当然不能丢下菲利普。”黛娜说，“啊，塔西，快去洗洗脸吧，太脏了。你就像个扫烟囱的。还有你的衣服，天哪，这么脏，还都破了。”
　　“我也没办法，”塔西说，“地道里太糟糕了。我总被石头刮到。如果你觉得周围安全了，我就出去洗脸。”
　　“我觉得现在一点也不安全，”黛娜想了想，说，“那些男人随时会出现，然后看到你，发现你并不是我们其中之一。我们会到下面给你带些水上来，你在这里洗。”
　　“然后我们一起吃点早餐。”露西安说，她感到饿了。
　　塔西好不容易才洗干净了点。两个女孩只能用空的姜汁汽水瓶和纸杯装水带给塔西，塔西用手帕沾水，一点儿一点儿擦拭脸和手。然后，她们坐下来吃早餐。
　　琪琪也一起吃。小纽扣不见踪影，她们认为它一定是已经下山了，没准儿已经回到杰克身边。
　　“快看——那几只雕回来了！”黛娜突然叫道。塔西赶紧四下张望，她还没有看到它们。那三只大鸟降落在岩架上，威严地俯视着院子。
　　“小雕现在已经和它的爸爸妈妈飞得一样好了。”露西安说着扔给它一块饼干，但是它根本连看都不看一眼！它只是冷漠地瞪着露西安，看上去眉头紧锁。
　　“我真希望杰克现在在这儿。他一定会拍下它们三个在一起的照片。”露西安说，“他的相机还在荆棘丛里，但是我不想用。如果下雨了，相机在里面也没事吧，黛娜？”
　　“天看起来不会下雨。”黛娜说，但塔西不同意她的看法。
　　“看起来要下大雨。”她说，“我觉得要下雷雨，甚至是暴雨。我们最好不要在这里待着，不要在山顶上。如果下雷雨，山顶上的景象可是非常吓人的。雷声滚滚，闪电好像要把山给劈开。”
　　“我希望到下雨的时候，我们已经被解救出去了。”黛娜说，“我真希望现在就能看到杰克，看到他带着人来救我们。”
25 At midnight
　　25 At midnight
　　Jack slept peacefully again for some hours. He did not wake till Bill returned in the car. With himwere four ‘friends’. Jack thought they looked pretty tough. It was plain that Bill was in authorityover them.
　　Bill came into the kitchen, leaving the men outside. ‘Hallo!’ he said. ‘Awake at last? Do youwant a meal? It’s gone one o’clock.’
　　‘Gracious, is it!’ said Jack. ‘Yes, I feel jolly hungry.’
　　‘You get up now and put some clothes on,’ said Bill, ‘and I’ll call one of my men in to fix us upa meal. I don’t expect Mrs Mannering will mind if we make free with her kitchen today.’
　　‘Are we going up to the castle soon?’ said Jack, gathering the dressing-gown round him, andpreparing to go upstairs to his bedroom.
　　‘Not till tonight,’ said Bill. ‘The moon won’t be up till late, and we plan to go just beforemidnight, whilst it is still dark. I’ve no doubt one or other of those men keeps a lookout during thedaytime.’
　　‘Oh - the girls will be awfully tired of waiting for us, all day long,’ said Jack.
　　‘Can’t very well help it,’ said Bill. ‘It is most important that we get in without being seen.’
　　Jack went up and dressed. It was terribly hot, though the sun was behind sulky-looking clouds.
　　He felt out of breath, though he had done nothing at all.
　　‘Feels like a storm,’ he thought. ‘I hope it won’t come today. It might frighten the girls up thereall alone.’
　　There was a scampering of clawed feet on the stairs, and into his bedroom came Button, hisbrush waving behind him, his sharp eyes fixed on Jack as if to say ‘Well, well, how you do getabout, to be sure! I never know whether to find you up at the castle or down here - but I wish Icould find old Philip!’
　　‘Looking for Tufty, are you?’ said Jack, patting the fox cub, who immediately rolled over like adog. ‘Hey, Bill - did you see our fox cub?’
　　‘Well, a small tornado swept into the kitchen and up the stairs,’ called back Bill, ‘but I didn’tsee what it was! Come on down with him.’
　　Jack went down, carrying Button, who licked his nose rapturously all the time. Bill thought hewas fine.
　　They had a meal together, and Bill asked a good many questions about the castle and the men,and the hidden room, which Jack answered as clearly as he could. He was certain that Bill meantto enter the castle somehow, and capture the men - but he couldn’t see how it was to be done.
　　‘They looked pretty dangerous fellows,’ he said to Bill. ‘I mean - they’re probably well armed.’
　　‘Don’t worry - they won’t be the only ones,’ said Bill grimly. ‘I know Scar-Neck of old - hedoesn’t usually leave anything to chance. He must have been pretty fed up when he found the girlsin his precious hidden room! I guess their being there has made him hurry up his plans a bit,whatever they are.’
　　Jack began to feel excited. ‘This adventure is boiling up,’ he said, in a pleased tone.
　　‘Yes. And somebody is going to get badly scalded,’ said Bill.
　　Jack developed his other films. The snaps came out marvellously! The eagles stood out well,almost every feather showing clearly. The baby eagle was the star turn. Its poses were perfect.
　　‘Look at these, Bill,’ said Jack, thrilled.
　　‘My word - they’re really striking!’ said Bill admiringly. ‘You ought to get those taken by anyfirst-class magazine, Jack. They would pay well for them too! You’ll soon make a name foryourself, at this rate.’
　　Jack felt proud. If he could make a name for himself through the birds he loved, he would behappy. He wondered how Kiki was getting on without him. How disgusted she would be when shefound that he was gone! Never mind - Tassie was there, and she was very fond of her.
　　The day dragged a little. After tea Jack felt sleepy, and Bill told him to have a nap.
　　‘You had an awful night - and as we shall want your help tonight, you’d better sleep for a fewhours. Then you will be wide awake.’
　　So Jack curled up on a rug in the garden outside and slept. It was hot and sultry there. Bill’smen, who had sat playing cards with one another all day long, and had hardly spoken a word,removed their coats, and then their shirts. It was almost too hot to breathe.
　　Jack awoke again before it was dark. He went to find Bill. ‘Oughtn’t we to start now?’ he said.
　　‘It takes a bit of time to get up the hill.’
　　‘We’re going as far as we can by car,’ said Bill. ‘These fellows are tough, but they don’t likemountain climbing! We’ll follow the road till we get to the landslide, and then climb the rest of theway.’
　　Just as it got dark they all piled into Bill’s big car and set off up the hill. The car seemed tomake rather a noise, Jack thought, but Bill assured him it wouldn’t be heard at the castle.
　　‘The only thing that worries me a bit is having Philip down in that hidden room,’ said Bill. ‘Ifthere’s a rough house down there - and I rather think there may be - I don’t want kids mixed up init.’
　　‘Well, really - Bill - it was us kids who got you mixed up in this adventure!’ said Jack, mostindignantly.
　　‘Yes, I know,’ said Bill, with a laugh. ‘But it rather cramps our style to have you around justnow!’
　　‘Bill, what are you going to do?’ asked Jack, with curiosity. ‘Do tell me. You might as well!’
　　‘I’m not quite sure,’ said Bill. ‘It depends on how things turn out. But roughly the plan is this -to get down into that hidden room tonight, when the girls are there, we hope, and the men are not .
　　. .’
　　‘Set the girls free!’ said Jack. ‘And Philip too, can’t you?’
　　‘Yes - if Philip will condescend to scoot off with the girls!’ said Bill. ‘But we want him to showus the secret way under the tapestry first, and I have an idea that he will want to come with usthen!’
　　‘I bet he will,’ said Jack. ‘So shall I, I don’t mind telling you! I’m not going to be left out of thisnow, if I can help it.’
　　‘I want to find out where that secret door leads to,’ said Bill. ‘I think I know, but I want to makesure. And I want to learn a few things without those men at the castle knowing it. It was a pitythey spoke in a language Philip couldn’t understand or he might have learnt what we want toknow!’
　　‘Well, how are you going to learn it, then?’ asked Jack.
　　‘Same way as Philip might have!’ said Bill, with a laugh. ‘Put myself and the men into thosesuits of armour, and listen in to the conversation!’
　　‘Gosh!’ said Jack, thrilled. ‘I never thought of that. Oh, Bill - do you really think you can dothat? Can Philip and I hide too?’
　　‘We’ll see,’ said Bill. ‘I thought it was a mighty good idea of Philip’s to hide in that armour, Imust say, even though it was only for a joke at first. Now - here we are at the landslide, surely?’
　　They were. They all had to get out, and Jack now had to lead the way. He found the narrowrabbit-path they had so often used, and led the men along it, using his torch as he did so, because itwas not easy in the darkness to pick out the right path.
　　They all walked in dead silence, in obedience to an order from Bill. Button the fox cub ran atJack’s heels, suddenly hopeful of seeing Philip. An owl called near by and made them all jump.
　　It was so hot that everyone panted, and rubbed wet foreheads. Jack’s shirt stuck to him. Therewas a rumble of thunder far away in the distance.
　　‘I thought there was a storm coming,’ said Jack to himself, wiping his forehead for the twentiethtime, to stop the perspiration dripping into his eyes. ‘I hope the girls are safely down in thatunderground room. Then they won’t hear the storm. But I suppose they’ll have to leave poor littleTassie up in the courtyard, because they won’t dare to let the men see her. Or Kiki. I hope they’reboth all right.’
　　They went on upwards, and at last came to the great castle wall. Jack stopped.
　　‘Here’s the castle wall,’ he whispered. ‘How are you going to get into the castle, Bill?’
　　‘Where’s that other door you told me of- not the big front door that overlooks the landslide, andwhich the men came in by - the other, smaller door, somewhere in the wall of the castle?’ askedBill.
　　‘I’ll take you to it - but I told you it was locked,’ said Jack. He led Bill and the others round thewall, turned a corner, and came to the door.
　　It was very stout and strong, made of solid oak, set flush with the wall. The wall arched aboveit, and the door arched too. Bill took out his torch and flashed it quickly up and down the door,coming to a stop at the lock.
　　He beckoned to one of the men. The fellow came up, and brought out an amazing collection ofkeys from his pocket. Deftly and silently he fitted first one and then another into the keyhole. Notone of them turned the lock.
　　‘No good, sir,’ he whispered to Bill. ‘This isn’t an old lock - it’s a special one, fitted quiterecently. I shan’t be able to open it with any of my keys.’
　　Jack listened in disappointment. Surely this did not mean that they would have to batter the doorin? That would certainly give warning to the men.
　　Bill sent for one of the other men. He came up with a curious thing in his hand, rather like asmall can with a thick spout. Jack stared at it, wondering what it was.
　　‘You’ll have to get to work on it, Jim,’ said Bill. ‘Go ahead. Make as little noise as possible.
　　Stop if I nudge you.’
　　A sizzling noise came from the can, and a jet of strong blue flame shot out from the spout,making Jack jump. The man pointed the spout of flame at the door, just above the lock.
　　Jack watched, fascinated. The curious blue flame ate away the wood completely! What kind offire they were using Jack didn’t know, but it was very powerful. Quietly the man worked with hiscan of flame, holding it steadily over the wood that surrounded the lock. The flame ate away a gapat the top of the lock. It ate away the side of it. And then it ate away the wood below the lock.
　　Now Jack saw what was happening to the door! The man had managed to isolate the lockcompletely, so that the door would swing open easily, leaving the lock behind! The boy thought itwas a very clever idea.
　　‘Now to go in,’ said Bill, as he swung the door slowly open. ‘Everyone ready?’
第25章 半夜行进
　　第25章 半夜行进
　　杰克又安稳地睡了几个小时，直到比尔开车回来才醒。比尔带来了四个兄弟，都是很壮实的人。很明显，他们都听比尔的。
　　比尔独自走进厨房，对杰克说：“嘿，终于醒啦？想吃午餐吗？已经下午一点多了。”
　　“啊，这么晚啦。”杰克说，“我快饿死了！”
　　“那就起来吧，穿上衣服。”比尔说，“我让我的兄弟进来给我们做顿饭。我想曼纳林夫人不会介意我们今天免费用她的厨房吧。”
　　“我们马上要去城堡吗？”杰克一边说，一边把散落在周围的衣服收起来，准备到卧室里去换衣服。
　　“晚上再去，”比尔说，“等月亮升起来的时候，我们计划半夜前出发，那时天还很黑。
　　我敢肯定，白天那伙人肯定有人望风。”
　　“哦——女孩们等我们等一天，肯定特别无聊。”杰克说。
　　“我也无能为力。”比尔说，“我们不能被他们发现，这很关键。”
　　杰克上楼换衣服去了。天很热，虽然此时太阳还躲在厚厚的云层里。他什么也没干，依然热得透不过气来。
　　“好像要下雷雨了。”他心想，“希望今天不要下雨，不然女孩们在那里会害怕的。”
　　楼梯上传来欢快的爪子挠地的声音，紧接着，小纽扣跑进了卧室。它紧盯着杰克，大尾巴在身后不断摆动，似乎在说：“哎呀，哎呀，你怎么会在这儿！我不知道怎么在城堡里或在这里都能找到你——但是，我还是希望能找到老朋友菲利普！”
　　“你在找你的老朋友，是吧？”杰克一边说一边温柔地拍着小纽扣，小纽扣像小狗一样在地上打起滚来，“比尔，你见过我们的小狐狸吗？”
　　“我刚才只看到一团小旋风扫过厨房，又上楼去了，”比尔在楼下说，“但是我完全没看清到底是什么。把它带下来吧。”
　　杰克抱着小纽扣走下楼，小纽扣在他怀里欢喜地舔着他的鼻子。比尔觉得这只小狐狸很可爱。
　　他们坐下来吃午餐。比尔一边吃，一边问了好多问题，关于那座城堡、那几个男人、地下密室，等等，杰克尽可能地做了详细的回答。他很确信，比尔会冲进城堡，把那几个人统统抓住——但是，他不知道这些该如何实现。
　　“他们看起来都是危险的角色，”他对比尔说，“我是说——他们可能都全副武装。”
　　“别担心——不是只有他们有武器。”比尔严肃地说，“我很了解疤脖子——他一般不会碰运气行事。他一定非常不高兴，当他看到两个女孩出现在他的密室里时！我猜，她俩的出现会迫使他加快实现他的计划。”
　　杰克渐渐变得兴奋起来。“这场冒险开始沸腾起来啦！”他说，语气非常愉快。
　　“是啊，会有人被严重烫伤的。”比尔说。
　　杰克冲洗了他剩下的胶卷。那些照片棒极了！大雕们非常引人注目，身上的每一根羽毛都清晰可见。小雕就像是主角，它的动作非常完美。
　　“快看这些照片，比尔。”杰克兴奋地说。
　　“好家伙，它们看上去太吸引人了！”比尔夸奖道，“那些一流的杂志应该刊登你的照片，杰克。他们会支付可观的稿酬。照这样下去，你很快就会出名。”
　　杰克感到很骄傲。如果他能因这些他喜爱的大鸟而出名，那真是太好了。
　　突然，他想到了琪琪，她怎么样了？当她发现他不见了的时候，会不会感到很厌烦？
　　没关系——塔西在，塔西很喜欢她。
　　这一天过得很慢。下午茶后，杰克又开始犯困。比尔让他去打个盹。
　　“你昨晚太累了——因为今晚我们需要你的帮助，所以你最好现在去睡一觉。到了晚上，你就精神了。”
　　于是，杰克裹着毯子在闷热的花园里睡着了。比尔的人一直坐在那里打扑克，他们脱了外套只穿着衬衫，一言不发。天太热了，热得让人喘不过气来。
　　在天黑之前，杰克睡醒了。他找到比尔，问：“我们可以出发了吗？上山还得花点时间哦。”
　　“我们开车上去。”比尔说，“我的伙计们很强壮，但是他们不喜欢爬山！我们会开车一直上到滑坡的地方，剩下的路步行。”
　　天渐渐暗下去了，于是他们都挤进了比尔的汽车里，出发上山去。汽车行进时发出很大的声响，但是比尔保证，城堡里的人听不到这声音。
　　“唯一让我担心的是，菲利普还在地下密室里。”比尔说，“如果在那里要发生一场混战——我想很有可能会发生——我不希望孩子们卷入其中。”
　　“比尔，事实是我们这些孩子让你卷入了这场冒险！”杰克愤慨地说。
　　“是的，我明白。”比尔笑起来，“但是，你现在在我们中间实在太不像话了！”
　　“比尔，你打算怎么做？”杰克好奇地问，“你索性现在就告诉我吧！”
　　“我不确定，”比尔说，“这取决于事情如何发展。但是，计划大致是——今晚就进入地下密室，希望女孩们在里面，而那些男人不在……”
　　“把女孩们救出来，”杰克说，“还有菲利普，是不是？”
　　“是的，如果他愿意跟女孩们一起离开的话，”比尔说，“但是我们需要他给我们指出密道的位置。我觉得他更愿意和我们一起到密道里去。”
　　“我打赌他会的。”杰克说，“我不怕告诉你，我也想跟你们一起去密道！我现在可不想被排除在外。”
　　“我需要查明，那个密道到底通向哪里。”比尔说，“我想我已经知道答案，但我需要证实我的想法。而且，我想知道一些那几人并不知道的事。很可惜，菲利普听不懂他们的语言，不然他就能掌握很多我们也想知道的信息了。”
　　“你想怎么探听消息？”杰克问。
　　“和菲利普的办法一样！”比尔说，“我和我的人都钻进盔甲里，站在那里听他们谈话。”
　　“老天！”杰克激动地说，“我绝不会这么想！比尔，你真的想要这么做吗？我和菲利普也需要钻进盔甲里吗？”
　　“我们到时候看情况。”比尔说，“我必须说，菲利普躲进盔甲这主意非常好，虽然一开始只是一个玩笑。好了，我们到了。”
　　他们下了车，现在由杰克带路。他找到了那条他们常走的兔子开的小路，带着大家前行。他打开了手电筒，因为在这样暗的光线下，要找到对的路可不容易。
　　他们在静默中前行，服从比尔的指挥。小纽扣跟在杰克脚边跑着，希望能看到菲利普。不知哪里一只猫头鹰突然叫了一声，把大家都吓了一跳。
　　天还是很闷热，所有的人都喘着粗气，时不时抹去额头上的汗水。杰克的衬衫已经被汗水浸透。远处传来一声闷雷声。
　　“雷雨就要来了。”杰克一边说一边用手帕擦着额头，防止汗水流入眼睛，“我希望女孩们能安全地待在地下室里，这样她们就听不到打雷的声音了。但是，我知道她们只能把塔西留在荆棘丛里，她们不敢让那几个男人看见塔西。还有琪琪，我希望她和塔西都没事。”
　　他们一路向上，最后来到了城堡的城墙边。杰克停下脚步。
　　“这里是城墙。”他小声说，“你们打算怎么进到城堡里去，比尔？”
　　“还有一扇门在哪里——不是那扇正对着滑坡山路的大门——就是那些人进出的、小一点的门，也是在城墙某处吧？”比尔问。
　　“我带你们去，不过我说过，门被锁起来了。”杰克带着他们一行人沿着城墙走，转了个弯，就看见了另一扇门。
　　这是一扇结实的门，由橡木做成，与墙齐平。城墙在门上拱起，门的上部也是拱形的。比尔拿出手电筒，快速地将这扇门上上下下观察了个遍，然后光束停在了门锁的位置。
　　他对身后的一个男人招了招手。那人上前来，从口袋里掏出一套各式各样的钥匙。安静而敏捷地将钥匙一把接一把插进锁孔，看哪一把能开这个锁。
　　“不行，长官，”一会儿后，他小声地对比尔说，“这不是原来的锁——是新换的一个很特殊的锁。我的钥匙都打不开。”
　　杰克听了感到很失望。难道他们只能撞门进去吗？这肯定得惊动城堡里的人。
　　比尔叫了另一人上来。只见他手上拿着一个奇怪的装置，看着像一个罐头接着一根粗管子。杰克瞧着这个装置，不知是用来做什么的。
　　“你来对付这个门，吉姆。”比尔说，“开始吧，尽量不要弄出太大的动静。一旦我推你，马上停下。”
　　罐子里发出一阵咝咝的声音，然后从粗管子头上冒出强劲的蓝色火焰。那人将火苗对准门锁上部的木头。
　　杰克被深深地吸引了。这奇怪的蓝色火焰一下子吞噬了所到之处的木头！杰克不知道这到底是什么火，但看起来非常厉害。那人安静地操作着这罐火焰，稳稳地在门锁周围烧着。蓝色火焰把锁的上边、下边和旁边都烧出了一道沟。
　　现在，杰克终于知道他们打算怎么处理这扇门了！那人将锁和门分离开来，门毫不费劲地打开了，只留锁在原处。杰克心里赞叹这绝妙的主意。
　　“快进去吧，”比尔慢慢地推开门，“所有人都准备好了吗？”
26 Going into hiding
　　26 Going into hiding
　　They filed in silently. The last man shut the door, and wedged in a bit of wood by the lock to keepit from swinging. The courtyard was beginning to get light, because the moon was rising, though itwas behind the clouds most of the time.
