Chapter 1 AT KIRRIN COTTAGE AGAIN
　　Chapter 1 AT KIRRIN COTTAGE AGAIN
　　Georgina was at the station to meet her three cousins. Timmy her dog was with her, his long tailwagging eagerly. He knew quite well they had come to meet Julian, Dick and Anne, and he was glad.
　　It was much more fun when the Five were all together.
　　'Here comes the train, Timmy!' said George. Nobody called her Georgina, because she wouldn'tanswer if they did. She looked like a boy with her short curly hair and her shorts and open-neckedshirt. Her face was covered with freckles, and her legs and arms were as brown as a gipsy's.
　　There was the far-off rumble of a train, and as it came nearer, a short warning hoot. Timmy whinedand wagged his tail. He didn't like trains, but he wanted this one to come.
　　Nearer and nearer it came, slowing down as it reached Kirrin station. Long before it came to the littleplatform three heads appeared out of one of the windows, and three hands waved wildly.
　　George waved back, her face one big smile.
　　The door swung open almost before the train stopped. Out came a big boy, and helped down a smallgirl. Then came another boy, not quite so tall as the first one, with a bag in each hand. He dragged athird bag out, and then George and Timmy were on him.
　　'Julian! Dick! Anne! Your train's late; we thought you were never coming!'
　　'Hallo, George! Here we are at last. Get down, Timmy, don't eat me.'
　　'Hallo, George! Oh, Timmy, you darling - you're just as licky as ever!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy joyfully, and bounded all round like a mad thing, getting into everybody's way.
　　'Any trunk or anything?' asked George. 'Only those three bags?'
　　'Well, we haven't come for long this time, worse luck,' said Dick. 'Only a fortnight! Still, it's betterthan nothing.'
　　'You shouldn't have gone off to France all those six weeks,' said George, half-jealously. 'I supposeyou've gone all French now.'
　　Dick laughed, waved his hands in the air and went off into a stream of quick French that sounded justlike gibberish to George, French was not one of her strong subjects.
　　2
　　'Shut up,' she said, giving him a friendly shove. 'You're just the same old idiot. Oh, I'm so glad you'vecome. It's been lonely and dull at Kirrin without you.'
　　A porter came up with a barrow. Dick turned to him, waved his hands again, and addressed theastonished man in fluent French. But the porter knew Dick quite well.
　　'Go on with you,' he said. 'Argy-bargying in double-Dutch like that. Do you want me to wheel theseup to Kirrin Cottage for you?'
　　'Yes, please,' said Anne. 'Stop it, Dick. It isn't funny when you go on so long.'
　　'Oh, let him go on,' said George, and she linked her arms in Anne's and Dick's. 'It's lovely to have youagain. Mother's looking forward to seeing you all.'
　　'I bet Uncle Quentin isn't,' said Julian, as they went along the little platform, Timmy capering roundthem.
　　'Father's in quite a good temper,' said George. 'You know he's been to America with Mother,lecturing and hearing other scientists lecturing too. Mother says everyone made a great fuss of him,and he liked it.'
　　George's father was a brilliant scientist, well-known all over the world. But he was rather a difficultman at home, impatient, hot-tempered and forgetful. The children were fond of him, but held him ingreat respect. They all heaved a sigh of relief when he went away for a few days, for then they couldmake as much noise as they liked, tear up and down the stairs, play silly jokes and generally be asmad as they pleased.
　　'Will Uncle Quentin be at home all the time we're staying with you?' asked Anne. She was reallyrather afraid of her hot-tempered uncle.
　　'No,' said George. 'Mother and Father are going away for a tour in Spain - so we'll be on our own.'
　　'Wizard!' said Dick. 'We can wear our bathing costumes all day long then if we want to.'
　　'And Timmy can come in at meal-times without being sent out whenever he moves,' said George.
　　'He's been sent out every single meal-time this week, just because he snapped at the flies that camenear him. Father goes absolutely mad if Timmy suddenly snaps at a fly.
　　'Shame!' said Anne, and patted Timmy's rough-haired back. 'You can snap at every single fly youlike, Timmy, when we're on our own.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, gratefully.
　　3
　　'There won't be time for any adventure these hols,' said Dick, regretfully, as they walked down thelane to Kirrin Cottage. Red poppies danced along the way, and in the distance the sea shone as blueas cornflowers. 'Only two weeks - and back we go to school! Well, let's hope the weather keeps fine. Iwant to bathe six times a day!'
　　Soon they were all sitting round the tea-table at Kirrin Cottage, and their Aunt Fanny was handinground plates of her nicest scones and tea-cake. She was very pleased to see her nephews and nieceagain.
　　'Now George will be happy,' she said, smiling at the hungry four. 'She's been going about like a bearwith a sore head the last week or two. Have another scone, Dick? Take two while you're about it.'
　　'Good idea,' said Dick, and helped himself. 'Nobody makes scones and cakes like you do, AuntFanny. Where's Uncle Quentin?'
　　'In his study,' said his aunt. 'He knows it's tea-time, and he's heard the bell, but I expect he's buried insomething or other. I'll have to fetch him in a minute. I honestly believe he'd go without food all daylong if I didn't go and drag him into the dining-room!'
　　'Here he is,' said Julian, hearing the familiar impatient footsteps coming down the hall to the dining-room. The door was flung open. Uncle Quentin stood there, a newspaper in his hand, scowling. Hedidn't appear to see the children at all.
　　'Look here, Fanny!' he shouted. 'See what they've put in this paper - the very thing I gave orders wasNOT to be put in! The dolts! The idiots! The...'
　　'Quentin! Whatever's the matter?' said his wife. 'Look - here are the children - they've just arrived.'
　　But Uncle Quentin simply didn't see any of the four children at all. He went on glaring at the paper.
　　He rapped at it with his hand.
　　'Now we'll get the place full of reporters wanting to see me, and wanting to know all about my newideas!' he said, beginning to shout. 'See what they've said! ''This eminent scientist conducts all hisexperiments and works out all his ideas at his home, Kirrin Cottage. Here are his stack of notebooks,to which are now added two more - fruits of his visit to America, and here at his cottage are hisamazing diagrams,'' and so on and so on.
　　'I tell you, Fanny, we'll have hordes of reporters down.'
　　4
　　'No, we shan't, dear,' said his wife. 'And, anyway, we are soon off to Spain. Do sit down and havesome tea. And look, can't you say a word to welcome Julian, Dick and Anne?'