　　‘I’ll just go and see if Tassie is under my gorse bush,’ whispered Jack. ‘We’ll have to find outthe latest news from her, and she’ll have to escape with the girls too, as soon as possible. She canguide them back to Spring Cottage.’
　　The men waited in the shadows with Bill whilst Jack went over to the crag. He climbed up tothe gorse bush. A loud voice hailed him.
　　‘Put the kettle on! How many times have I . . .’
　　‘Shut up, Kiki,’ whispered Jack, in a panic. He heard someone stirring in the bush and called ina low voice.
　　‘Is that you, Tassie? It’s Jack, back again!’
　　Tassie crawled out of the bush, full of joy, for she had been feeling frightened and lonely.
　　‘Oh, Jack! Did you come up that awful watery tunnel like I did? Did you get help?’
　　‘Yes - Bill Smugs is here - with some of his men,’ whispered Jack. ‘You and the other twogirls must go down to Spring Cottage. Philip and I are going to wait and see what happens - if Billwill let us!’
　　‘But how can you get the girls?’ asked Tassie. ‘You know they are down in the hidden room,with Philip.’
　　‘Easy,’ said Jack. ‘We’ll just pull the spike in the wall at the back of the hall, and get them out!
　　Then, Tassie, you and they must hurry off as quickly as you can.’
　　‘I’d like to stay with Philip,’ said Tassie obstinately. ‘And anyway, there’s going to be adreadful storm. I don’t want to go down the hillside with thunder and lightning all round me.’
　　‘Well - you’ll have to do as Bill tells you,’ said Jack. ‘Maybe you’ll get down before the stormcomes. Are the girls all right, Tassie?’
　　‘Yes, but rather tired of it,’ said Tassie. ‘Oh, Jack, Kiki made a simply awful noise last nightafter you had gone, and the men heard her - and they shot at her! I was really frightened!’
　　‘Golly!’ said Jack. ‘I’m glad you weren’t hit, Tassie! You might easily have been wounded.’
　　‘The girls went down into the secret room when the men called out to them this evening,’ saidTassie. ‘But they asked them all kinds of questions, in horrid, rough voices. They couldn’tunderstand Kiki talking last night, you see, and thought there must be someone else here that wehadn’t told them about. So, in the end, Dinah had to tell them it was Kiki the parrot - and after thatthey didn’t worry any more.’
　　‘Come on - we must go over to Bill, and tell him all this,’ said Jack. ‘The men are waiting overthere, look - Bill’s men, I mean, of course!’
　　The moon struggled out as the two went over to the little group of silent men, so they kept in theshadows, fearful of being seen. It wouldn’t do to give the game away to any watcher just at thiscritical moment.
　　‘Where are the other men?’ whispered Jack to Tassie. ‘Do you know? Are they down in thehidden room - or wandering about the castle anywhere?’
　　‘As far as I know they’re not about the castle anywhere - or in the courtyard,’ said Tassie.
　　‘They may be down in the hidden room though. Won’t you have to look out, if you press thatspike and open the entrance?’
　　‘Yes, we shall,’ said Jack. ‘Now here’s Bill Smugs, our friend, Tassie. This is Tassie, Bill, thegirl I was telling you about.’
　　Bill put a few questions to Tassie, and she answered them shyly. It rather looked as if the menwere down in the secret room. Well - they would get a shock when the stone swung back, andthey saw who were at the top of the steps!
　　‘Now listen,’ said Bill. ‘You are to work the lever that opens the entrance to the secret room,Jack. One of my men will watch you, to see how you do it, in case we want to use it again. Assoon as the entrance is open, I and the others will stand at the top and shout down to the menbelow to come up. We shall, I hope, have them covered with our revolvers!’
　　‘Golly!’ said Jack, a prickle of excitement running up and down his back. ‘Look out for thegirls, Bill. They may be scared stiff!’
　　‘I can yell to them to keep out of the way,’ said Bill. ‘You leave things to me. I promise you thegirls won’t get hurt. We’ll have them up the steps in no time - and you, Tassie, must take themstraight away down the hill to Spring Cottage. Understand?’
　　‘I’d like to stay with Philip,’ Tassie still insisted.
　　‘Well, you can’t,’ said Bill. ‘You’ll have Philip back with you tomorrow. Now - you allunderstand what’s to be done?’
　　Everyone did. Quietly they all moved forward towards the great black hulk of the castle, lost inblack shadows. The moon had gone behind thick clouds. A rumble of thunder came on the airagain, still far away.
　　They stepped silently into the hall. Everyone but Tassie was wearing rubber shoes - Tassie, asusual, was barefoot. She hadn’t even got her shoes tied round her neck or waist this time. She hadhidden them, for her mother had threatened to take them away from her.
　　Jack slipped quietly to the back of the hall with one of the men. Tassie showed Bill the entranceto the underground room. He and the others waited there whilst Jack pulled back the spike in thewall. A grating noise was heard - and once again the stone swung back, and then sideways. Ayawning hole appeared, with stone steps leading downwards.
　　The light from the lamp shone upwards. Bill stood at the top of the hole, listening intently.
　　There was no sound at all from below.
　　Jack tiptoed up to him. ‘Maybe there are only the girls and Philip there,’ he whispered. ‘Perhapsthe men have gone off somewhere, down the secret way behind that tapestry.’
　　Bill nodded. He sent his voice rumbling down the hole. ‘Who’s down here? Answer!’
　　A small voice came back. It was Dinah’s.
　　‘Only us. Who’s that?’
　　‘Dinah! It’s me and Bill Smugs!’ called Jack, before Bill could stop him. Are you alone?’
　　‘Yes,’ came back Dinah’s voice, lifted in excitement. ‘Is Bill there? Oh, good!’
　　Jack ran down the steps, and Bill and the others followed, one man being left at the top onguard. The first thing Bill did was to find the spike in the wall down below, and close up the hole.
　　He waited a moment, and then the man at the top, as arranged, opened it again. Bill wanted tomake sure he could get in and out as he pleased!
　　Lucy-Ann flew to Jack and hugged him tightly, tears pouring down her face. Dinah grinned atBill, and tried hard to stop herself hugging him. But she couldn’t. She too was so relieved atseeing them both.
　　‘No time to waste,’ said Bill. ‘Where’s Philip?’
　　‘Oh, Bill, he’s gone!’ said Lucy-Ann, turning to him and clinging to his arm. ‘When we gotdown here tonight he was gone! And we don’t know where or how. We don’t know if the mencaught him, or if Philip went off by himself, or what. He didn’t leave a note or anything. But wethink maybe he explored that secret way under the tapestry.’
　　‘Bill, the men are coming back soon,’ said Dinah, suddenly remembering. ‘I heard one of themsay to another, in English, that they were to have their last meeting here tonight. So they may beback here any time, because this is where they meet, and where they keep their maps, or whateverit is they look at so carefully.’
　　‘Where are the maps?’ asked Bill at once, and Dinah nodded towards the locked drawers.
　　‘In there. But they keep them locked up. Bill, what are you going to do? Isn’t this a mystery?’
　　‘I’m beginning to see daylight,’ said Bill grimly. ‘Now look here, Dinah - you and Lucy-Annare to go with Tassie straight away down the hill to Spring Cottage, and you are to stay there tillwe come. Do you understand? You can go out of that side door in the wall, which is now open.
　　The man I have left upstairs will take you there safely and see you out. Then you must go at once.’
　　‘But - but . . .’ began Dinah, not liking to go without Philip.
　　‘No buts,’ said Bill. ‘I’m in command here, and you do exactly as you’re told! Now - off yougo! We’ll be with you tomorrow!’
　　Dinah, Lucy-Ann and Tassie went obediently up the steps and out of the entrance hole. Theman at the top went off to the door in the wall with them, and saw them safely out on the hillside.
　　‘Sure you know your way?’ he murmured, for he was quite sure he wouldn’t know his way downthe dark hillside! But Tassie did. She could almost have found her way with her eyes shut, sheknew it so well, and was so sure-footed.
　　The girls disappeared into the night. The man returned to his post. The entrance to the secretroom was now closed. Below, Bill, Jack and the others were hurriedly getting into the suits ofarmour. Bill meant to attend the next meeting of Scar-Neck with his men! Jack was glad to seethat they all had revolvers! The men said very little. They were the least talkative people the boyhad ever known.
　　Jack was made to stand in the suit of armour right at the back of the hidden room. Bill didn’twant him too near, in case, as he said, there was a really rough house! The boy was shaking withexcitement.
　　Kiki was not down in the room. Tassie had carried her firmly up the stone steps, screeching withannoyance at being parted from Jack so soon again. But it would not be possible to have atalkative parrot down there - she would certainly give the game away.
　　But Button the fox cub was there! Nobody knew it, of course. The fox cub had curled himselfup under the bed, where Philip had hidden, glad to smell the familiar smell of the master he loved.
　　Jack had forgotten all about him.
　　Soon all the suits of armour were standing once more on their pedestals round the curiousmuseum-like room. Only three of them were empty. All the others were filled, though one of themen, a great big fellow, complained bitterly that his didn’t fit him at all.
　　‘Now - silence,’ said Bill. ‘Not a word from anyone. I think I heard something!’
第26章 进入密室
　　第26章 进入密室
　　他们几个人悄无声息地鱼贯而入，最后一个进来的人关上了木门，在锁的地方塞进一块木条卡住，防止门来回晃动。月亮升起来了，虽然仍多半时间都躲在云层后面，但依然洒下月光照亮了院子。
　　“我去看看塔西是不是还在荆棘丛里。”杰克小声说，“我们可以听她说说最新的消息，然后她就得和其他女孩尽快离开这里。她可以带她们回泉水小屋。”
　　比尔和他的人躲在阴影里，杰克则爬上巨石，来到荆棘丛跟前。突然，一个声音在他耳边炸响：
　　“把水烧上！我都告诉你多少回了……”
　　“快停下，琪琪！”杰克慌张地小声说，接着他听到荆棘丛里传来一阵骚动，“是你吗，塔西？是我，杰克，我回来了。”
　　塔西爬出荆棘丛，脸上洋溢着惊喜，之前她实在感到太害怕、太孤单了。
　　“啊，杰克！你也是和我一样从地道里爬上来的吗？你找人来救我们了吗？”
　　“是的，比尔•斯莫格斯来了，他还带了几个人。”杰克小声说，“你必须和另两个女孩赶快下山回泉水小屋去。我和菲利普会留在这里看事态发展，如果比尔允许我们留下的话。”
　　“但是，你怎么去找女孩们？”塔西说，“她们和菲利普一起被关在地下密室里。”
　　“这简单，”杰克说，“我们只需要拔一下大厅后部墙上的那根大铁钉，就能把他们都救出来！然后，塔西，你就和女孩们尽快离开这里。”
　　“我要和菲利普在一起。”塔西固执地说，“再说，马上要下雷雨了，我可不想在雷声和闪电中下山。”
　　“总之，你得听比尔的安排，”杰克说，“你们大概能在暴雨来到前下山。女孩们都好吗，塔西？”
　　“是的，不过她们已经非常厌烦这里了。”塔西说，“啊，杰克，昨晚你走后，琪琪发出了好多声音，然后那些男人听到了，都向琪琪开枪！我都吓死了！”
　　“老天啊！”杰克听了大惊失色，“幸好你没事，塔西！在那种情况下，你很容易就会受伤的。”
　　“女孩们今晚被那些人叫回密室了。”塔西说，“那些人恶狠狠地追问她们很多问题。他们不知道昨晚是琪琪在说话，他们以为这里还有其他人，但我们没告诉他们。最后，黛娜只好告诉他们，是鹦鹉琪琪在说话，他们这才放心。”
　　“来吧，我们赶紧去见比尔，告诉他这件事。”杰克说，“他们都等在那里，看，都是比尔的人。”
　　两个孩子爬下巨石。此时，月亮挣扎着从云层里露出脸，院子里光线更亮了。比尔和他的人都躲在阴影里不出来。在这关键时刻，可不能把自己的行踪暴露给敌人。
　　“你知道城堡里那些男人在哪儿吗？”杰克问塔西，“他们也去地下室了，还是在城堡某处游荡？”
　　“据我所知，那些人不在城堡里，也不在院子里，”塔西回答说，“他们可能在地下密室里。你们不去看看吗？拔出墙上的大铁钉，打开密室的门？”
　　“我们会去看的。”杰克说，“这是比尔•斯莫格斯，塔西，他是我们的朋友。比尔，这就是塔西，我跟你讲过的那个小姑娘。”
　　比尔问了塔西几个问题，她害羞地回答了。看起来那几个男人确实回到了地下密室里。好吧，当密室门被打开时，他们一定会很震惊的，当他们看到是谁站在台阶上时，会更震惊的！
　　“你们听着，”比尔说，“杰克，你去拔铁钉，打开密室的门。我的一个人会看你操作机关，以便我们下次使用。密室的门一打开，我和其他人就会站在上面，冲密室里的人喊，让他们上来。我希望，我们能用枪掩护他们！”
　　“天哪！”杰克说，一股激动的电流在他的背上来回乱窜，“小心女孩们，比尔，她们会吓昏的。”
　　“我会大声提醒她们躲在一旁。”比尔说，“都交给我吧，我保证女孩们会安然无恙。我们会及时把她们救上来的——你，塔西，就带着她们直接下山，回泉水小屋去，明白吗？”
　　“可是我想和菲利普待在一起。”塔西仍然坚持着。
　　“不行，”比尔说，“菲利普明天就回去了。现在，你们都明白要做什么了吗？”
　　大家都点点头。他们很快就向庞大的城堡走去。月亮再一次被厚厚的云层遮住。一声闷雷从天上滚下来，依然还非常遥远。
　　他们小心翼翼地走进大厅。每个人都穿着胶底鞋，除了塔西，她像往常一样光着脚。
　　她这次没有把鞋挂在脖子上，也没有拴在腰上，她把鞋藏起来了，因为她妈妈威胁说要把鞋给扔了。
　　杰克和比尔的一个人轻轻地走到大厅后部，塔西给比尔指了指密室的暗门所在。比尔和其他人站在暗门边，杰克把大铁钉拔出半截。一个刺耳的声音传来——地上的石板再次移开。地面上出现一个门洞，里面是一道通往地下的石头阶梯。
　　有灯光从底下照上来。比尔站在阶梯顶部，仔细听下面的动静。但下面什么声音都没有。
　　杰克踮着脚尖走过来，说：“下面可能只有女孩们和菲利普在。那些男人大概已经从挂毯后的密道里去了别处。”
　　比尔点点头。他冲下面喊道：“谁在下面？快回答！”
　　一个细小的声音传上来，是黛娜：
　　“下面只有我们俩，你是谁？”
　　“黛娜！是我，还有比尔•斯莫格斯！”杰克喊道，“就你们自己吗？”比尔根本来不及制止他。
　　“是的！”还是黛娜的声音，满满的激动，“比尔也来了？太好啦！”
　　杰克跑下阶梯，比尔和他的人也跟了下去，只留一人在上面站岗。到了密室，比尔做的第一件事就是找到墙上的另一根大铁钉，往外一拉，将密室门关上。他等了一会儿，然后站在上面的人按照计划又将门打开了。比尔想确认，他们是否能完全控制这扇门。
　　露西安飞奔向杰克，紧紧地抱住他，任由泪水流过脸颊。黛娜冲比尔笑，努力克制自己要去拥抱他的想法。但她克制不住。看到杰克和比尔，她才松了口气。
　　“不要浪费时间了，”比尔说，“菲利普在哪儿？”
　　“啊，比尔，他不见了！”露西安转过身，紧紧抓住比尔的手臂，“今天我们回到这里的时候发现他已经不见了！我们不知道他在哪里，发生了什么。我们不知道，是那些人抓住了他，还是他自己离开了。他没有留下一张字条。但是我们认为他可能去探索挂毯后的密道了。”
　　“比尔，那些人很快就会回来。”黛娜说，“我想起来了，他们中有人用英语说过，今晚他们要在这里开最后一次会，所以，他们很快就会回来。这里是他们聚集的地方，还藏着他们的地图，以及一些他们很在意的东西。”
　　“地图在哪儿？”比尔立刻问道。黛娜指了指上锁了的抽屉。
　　“在那里面，他们一直都锁着。比尔，你要做什么？这是个神秘事件，不是吗？”
　　“我好像已经看到曙光了！”比尔笑着说，“现在挺好，黛娜，你和露西安跟着塔西直接下山回家，待在泉水小屋里，直到我们回去。听明白了吗？你们可以从城墙那儿的侧门出去，门已经打开了。在上面站岗的那个人会送你们出去，你们要立刻离开。”
　　“但是——但是——”黛娜吞吞吐吐道，她不想不管菲利普，一个人走。
　　“没有‘但是’！”比尔说，“你们都得听我的命令，按我说的做！现在，你们赶紧走！我们明天见。”
　　黛娜、露西安，还有塔西只好不情愿地走上石阶，来到大厅里。站在上面的那个人带着她们来到城墙的侧门，看着她们安全地出门，来到山坡上。“你们认识路吗？”他喃喃地问，他肯定辨认不出下山的路，因为光线实在太暗了！但塔西认识。她闭着眼睛都找得到回家的路，她对这一带实在太熟悉了。
　　女孩们消失在夜色中。那人又回到自己的岗位上。密室的门现在是关着的，密室里，比尔、杰克，还有其他人都忙着钻进一套套盔甲里。比尔准备旁听疤脖子和他的同伙的下一次会议！杰克很放心，因为他看到比尔和他的人每人都有一把枪。那些人几乎不说话，他们是杰克见过的最沉默的人。
　　杰克站在后排的盔甲里，比尔不想让他太靠近，以防万一。他说过的，这里可能会发生一场混战！杰克听了，丝毫没有害怕，反而兴奋得发抖。
　　琪琪不在密室里，她被塔西紧紧抓住带走了。离开时，她尖声叫着，对这么快又要和杰克分别，表示强烈不满。但是，一只唠叨的鹦鹉是绝对不能待在密室里的——她会暴露比尔他们的行踪。
　　但是，小狐狸却在这里！当然，没有人注意到它。这只小狐狸正蜷着身子趴在床底下。那是菲利普藏身的地方，小纽扣很开心闻到了它心爱的主人的气味。杰克早已把小纽扣忘了个干净。
　　很快，盔甲们都按原样站回了各自的基座上。只有三套盔甲里没有人，其他的里面都藏了人。有一个大块头抱怨，这盔甲一点都不适合他的体形。
　　“现在——安静。”比尔说，“谁都不能再说一句话。我听到什么声音了！”
27 The adventure boils up
　　27 The adventure boils up
　　But it was not anyone - it was a peal of thunder so loud that the noise had penetrated even down tothe underground room.
　　‘I hope the girls won’t be frightened,’ said Bill, thinking of them scurrying down the hillside inthe darkness. ‘I wonder if it’s raining.’
　　‘They’ll be all right with Tassie, I think,’ said Jack. ‘She will know places to shelter in. Shewon’t be silly enough to stand under trees or anything like that. There are a few little caves hereand there in the hillside. Maybe they’ll use those till the storm is past.’
　　Silence again. It was astonishing how so many people, all standing rather uncomfortably in suitsof armour, could manage to do so without a single creak or clank!
　　One man cleared his throat, and the sound was strange in the hidden room.
　　‘Don’t do that again, Jim,’ said Bill. There was dead silence once more. Jack sighed softly. Itwas unbearably exciting to stand hidden in armour, wet with perspiration, almost panting withheat, waiting for the other men to come.
　　Then suddenly, sounding quite loud, there came the noise of a door being unlocked. Then thetapestry on one wall shook - and someone lifted it up from behind!
　　Everyone stiffened inside the suits of armour. Eyes peered through the visors. Who wascoming?
　　A man came out from behind the tapestry, and folded it back, hanging one end on a nail, so thatothers following could come into the room easily. Jack saw an opening behind, leading into thewall. From it came soft-footed men, one after the other - and with them they brought Philip!
　　The shaggy-browed man came first. Then came the bearded man, the one Bill called Scar-Neck,dragging Philip. Scar-Neck had the neck of his shirt closed, and Jack could see no sign of the tell-tale scar.
　　Philip was putting on a bold face, but Jack knew he was feeling scared. After him came threemore men, all ugly fellows, with sharp eyes and stern mouths. They came into the room, talking.
　　They left the secret way open, and Jack wondered where it led to.
　　Philip’s hands were bound behind his back, so tightly that the rope bit into his skin. Scar-Neckflung him into a chair.
　　It was soon clear that Philip had only just been captured. Scar-Neck rounded on him almost atonce.
　　‘How long have you been in the castle? What do you know?’
　　‘I was here with the girls,’ said Philip. ‘I hid under the bed. You never looked there. I wasn’tdoing any harm. We only came to play about in this old castle. We didn’t know it belonged toanyone.’
　　‘Get the girls,’ growled Scar-Neck to the shaggy man. ‘Bring them over here. We’ll cross-question the whole three of them. To think that a parcel of kids should waste our time like this!’
　　The shaggy-browed man went over to the bed, where, he imagined, the two girls would, asusual, be sleeping. But when he pulled back the curtain, they were not there! He stared, and thenroughly pulled off the blankets and rugs.
　　‘They’re not here!’ he said, in an astonished voice. The bearded man turned at once.
　　‘Don’t be a fool! They must be here somewhere! We know they can’t get out of this room onceit’s shut.’
　　‘The boy may have let them out from above,’ said the shaggy man. Scar-Neck swung round onPhilip. The boy was amazed that the girls had gone, but he was not going to show it.
　　The shaggy man hunted under the bed - but it was plain to everyone that the girls had gone.
　　Scar-Neck spoke roughly to Philip.
　　‘Did you let them out?’
　　‘No,’ said Philip. ‘I didn’t. I was hiding here, I tell you, under the bed. I wasn’t at the top.’
　　‘Well - who let them out, then?’ said the shaggy man, and his brows knitted together so thatthey almost hid his sharp eyes.
　　‘Now - you tell us everything!’ said Scar- Neck, and his voice was suddenly ugly andthreatening.
　　Philip said nothing, but stared defiantly at the man. Scar-Neck lost his temper, raised his fist,and gave Philip such a blow on the side of the head that the boy fell off his chair. He pickedhimself up.
　　Jack, beside himself with anger, saw Philip’s left ear glow bright scarlet, and begin to swell.
　　‘Now will you talk?’ said Scar-Neck, his voice growing with rage. The others looked on, sayingnothing.
　　Still Philip said nothing. Jack felt proud. How brave he was! Then, to his horror, the man tookout a revolver and laid it on the table beside him.
　　‘We have ways of making sulky boys talk,’ he said, and his eyes gleamed with rage.
　　Philip didn’t like the look of the shining weapon. He blinked a little, and then stared at Scar-Neck again. But still he said nothing.
　　What would have happened next if there hadn’t been a sudden and surprising interruption,nobody knew! But all at once, like a stone from a catapult, Button, who had slunk under a chair onthe far side of the room when the men arrived, shot out and threw himself on Philip.
　　Everyone leapt to his feet, and Scar-Neck caught up his revolver. When they saw that thenewcomer was only a fox cub, they sat down again, feeling angry at their sudden fright.
　　Scar-Neck was furious. He lashed out at the cub, and sent him rolling to the ground. Buttonbared his small white teeth.
　　‘Don’t hurt him,’ said Philip, in alarm. ‘He’s only a cub. He’s mine.’
　　‘How did he get down here? When the girls got out, I suppose?’ growled the shaggy man.
　　‘I don’t know,’ said Philip, puzzled. ‘I tell you, I really don’t know how the girls got out, norhow the cub got in. It’s as much a mystery to me as to you.’
　　‘If this kid is telling the truth, we’d better finish up and get going,’ said the shaggy man,sounding rather anxious. ‘There must be others about, though goodness knows we’ve kept a goodenough watch. Let’s settle up our business and go.’
　　A rumble of thunder came down into the secret room again. The men looked at one anotheruneasily.
　　‘What’s that?’ said the shaggy man.
　　‘Thunder, of course,’ growled Scar-Neck. ‘What’s the matter with you? Getting nervy justbecause a bunch of silly kids are playing around? What they want is a good beating, and I’ll seethis boy gets it before we go, anyway, even if those girls have gone!’
　　Button curled up quietly at Philip’s feet. He was afraid of these men. Scar-Neck nodded to oneof the others, and he got up. He went to the drawer where the documents were kept, unlocked it,and drew out the sheaf of papers there. He put them in front of Scar-Neck.
　　Then began a long discussion in a language that Philip did not understand. But Bill understoodit! Bill could speak eight or more different languages, and he listened eagerly to all that was said.
　　Philip sat listlessly on his chair, his wrists hurting him, and his left ear now twice its size. Hecould not even rub it because his hands were so tightly tied behind his back.
　　Button licked his bare leg. It was comforting. Philip wondered where the girls had gone. Howhad they got out? He was glad to know they had probably escaped. Had help come? Had Jackmanaged to find someone? Would they rescue him too?
　　He wished he was standing safely inside the suit of armour he had hidden in before. He glancedround at it, and then stared in the utmost amazement.
　　Surely eyes were gleaming behind that visor? Philip had extremely good eyesight, and it sohappened that the rays of the lamp shone directly into the visor of the armour he was looking at. Itseemed to Philip as if there were real eyes behind it, not the usual hollow space.
　　He glanced at the next suit of armour, and saw what he imagined were eyes there too - and thenext one! He felt terribly scared. Had all these suits of armour come alive all of a sudden? Whowas inside? He could see that most of them were filled. He began to tremble.
　　Scar-Neck noticed him and laughed. ‘Ah, so you are beginning to be afraid of what may happento boys who interfere in somebody else’s business! Maybe you will talk soon!’
　　Philip said nothing. He began to think clearly, and it was soon plain to him that it must befriends inside the armour, and not enemies. How silly of him to be scared! But it really had beenan eerie feeling to see gleaming eyes looking at him from behind those visors.
　　‘So that’s how it is the girls have gone,’ he thought. ‘Now I understand. Jack did get help - andthey’ve had the idea of doing what I did - hiding in the armour to see what is happening! Well, Imustn’t give them away, whatever happens! I wonder if one of them is old Freckles.’
　　Feeling very much better now, the boy gave another look round at the armour. He did not dareto stare too hard, in case one of the men followed the direction of his look and saw what he saw.
　　Another rumble of thunder came down into the room, louder this time. The air was almostunbearably hot down there, and the men in the armour had hard work not to gasp. Perspiration randown their bodies, and they longed to shift their positions a little. But they dared not move.
　　Bill was listening intently to all that was being said, though Philip could not make out a singleword. Papers were spread out on the table, but Bill could not see what they were. They looked likeblueprints of some sort, details of machinery perhaps. It was impossible for him to see.
　　Scar-Neck rolled them up at last. Then he turned to Philip.
　　‘Well, our job is done. We shall not have the pleasure of seeing you or your friends any more.
　　But before we go we shall teach you what it means to spy on us! Where’s that rope?’
　　‘Don’t you dare touch me!’ cried Philip, jumping to his feet. Scar-Neck took the rope.
　　Then, to his unutterable horror, one of the suits of armour walked off its pedestal, held up a stiffand clanking arm, at the end of which shone a wicked-looking revolver, and said:
　　‘The game’s up, Scar-Neck. We’ve got you all!’
　　The voice sounded hollow. Scar-Neck and the others stared in the utmost dismay, and thenlooked round at the other suits of armour, which were also coming alive! It seemed like a baddream - but a dream that had too many revolvers in it!
　　‘Hands up!’ said Bill’s sharp voice.
　　Scar-Neck began to put his hands up - but suddenly he turned, took hold of the oil lamp, andsmashed it on the ground. In a moment the room was pitch dark!