　　Uncle Quentin grunted and sat down. 'I didn't know they were coming,' he said, and helped himself toa scone. 'You might have told me, Fanny.'
　　'I told you three times yesterday and twice today,' said his wife.
　　Anne suddenly squeezed her uncle's arm. She was sitting next to him. 'You’re just the same as ever,Uncle Quentin,' she said. 'You never, never remember we're coming! Shall we go away again?'
　　Her uncle looked down at her and smiled. His temper never lasted very long. He grinned at Julianand Dick. 'Well, here you are again!' he said. 'Do you think you can hold the fort for me while I'maway with your aunt?'
　　'Rather!' said all three together.
　　'We'll keep everyone at bay!' said Julian. 'With Timmy's help. I'll put up a notice: ''Beware, veryfierce dog''.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, sounding delighted. He thumped his tail on the floor. A fly came by his nose andhe snapped at it. Uncle Quentin frowned.
　　'Have another scone, Father?' said George hurriedly. 'When are you and Mother going to Spain?'
　　'Tomorrow,' said her mother firmly. 'Now don't look like that, Quentin. You know perfectly well it'sbeen arranged for weeks, and you need a holiday, and if we don't go tomorrow all our arrangementswill be upset.'
　　'Well, you might have warned me it was tomorrow,' said her husband, looking indignant. 'I mean- I've all my notebooks to check and put away, and...'
　　'Quentin, I've told you heaps of times that we leave on September the third,' said his wife, still morefirmly. 'I want a holiday, too. The four children will be quite all right here with Timmy -they'll love being on their own. Julian is almost grown-up now and he can cope with anything thatturns up.'
　　Timmy snapped twice at a fly, and Uncle Quentin jumped. 'If that dog does that again,' he began, buthis wife interrupted him at once.
　　'There, you see! You're as touchy and nervy as can be, Quentin, dear. It will do you good to get away- and the children will have a lovely two weeks on their own. Nothing can possibly happen, so makeup your mind to leave tomorrow with an easy mind!'
　　5
　　Nothing can possibly happen? Aunt Fanny was wrong of course. Anything could happen when theFive were left on their own!
1.再访科林庄园
　　再访科林庄园
　　乔治带着爱犬蒂米，在车站迎接她的三个堂兄妹。蒂米高兴极了，长长的尾巴不停地摇来摇去，它很清楚，马上就能见到朱利安、迪克和安妮了。四个人外加一只狗——五个小伙伴齐聚的时候，别提多开心了。
　　“蒂米，火车来了！”乔治喊道。没有人叫她的本名“乔治娜”，就算有人那样叫，她也不会答应。她喜欢别人叫她“乔治”，这名字听起来就像个男孩子的名字。她打扮得也像个小男孩：留着短短的鬈发，穿着开领衬衫和牛仔裤，脸上长满了雀斑，胳膊和腿晒得黑黢黢的。
　　远处传来火车的隆隆声，声音不断靠近，接着是一阵短促的汽笛声，提醒人们火车即将进站。蒂米朝着火车呜呜地叫了几声，又摇了摇尾巴。它不喜欢火车，不过它盼着这趟车快点到来。
　　火车慢慢减速，逐渐驶入了科林火车站。火车还没靠站，三个小脑袋就急不可耐地出现在车窗处，三只小手也用力挥舞起来。乔治也向他们热情地挥手，脸上洋溢着灿烂的笑容。
　　火车还没完全停稳，车门就开了。一个大个子男孩率先跳了下来，他转身扶着一个娇小的女孩下车。接着又下来了一个男孩，个头比第一个男孩稍微矮点。他两手各拎着一个包，从车里拖出了第三个包的时候，乔治和蒂米已经冲上去，扑在他的身上。
　　“朱利安！迪克！安妮！火车晚点了，我还以为你们不来了呢！”
　　“嘿，乔治！我们终于到了。蒂米，快下去！你舔得我一脸口水！”
　　“嘿，乔治！噢，蒂米，你这个家伙还跟以前一样，这么爱舔人！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米愉快地叫着，在大家身边蹦来跳去，挡住了所有人的路，开心得快要疯了。
　　“还有行李箱吗？”乔治问道，“就这三个包？”
　　“唉，我们这次待不了多久，太可惜了。”迪克说，“我们只能待两个星期！不过，这总比不来好。”
　　“你之前就不该去法国，居然还在那儿待了整整六个星期。”乔治有些嫉妒地说，“我猜你快变成法国人了吧。”
　　迪克笑了笑，挥了挥手，叽里咕噜地说了一串法语，乔治根本就没听懂，她不太懂法语。