第27章 冒险达到高潮
　　第27章 冒险达到高潮
　　但是，没有人来——那只是一声惊雷，劈天盖地地砸下来，声音太大了，竟然穿透了石块，传到地下室里。
　　“我希望女孩们没有被吓坏。”比尔说，想象着她们慌乱地朝山下跑去的情形，“不知道天是不是已经下雨了？”
　　“她们和塔西在一起就没事。”杰克说，“她知道到哪里去避雨。她也不会傻到雷雨天站在大树底下。山上有不少洞穴，她们可以在里面躲雨，直到暴雨过去。”
　　接着又是一片寂静。令人惊讶的是，这么多人，站在这么不舒服的盔甲里，竟然能保持一动不动，丝毫不发出一点细微的响声。
　　有个人突然清了清喉咙，响声回荡在密室里。
　　“不许再这么做，吉姆！”比尔说。接着，密室再次恢复宁静。杰克微微叹了口气。难以忍受的紧张，藏在盔甲里，汗水湿透的衣服，闷热得直喘气，等着有人到来。
　　突然，一个很响的声音传来，一个开锁的声音。接着，墙上的一块挂毯开始抖动——有人从后面把挂毯给举起来了！
　　盔甲里的人都绷紧了身子，眼睛透过面罩仔细看。是谁来了？
　　一个男人从挂毯后面走了出来，把挂毯掀起来挂到一旁的钉子上，这样方便后面的人出来。杰克看到挂毯后面是一道门，里面有密道。从里面轻轻地走出一个接一个的男人——和他们一起的，还有菲利普！
　　粗眉毛最先出来，然后是黑胡子，就是比尔口中的疤脖子。后面又出来三个人，都是面目可憎的人。他们走进房间，说着话。他们没有关上密道的门，杰克好奇密道通往哪里。
　　菲利普的双手被绑在身后，绑得很紧，绳子都快嵌进肉里去了。疤脖子一把把他推到一把椅子上。
　　很明显，菲利普被他们逮住了。疤脖子立刻开始盘问：
　　“你在城堡里待多久了？你都知道些什么？”
　　“我和那两个女孩一起来的，”菲利普说，“我一直躲在床底下。你们一直没有发现。我什么事也没做。我们只是到城堡里来玩的。我们不知道这城堡有主人。”
　　“把女孩们叫醒，”疤脖子命令粗眉毛，“带过来，我们直接交叉盘问他们。谁会想到，这帮小孩子竟然要让我们浪费这么多时间！”
　　粗眉毛来到大床前。按照他的想象，现在，那两个女孩应该像往常一样，在床上乖乖熟睡着。但是，当他拉开床帘后，他发现，女孩们不见了！他瞪眼瞧了一会儿，然后粗暴地拉开床单和毯子。
　　“她们不在这里！”他震惊地说。疤脖子赶紧转过头来：
　　“别傻了！她们肯定就在这里的什么地方！我们都知道，门锁了，她们根本出不去！”
　　“可能是这个男孩开了门让她们跑了。”粗眉毛说。疤脖子突然转过身对着菲利普。菲利普很惊讶，女孩们竟然离开了，但他没有表现出来。
　　粗眉毛又在床底下找了找——很显然，这两个女孩就是走了。
　　疤脖子凶狠地问菲利普：“是你把她们放走了？”
　　“不是我，”菲利普说，“我可没这么干。我一直藏在这里，在床底下。我没睡过床。”
　　“那么，是谁让她们跑了？”粗眉毛问道。他的眉毛此时扭结在一起，几乎都要把眼睛给挡住了。
　　“现在，你得告诉我所有的事。”疤脖子说，此刻他的声音里充满着丑陋的威胁。
　　菲利普什么都没说，只是瞪大了眼睛，坚定地盯着那个男人。疤脖子非常生气，举起拳头，一下打在菲利普的脸上。菲利普被打倒在地，但很快又站了起来。
　　杰克愤怒异常，他看到菲利普的左脸已经红肿起来。
　　“现在你愿意讲了吗？”疤脖子问，声音越来越狂暴。其他男人只是看着，什么话都没说。
　　菲利普依然紧闭双唇。杰克为他感到骄傲：菲利普是那样勇敢！接着，让他感到恐怖的是，那个人掏出手枪，放在桌上。
　　“我们有很多办法让这个正在生闷气的孩子开口说话。”他说，眼里透出凶残。
　　菲利普被这凶器发出的冷光闪了一下眼睛，接着依然瞪着疤脖子，依然什么也没有说。
　　如果这时候没有人出来干涉，天知道接下去会发生什么！就在这千钧一发的时刻，小纽扣，像一块被投石器投出的石头，从房间的另一头冲了出来，一下子投进菲利普的怀抱。
　　在场的每个人都慌忙站起身来，疤脖子一把抓起他的手枪。当他们发现只是一只小狐狸的时候，又都坐了下来，对它的突然闯入感到非常生气。
　　疤脖子气极了，他一把抓过小纽扣，把它扔到地上。小纽扣冲他露出自己的白色小尖牙。
　　“别伤害它。”菲利普惊慌地说，“它只是一只小狐狸，是我养的。”
　　“它是怎么下来的？我想，是趁那两个女孩出去的时候溜进来的。”粗眉毛吼道。
　　“我也不知道。”菲利普费解地说，“实话跟你们说，我真的不知道女孩们是怎么出去的，小狐狸又是怎么进来的。我和你们一样困惑。”
　　“如果这小子说的是实话，我们就该赶快结束，马上离开。”粗眉毛很紧张地说，“这附近肯定还有其他人。天知道我们已经防范得够好的了。我们赶紧把事情了了，准备走吧。”
　　又一阵雷鸣声钻入地下室。那几个人不安地彼此看着。
　　“那是什么声音？”粗眉毛问。
　　“当然是雷声了。”疤脖子吼道，“你发什么神经？几个蠢孩子在附近玩就把你吓成这样了？他们就该被好好揍一顿。在我们走之前，我无论如何也要教训教训这小子，就算那两个小姑娘已经跑了！”
　　小纽扣静静地蜷缩在菲利普脚边，它对那些人感到非常害怕。疤脖子冲其中一个人点点头，那人站起来，走到橱柜前，打开锁着的抽屉，拿出一沓纸来。他把那沓纸放在疤脖子面前。
　　然后，他们用另一种菲利普听不懂的语言开始讨论起来。然而，比尔听得懂这种语言！比尔会说八种外语，甚至还要多。他仔细地听着他们说的每一句话。
　　菲利普无精打采地坐在椅子上，他的手腕生疼，左脸也已经肿成两倍大。他都不能去揉他的脸，因为他的手被牢牢地绑在身后。
　　小纽扣舔着他的小腿，这很舒服。菲利普很想知道，女孩们到底去哪儿了。她们是怎么出去的？她们可能已经安全逃脱了，想到这里，他感到很欣慰。是救援的人来了吗？是杰克带人来的吗？他们会来救他吗？
　　他此刻希望自己像之前一样，安全地藏在盔甲里。他朝那些盔甲望去，突然惊异地瞪起眼睛。
　　面罩后面是一双眼睛在闪光吗？菲利普的视力很好，而灯光又正好照在那个面罩上。
　　在菲利普看来，那后面有一双眼睛，而不是像往常那样的空洞。
　　这声音听起来空洞洞的。疤脖子和其他人都惊异地盯着这个盔甲，接着，又发现其他盔甲也活过来了！
　　他又看了旁边的盔甲，那里也有一双眼睛——再边上的盔甲里也是如此！他突然感到非常害怕。难道这些盔甲都突然活了？里面是谁？大部分盔甲里都有人，他开始发抖。
　　疤脖子注意到了菲利普的异常，大笑着说：“你现在开始害怕了？你记起那些闯入他人地盘的孩子的下场了？等下你就能说实话了吧！”
　　菲利普没有说话。他仔细思考了一会儿，明白在盔甲里的人一定是朋友，绝不是敌人。因为这个害怕，该有多蠢啊！但是，突然看到盔甲面罩后面有一双眼睛，真的是一件非常恐怖的事情。
　　“所以，这就是为什么女孩们突然不见了，”他心想，“我总算明白了。杰克找到了救援——他们用我的办法——躲在盔甲里看到底发生了什么！我一定不能暴露他们，无论发生什么事情！不知道杰克在不在里面。”
　　感觉好多了，菲利普又瞟了几眼那些盔甲。他不敢盯着看，生怕有人会发现，会顺着他的目光看过去，也看到盔甲里的秘密。
　　又响起一阵雷声，更大声了。地下室已经热得让人难以忍受。盔甲里的人不得不努力让自己不发出喘气声。汗水在身上流淌，他们渴望稍微变换一下姿势，可是没人敢这么做。
　　比尔听到了他们说的每一句话，虽然菲利普一个字都听不懂。桌面上铺满了展开的纸，但是比尔看不到纸上写着什么。它们看起来像是一些工程图，大概是某种机械的结构图。他根本看不清。
　　疤脖子终于把这些图纸都卷了起来，然后面向菲利普：
　　“我们的工作完成了。我们不想再看到你和你的朋友们了。但是，在我们离开之前，让我来教教你，监视我们的后果是什么！绳子在哪儿？”
　　“不要碰我！”菲利普大叫着跳起来。疤脖子取来了绳子。
　　就在这时，让疤脖子感到分外恐惧的是，一具盔甲从基座上走了下来，哐啷啷举起硬邦邦的手臂，手臂前端是一把寒光逼人的左轮手枪。盔甲说道：
　　“游戏结束了，疤脖子。我们已经把你们包围了！”
　　这声音听起来空洞洞的。疤脖子和其他人都惊异地盯着这个盔甲，接着，又发现其他盔甲也活过来了！这一切就像是一场噩梦，只是这场梦里怎么会有这么多把枪！
　　“举起手来！”比尔严肃地说。
　　疤脖子慢慢举起手来——突然，他转过身来，拿起那盏老油灯，猛地摔在地上。房间里顿时陷入一片黑暗。
28 A terrible storm
　　28 A terrible storm
　　Bill gave a cry of rage. Then Jack heard his voice. ‘Get under the bed, Jack and Philip, quick!
　　There may be shooting!’
　　The boys did exactly as they were told. They dived for the bed, Jack clanking in his armour.
　　Philip lay there panting, wishing his hands were not tied. Jack got stuck halfway under the bed.
　　What was happening in the room they didn’t know. There were shouts and panting and groans -but nobody did any shooting. It was too dark to risk that in case friend shot friend. It sounded tothe boys as if men in armour and men without were rolling on the ground together, for there was atremendous thudding and clashing.
　　Suddenly there was a grating noise, and the boys knew the entrance above was being opened.
　　But who was opening it, their side or the other? Philip had no idea how it was opened from below,though he had often tried to find out, for obviously there must be a way.
　　Then he knew that Scar-Neck or one of his friends must have opened it, as a way of escape, forhe heard Bill’s voice shouting up to the man he had left above.
　　‘Tom! Look out! Shoot anyone coming up!’
　　Tom sprang to the top of the steps, but he could see nothing down below. He could only hearthe groans and clanks the boys could hear. Then up the steps crept one of the men. Tom did nothear him, and suddenly he felt a blow that sent him sprawling. It was Scar-Neck trying to escape.
　　In the fight he had lost his revolver or he would certainly have shot Tom.
　　Before Tom could get up and catch him, he was gone - and yet another man was on top of thesurprised Tom, falling over him. Poor Tom got another blow, and his head sang. Then the shaggy-browed man kicked him savagely and disappeared too.
　　After that Tom didn’t know what to do - whether to stand at the top of the steps to preventanyone else coming up, or to go after the escaping men. But as he hadn’t the remotest idea wherethey had gone, he chose the first course.
　　Down below things were going badly for the three men left. One of them was completelyknocked out. Another had given in because Bill had sat on top of him so firmly that there wasn’tanything else to do. And the third man had tried to escape down the secret way behind thetapestry, but was now being forcibly brought back by Jim, who was yanking him along with manymuttered threats.
　　Bill at last found a torch and switched it on. The oil lamp was smashed beyond repair. It wasfortunate that it had not set the place on fire. By the light of the powerful torch Bill had a lookround.
　　The man he had been sitting on was now in the charge of someone else, and was lookingextremely sorry for himself. He had a black eye and a very large lump on his head. Bill lookedodd. He was still wearing his armour, but he had taken off the helmet so that his bald head, withthe thick hair at each side, rose up startlingly.
　　The two boys came out from under the bed. Bill had to tug at Jack to set him free. Jack got outof the hot armour as quickly as he could, and freed Philip’s hands.
　　Bill’s face wore a look of utter disgust. He could see that the two men he most wanted to catch- Scar-Neck and the shaggy-browed man - were gone. He called up to Tom.
　　‘Are you there, Tom?’
　　‘Yes, sir,’ came back Tom’s voice, rather subdued.
　　‘Have you got the two who came up the steps?’ shouted Bill.
　　‘No, sir. Sorry to say they bowled me over and got away, sir,’ replied Tom, even more subdued.
　　Bill muttered a few rude names for the unlucky Tom. ‘Come on down here,’ he said. ‘What afool you are, Tom! You had a wonderful position up there - you could have stopped a whole armygetting out!’
　　‘Well, it was so dark, sir,’ said Tom. ‘I couldn’t see a thing.’
　　‘Well, you’ve let two of our most important men go,’ said Bill grimly. ‘That’s not the way toget promotion, you know. I wish I’d put someone else up there now. I suppose those fellows arewell away down the hill now. I’ve no doubt they’ve got their own powerful car well hidden awaysomewhere, ready for an emergency, and will be the other side of the country by tomorrow night.’
　　Poor Tom looked very sheepish. He was an enormous fellow, and the boys thought he ought tohave been able to capture two enemies single-handed! They were in a terrible state of excitementand wished that they had been able to capture Scar-Neck themselves.
　　‘Tie up these fellows,’ said Bill, curtly nodding to their captives. Jim began to do it veryefficiently and soon the men sat like trussed fowls, sullen and tousled, frowning into space.
　　‘Now we’ll have a look at those papers,’ said Bill, and one of his men went to spread them outbefore him. Bill bent over them.
　　‘Yes - they’ve got everything here they wanted to know,’ he said. ‘That fellow Scar-Neck isabout the cleverest spy in any country. I bet he felt mad to leave these behind. They are worth afortune to him, and are of untold value to the country he was spying for.’
　　One of the men rolled them up. As he did so a terrific roll of thunder echoed all round.
　　Everyone looked startled.
　　‘What a storm!’ said the man called Jim. ‘Was that lightning then?’
　　It was, flashing down even to the underground room. It had flashed almost at the same momentas the thunder crashed.
　　‘Storm’s about overhead, I should think,’ said Bill. ‘I don’t think we’ll venture down thehillside ourselves till it’s over.’
　　‘Aren’t you going to see where that secret way leads to?’ asked Jack, in disappointment.
　　‘Oh yes,’ said Bill. ‘Tom and I will go, whilst the others take the prisoners down the hill - butwe’ll wait till daylight now, I think.’
　　The storm grew worse. Philip tried to tell Bill what had happened to him that day, but he had toshout at the top of his voice, because the thunder crashed so loudly overhead.
　　‘I was so bored I thought I’d go down the secret passage myself and see where it led to,’
　　shouted Philip. ‘So when the men had gone up the stone steps after a good long sleep here, Islipped out from under the bed and went into that hole in the wall there. The men had left it open,just as you see it now, with the tapestry hooked back, and the stone slid from the opening. It goesright back, as you can see. Well, there’s a door in the side of the opening . . .’
　　The thunder interrupted him again and he stopped. Everyone was listening to him with interest,except the surly prisoners.
　　‘The door there was locked, but someone had left the key in the lock,’ went on Philip, when thethunder had died down a little. ‘So I unlocked it. The door pushed backwards and I found myselfin a narrow passage.’
　　‘Wasn’t it dark?’ asked Jack.
　　‘Yes, but I had my torch,’ said Philip. ‘I put it on, and saw my way quite well. The passagewent downwards, at first between walls of stone - must have been the foundations of the castle, Isuppose - and then I saw that I must have come out from under the castle, and was going througha tunnel hewn out of the solid rock.’
　　‘And I suppose it led you out on to the hill on the other side?’ said Bill. ‘And you looked downon something rather interesting?’
　　‘I never got as far as that,’ said Philip. ‘I heard one of the men coming some way behind me,and I thought I’d better hide. So I climbed up on to a narrow ledge near the roof of the passage justthere, and lay quite quiet.’
　　‘Golly!’ said Jack. ‘Did he pass you?’