　　“闭嘴！”乔治猛地推了迪克一把，但下手并不重，“你还是跟以前一样讨厌！不过，你们能来，我实在是太开心了。没有你们，我一个人待在这儿，简直无聊透了。”
　　这时，一个搬运工推着手推车走过来。迪克转过身，冲他挥挥手，说了一串流利的法语。搬运工听得目瞪口呆，不过他早就认识迪克，他们挺熟悉的。
　　“你就继续说吧，”这个搬运工说，“继续胡说八道。需要我帮你们把这些行李运到科林庄园去吗？”
　　“是的，谢谢。”安妮说，“迪克，别再说法语了，你总这样就不好玩了。”
　　“没事，让他继续说呗。”乔治一边说，一边挽起安妮和迪克的手臂，“你们能来，我真的太高兴了。妈妈也盼着见你们呢。”
　　“昆廷叔叔肯定不想见我们。”朱利安说。他们沿着小小的站台往前走，蒂米绕着他们蹦来蹦去。
　　“爸爸最近心情挺好的，”乔治说，“他跟妈妈去了趟美国，在那儿给别人演讲，也听了其他科学家的演讲。妈妈说，那里的人都非常重视爸爸，他也很喜欢这样。”
　　乔治的爸爸是位享誉世界的大科学家，在家里却是个很难相处的人：没有耐心、脾气暴躁，还十分健忘。孩子们很喜欢他，同时也有些怕他。每当他不在家时，孩子们都有一种如释重负的感觉。
　　这样他们就可以随心所欲地吵闹、疯跑、开玩笑，什么都不用顾忌。
　　“我们来的这段时间里，昆廷叔叔也在家吗？”安妮问道。她特别害怕这位脾气暴躁的叔叔。
　　“不在，”乔治说，“爸爸妈妈要去西班牙度假，只有我们几个。”
　　“太棒了！”迪克开心地叫道，“那我们在水里泡上一整天都不会有人管喽！”
　　“吃饭的时候蒂米也可以进屋，不会因为乱动被爸爸赶出去。”乔治说，“最近每次吃饭时，它都被赶出去，就是因为它爱扑苍蝇。爸爸一看到它扑苍蝇，就会大发雷霆。”
　　“可怜的蒂米。”安妮边说边轻抚着蒂米背上厚厚的毛，“等家里只剩我们的时候，蒂米，你可以把所有的苍蝇扑个遍！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米听了兴奋地叫着。
　　“这个假期我们没时间去探险了。”迪克遗憾地说。他们顺着小路往科林庄园走去，沿途红色的罂粟花随风摇摆，远处大海波光粼粼，像矢车菊般湛蓝纯净，“我们只能在这儿待两周，然后就得回学校了！真希望一直是晴天，我要一天游六次泳！”
　　没过多久，大家到了科林庄园。他们围坐在茶桌旁，等着范妮婶婶把一盘盘美味的司康饼 和其他茶点端上桌。再次见到朱利安他们，范妮婶婶很开心。
　　“这下乔治可开心了！”范妮婶婶微笑地看着四个小家伙狼吞虎咽，说道，“这一两周她很烦躁，总在屋子里走来走去。迪克，还要再吃一块司康饼吗？想吃就多吃两块。”
　　“嗯，好主意！”迪克说着，伸手又拿了一块司康饼吃了起来，“婶婶，您做的司康饼和蛋糕太好吃了，简直无人能敌。昆廷叔叔呢？”
　　“在书房里呢，”范妮婶婶答道，“他知道该吃下午茶了，也听到铃声响了，但他还在埋头工作，我一会儿就去叫他过来。我真觉得，要不是我把他拽进餐厅，他能忙活一整天，连饭都不用吃！”
　　“昆廷叔叔来了。”朱利安说。这时，一阵熟悉的脚步声传来，昆廷叔叔正不耐烦地走下楼梯，穿过门厅来到餐厅。门猛地被推开了，昆廷叔叔手里拿着报纸，怒气冲冲地站在门口，好像完全没看到这些小客人。
　　“范妮，你看这里！”他大声叫道，“你看看报纸上都登了些什么，专挑我不准登的东西登！这些傻瓜！笨蛋！蠢……”
　　“昆廷，别管那些了。”范妮婶婶打断他，“看，孩子们都在呢——他们刚到。”
　　但是昆廷叔叔瞧都没瞧这四个孩子一眼。他仍然怒视着那篇报道，还不断敲打着那张报纸。
　　“现在无论在哪儿，都有记者想采访我，想要知道我最新的想法！”他说着，又提高了音量，“快看看他们都写了些什么——‘这位杰出的科学家在科林庄园的家中，做出了所有的设想和实验。这一摞是他的笔记本，现在又多了两本，写满了这次去美国的收获。农舍里还挂着那些让人惊叹的图表……’上面还说了些其他的。亲爱的，我跟你讲，到时候我们家肯定会被记者们围得水泄不通。”
　　“不，不会，亲爱的。”范妮婶婶安慰道，“不管怎样，我们马上就要去西班牙了，坐下来喝喝茶吧，你不想欢迎一下朱利安、迪克和安妮吗？”
　　昆廷叔叔坐了下来，不满地嘟囔着。“我都不知道他们要来。”他边说边拿了一块司康饼，“你怎么不提前告诉我？”
　　“我昨天跟你说了三次，今天又说了两次。”范妮婶婶无奈地说。
　　安妮刚好坐在旁边，她突然伸手捏了捏昆廷叔叔的胳膊，说道：“您还跟从前一样，叔叔！从来都不记得我们要来！不然我们还是走吧？”
　　昆廷叔叔低下头看着安妮笑了，他的坏脾气一般不会持续太久，过一会儿就好了。他又咧开嘴朝朱利安和迪克笑了笑。“你们终于来了！”他说，“我和婶婶出门的时候，你们能帮我们看家吗？”
　　“非常乐意！”三个小客人齐声说道。
　　“我们不会让任何人靠近这里的！”朱利安说，“有蒂米在，我会贴出一张告示：注意！内有猛犬！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米愉快地叫了起来。它的尾巴不停地拍打着地面，发出“噗噗”的声响。这时，一只苍蝇从它鼻子前飞过，蒂米立刻扑了上去。昆廷叔叔看到后不禁皱起眉来。
　　“爸爸，再来一块司康饼吗？”乔治赶紧说道，“您和妈妈什么时候出发去西班牙？”
　　“明天就走。”范妮婶婶语气坚定地说，“别做出那副吃惊的表情，昆廷。你明明知道，好几周以前我们就定好行程了。你也需要好好放个假。我们明天不走的话，所有的计划就都打乱了。”
　　“你应该提前告诉我是明天出发，”昆廷不愉快地说，“我还得整理收拾我的笔记本，我还要……”
　　“昆廷，我跟你说了无数次，我们九月三号出发。”范妮婶婶的语气更加坚定了，“我也想放个假，这四个孩子和蒂米待在家里完全没问题，他们也巴不得我们不在家。朱利安现在是个小大人了，无论出现什么问题他都能应对。”
　　蒂米又扑了两次苍蝇，昆廷叔叔看到后生气地跳了起来。“它再敢扑一次——”他刚开口，话还没说完，范妮婶婶便打断了他。
　　“你瞧瞧自己——神经兮兮的，动不动就发脾气。昆廷，听我说，去度假对你有好处，孩子们也能开开心心地玩两个星期，什么事都不会发生的。下定决心，放松心情，我们明天就出发！”
　　什么事都不会发生吗？范妮婶婶可真是大错特错了。四个孩子和蒂米单独相处，什么事都有可能发生！
Chapter 2 A MEETING ON THE BEACH
　　Chapter 2 A MEETING ON THE BEACH
　　It really was very difficult to get Uncle Quentin off the next day. He was shut up in his study until thelast possible moment, sorting out his precious notebooks. The taxi arrived and hooted outside thegate. Aunt Fanny, who had been ready for a long time, went and rapped at the study door.
　　'Quentin! Unlock the door! You really must come. We shall lose the plane if we don't go now.'