　　‘Yes. But he was looking for me,’ said Philip. ‘You see, I’d forgotten to close the door that ledinto the secret passage, and when the men came back, they noticed it, and got puzzled. So theysent someone down the passage to see who had opened the door.’
　　‘And they found you?’ said Bill, but his words were lost in another crash of thunder.
　　‘When the man found I wasn’t anywhere in the passage he came back,’ went on Philip. ‘Butevidently the chief man wasn’t going to let me wander about there, and he and everyone else camedown the secret way then. And, of course, they soon found me lying on that narrow ledge, anddragged me down.’
　　‘What happened to you then?’ asked Bill. ‘You weren’t taken back to the hidden room, becausethe girls wondered where you were when they came down that night.’
　　‘No. They tied my wrists together, and my ankles too, and just left me there in the passage,’ saidPhilip. ‘They said as I seemed to have a liking for the passage, I could stay there till they wereready to bring me back and question me. So there I stayed till at last they did fetch me. Theyuntied my ankles so that I could walk - and brought me to the hidden room, as you saw.’
　　‘Poor old Philip - a nasty experience,’ said Bill.
　　‘Golly, I was scared when I saw your eyes gleaming at me through the visor of the helmet, Bill,’
　　said Philip. ‘I had the fright of my life! But I soon realised you must be friends.’
　　The thunder was now so noisy and continuous that it was no use talking. They all sat in silence,thinking what a tremendous storm must be going on outside on the hill.
　　‘I’m just going up to have a squint out of the front door,’ said Bill. ‘It must be a fine sight, thisstorm.’
　　‘We’ll come too,’ said the boys. So up the stone steps they went, and down the hall to the openfront door of the castle.
　　They stopped in awe just before they got there. The whole countryside lay cowering beneath theworst storm they had ever seen. Lightning tore the sky apart continually, great jagged forks thatran up and down from the top of the sky to the bottom.
　　The thunder was like nothing they had ever heard, it was loud and so overwhelming. It neverstopped! It rolled round and round the hillside, like terrific guns bombarding an enemy.
　　And the rain! It poured down as if great rivers had been let loose from the sky. No one could goout in that, for they would surely be battered to the ground!
　　‘It’s a cloud burst,’ said Bill. ‘The sky has opened, and let down a deluge! I’ve never seenanything like this, except once in India. I should think Scar-Neck and the other fellow are having apretty bad time of it out on the hillside.’
　　‘Anyway the girls had plenty of time to get down to Spring Cottage,’ said Jack. ‘They’ll be safeat home, I hope. Good gracious - what’s that?’
第28章 可怕的暴风雨
　　第28章 可怕的暴风雨
　　比尔爆发出狂怒的吼叫。接着，杰克听到他说：“到床底下去，杰克，还有菲利普，赶快！我们要开枪了！”
　　男孩们按比尔的命令行动。他们冲向大床，杰克身上的盔甲哐啷哐啷直响。菲利普躺在床底下直喘气，他希望谁能来解开他被绑住的双手。杰克则被卡在了床下。
　　他们不知道房间里又发生了些什么。不时传来喊叫声、喘气声、呻吟声——但是没有人开枪。谁也不想冒险在这漆黑一片中开枪，以防射伤同伴。孩子们似乎听到穿着盔甲的男人和没有穿盔甲的男人滚倒在地上，丁零当啷的撞击声混杂一片。
　　突然，一个刺耳的声音传来，男孩们知道，那是密室的暗门被打开了。谁开的门？是朋友，还是敌人？菲利普不知道如何从地下室里打开暗门，虽然他一直在找，总有一个方法能从里面打开暗门。
　　这时，他知道了，是疤脖子或他的人从里面打开了暗门，企图逃出去，因为他听到比尔在对上面的人大喊：
　　“汤姆！小心！开枪射击任何逃上去的人！”
　　汤姆猛地跃到暗门处，但是他什么也没看到。他只听到一些喘息声和撞击声，就像男孩们听到的一样。这时，一个男人从下面上来了。汤姆没有听到他出现的声音，却突然被他一记重拳打翻在地。原来是疤脖子逃了出来。他在刚才下面的打斗中弄丢了手枪，不然肯定会对汤姆开枪。
　　还没等汤姆起身去抓他，他已经跑得没影了——这时又上来一个男人。可怜的汤姆又遭到一记重拳，脑袋嗡嗡作响。那是粗眉毛，他野蛮地攻击了汤姆后，也很快消失了。
　　受到轮番的袭击，汤姆都不知该怎么做了——他是应该站起来守住石阶不让人继续逃出来，还是去追那几个已经逃出去的人。由于不知道他们逃到哪里去了，他决定选择第一个方案。
　　地下室里剩下的三个坏人情况可不妙。一个已经被完全打倒在地；一个已经投降，停下所有行动，因为比尔此时正牢牢地坐在他身上；还有一个本想从挂毯后的密道逃跑，但被吉姆抓了回来：吉姆一边拽着他，一边低声威胁。
　　比尔找到一支手电筒，打开，照亮房间。油灯已经摔碎，无法复原了。幸运的是，没有引起大火。比尔拿着手电筒环视整个房间。
　　刚才被比尔制伏的那个人现在由别人接手。那人看上去为自己感到非常难过，他长着黑色的眼睛，脑袋上有一个大肿块。比尔此刻的样子很怪：他依然穿着盔甲，但摘掉了头盔，脑袋两边的头发都竖了起来。
　　两个男孩从床底下爬出来。杰克以最快的速度从闷热的盔甲里钻了出来，然后解开了菲利普手腕上的绳子。
　　比尔的脸色变得气愤。他发现他最想要逮住的两个人——疤脖子和粗眉毛——逃跑了。他呼叫汤姆。
　　“汤姆，你在上面吗？”
　　“是的，长官。”传来汤姆郁闷的声音。
　　“你抓住那两个逃出去的人了吗？”比尔喊道。
　　“没有抓住，长官。很抱歉，他们把我打倒，然后跑了。”汤姆回答，声音越发郁闷。
　　比尔低声骂了倒霉的汤姆。“下来，汤姆，”他说，“你这个蠢货！你占据了多么好的位置，你本来可以挡住一整个军队！”
　　“那个，这里实在太暗了，长官，”汤姆解释说，“我什么也看不见。”
　　“好吧，你让最关键的两个人逃跑了，”比尔生气地说，“这可不是能升职的表现。现在我只能叫其他人在上面站岗。我估计那两人已经下山了。他们一定在什么地方藏了一辆车，以备紧急情况之需，到明天晚上，他们就已经到了这个国家的另一边啦。”
　　可怜的汤姆温顺地站在一边。他看上去非常强壮，男孩们本以为他单手就能抓住那两个坏人。他们现在感到非常兴奋，甚至幻想着能亲手抓住那两个逃跑的人。
　　“把这些人绑起来。”比尔对他的人下命令。吉姆上前手脚利索地把他们捆成笼子里待售的家畜模样，那几个犯人愤懑又无奈，眉头扭成S形。
　　“现在我们来看看那些图纸。”比尔说道。他的人已经将图纸展开在比尔面前，比尔弯下腰。
　　“是的，这里有他们所有想知道的一切。”他说，“疤脖子这家伙无论在哪个国家都算得上是最聪明的间谍。我敢打赌，他一定气疯了，因为没能带走这些图纸。这对他来说非常值钱，对他所监视的国家来说，也有着不可估量的价值。”
　　一个人把图纸都卷了起来，就在这时，一声惊雷突然而至，把大家都吓了一跳。
　　“好响的雷声！”那个叫吉姆的人说，“一定也有闪电。”
　　是的，闪电撕裂天空，甚至穿透地面照进地下室，紧接着又一声惊雷落下。
　　“暴风雨已经开始了。”比尔说，“我认为我们此时不应该冒险下山。”
　　“我们要去看一下密道吗？”杰克问，带着些许失望。
　　“啊，是的。”比尔说，“我和汤姆去查看密道，剩下的人带犯人下山——不过都得等到天亮了。”
　　暴风雨来势更加凶猛。菲利普试着告诉比尔他今天的经历，但是，他得扯着嗓子喊，因为头顶上的雷声是如此之大。
　　“我实在太无聊了，所以我想我可以进入密道，去看看到底通往哪里。”菲利普喊道，“于是，等那几个人睡醒了，离开密室后，我爬了出来，进入密道。那时密道门是开着的，就像现在这样，挂毯掀开并钩在旁边，石板移到左边。里面还有一道门……”
　　雷声又打断了他的话，他只得停下来。大家都饶有兴趣地听着他的描述，除了那几个犯人。
　　“里面的门是锁住的，但是有人把钥匙留在了锁头上。”雷声轻了下去，菲利普继续说，“于是我开了锁，门是往里推的，门后是一条窄窄的通道。”
　　“里面很黑吗？”杰克问。
　　“是的，不过我带了手电筒。”菲利普说，“我打着手电，路看得很清楚。通道是往下的，一开始两边都是石头砌成的墙——我猜一定是城堡的地基——后来我发现我应该是从地下走出了城堡，通道是从整块的大岩石里凿出来的。”
　　“我猜，你从山的另一边走出来了，”比尔说，“然后你看到了一些有趣的事？”
　　“我从没走过这么远，”菲利普说，“我听到后面有人过来了，就想找个地方躲一下，于是我爬到通道顶部附近的一块岩石后面，安静地躺着。”
　　“天哪！”杰克说，“那个人过去了吗？”
　　“过去了，但是，他就是来找我的。”菲利普说，“我忘记关密道口的那道门了，被他们发现了，他们就派了个人进来，看是谁开的门。”
　　“他们后来发现你了？”比尔说，但是他的话被雷声掩盖了。
　　“那个人没有在密道里发现我，就回去了。”菲利普继续说道，“但显然，他们的头头可不想我在那里游荡。后来，他带着所有的人都进来了。当然，他们发现了我藏身的地方，把我拽了出来。”
　　“然后呢？”比尔问，“你没有被带回密室，因为那天晚上女孩们也不知道你到哪里去了。”
　　“是的，他们绑住了我的手腕，还有我的脚踝，就把我留在密道里。”菲利普说，“他们说，既然我这么喜欢密道，他们就让我看个够，等他们完事了，再带我回去审问。所以我一直在那里待到他们回来。他们解开了我脚踝上的绳子，这样我就能走路了，然后把我押回了密室。”
　　“可怜的菲利普，真是一场糟糕的经历。”比尔说。
　　“老天，当我在面罩后面看到你的眼睛在放光时，我简直吓死了，比尔。”菲利普说，“我这辈子都没这么害怕过！后来我意识到，你们肯定是朋友。”
　　雷声越来越大，谈话没法再进行下去了。他们都安静地坐着，想象着外面是怎样的狂风暴雨、电闪雷鸣。
　　“我要到上面去，从大门往外看一眼这场暴风雨。”比尔说。
　　“我们也要去。”两个男孩说。于是，他们走上石阶，穿过大厅，打开了城堡的前门。
　　眼前的景象让他们感到震惊。这是一场他们所见过的最可怕的暴风雨，整片大地都瑟缩在它的淫威之下。闪电不断地撕裂天空，从上到下直劈下来。雷声响彻天地，似乎没有停歇的时候，一个接着一个滚过山坡，好像众多可怕的枪在向敌人无止境地射击。还有雨水！就像一条大河悬挂在空中，河水一股脑地冲向大地。没有人能在这场暴风雨中行进。
　　“倾盆大雨，”比尔说，“就好像天空被撕开了一个口子，雨水直接倾泻而下！我从没见过这么大的暴风雨，除了有一次在印度。我估计，疤脖子和他的同伙在山里可不好受啊。”
　　“还好，女孩们有足够的时间下山回到泉水小屋。”杰克说，“我希望她们在家很安全。
　　天哪，快看，那是什么？”
29 The secret passage
　　29 The secret passage
　　As Jack was speaking, there came the most tremendous clap of thunder he was ever to hear in hislife. It made him jump violently and cling to Bill. It was the loudest noise he had ever heard.
　　With it came a flash of lightning that lighted up the hills around for miles upon miles. Therethey were, unbelievably clear and somehow unreal, for half a second. Then they went back intopitch darkness again. But a queer feeling ran through all three when the flash came.
　　Bill suddenly pulled them back a little. ‘I think the castle has been struck!’ he said. ‘Yes, it has- look!’
　　One of the towers, lit up by the next flash, was seen by the two boys to be in the act of falling!
　　In a second it was gone as darkness came back again. Then, through the insistent thudding of therain, came the sound of the crashing of stone upon stone, as the tower fell to the ground.
　　‘The storm is absolutely on top of us!’ shouted Jack. ‘Let’s go back to the hidden room, Bill.
　　I’m afraid. I felt that flash of lightning, I’m sure I did. Bill, the thunder is in the courtyard, it is, itis!’
　　Bill was almost inclined to believe that it was, as it rolled round in rumbling crashes. Thenanother flash came, and once more the three felt a queer shock, as the lightning seemed to flashthrough them.
　　‘I believe if we hadn’t got rubber-soled shoes on we’d have been struck dead!’ thought Billsuddenly. ‘Gosh, the castle has been struck again - this time the main building. It will be in ruinsif this goes on!’
　　He hustled the boys back to the steps that led to the hidden room. Down they went, and thenpaused in awe - for now it seemed as if the castle itself was falling!
　　Hurriedly Bill pulled at the spike that shut the entrance. He felt he would like to have solidstone between him and the storm now. With relief he saw the stone slide sideways and upwards,and the entrance was closed.
　　Almost immediately there came a terrific sound of falling stone, crashing on to stone below, andthe room shook.
　　‘The castle is falling on top of us!’ cried Philip, and he went pale. It really sounded as if it was.
　　Bill thought part of it must again have been struck by lightning, and have fallen inwards. Hewondered if what they heard was the floor above falling down into the hall! It sounded like that.
　　More crashing noises came, not made by the thunder, and then comparative silence. No onespoke for a while.
　　‘I can see how that landslide happened,’ said Bill at last. ‘A storm like this could easily causeundermining of the road, and a landslide would result. I shouldn’t be surprised if there was anotherone tonight. I should think even more of the road will be destroyed.’
　　‘That rain was so terrific,’ said Jack. ‘I’ve never heard anything like it. I bet the poor girls arescared, down in the cottage by themselves.’
　　‘Yes - I wish we were with them,’ said Bill. He took a glance at the captives. They looked veryfrightened. What they could hear of the storm and the falling of the castle was evidently fillingthem with forebodings as to what might be going to happen next!
　　‘You know, I’ve just realised that I’m awfully hungry,’ said Philip suddenly. ‘I’ve had nothingto eat since I went off by myself to explore that secret passage.’
　　‘You must be famished!’ said Bill. ‘I feel pretty hungry myself too. There seems to be a nicepile of tins over there. I think it might while away the time a bit, and make us forget this awfulstorm, if we attacked the contents.’
　　Jack and Philip examined the tins. They chose one tin of spiced meat, one tin of tongue and twoof peaches. They opened them, and put generous helpings on to the plates stacked on a side table.
　　Bill found drinks. It was so hot that the beer he found in bottles was more than usually welcometo the men. The boys feasted on ginger beer and lemonade, both of which were there too.
　　Everyone felt better after the meal. The storm seemed to be dying down. Bill glanced at hiswatch.
　　‘Half-past five!’ he said, with a yawn. ‘I didn’t think it was so late. Well, as the storm is dying,maybe we could get out into the courtyard for a breath of air. It will be daylight now. I canperhaps see my men off down the hillside with their prisoners.’
　　‘Yes. I’m dying for a breath of air,’ said Philip, whose face was bright scarlet with heat. ‘Howdo you open the entrance, from down here, Bill?’
　　‘Up there by the ceiling,’ said Bill, and showed Philip how. There was a hidden lever there. Hepulled at it - but it did not move. He pulled again.
　　‘It won’t budge,’ said Bill, surprised. ‘Here, Tom, you try. You’re as strong as a horse.’
　　Tom took his turn, but he could not move the lever either. The stone would not move an inchfrom the entrance, to unblock it.
　　Then both Bill and Tom tried together. The stone moved an inch or two - and then stopped. Nofurther efforts made any difference. It wouldn’t move any more.
　　Bill went up the steps as far as he could and tried to peer through the crack, but he could seenothing at all. He came back.
　　‘I’m afraid part of the castle has fallen in on top of the entrance,’ he said. ‘The lever is strongenough to move that heavy stone, but we are not strong enough to shift whatever is on top of it bypulling hard. We can’t get out.’
　　‘We’ll have to use the other way then, the passage I went down yesterday,’ said Philip, noddinghis head towards the opening behind the tapestry.
　　‘Yes,’ said Bill. ‘I only hope that hasn’t done any slipping and sliding too! Still, you said it wasmade out of the solid rock, didn’t you? It should be quite all right.’
　　It was steadily getting hotter and hotter in the underground room. Button, who had retired underthe bed during the fight, now came out and rolled over on his side by Philip, his pink tonguehanging out like a dog’s.
　　‘He’s thirsty,’ said Jack. ‘Give him a drink.’
　　‘There’s nothing except ginger beer left,’ said Philip, and poured some out on a plate. Buttonwas so thirsty that he drank it all up, then sat down and licked his mouth round thoughtfully, as ifto say, ‘Well - that was certainly nice and wet - but what a strange taste!’
　　‘We shall all be cooked if we don’t make a move,’ said Bill. ‘Come on - we’ll try our luck thisway. I’ll go first.’
　　He went into the hole in the wall, and pushed at the door there. It opened. Bill went through,shining his torch in front of him.
　　The two boys followed. Then came the three men with their captives, who were now verysubdued indeed. They had not uttered a word for a very long time.
　　The passage was narrow, but fairly straight at first. Bill’s torch showed that it was built in thestone foundations of the castle itself.
　　‘It’s likely that there are dungeons built down here too,’ said Bill. ‘It’s a strange old place.
　　There are probably more hidden rooms as well. The old legends about the place talk of more thanone room.’
　　After a while the stone of the tunnel walls turned to solid rock, uneven of surface. The air wassurprisingly fresh. It was deliciously cool after the oven-heat of the room they had left behind.
　　Now the passage wound about a little, as if to follow the vagaries of the rock. Bill thought partof the passage was artificial, and part natural. It was plain that it went straight through the top ofthe hill, in a downward direction.
　　In some places it sloped quite steeply, and they all slithered a little. Then they suddenly heardthe noise of water!
　　They stopped. Bill looked back at Philip. ‘Water!’ he said. ‘Did you see any before when youcame down here?’
　　Philip shook his head. ‘No,’ he said. ‘It was all quite dry. We haven’t yet come to the ledge Ihid on.’
　　They went on, puzzled - and suddenly they saw what made the noise! The deluge of rainsoaking down into the hillside was trying to get away somewhere, and was running down in atorrent, underground. It had found a weak place in the wall of the passage, and had poured downinto it. It was now running like a river down the tunnel, making a roaring, gurgling noise.
　　‘Goodness!’ said Jack, peering over Bill’s shoulder, and seeing the rushing water by the light ofhis torch. ‘We can’t go down there now!’
　　‘It’s not very deep,’ said Bill, looking at it. ‘I believe we shall be able to wade along all right.
　　It’s lucky for us that the passage goes downhill, not uphill, or we should have had the waterpouring to meet us!’
　　He put his foot into it, and found that it was about knee-deep. The current was fairly powerful,but not enough to sweep anyone from their feet, though they had to take care to keep their balance.
　　They all waded into the torrent. It was cold and the coolness was welcome to them. Splashingthrough the water they went on their way again. Button was curled tightly round Philip’s neck. Hehated the water.
　　They went on a good way. Then Philip pointed up to a rocky ledge near the roof of the passage.
　　‘That’s where I hid,’ he said. ‘See? It was quite a good place, wasn’t it? Nobody would havefound me if they hadn’t really been looking for me.’
　　They went on past Philip’s ledge. The water was a little deeper now, and stronger, because thepassage sloped more steeply just there. It was slow going. Jack, who was getting very tired,thought it would never come to an end. He liked adventures, but he began to feel he would ratherlike a rest from this one.
　　All at once the passage began to slope down very steeply indeed, so steeply that the torrentmade quite a waterfall! Bill stopped.
　　‘Well, I don’t see how we can get down here, unless we just slide down in the water!’ he said.
　　‘Ah, but wait a minute - I believe there are stone steps leading downwards. Yes, there are. Weshall be all right if we don’t let the water rush us off our feet!’
　　He went first, very cautiously, feeling for the steps with his feet. The boys followed, equallycautiously, Jack almost being rushed off his feet once or twice by the surging fall of water.
　　Suddenly Bill put his torch out - and daylight appeared in front! The stone steps led out on tothe opposite side of the castle hill - they were there at last!
　　Bill leapt out of the water and came out of a narrow opening in the hillside, almost completelycovered by brambles. ‘Well - here we are!’ he said. ‘Safe after all!’
第29章 秘密通道
　　第29章 秘密通道
　　就在杰克说话的时候，天上又炸出一个比之前几个都响的惊雷，吓得他猛然跳了起来，上前紧紧靠着比尔。这恐怕是杰克这辈子听到过的最厉害的响声了。
　　不曾间断的闪电照亮了连绵的群山，显得如此清晰，又在那么一瞬间，显得如此不真实。两次闪电的间隙，一切又陷入黑暗，但一种异样的感觉从这三人身上流过。
　　突然，比尔把两个男孩往后一拽。“我想，城堡被雷电击中了！”他说，“是的，你们瞧！”
　　只见，其中一座塔楼被紧接着的一道闪电劈中，然后，在他们的注视下，竟要倒下来的样子！但瞬间，闪电消失，天地又漆黑一片。在倾盆大雨中，一阵石头崩塌落地的响声传来，塔楼倒塌了。
　　“暴风雨一定就在我们头顶上。”杰克大声喊道，“我们快回地下室去，比尔。我好像感觉到了雷电的电流，是的，我感觉到了。比尔，雷就落在院子里！”
　　比尔也认为如此，雷正在院子里隆隆翻滚。又是一道闪电，三人又感到一阵异样，闪电好像从他们体内穿过。
　　不曾间断的闪电照亮了连绵的群山，显得如此清晰，又在那么一瞬间，显得如此不真实。
　　“如果我们没有穿胶鞋，我们现在恐怕已经被闪电击中了！”比尔突然想到，“城堡主建筑也被雷电击中了，照这样下去，这里会变成一片废墟。”
　　他推着孩子们回到地下室。刚进去，他们就惊恐地停住了——上面的城堡好像倒塌了！
　　比尔回过神来，赶紧过去拔动墙上的机关，把地下室的门关上了。有这样一块坚固的石板隔在暴风雨和大家之间，这让他感觉稍稍松了口气。
　　就在石板完全闭合的瞬间，一阵石头砸落的可怕的隆隆声传来，地下室竟然抖动起来。
　　“上面的城堡倒塌了！”菲利普大叫，脸色分外苍白。声音听上去确实是这样。比尔知道，又有一部分城堡被雷电击中，崩塌了。他不知道他们听到的是不是城堡楼上的地板落到大厅的声音。至少听上去是这样的。
　　更多的巨响传来，并非打雷的声音，过后则是相对的安静。这会儿，没有一个人说话。
　　“我算是知道那些山路滑坡是怎么造成的了，”比尔说，“一场像这样的暴风雨能很轻易地摧毁山路的根基，接着导致山体滑坡。今晚必定也要发生滑坡，更多的山路将被毁。”
　　“这场暴风雨实在太可怕了。”杰克说，“我从没听到过这么恐怖的声音。女孩们待在泉水小屋里，一定都吓坏了！”
　　“是啊——我希望我能陪伴她们。”比尔说。他瞥了一眼那几个犯人。他们看上去非常害怕，隆隆的雷声和城堡崩塌的声音让他们对接下来要发生的事有一种不祥的预感！
　　“那个，我才发现，我现在很饿。”菲利普突然说，“自从我自己走到密道里，我就没有吃过东西。”
　　“你快饿昏了吧！”比尔说，“我也觉得饿。这里看起来有一大堆好吃的罐头。让我们尝尝罐头里都有什么，这样或许能消磨时间，还能让我们暂时忘记这可怕的暴风雨。”
　　杰克和菲利普研究起那些罐头来。他们挑了一罐调味肉、一罐牛舌，还有两罐桃罐头，并把它们堆放到桌上的盘子里。
　　比尔找到了一些喝的。天太热了，他找到的瓶装啤酒都不怎么受他的手下欢迎。男孩们则高兴地享用着姜汁汽水和柠檬水。
　　吃完饭，每个人都感觉好多了。暴风雨看上去也在渐渐减弱。比尔抬手看了看他的手表。
　　“五点半了！”他说着打了个哈欠，“我觉得现在还不太晚。雨小了，我们不如到上面去，到院子里去吸口新鲜空气。天已经亮了。我可以送我的人下山——带着他们的犯人。”
　　“太好了，我太渴望新鲜空气了。”菲利普说，他的脸已经热得发红光了，“可是，你怎么从里面开门，比尔？”
　　“机关在天花板上。”比尔说着向菲利普演示。天花板上有个隐蔽的拉杆，他往下拉了一下——但是拉不动。他又拉了一下。
　　“怎么拉不动？”比尔很奇怪，“你来试试，汤姆，你更强壮。”
　　汤姆上前试了试，可是，他也拉不动拉杆。暗门的石板没有移动一寸，锁得死死的。
　　杰克和菲利普也一起用力试了试，石板竟然移动了一两寸，但又停住了。这之后，用再大的力气，也没有一点点变化。
　　比尔上到石阶上，从门缝里往外张望。可他什么也没看到，只得又回来。
　　“恐怕城堡的一部分刚好塌落在这暗门上了。”他说，“拉杆可以带动那块石板，但是我们没有这么大的劲能移动掉落在石板上的什么东西。我们出不去了。”
　　“那我们就从另一条路出去——我昨天进去过的那条密道。”菲利普说，冲挂毯后密道口的门点了点头。
　　“没错。”比尔说，“我只希望那里没有发生什么滑坡！你说过，地道壁是整块的巨岩，这就应该不会有问题。”
　　地下室里越来越热了。小纽扣一直躲在床底下，现在爬了出来，无精打采地趴在菲利普身边，粉红色的小舌头耷拉在嘴外，好像一条小狗。
　　“它渴了，”杰克说，“给它点喝的。”
　　“这里只剩下姜汁汽水了。”菲利普说着倒了一些在盘子里。小纽扣实在太渴了，两三下就喝了个精光，然后坐在一边，若有所思地用舌头舔着嘴，似乎在说：“很解渴，但是味道太奇怪了！”
　　“我们再不走，就要被煮熟了。”比尔说，“来吧，我们试试这条路，碰碰运气。我走前面。”
　　他用手推了推密道口的门，门没锁。他走进了密道，并打开了手电筒。
　　两个男孩紧跟在后面，然后是三个带着犯人的手下。那些犯人现在已经完全被压制住了，他们已经很长时间没有说一句话了。
　　密道很窄，但也很直。在手电筒光照亮下，比尔看得出，这里的四壁正是城堡的地基部分。
　　“这里就好像是城堡的地牢，”比尔说，“真是奇怪而古老的地方。这里很可能还有更多的密室。在那些古老的传说里，这里的地下密室可不止那一间。”
　　过了一会儿，通道的石墙变成了整块的岩石，表面凿得凹凸不平。这里的空气出奇地新鲜。在感受过烤炉一般的地下室后，他们此时觉得颇为凉爽。
　　现在通道有点弯了，好像是跟着岩石在变换方向。比尔认为，通道一部分是人工建造的，一部分是天然的。到达山顶时，通道变得又平又直，然后开始一路往下。
　　在有些地方，通道突然变得很陡，大家走得踉踉跄跄的。突然，他们听到了流水的声音！
　　他们停下来。比尔回过头来看着菲利普，说：“是水！你来的时候有水吗？”
　　菲利普摇摇头，说：“没有水，那时这里都是干干的。我们还没有走到我藏身的那块石头呢。”
　　他们迟疑着继续往前走——突然，他们发现是什么地方发出流水的声音了！暴雨浸透了山坡，雨水纷纷流入地下。通道壁上有一个缺口，于是，雨水就从这里灌了进来，就好像河水在水道里流淌，发出哗啦啦的响声。
　　“我的老天！”杰克的目光越过比尔的肩头，看到在手电筒光照之处，一股急流在奔涌，“我们过不去了！”
　　“水现在不深，”比尔观察了一会儿，说，“我想我们能够蹚过去的。我们很幸运，在朝往下的方向走，如果是朝山上走，那水就要劈头盖脸地往我们身上冲了。”
　　他抬脚进去试了试，水深及膝盖。水流很急，但还不至于把人冲倒，不过还是需要费点劲才能保持平衡。
　　大家都蹚水前行。水很凉，但他们正需要清凉，任由水不断地喷溅到身上。小纽扣则紧紧地蜷在菲利普的脖子上，它讨厌水。
　　他们走了好一会儿，这时，菲利普指着一块凸起的岩石说：“这就是我藏身的地方。你们看，是个躲藏的好地方。要不是他们非要把我揪出来，没人会发现我在那里。”
　　他们继续向前走。水比之前略深了些，水流也更加湍急，因为通道的坡度在这里变得越发陡了。大家行进的速度慢了下来。杰克已经筋疲力尽，甚至开始怀疑这条密道根本没有尽头。他是很爱冒险的，可他如今更希望能好好休息一下。
　　通道突如其来地变得更加陡峭，水流在这里几乎变成了一道瀑布！比尔不得不停了下来。
　　“好吧，我认为我们没法蹚过这里了，除非我们让水冲下去……”比尔说，“等等——这里好像有往下行的阶梯。是的，是阶梯。只要我们能立住，不被水冲倒，我们就能踩着阶梯下去。”
　　他还是走在前面，走得非常谨慎，用脚一级一级地感受着阶梯。男孩们跟在后面，也是万分小心。有那么一两次，杰克差点被水冲下去。
　　突然，比尔关了手电筒——前面出现了日光！石头阶梯通向山的另一边，他们终于走出了密道。
　　比尔跳出水流，从山坡上一个窄窄的洞口中钻了出来，开口很隐蔽，几乎被黑莓灌木丛完全遮掩。“我们出来了！”他说，“我们安全了！”
30 The other side of the hill
　　30 The other side of the hill
　　The boys came out of the hole too, and they all stared at the sight below them. They were on avery steep hillside, with an almost sheer drop beneath.
　　Directly below was what looked like a farmhouse, with out-buildings on the slope of the hill.
　　All around the place was barbed wire, rows upon rows of it. There was plenty just below wherethey stood, too.
　　There was a copse of trees behind the house, and in the middle was a clear space. A curious-looking machine stood in the centre of this clearing. It was large and shining. To anyone down atthe farm or near by it must have been completely hidden in the trees - but viewed from above itwas very plain to see.
　　‘What is it?’ asked Jack, gazing at it in the clear morning sunlight.
　　‘Not even I know that, Jack,’ said Bill. ‘It is one of our own country’s secrets - something beingworked on by our greatest military scientists.’
　　‘And that’s what Scar-Neck the spy was after?’ asked Philip.
　　‘That’s what he was after,’ said Bill. ‘He got wind of it - found out where the tests were beingcarried out in secret - and discovered to his delight that there was an old castle on the other side ofthe hill for sale.’
　　‘Gosh! Did he buy the castle then?’ asked Jack.
　　Bill nodded. ‘Yes. I made it my business to find out who the owner was. Scar-Neck had notbought it in his own name, of course - he was far too clever for that. He bought it in the name ofan Englishman - called Brown. A man supposed to be interested in old buildings. But I soonfound out who was behind Brown.’
　　‘Aren’t you clever, Bill?’ said Jack admiringly.
　　‘No,’ said Bill. ‘That kind of thing is easy in my job. I knew Scar-Neck was probably after thissecret of ours, but I couldn’t for the life of me see how he could find out anything. As you can see,it’s very well hidden up here at the back of the old farm - and well protected by barbed wire,which is quite probably mixed up with other wire that is electrically charged.’
　　‘Well - how did he get the secret then?’ said Philip.
　　‘By wonderful photography, and by making a way right under the wire down to the machineitself, I imagine,’ said Bill. ‘Look - do you see signs of digging there? Well, I imagine Scar-Neckand his friends did a bit of burrowing, like rabbits, right under the wire, and came up safely insidethe enclosure.’
　　‘Wouldn’t anyone see them?’ said Jack.
　　‘Not from this side,’ said Bill. ‘Nobody would guess anyone would try any tricks from up here.
　　It would seem impossible to get here, it’s so steep!’
　　‘And nobody knew about the passage in the castle that led right to this side of the hill!’ saidJack. ‘How did he find it out?’