　　'Just one minute!' shouted back her husband. Aunt Fanny looked at the four children in despair.
　　'That's the fourth time he's called out ''Just one minute'',' said George. The telephone shrilled out justthen, and she picked up the receiver.
　　'Yes,' she said. 'No, I'm afraid you can't see him. He's off to Spain, and nobody will know where he isfor the next two weeks. What's that? Wait a minute - I'll ask my mother.'
　　'Who is it?' said her mother.
　　'It's the Daily Clarion,' said George. 'They want to send a reporter down to interview Daddy. I toldthem he was going to Spain - and they said could they publish that?'
　　'Of course,' said her mother, thankfully, 'Once that's in the papers nobody will ring up and worry you.
　　Say, yes, George.'
　　George said yes, the taxi hooted more loudly than ever, and Timmy barked madly at the hooting.
　　The study door was flung open and Uncle Quentin stood in the doorway, looking as black as thunder.
　　'Why can't I have a little peace and quiet when I'm doing important work?' he began. But his wifemade a dart at him and dragged him down the hall. She put his hat in one hand, and would have puthis stick into the other if he hadn't been carrying a heavy despatch case.
　　'You're not doing important work, you're off on a holiday,' she said. 'Oh, Quentin, you're worse thanever! What's that case in your hand? Surely you are not taking work away with you?'
　　6
　　The taxi hooted again, and Timmy woofed just behind Uncle Quentin. He jumped violently, and thetelephone rang loudly.
　　'That's another reporter coming down to see you, Father,' said George. 'Better go quickly!'
　　Whether that bit of news really did make Uncle Quentin decide at last to go, nobody knew - but intwo seconds he was sitting in the taxi, still clutching his despatch case, telling the taxi-driver exactlywhat he thought of people who kept hooting their horns.
　　'Good-bye, dears,' called Aunt Fanny, thankfully. 'Don't get into mischief. We're off at last.'
　　The taxi disappeared down the lane. 'Poor Mother!' said George. 'It's always like this when they gofor a holiday. Well, there's one thing certain - I shall NEVER marry a scientist.'
　　Everyone heaved a sigh of relief at the thought that Uncle Quentin was gone. When he was over-worked he really was impossible.
　　'Still, you simply have to make excuses for anyone with a brain like his,' said Julian. 'Whenever ourscience master at school speaks of him, he almost holds his breath with awe. Worst of it is, he expectsme to be brilliant because I've got a brilliant uncle.'
　　'Yes. It's difficult to live up to clever relations,' said Dick. 'Well - we're on our own, except for Joan.
　　Good old Joan! I bet she'll give us some smashing meals.'
　　'Let's go and see if she's got anything we can have now,' said George. 'I'm hungry.'
　　'So am I,' said Dick. They marched down the hall into the kitchen, calling for Joan.
　　'Now, you don't need to tell me what you've come for,' said Joan, the smiling, good-tempered cook.
　　'And I don't need to tell you this - the larder's locked.'
　　'Oh Joan - what a mean thing to do!' said Dick.
　　'Mean or not, it's the only thing to do when all four of you are around, to say nothing of that greathungry dog,' said Joan, rolling out some pastry vigorously. 'Why, last holidays I left a meat pie andhalf a tongue and a cherry tart and trifle sitting on the shelves for the next day's meals - and when Icame back from my half-day's outing there wasn't a thing to be seen.'
　　'Well, we thought you'd left them there for our supper,' said Julian, sounding quite hurt.
　　'All right - but you won't get the chance of thinking anything like that again,' said Joan, firmly.
　　'That larder door's going to be kept locked. Maybe I'll unlock it sometimes and hand you out a snackor two - but I'm the one that's going to unlock it, not you.'
　　7
　　The four drifted out of the kitchen again, disappointed. Timmy followed at their heels. 'Let's go downand have a bathe,' said Dick. 'If I'm going to have six bathes a day, I'd better hurry up and have myfirst one.'
　　'I'll get some ripe plums,' said Anne. 'We can take those down with us. And I expect the ice-creamman will come along to the beach too. We shan't starve! And we'd better wear our shirts and shortsover our bathing costumes, so we don't catch too much sun.'
　　Soon they were all down on the sand. They found a good place and scraped out comfortable holes tosit in. Timmy scraped his own.
　　'I can't imagine why Timmy bothers to scrape one,' said George. 'Because he always squeezes intomine sooner or later. Don't you, Timmy?'
　　Timmy wagged his tail, and scraped so violently that they were all covered with sand. 'Pooh!'
　　said Anne, spitting sand out of her mouth. 'Stop it, Timmy. As fast as I scrape my hole, you fill it up!'
　　Timmy paused to give her a lick, and then scraped again, making a very deep hole indeed. He laydown in it, panting, his mouth looking as if he were smiling.
　　'He's smiling again,' said Anne. 'I never knew a dog that smiled like Timmy. Timmy, it's nice to haveyou again.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, politely, meaning that it was nice to have Anne and the others back again, too.
　　He wagged his tail and sent a shower of sand over Dick.
　　They all wriggled down comfortably into their soft warm holes. 'We'll eat the plums first and thenwe'll have a bathe,' said Dick. 'Chuck me one, Anne.'
　　Two people came slowly along the beach. Dick looked at them out of half-closed eyes. A boy and aman - and what a ragamuffin the boy looked! He wore tom dirty shorts and a filthy jersey.
　　No shoes at all.
　　The man looked even worse. He slouched as he came, and dragged one foot. He had a stragglymoustache and mean, clever little eyes that raked the beach up and down. The two were walking athigh-water mark and were obviously looking for anything that might have been cast up by the tide.
　　The boy already had an old box, one wet shoe and some wood under his arm.
　　'What a pair!' said Dick to Julian. 'I hope they don't come near us. I feel as if I can smell them fromhere.'
　　8
　　The two walked along the beach and then back. Then, to the children's horror, they made a bee-linefor where they were lying in their sandy holes, and sat down close beside them. Timmy growled.
　　An unpleasant, unwashed kind of smell at once came to the children's noses. Pooh! Timmy growledagain. The boy took no notice of Timmy's growling. But the man looked uneasy.
　　'Come on - let's have a bathe,' said Julian, annoyed at the way the two had sat down so close to them.
　　After all, there was practically the whole of the beach to choose from - why come and sit almost ontop of somebody else?