　　‘Got old plans of the castle, I expect,’ said Bill. ‘The old fellow who had this castle last wasquite mad, as you no doubt gathered from the curious things he did. He made all kinds of hiddenrooms with curious contrivances, and lived in a romantic world of his own. Scar-Neck found thehidden room we know extremely useful, and the secret passage a perfect godsend! It actually cameout above the very secret he had been sent to find out!’
　　‘He’s a brave man,’ said Philip.
　　‘Yes - most spies are brave,’ said Bill. ‘But this particular one is a most unpleasant fellow,heartily disliked even in his own country. He will double-cross anyone, not excepting his dearestfriend. Well - I’m afraid he’s got away this time. But thank goodness he’s left the plans of oursecret behind him in that hidden room!’
　　‘So he can’t do any damage, I suppose?’ asked Philip.
　　‘Not unless he remembers everything in his head,’ said Bill. ‘He has a marvellous memory, ofcourse, so maybe he will do us some damage even now.’
　　‘I hope he won’t,’ said Philip. ‘I do so wish we had caught him, Bill - and old Shaggy too. Ididn’t like either of them at all.’
　　‘These three we have got are only ordinary toughs, ready to do anything beastly for money,’
　　said Bill. ‘I have let the real culprits slip - and I shall get a rap over the knuckles for that! Servesme right - I had a wonderful chance of catching them. I should have guessed that Scar-Neck mightsmash that lamp.’
　　Everyone had been glad of the rest and fresh air. Now Bill got up and looked downhill. Howcould they get down without being torn to bits by the barbed wire? No one felt inclined to wriggledown the tunnel Scar-Neck had made below it.
　　Bill saw someone about below. He gave a hail, and the man looked up, evidently overcome withsurprise to see so many people standing high up on the hillside.
　　‘Who are you?’ he yelled.
　　‘Friends!’ shouted back Bill. ‘Is Colonel Yarmouth there? I know him, and would like to talk tohim. But I can’t get through this wire.’
　　‘Look!’ said Jack suddenly, and pointed to a beautiful camera standing under a thick bramble.
　　‘That’s how they got their pictures! With that! It’s one of the finest cameras I’ve ever seen. Ithasn’t been hurt by the deluge either - it’s got a waterproof protection. I expect that camera yougave me is ruined now, Bill. It was in the gorse bush and had no protection at all. I left it there,unfortunately.’
　　‘What a pity!’ said Bill. ‘Well - maybe I can arrange for you to have this one instead - as a littlereturn for letting me in on your adventure, Jack!’
　　Jack’s eyes gleamed. What pictures he could take if he had a camera like that! It must be one ofthe finest in the world.
　　Another man now came out in the grounds at the back of the farmhouse below. Jack hadexpected a colonel to be in uniform, but he wasn’t.
　　‘Hi, Yarmouth!’ yelled Bill. ‘Don’t you know me?’
　　‘Well, I’m blessed!’ floated up the Colonel’s astonished voice. ‘I’ll send a couple of men up tomake a way down for you.’
　　So, in a fairly short time, a way was made for them through the rows of barbed wire, which waspromptly repaired again behind them. They went down to the farmhouse, slithering and almostfalling down the steep descent.
　　The Colonel and Bill disappeared into the house, to talk. The others waited patiently outside.
　　Jack and Philip lay down on the heather and yawned. They both fell asleep at once!
　　After a while the Colonel and Bill came out and snapped out a few orders. Three of his mentook away the captives and they were put into a whitewashed room near by, which looked as if ithad once been a dairy. The door was shut and padlocked.
　　‘That’s got rid of them!’ said Bill, pleased. ‘Now we’ll get back to Spring Cottage. I’m afraidwe’ll have to go down to the bottom of the hill, take the road there, and then make our way up theother side to the cottage. There is apparently no other way to get there.’
　　The boys, awake now, groaned. They really didn’t feel like any more walking. Still, it had to bedone.
　　‘What about the maps, or whatever they were, we left behind in the hidden room?’ asked Jack.
　　‘Oh, we can easily get those. One of the Colonel’s men will go up through that passage and getthem as soon as the water has stopped,’ said Bill. ‘And the three prisoners will be sent downsometime today under guard, to be dealt with later.’
　　‘I suppose the adventure is over?’ said Philip. ‘Quite finished?’
　　‘Well - there are a few loose ends to tie up,’ said Bill. ‘We must just see if we can find any traceof Scar-Neck and his friend in any of the districts near at hand. Scar-Neck will probably cut off hisfine beard - but if he does that he shows his scar, unless he can paint it out. We may get on histrack again and catch him. That would really be a most satisfactory finish, wouldn’t it!’
　　‘We’ll have to go and get your car too, won’t we?’ said Jack, remembering. ‘We left it at thebeginning of the landslide.’
　　‘So we did,’ said Bill. ‘My word, I hope it hasn’t been swept away by that deluge of rain - orburied in another landslide!’
　　‘I want to know what happened to the girls too,’ said Philip. ‘I’m hoping they all got backsafely before the storm really started. It seems ages since I’ve seen them!’
　　They went on down the hillside, guided by a man from the farmhouse. He was extremelyinterested in their adventures, but wasn’t told much beyond that they had got caught in the castlein the storm, and had had to find their way through an old passage.
　　Button was now running at Philip’s heels, happy to be in the open air. Even he had played hispart in the adventure, for he had shown Tassie how to get in and out of the castle without usingdoors, gates or windows!
　　They came to the bottom of the hill and took the road there. Then they came to the lane that ledup to Spring Cottage.
　　‘There it is at last!’ cried Jack, and sprinted up to it. ‘Hi, girls, here we are! Where are you?’
第30章 山的另一边
　　第30章 山的另一边
　　男孩们跟着也从洞口钻了出来，惊异地望着眼前的景象。他们身处一个非常陡峭的山坡之上，下面简直就是悬崖。
　　悬崖下是一座好似农舍的房子，依山而建。房子周围绕满了带有倒刺的铁丝网，房子的下面，也有许多同样的铁丝网。
　　房子后面是一片矮树林，树林中间有一块空地。一架看上去很怪异的机器摆在空地上。机器很庞大，在清晨阳光的照耀下闪着亮光。它在树林里隐藏得很好，任何在农舍附近的人都看不见它。
　　“这是什么？”杰克盯着那机器问道。
　　“我也不知道啊，杰克。”比尔说，“这是我们国家的秘密之一，为我们最伟大的军事科学家工作。”
　　“这就是疤脖子追踪的东西？”菲利普问。
　　“对，这就是他要找的东西。”比尔说，“他听到了风声——发现了秘密试验在哪里举行——还惊喜地发现山的另一边有一座古堡在出售。”
　　“天哪，是他买下了城堡？”杰克问。
　　比尔点了点头。“是的，我查到了这座城堡的主人。疤脖子当然没有把城堡登记在他自己名下——这些对他而言都是雕虫小技。他登记在布朗先生，一个纯正的英国人名下。这个布朗先生应该是个对古堡很有兴趣的人。但我很快查到了布朗先生背后的人。”
　　“你真厉害，比尔！”杰克崇拜地说。
　　“不，”比尔说，“调查这些对我来说非常容易。我知道他可能在追查我们的秘密，可是，我这辈子都不会知道他是如何追查到这些信息的。就像你看到的，那台机器很隐蔽地藏在旧农舍后面，四周围着密密麻麻的铁蒺藜，还可能有带高压电的铁丝网。”
　　“那么，他是怎么拿到这些秘密的？”菲利普问。
　　“通过高超的摄影技术，以及一条可以避开铁蒺藜和电线、直接到达秘密机器的地下通道，我猜。”比尔说，“瞧，你看到那些挖掘的痕迹了吗？我想，疤脖子和他的人一定像兔子那样在铁蒺藜和电线下面打洞，然后安全地在林子里的空地里钻出来。”
　　“难道就没有人发现他们吗？”杰克问。
　　“至少这边的人没有发现，”比尔说，“谁也想不到会有人敢在这山上耍花招。这里太陡峭了，看上去根本不可能有人爬上来。”
　　“而且也没有人知道城堡里有一条密道通往山的这一边！”杰克说，“他又是怎么发现的呢？”
　　“他拿到了城堡的建造图，我觉得。”比尔说，“城堡的上一任主人可是个疯狂的人，你看他做过的那些奇怪的事就能知道。他设计了各种带有奇怪机关的密室，完全生活在一个虚构的世界里。疤脖子发现了那间非常有用的密室和这条密道，这对他来说简直就是天赐之物！恰好通到他需要追查的秘密之上！”
　　“他很有勇气。”菲利普说。
　　“是的，大部分间谍都有着非凡的勇气。”比尔说，“但是，这一个是最让人讨厌的家伙，甚至连他自己的国家都不喜欢他。他欺骗所有的人，包括最亲密的伙伴。恐怕这一次他又逃脱了。但谢天谢地，他没能带走我们国家的秘密计划！”
　　“因此，我想他搞不成什么破坏了？”菲利普问。
　　“除非他脑子里能把这一切都记住。”比尔说，“不过，他的记忆力非常好，所以，他现在就可能会对我们国家造成一定程度的破坏。”
　　“希望他没办法搞破坏。”菲利普说，“我真希望我们能抓住他，比尔，还有那个粗眉毛。他们两个我都很讨厌。”
　　“我们抓住的那三个人只是普通的恶棍而已，为了钱，什么都愿意干。”比尔说，“我让真正的罪犯溜了——我会因此受到严厉的批评！是我的过错——我本来有很好的机会能抓住他们的。我应该想到疤脖子会砸烂油灯。”
　　每个人都愉快地呼吸着新鲜的空气。比尔这时站起身来，向山下望去。他们该怎么下山呢，那些铁蒺藜会把他们撕成碎片。也没有人想从疤脖子挖的洞里钻过去。
　　比尔看到山下过来一个人，于是，他大声喊起来。那个人抬起头，非常惊讶地发现山坡上竟然站着这么多人。
　　“你们是谁？”他喊道。
　　“是朋友！”比尔大喊着回复，“雅茅斯上校在吗？我认识他，想见见他。但是我没法穿过这些电线。”
　　就在这时，只听杰克大叫了一声：“快看！”他指着黑莓灌木丛里的一台漂亮的相机，说：“他们就是靠这个拍到那些照片的！这是我见过的最精致的相机了，它也没有被雨水弄坏——它自带防水保护功能。比尔，你给我的那台相机现在大概已经全毁了。它在荆棘丛里，一点保护都没有。我把它忘在那儿了，太不幸了。”
　　“太可惜了！”比尔说，“好吧，杰克，我想我可以安排一下，把这台相机给你——作为你让我参与你的冒险的回报！”
　　杰克两眼放光。用这台相机，他能拍出什么样的照片呀！一定是世界上最好的照片。
　　此时，另一个人从农舍里走了出来。杰克原以为会是一个穿着军装的长官，但不是。
　　“嘿，雅茅斯！”比尔喊道，“你不认识我啦？”
　　“好吧，我很幸运！”传来上校惊异的声音，“我派几个人上去，给你们清出一条路。”
　　于是，在很短的时间内，一队人便在铁蒺藜堆里清出一条路来。等他们走过去，又用极快的速度复原。他们几乎是从山坡上溜下去的，坡度实在太陡了。
　　上校和比尔进了农舍里交谈。其他人都站在外面，耐心等待。杰克和菲利普则躺在石楠丛上，直打哈欠。很快，他们便睡着了。
　　过了一会儿，上校和比尔出来，很快下了几道命令，比尔的三个手下押着三个犯人离开。那三个犯人被关进了一个看起来像是奶酪间、刷着白石灰的屋子，屋子的门锁得严严实实。
　　“总算摆脱他们了。”比尔高兴地说，“现在，我们回泉水小屋吧。我们恐怕得下到山脚，走那里的路，接着再往上爬到山那边的泉水小屋。除此之外，好像没有其他的路可以走了。”
　　男孩们此刻已经醒了，嘴里发出哼哼的叫声，他们一点都不想再走路了。可是，看起来好像只能继续走。
　　“那些地图怎么办？我们都落在密室里了。”杰克问。
　　“噢，没关系。上校会派人穿过密道，到密室里去拿那些图纸。”比尔说，“这三个犯人今天会被押送下山，之后再审问。”
　　“所以，冒险结束了吗？”菲利普问，“完全结束了？”
　　“嗯——还有些尾巴。”比尔说，“我们必须得去看看是否还能追踪到疤脖子和他同伙的行踪。他有可能把胡子都刮干净了——但这就会暴露出他的疤痕，除非他能想办法掩盖住。如果我们追踪到他，就能把他抓住。那才是一个令人满意的结束，不是吗？”
　　“我们必须现在就走，然后去找你的车？”杰克说，“我们把车留在城堡前滑坡的山路上了。”
　　“是的。”比尔点点头，“天哪，希望我的车没有被大水冲走，或被新滑坡下来的石块埋住！”
　　“我想知道女孩们现在怎么样了。”菲利普说，“我希望她们在暴风雨到来前就已经安全回家了。我好像很久很久没有见到她们啦！”
　　上校派了一名手下带他们下山。他对他们的冒险经历很感兴趣，但是，除了他们因暴风雨被困城堡以及找到密道逃离城堡的经历，没有人再对他多说一个字。
　　小纽扣在菲利普脚边欢快地奔跑着，它很高兴重又回到户外。它在这次冒险中也扮演了重要的角色——教会塔西如何不从门或窗进出城堡！
　　他们下到了山脚，走上了正常的山路，接着，又来到了通往泉水小屋的小道上。
　　“终于到了！”接着他们大叫着冲向小屋，“姑娘们，我们回来了！你们在哪儿？”
31 The end of the Castle of Adventure
　　31 The end of the Castle of Adventure
　　There was a shriek from the cottage. It was Lucy-Ann of course. She came flying out of the door,her eyes shining, and flew straight at Jack. She almost bowled him over in her joy at seeing himagain.
　　‘Jack! You’re back! And Philip! Wherever did you get to? We were awfully worried aboutyou!’
　　Dinah and Tassie came running out too, exclaiming in pleasure. ‘Were you all right in thestorm? We got so worried about you! Tassie’s been up the hill and she says half the castle hasfallen down the hill!’
　　‘Were you all right in that storm?’ asked Jack, as they all went into the little house. ‘We werevery worried about you three girls having to go down the hill in that awful deluge! Did you gethome before the storm really broke?’
　　‘Well, the rain had begun, and there was thunder rolling round nearly all the time, but nolightning,’ said Dinah. ‘We were soaked by the time we got here. Tassie wouldn’t let us rest foreven a minute on the hill - she kept saying that there would be another landslide - and she wasright!’
　　‘Good old Tassie,’ said Jack. ‘She just got you back in time. I simply can’t begin to tell youwhat it was like up in the castle!’
　　But he did tell them, of course, and they listened with their eyes wide open in horror. What anight!
　　‘Where’s Kiki?’ asked Jack, looking all round. ‘I thought she would be here to greet me.’
　　‘She keeps flying off to look for you,’ said Tassie. ‘But she comes back. She won’t be long, I’msure.’
　　She wasn’t. In about ten minutes’ time she was back, sailing through the air, shouting loudly toJack.
　　‘How many times, how many times, how many times, fusty, musty, dusty, Jack, Jack, Jack!’
　　She flew to his shoulder and pecked his ear lovingly. Philip put up his hand to his left ear, whichwas still swollen.
　　‘Don’t you fly on to my shoulder and peck my ear,’ he said to Kiki. ‘It’s not ready for peckingor nibbling yet!’
　　The girls got breakfast for everyone, and talked nineteen to the dozen, happy at having the boysand Bill. Bill sent his three men up the road to find his car.
　　‘And now,’ said Bill, when they had finished eating, ‘what about a sleep, boys? I’m tired out!’
　　Jack was almost asleep as it was, and Philip kept yawning. So the boys went up to sleep on theirbeds and Bill put himself on the couch in the kitchen. The girls went out into the garden to talk.
　　They had to put waterproofs down on the grass because it was so wet. The day was lovely now,with not a cloud to be seen. It was fresh and cool. The stormy heat had completely gone.
　　They lazed there, chattering, with Kiki joining in now and again. Button was asleep on Philip’smiddle upstairs. Kiki was not sleepy, so she did not go with Jack, but contented herself with takinga look at him now and again through the window, to make sure he was there.
　　‘There’s someone coming,’ said Dinah suddenly. She sat up and looked.
　　‘It’s Bill’s three men,’ said Lucy-Ann, lazily.
　　The men came into the garden. They looked serious.