　　When they came back from their bathe the man had gone, but the boy was still there - and he hadactually sat himself down in George's hole.
　　'Get out,' said George, shortly, her temper rising at once. 'That's my hole, and you jolly well know it.'
　　'Findings keepings,' said the boy, in a curious singsong voice. 'It's my hole now.'
　　George bent down and pulled the boy roughly out of the hole. He was up in a trice, his fists clenched.
　　George clenched hers, too.
　　Dick came up at a run. 'Now, George - if there's any fighting to be done, I'll do it,' he said. He turnedto the scowling boy. 'Clear off! We don't want you here!'
　　The boy hit out with his right fist and caught Dick unexpectedly on the jawbone. Dick lookedastounded. He hit out, too, and sent the tousle-headed boy flying.
　　'Yah, coward!' said the boy, holding his chin tenderly. 'Hitting someone smaller than yourself!
　　I'll fight that first boy, but I won't fight you.'
　　'You can't fight him,' said Dick. 'He's a girl. You can't fight girls - and girls oughtn't to fight, anyway.'
　　'Ses you!' said the dirty little ragamuffin, standing up and doubling his fists again. 'Well, you lookhere - I'm a girl, too - so I can fight her all right, can't I?'
　　George and the ragamuffin stood scowling at one another, each with fists clenched. They looked soastonishingly alike, with their short, curly hair, brown freckled faces and fierce expressions thatJulian suddenly roared with laughter. He pushed them firmly apart.
　　'Fighting forbidden!' he said. He turned to the ragamuffin. 'Clear off!' he ordered. 'Do you hear me?
　　Go on - off with you!'
　　The gipsy-like girl stared at him. Then she suddenly burst into tears and ran off howling.
　　9
　　'She's a girl all right,' said Dick, grinning at the howls. 'She's got some spunk though, facing up to melike that. Well, that's the last we'll see of her!'
　　But he was wrong. It wasn't!
2.海滩遇不速之客
　　海滩遇不速之客
　　第二天，到了该出发的时候，昆廷叔叔却迟迟不肯下楼。他把自己关在书房里，整理着他那些珍宝似的笔记本。出租车已经到了，司机不停地按着喇叭。范妮婶婶也早已做好了出发的准备，但昆廷叔叔还没有下楼。到了不得不离开的时候，范妮婶婶忍不住上楼，猛敲书房的门。
　　“昆廷！把门打开！我们必须立刻出发。再不走的话，就赶不上飞机了！”
　　“马上就好了！”昆廷叔叔大声回答道。范妮婶婶无奈地看着四个孩子，几近绝望。
　　“这句话他都说了四遍了。”乔治说。突然，电话铃声大作，乔治拿起了电话。
　　“喂，”她说，“抱歉，恐怕您见不到他了。他马上要去西班牙，没人知道接下来两周他在哪儿——什么？稍等，我问一下我妈妈。”
　　“是谁？”范妮问道。
　　“是《号角日报》的人，”乔治说，“他们想派记者来采访爸爸。
　　我说，爸爸要去西班牙，他们就问，能不能把这个消息登出来。”
　　“当然可以，”范妮婶婶高兴地说，“如果上了报纸，就不会有人打电话来打扰你们了。告诉他们可以，乔治。”
　　乔治应允了电话里的人。这时，出租车司机又按响了喇叭，比前几次的声音还大，蒂米冲着出租车狂叫起来。突然，书房门猛地一开，昆廷叔叔脸色铁青地站在门口。
　　“为什么总有人打断我的工作！就不能让我清静一下吗？”他很生气。但范妮婶婶冲过去，把他拖下了楼。她将一顶帽子塞进他手里，原本还想把手杖塞进他的另一只手里，却发现他拎了个沉甸甸的公文包。
　　“现在不是你的工作时间，我们要去度假！”她说，“噢，昆廷，你又来了！那个公文包是怎么回事？你该不会带着工作去度假吧？”
　　出租车又按响了喇叭，蒂米跟在昆廷身后，冲着出租车又跳又叫。突然，电话再次铃声大作。
　　“又一个记者要来采访您了，爸爸。”乔治说，“最好赶紧走！”
　　不知是不是乔治的话起了作用，昆廷叔叔终于决定出发了。没过多久，他就坐在出租车内，手里紧紧攥着那个公文包。他开始对出租车司机发牢骚，说他不喜欢有人一直按喇叭。
　　“再见，孩子们。”范妮婶婶高兴地向四个孩子道别，“在家不要捣蛋。我们终于要出发了。”
　　出租车很快消失在小路尽头。“妈妈真可怜！”乔治说，“他们每次去度假都是这样。唉，我以后绝不会嫁给一个科学家！”
　　昆廷叔叔走后，大家都长舒了一口气。昆廷叔叔一心扑在工作上的时候，简直不可理喻。
　　“可是，对于像他那样聪明的人，人们总要宽容些。”朱利安说，“在我们学校，科学老师每每提起他，语气中都充满了敬佩之情。最糟的是，他居然指望我跟叔叔一样优秀。”
　　“有个聪明的亲戚也不见得是件好事。”迪克说，“现在只有我们几个了，还有乔安娜，她人很好，肯定会给我们做很多好吃的。”
　　“我们去问问她，现在有没有什么吃的，”乔治说，“我饿了。”
　　“我也饿了。”迪克说。他们一起从客厅走到厨房，去找乔安娜。
　　“你们不说，我也知道你们来干什么，”这个好脾气的厨娘微笑着说，“告诉你们吧，我已经把装食物的橱柜锁上了。”
　　“噢，乔安娜，你也太小气了吧！”迪克说。
　　“不管你们怎么说，你们四个都在时，我必须这样做，更不用说还有那只贪吃的狗了。”乔安娜边说边用力揉起了面团，“你们还记得吗？上个假期，我把一个肉饼、一个樱桃馅饼和一块屈莱弗蛋糕放在架子上，想留作第二天的食材。结果，我不过出去了半天，回来什么都没有了。”