　　‘Where’s the Boss? We want him,’ said one.
　　‘He’s asleep, so don’t disturb him yet,’ said Dinah.
　　‘Sorry, missie, but I’m afraid we must disturb him,’ said the man. ‘We’ve got news.’
　　‘What news?’ asked Lucy-Ann. ‘Have you found the car?’
　　‘Yes,’ said the man. ‘But we’ll tell our news to the Boss, missie.’
　　‘Well, he’s in the kitchen,’ said Dinah.
　　The men moved off to the kitchen. They woke Bill, and the three girls heard them telling himsomething in urgent, serious voices. Bill came out, and the girls looked enquiringly at him.
　　‘What’s up, Bill?’ asked Dinah. ‘Have they found your car - and is it smashed up, orsomething?’
　　‘They’ve found my car all right,’ said Bill, slowly. ‘And they’ve found something else too.’
　　‘What!’ asked the three girls together.
　　‘Well, apparently Scar-Neck and his friend went off over the landslide quite safely, and thenfound my car standing where we left it,’ said Bill. ‘They must have got into it and turned it round- and then the deluge struck them, and another landslide began!’
　　‘Are they - killed?’ asked Dinah.
　　‘Well, I imagine so,’ said Bill. ‘We don’t know. The landslide caught the car and took it along.
　　It dumped it upside-down in a gully, where these men found it - with Scar-Neck and the otherfellow inside.’
　　‘Can’t they get them out then?’ asked Dinah, rather pale.
　　‘The doors are jammed,’ said Bill. ‘Have you got a wire tow-rope, or any good strong rope thatwon’t break? If you have, we’ll take it and try to get the car the right way up. Then we may beable to open the roof and get the men out.’
　　Dinah fetched some wire rope from the shed. She gave it to Bill in silence. None of the girlsasked to go with the men. This seemed a terrible ending, even to two bad men.
　　They waited impatiently for the boys to awake, and when at last they came down, yawning andcomplaining of feeling hungry again, the girls ran to tell them the news.
　　‘Golly!’ said Jack, startled. ‘Fancy them finding the car like that! They must have thought it wasa bit of luck. And then another landslide catches them - what a frightful shock they must havehad!’
　　Bill came back some hours later. The children ran to meet him.
　　Bill was smiling. ‘Neither of the men is dead,’ he said. ‘Scar-Neck has concussion and is quiteunconscious and rather badly hurt. The other fellow has a broken leg, and was stunned too. Buthe’s come round.’
　　‘So you’ve captured them both after all!’ said Philip. ‘Well done, Bill!’
　　‘What about the car?’ asked Dinah.
　　‘Looks wrecked to me,’ said Bill. ‘But I don’t mind that. I reckon I shall be handed out a newcar when my chief knows I’ve got Scar-Neck and his friend to pass over to him. It’s quite a scoopfor me - though I’d never have stumbled on to their secret if it hadn’t been for you children!’
　　‘Well, we’d have been in a pretty pickle if you hadn’t turned up,’ said Jack. ‘Whatever willAunt Allie say when she comes back and hears all that has happened since she has been gone?’
　　‘She’ll say she can’t turn her back for a day or two without us all getting into mischief!’ saidPhilip, with a grin. ‘Where are the men, Bill?’
　　‘I sent Tom down to the village for help, instead of taking him back to the car with me,’ saidBill. ‘And they sent up a couple of stretchers and a doctor who happened to be down there - sothey will be on their way to hospital by now, I imagine - and when they wake up, they’ll each finda nice burly policeman sitting by the side of their bed!’
　　‘Oh, Bill - what an adventure!’ said Dinah. ‘I never dreamt we’d plunge into all this when wefirst came here - and it’s all happened so quickly. I hope we shall have nice peaceful holidays forthe rest of the time. I’ve had enough adventures to last me for a year!’
　　‘I want to stretch my legs,’ said Jack. ‘What about walking up the hillside, Bill, and having alook to see what has happened to the castle?’
　　‘Right,’ said Bill, so they set off up the road to the castle. But they could not go nearly so far asusual, because the landslide had come a good deal farther down, and the hillside was a terrible,jumbled mass of wet rocks, heaps of soil, uprooted trees and running streams - a desolate-lookingregion, indeed.
　　‘It’s horrid,’ said Lucy-Ann. Then she turned to gaze at the frowning castle, higher up. ‘Thecastle looks different. Something’s happened to it. Let’s climb up and see.’
　　So they climbed up higher, taking the little rabbit path they always used. What a difference theyfound as they came near the castle!
　　‘Two of the towers have gone, and most of the walls,’ said Lucy-Ann, awed. ‘We can walkright into the courtyard now, over the rubble of stones. What a noise they must have made whenthey fell!’
　　‘And look at the castle! The middle part of it has fallen in! It’s not much more than a shellnow!’ said Jack, staring.
　　It looked almost a ruin. Philip stared hard at it. ‘The middle part must have crashed down intothe big hall,’ he said. ‘No wonder you couldn’t move that entrance stone, Bill. There must be tonsof fallen boulders on top of it!’
　　Bill looked rather solemn. He could see what a narrow escape from death they had all had. Ifthey had been anywhere else in the castle or courtyard they would have been crushed and buried.
　　Being down in the hidden room had saved their lives!
　　‘Goodbye to my camera and all our rugs and things,’ said Jack.’
　　‘I’ll replace everything you have lost,’ promised Bill, who, now that he had actually capturedScar-Neck, was ready to promise the whole world to anyone! And I’ll give you all a fine presenteach for letting me share such a grand adventure!’
　　‘Me too?’ said Tassie, at once. She liked Bill.
　　‘You too,’ said Bill. ‘What would you like, Tassie?’
　　Three pairs of shoes all for myself,’ said Tassie solemnly, and the others laughed. They knewTassie wouldn’t wear them. She would just keep them and love and admire them - but she wouldnever wear them. Tassie didn’t need to!
　　‘Let’s go back,’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I don’t want to look at that ruin any more.’
　　‘Nor do I,’ said Dinah, ‘but somehow I feel as if it’s better as a ruin, open to anyone who caresto explore it, than as a castle owned by wicked old men, or spies like Scar-Neck. I like it betternow! I’m glad to think of those musty old rooms all buried away - they were horrid!’
　　‘Fusty, musty, dusty!’ sang Kiki, in delight. ‘Pop goes the fusty, musty, dusty!’
　　‘Idiot!’ said Jack. ‘You will always have the last word, won’t you, Kiki?’
　　Then down the hill they went in the sunshine, leaving behind them the sad, broken old castle, itsroof open to the wind and the rain, its proud towers fallen.
　　‘The Castle of Adventure!’ said Jack. ‘You were right, Philip - it was the Castle of Adventure!’
第31章 冒险的尾声
　　第31章 冒险的尾声
　　小屋里传来一声尖叫，是露西安。她从里面飞奔出来，双眼放着光，直接朝杰克冲过去，差点把他撞倒。她实在太高兴了。
　　“杰克，你回来了！还有你，菲利普，你到哪儿去了？我们好担心啊！”
　　黛娜和塔西也跟着跑了出来，一边跑一边高兴地叫着。
　　“你们没事吧？这么大的暴风雨，我们很担心你们。塔西今早已经上山去看了，城堡竟然塌了一半！”
　　“暴风雨来的时候你们安全吗？”杰克一边问一边走进小屋，“我们也很担心你们，下着这样的大雨下山！你们是在暴风雨到来前回家的吗？”
　　“我们下山的时候，暴风雨才刚开始，有雷声，但看不到闪电。”黛娜说，“等回到小屋，我们已经被雨水浇头了。塔西不让我们在山里耽搁——她总说还会发生滑坡的——她说的一点没错！”
　　“好塔西，她及时把你们带回来了。”杰克说，“我都没办法告诉你们，夜里城堡都发生了什么！”
　　当然，杰克还是把发生的一切详细地讲给女孩们听了。女孩们瞪大眼睛，仔细听着，眼里充满恐惧。多么惊险的一夜！
　　“琪琪在哪儿？”杰克环顾一周，说，“我还以为她会飞过来向我致意呢！”
　　“她又飞出去找你了，已经去过好几次了。”塔西说，“不过，她很快就会回来，不会在外面待太长时间。”
　　果然，十分钟后，琪琪回来了。她飞在天上，冲杰克大声叫着：“说了多少次，说了多少次，说了多少次！发霉，古怪，肮脏！杰克，杰克，杰克！”
　　她飞落在杰克的肩头，亲昵地轻咬着他的耳朵。菲利普想起他的左边脸颊，用手摸了摸，发现还是肿的。
　　“不要站在我的肩膀上啄我的耳朵，琪琪，”杰克说，“现在不是玩闹的时候。”
　　女孩们为每个人准备了早餐。她们不停地说话，对男孩们和比尔的到来感到高兴。与此同时，比尔派了三个人去找他的车。
　　见大家都吃得差不多了，比尔开口道：“现在睡一觉，怎么样？我感到很累。”
　　杰克其实都快睡着了，菲利普也不住地打着哈欠。于是，他们都回卧室睡觉去了，比尔则睡在厨房里的沙发上。
　　女孩们来到院子里，在湿漉漉的草地上铺上防水垫，坐下聊天。天气已经转好，天上没有一丝云彩，空气新鲜、凉爽。暴雨时的闷热已经完全消解。
　　女孩们懒懒地坐着，说着话，琪琪时不时插嘴进来。小纽扣已经上楼，蜷缩在菲利普身边睡着了；琪琪完全不想睡，只是隔一会儿就飞上二楼，透过窗户往房间里看，看看杰克是不是还在。
　　“有人过来了。”黛娜突然说。她站起来张望。
　　“是比尔的三个手下。”露西安说。
　　那三人走进院子，神情非常严肃。“老大在哪儿？”其中一人问，“我们找他。”
　　“他还在睡觉，还是不要打扰他吧。”黛娜说。
　　“抱歉，小姐，但恐怕我们必须叫醒他，”那人说，“我们有事要汇报。”
　　“什么事？”露西安问，“你们找到他的车了吗？”
　　“找到了。”那人说，“但是，我们还有更重要的事要向老大汇报。”
　　“他在厨房里。”黛娜说。
　　那三人走进厨房，叫醒了比尔。女孩们听到他们在说话，语气格外紧急、严肃。一会儿，比尔出来了，女孩们好奇地看着他。
　　“怎么了，比尔？”黛娜问，“找到你的车了吗——是被石头砸烂了，还是怎么了？”
　　“他们发现我的车没事，”比尔缓缓地说，“而且，他们还发现了别的。”
　　“是什么？”三个女孩异口同声地问。
　　“是这样的，疤脖子和他的同伙安全地从城堡前滑坡的山路上爬了下来，然后发现了我停在那儿的车。”比尔说，“他们上了车，发动，掉了个头——就在这时，洪水从山上冲下来，山体再一次滑坡！”
　　“所以——他们死了？”黛娜问。
　　“我猜是的，”比尔说，“但我们不确定。滑坡的巨石撞向了我的车，车翻进了沟里，他们就是在那里发现我的车的，车整个颠倒了，疤脖子和他的同伙就在里面。”
　　“他们不能把他俩弄出来吗？”黛娜问，她的脸已经失去了血色。
　　“车门被砸坏了，打不开。”比尔说，“你们有钢丝绳或结实的绳子吗，不容易断的那种？如果你们有，我们可以试着把车翻过来，然后打开车顶，把他们弄出来。”
　　黛娜从棚子里找来一卷钢丝绳，默默地交给比尔。女孩都不想跟他们去。虽然疤脖子他们是坏人，但这样的结局还是太惨了。
　　她们实在不耐烦等男孩们睡醒。当他们终于打着哈欠下楼来，抱怨肚子又饿了的时候，女孩们迫不及待地告诉了他们这个消息。
　　“老天啊！”杰克震惊地说，“想想看，他们在逃跑的途中发现车，一定觉得自己非常幸运，可又一次滑坡还是逮住了他们——对他们来说是多么可怕的打击。”
　　几个钟头后，比尔回来了。孩子们赶紧跑上前去。
　　比尔微笑着说：“他们都活着。疤脖子被撞成脑震荡，已经失去了意识，身上也受了重伤。他的同伙摔断了一条腿，也昏迷了，不过很快醒了过来。”
　　“所以，你最后还是把他俩都抓住了！”菲利普说，“干得好，比尔！”
　　“那车呢？”黛娜问。
　　“我看着已经全毁了。”比尔说，“不过，我不介意。我敢保证，当我把疤脖子和他的同伙移交给我的领导后，我就会得到一辆新车。这对我来说是个独家新闻，但如果不是你们这些孩子的话，我绝不会偶然发现他们的秘密。”
　　“如果你不来的话，我们就都危险了。”杰克说，“真不知道艾莉阿姨回来后会怎么说，一旦她得知她不在的时候发生的这些事！”
　　“她一定会说，她是多么希望能有那么一两天时间，我们能太太平平不闯祸！”菲利普咧嘴笑着说，“疤脖子他们现在在哪儿，比尔？”
　　“我让汤姆到村子里去求助，”比尔说，“村民们送来两副担架和一名医生，这医生刚好在村子里。所以，现在那两人大概正在去往医院的路上。当他们醒过来的时候，他们会发现，他们每人的病床边上都坐着一名身强体健的警察。”
　　“啊，比尔——这是一场真正的冒险！”黛娜说，“我们来这里的时候，我怎么也想不到我们会有这番经历——这一切发生得太快了！我希望，剩下的假期我们能安稳度过。这一年我都不想再遇到什么冒险了！”
　　“我想活动活动我的腿。”杰克说，“比尔，我们到山上去走走？去看看城堡怎么样了。”
　　“好吧。”比尔表示同意。于是，他们出发了。他们走不了多远，因为又一次的山体滑坡摧毁了更多的山路。山坡上到处都是山上掉落下来的岩石、成堆的湿土、连根拔起的树木，还有随处流淌的小溪——一派凄凉的景象。
　　“真可怕。”露西安感叹。接着，她盯着山上破败的城堡，说：“城堡完全变样了，它到底发生了什么？我们爬上去看看吧。”
　　于是他们爬了上去，走了他们以前常走的兔子小道。当他们来到城堡附近时，眼前的景象让他们大为吃惊。
　　“两座塔楼都塌了，还有城墙，也塌了大半。”露西安惊讶地说，“我们现在都能直接从乱石堆上走进院子里去了。它们倒塌的时候，一定很大声！”
　　“快看城堡！中间部分都塌陷了！它现在只是一个空壳了。”杰克盯着城堡说。
　　这里看起来就像是一片废墟，菲利普简直不敢相信。“中间部分大概都塌落到大厅里了。”他说，“难怪我们都打不开地下室的暗门，上面压着数不清的巨石呢！”
　　比尔看上去非常严肃。他明白他们所有的人都是侥幸脱险。如果当时他们在城堡或院子里，恐怕现在早已被压在巨石之下了。地下密室救了他们的命！
　　“再见了，我的相机、毯子，还有其他东西。”杰克说。
　　“我会补偿你所有的损失。”比尔向他保证，他现在已经抓住疤脖子了，可以跟任何人保证任何事，“我会给你们每人一件绝佳的礼物，感谢你们让我参与你们激动人心的大冒险！”
　　“我也有吗？”塔西紧接着问。她也喜欢比尔。
　　“你也有。”比尔说，“你想要什么，塔西？”
　　“我想要三双鞋。”塔西郑重地说，但其他人都笑了。他们知道，塔西的鞋不是用来穿的，而是用来珍藏的。塔西根本不需要穿鞋。
　　“我们回去吧。”露西安说，“我不想再看见这一片废墟了。”
　　“我也是。”黛娜说，“但我觉得，这城堡还是塌了的好，任何对这里感兴趣的人，都可以直接进来探查一番，总好过被一个邪恶的人或疤脖子那样的间谍霸占着。我更喜欢它现在这个样子！我很欣慰，那些发了霉的可怕房间都已经被永远埋葬了。”
　　“发霉、古怪、肮脏！”琪琪说，语气很是欢快，“砰一下不见啦！”
　　“小傻瓜！”杰克说，“你总是有最终发言权，是吗，琪琪？”
　　接着，他们几个下了山，又回到阳光下，把那座伤感、破败的城堡留在身后——屋顶已经消失，任由风雨在内部肆虐；曾经高傲挺立的塔楼也已不复从前。
　　“冒险堡！”杰克说，“你说得对，菲利普，这确实是一座冒险堡。”