　　“我们以为那是你准备的晚餐。”朱利安的声音有点委屈。
　　“好吧，不会有下次了，你们想都别想。”乔安娜坚定地说，“我会把橱柜一直锁起来的，我可能会拿些零食出来。不过，开锁的人是我，不是你们。”
　　四个小家伙失望地走出了厨房，蒂米紧跟在后面。“那我们去海边游泳吧。”迪克说，“我一天要游六次泳，得赶紧去游第一次了。”
　　“我去采些熟李子，”安妮说，“我们可以带着这些果子去海边。
　　估计卖冰淇淋的人也会在那儿，这样我们就不会饿肚子了。最好把上衣和短裤都穿在泳衣外面，不然我们会被晒伤的。”
　　不久，一行人就到了沙滩。他们发现了个好地方，挖了几个坑，舒舒服服地坐了进去。蒂米也给自己挖了个坑。
　　“我不懂蒂米为什么还要给自己挖坑，”乔治说，“它总归要挤到我的坑里来。你说是不是，蒂米？”
　　蒂米摇着尾巴用力地刨着，弄得大家一身沙子。“呸——”安妮吐出嘴里的沙子，“蒂米，快住手！我刚挖了个坑，你就把它填平了！”
　　蒂米停下来舔了舔她，然后继续刨，刨出了一个很深的坑。蒂米躺了进去，张嘴喘着气，好像是在笑。
　　“它又在笑了！”安妮说，“除了蒂米，我从没见过哪只狗会笑。
　　蒂米，再次见到你很开心。”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米彬彬有礼地回答，好像在说：“能再次见到安妮和其他小伙伴，我也很开心。”它摇起尾巴，甩了迪克一身沙子。
　　他们躺在柔软、温暖的沙坑里，扭了扭身体，觉得舒服极了。“我们先吃李子，然后去游泳。”迪克说，“扔给我一个吧，安妮。”
　　这时，两个人沿着沙滩慢慢地走了过来。迪克眯起眼睛，发现是一个男人和一个小男孩。那小男孩邋遢得像个小乞丐！他穿着一条又破又脏的短裤，身上的运动衫满是污秽，脚上连鞋都没穿。
　　那个男人看起来更糟糕。他无精打采地走着，一只脚拖在身后，留着蓬乱的小胡子，一双小眼睛精明犀利，滴溜溜地打量着整个沙滩。他俩在深水标志旁走来走去，显然是在寻找海浪冲上来的东西。小男孩已经找到一个旧盒子、一只湿漉漉的鞋，胳膊下还夹着几块木头。
　　“瞧这两个人！”迪克对朱利安说，“他们可千万别走过来，我在这儿都闻到了他们身上的臭味。”
　　这两人沿着沙滩走远后，又走了回来。接着，孩子们害怕的事发生了——两人径直朝他们躺着的沙坑走了过来，然后紧挨着他们坐下来。蒂米冲这两名不速之客咆哮起来。
　　一阵难闻的气味扑鼻而来，好像很多天没有洗过澡似的。“汪汪！”蒂米又开始狂叫起来。小男孩没有理会蒂米，那个男人却看上去十分不安。
　　“走，我们去游泳。”朱利安说。这两人坐得这么近，他十分恼火。沙滩上其他地方都可以随便坐，为什么偏要坐在别人旁边呢？
　　他们游完泳回来时，那个男人已经离开了，但小男孩还在那里，他刚好坐在乔治挖的坑里。
　　“你出去，”乔治立刻怒上心头，“你应该清楚，这是我挖的坑。”
　　“谁找到了就是谁的，”小男孩阴阳怪气地回答道，“现在这个坑是我的了。”
　　乔治弯下腰，想把那个小男孩粗暴地拉起来。小男孩突然站了起来，握紧了拳头。乔治也握紧了拳头。
　　迪克飞奔过来。“好了，乔治，要打架的话，让我来。”他说道，转向那个怒气冲冲的小男孩，“走开！我们不想在这儿看到你！”
　　小男孩右拳出击，出其不意地一拳打在迪克的下颌骨上。迪克没有防备，大吃一惊。接着迪克也出了一拳，打飞了那个蓬头垢面的小男孩。
　　“哼，胆小鬼！”小男孩轻揉着下巴说，“你以大欺小！我只跟刚刚那小子打，不跟你打。”
　　“你不能跟‘他’打。”迪克说，“她是个女孩子。你不能打女孩，女孩也不应该打架！”
　　“去你的吧！”那脏兮兮的小邋遢握紧拳头站了起来，“你看清楚了，我也是个女孩，所以我可以打她，有什么不对吗？”
　　乔治和小邋遢怒视着对方，双拳紧握。她们看起来相似极了：
　　都是短短的鬈发，棕色的脸上长着雀斑，表情也都凶神恶煞的。突然朱利安忍不住大笑起来，他用力把她们俩分开。
　　“不许打架！”朱利安说道。接着，他转向小邋遢。“走开！”他命令道，“你听到了吗？快走开！”
　　吉卜赛小邋遢盯着他，突然，她哭了起来，号叫着跑开了。
　　“果然是个女孩子，”迪克听到小女孩的哭叫声后笑道，“但她真有胆量，敢这样直面我。不论怎么样，我们应该不会再见到她了！”
　　但是迪克错了，他们还会再相见的！
Chapter 3 FACE AT THE WINDOW
　　Chapter 3 FACE AT THE WINDOW
　　The five curled up in their holes once more. Dick felt his jaw-bone. 'That ragamuffin of a girl gave mea good bang,' he said, half-admiringly. 'Little demon, isn't she! A bit of live wire!'
　　'I can't see why Julian wouldn't let me have a go at her,' said George sulkily. 'It was my hole she satin - she meant to be annoying! How dare she?'
　　'Girls can't go about fighting,' said Dick. 'Don't be an ass, George. I know you make out you're asgood as a boy, and you dress like a boy and climb trees as well as I can - but it's really time you gaveup thinking you're as good as a boy.'
　　This sort of speech didn't please George at all. 'Well, anyway, I don't burst into howls if I'm beaten,'
　　she said, turning her back on Dick.
　　'No, you don't,' agreed Dick. 'You've got as much spunk as any boy - much more than that other kidhad. I'm sorry I sent her flying now. It's the first time I've ever hit a girl, and I hope it'll be the last.'
　　'I'm jolly glad you hit her,' said George. 'She's a nasty little beast. If I see her again I'll tell her what Ithink of her.'
　　'No, you won't,' said Dick. 'Not if I'm there, anyway. She had her punishment when I sent her flying.'
　　'Do shut up arguing, you two,' said Anne, and sent a shower of sand over them. 'George, don't go intoone of your moods, for goodness' sake - we don't want to waste a single day of this two weeks.'
　　'Here's the ice-cream man,' said Julian, sitting up and feeling for the waterproof pocket in the belt ofhis bathing trunks. 'Let's have one each.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, and thumped his tail on the sand.
　　10
　　'Yes, all right - one for you, too,' said Dick. 'Though what sense there is in giving you one, I don'tknow. One lick, one swallow, and it's gone. It might be a fly for all you taste of it.'
　　Timmy gulped his ice-cream down at once and then went into George's hole, squeezing beside her,hoping for a lick of her ice, too. But she pushed him away.
　　'No, Timmy. Ice-cream's wasted on you! You can't even have a lick of mine. And do get back intoyour hole - you're making me frightfully hot.'
　　Timmy obligingly got out and went into Anne's hole. She gave him a little bit of her ice-cream.
　　He sat panting beside her, looking longingly at the rest of the ice. 'You're melting it with your hotbreath,' said Anne. 'Go into Julian's hole now!'
　　The five of them had a thoroughly lazy morning. As none of them had a watch they went in far tooearly for lunch, and were shooed out again by Joan.
　　'How you can come in at ten past twelve for a one o'clock lunch, I don't know!' she scolded. 'I haven'teven finished the housework yet.'
　　'Well - it felt like one o'clock,' said Anne, disappointed to find there was so long to wait. Still, whenlunch-time came, Joan really did them well.
　　'Cold ham and tongue - cold baked beans - beetroot - crisp lettuce straight from the garden -heaps of tomatoes - cucumber - hard-boiled egg!' recited Anne in glee.
　　'Just the kind of meal I like,' said Dick, sitting down. 'What's for pudding?'
　　'There it is on the sideboard,' said Anne. 'Wobbly blancmange, fresh fruit salad and jelly. I'm glad I'mhungry.'
　　'Now don't you give Timmy any of that ham and tongue,' Joan warned George. 'I've got a fine bonefor him. Coming, Timmy?'
　　Timmy knew the word ''bone'' very well indeed. He trotted after Joan at once, his feet soundingloudly in the hall. They heard Joan talking kindly to him in the kitchen as she found him his bone.
　　'Good old Joan,' said Dick. 'She's like Timmy - her bark is worse than her bite.'
　　'Timmy's got a good bite, though,' said George, helping herself to three tomatoes at once. 'And hisbite came in useful heaps of times for us.'
　　They ate steadily, thinking of some of the hair-raising adventures they had had, when Timmy and hisbite had certainly come in very useful. Timmy came in after a while, licking his lips.
　　11
　　'Nothing doing, old chap,' said Dick, looking at the empty dishes on the table. 'Don't tell me you'vechomped up that bone already!'
　　Timmy had. He lay down under the table, and put his nose on his paws. He was happy. He had had agood meal, and he was with the people he loved best. He put his head as near George's feet as hecould.
　　'Your whiskers are tickling me,' she said, and screwed up her bare toes. 'Pass the tomatoes, someone.'
　　'You can't manage any more tomatoes, surely!' said Anne. 'You've had five already.'
　　'They're out of my own garden,' said George, 'so I can eat as many as I like.'
　　After lunch they lazed on the beach till it was time for a bathe again. It was a happy day for all ofthem - warm, lazy, with plenty of fun and romping about.
　　George looked out for the ragamuffin girl, but she didn't appear again. George was half sorry.
　　She would have liked a battle of words with her, even if she couldn't have a fight!
　　They were all very tired when they went to bed that night. Julian yawned so loudly when Joan camein with a jug of hot cocoa and some biscuits that she offered to lock up the house for him.
　　'Oh, no, thank you, Joan,' said Julian at once. 'That's the man's job, you know, locking up the house.
　　You can trust me all right. I'll see to every window and every door.'
　　'Right, Master Julian,' said Joan, and bustled away to wind up the kitchen clock, rake out the fire, andgo up to bed. The children went up, too, Timmy, as usual, at George's heels. Julian was leftdownstairs to lock up.
　　He was a very responsible boy. Joan knew that he wouldn't leave a single window unfastened.
　　She heard him trying to shut the little window in the pantry, and she called down:
　　'Master Julian! It's swollen or something, and won't shut properly. You needn't bother about it, it's toosmall for anyone to get into!'
　　'Right!' said Julian, thankfully, and went upstairs. He yawned a terrific yawn again, and set Dick off,too, as soon as he came into the bedroom they both shared. The girls, undressing in the next room,laughed to hear them.
　　'You wouldn't hear a burglar in the middle of the night, Julian and Dick!' called Anne. 'You'll sleeplike logs!'
　　'Old Timmy can listen out for burglars,' said Julian, cleaning his teeth vigorously. 'That's his job, notmine. Isn't it, Timmy?'
　　12
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, clambering on to George's bed. He always slept curled up in the crook of herknees. Her mother had given up trying to insist that George didn't have Timmy on her bed at night.
　　As George said, even if she agreed to that, Timmy wouldn't!
　　Nobody stayed awake for more than five seconds. Nobody even said anything in bed, except for asleepy good night. Timmy gave a little grunt and settled down, too, his head on George's feet.
　　It was heavy, but she liked it there. She put out a hand and stroked Timmy gently. He licked one ofher feet through the bed-clothes. He loved George more than anyone in the world.
　　It was dark outside that night. Thick clouds had come up and put out all the stars. There was nosound to be heard but the wind in the trees and the distant surge of the sea - and both sounded somuch the same that it was hard to tell the difference.
　　Not another sound - not even an owl hooting to its mate, or the sound of a hedgehog pattering in theditch.
　　Then why did Timmy wake up? Why did he open first one eye and then another? Why did he prickup his ears and lie there, listening? He didn't even lift his head at first. He simply lay listening in thedarkness.
　　He lifted his head cautiously at last. He slid off the bed as quietly as a cat. He padded across the roomand out of the door. Down the stairs he went, and into the hall, where his claws rattled on the tiledfloor. But nobody heard him. Everyone in the house was fast asleep.
　　Timmy stood and listened in the hall. He knew he had heard something. Could it have been a ratsomewhere? Timmy lifted his nose and sniffed.
　　And then he stiffened from head to tail, and stood as if turned into stone. Something was climbing upthe wall of the house. Scrape, scrape, scrape - rustle, rustle! Would a rat dare to do that?
　　Upstairs, in her bed, Anne didn't know why she suddenly woke up just then, but she did. She wasthirsty, and she thought she would get a drink of water. She felt for her torch, and switched it on.
　　The light fell on the window first, and Anne saw something that gave her a terrible shock. Shescreamed loudly, and dropped her torch in fright. George woke up at once. Timmy came bounding upthe stairs.
　　'Julian! wailed Anne. 'Come quickly. I saw a face at the window, a horrible, dreadful face looking inat me!'
　　13
　　George rushed to the window, switching on her torch as she did so. There was nothing there.
　　Timmy went with her. He sniffed at the open window and growled.
　　'Hark - I can hear someone running quickly down the path,' said Julian, who now appeared with Dick.
　　'Come on, Timmy - downstairs with you and after them!'
　　And down they all went - Anne too. They flung the front door wide and Timmy sped out, barkingloudly. A face at the window? He'd soon find out who it belonged to!
3.窗边的人影
　　窗边的人影
　　几个小伙伴又舒服地躺在各自的坑里。迪克摸了摸自己的下颌骨。“这小丫头下手还真重！”他的语气中竟带着几分钦佩，“真是个小恶魔！个子不高，力气倒挺大！”
　　“我不明白为什么朱利安不让我跟她打一架，”乔治闷闷不乐地说，“她抢的可是我的坑！这是故意挑衅，竟敢这样招惹我！”
　　“女孩子不能打架，”迪克说，“别犯傻了，乔治。我知道你想证明自己跟男孩一样厉害，可就算你穿得像个男孩，爬树也跟我一样快，但你终究不是男孩！”
　　乔治最不爱听这种话了。“哼，不管怎么说，我挨了揍可不会鬼哭狼嚎的。”她生气地转过身，背对着迪克说。
　　“是的，你当然不会，”迪克表示赞同，“你就跟男孩子一样胆大，比一般的小孩儿都要勇敢。唉，我现在很后悔打了她。这是我第一次跟女孩子打架，希望也是最后一次！”
　　“我倒是很高兴你揍了她，”乔治说，“她就是个邋遢鬼。下次再让我见到她，我就这么跟她说。”
　　“不，你不能这么做。”迪克说，“只要我在，想都别想。我给了她一拳，她已经受到了惩罚。”
　　“你们俩别吵了！”安妮往他们身上甩了一把沙子，“乔治，别闹情绪了，好吗？我们在这里就待两周，不能把时间浪费在吵架上。”
　　“卖冰激凌的人来了！”朱利安坐了起来，把手插进泳裤的防水口袋里摸索着，“我们每人都来一个吧。”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米叫了一声，然后期待地竖起了尾巴。
　　“知道了，给你也买一个，”迪克说，“我不知道冰激凌对你有什么意义。你舔一下，然后一口把它吞下去。估计对你来说，冰激凌和苍蝇没什么两样。”
　　果不其然，蒂米大口吞下了它那份冰激凌。然后，它跑进了乔治的坑里，挤到她身边，想再舔一口她的冰激凌，但乔治把它推开了。
　　“不行，蒂米。给你吃冰激凌简直就是浪费！我一口都不会给你吃。快回自己的坑里去，你挤得我好热呀！”
　　蒂米灰溜溜地走出乔治的坑，又亲热地挤进了安妮的坑，安妮给了它一小口冰激凌。蒂米吃完后蹲在安妮旁边哈哧哈哧地喘着气，还想再吃一口。“你哈的气太热了，我的冰激凌都要化了！”安妮说，“去找朱利安吧！”
　　几个小伙伴就这样懒洋洋地度过了一个上午。他们几个都没戴手表，结果回去早了，还没到午饭时间。几个人被乔安娜赶了出来。
　　“一点钟才开饭，你们怎么12点10分就回来了！”她责备道，“我还没做完家务呢！”
　　“好吧，我们以为到一点钟了。”发现还要等好一会儿才能吃饭，安妮有些失望地说。不过，午饭端上来时，他们就不再失望了。
　　“今天的午饭有冷盘火腿、烤豆子、甜菜根，刚从菜园里摘回来的新鲜生菜、番茄、黄瓜，还有煮鸡蛋！”安妮报着菜名，心里乐开了花！
　　“哇！都是我爱吃的！”迪克坐下说道，“有什么甜点吗？”
　　“甜点在餐柜里面呢，”安妮说，“有弹力十足的牛奶冻，新鲜的水果沙拉，还有果冻！正好我饿了，可以饱餐一顿啦！”
　　“不要再给蒂米喂火腿了！”乔安娜警告乔治，“我给它准备了一根骨头。跟我来吧，蒂米。”
　　蒂米对骨头这个词再熟悉不过了。它一路小跑，跟在乔安娜的身后，大厅里回荡着它“嗒嗒嗒”的脚步声。不久，孩子们听到，乔安娜给蒂米拿好了骨头，正亲昵地跟它说着话呢！
　　“乔安娜真好。她和蒂米一样，刀子嘴豆腐心。”
　　“跟乔安娜那口老牙相比，蒂米牙口可要好多了。”乔治说着，三个番茄就下了肚，“它那口牙都不知道帮过我们多少次了。”
　　他们不慌不忙地吃着，回想起那些紧张刺激的探险。每次蒂米都用锋利的牙齿帮他们化险为夷。不一会儿，蒂米舔着嘴巴进来了。
　　“不会吧，蒂米，”迪克看着地上空空的盘子，“别告诉我你已经啃完骨头了！”
　　迪克说对了。蒂米趴在桌子下，鼻子搁在爪子上，感到幸福极了，它刚刚饱餐了一顿，现在周围都是它最爱的人。这样想着，它舒舒服服地把头贴在乔治的脚上。
　　“蒂米，你的胡须扎得我好痒！”乔治说着蹭了蹭脚趾，“谁能帮我递个番茄。”
　　“你还吃得下？”安妮难以置信地说，“你已经吃五个了。”
　　“这是我们自己种的，”乔治说，“我想吃多少就吃多少。”
　　午饭后，他们又懒洋洋地躺在沙滩上，等着再次下水。这一天多开心啊！在这样温暖的天气里嬉戏玩耍，他们慵懒闲适，意犹未尽。
　　乔治四处寻找着那个邋遢的小女孩，但不见她的踪影。乔治有点遗憾，虽说不能跟那个小女孩打上一架，但吵吵嘴架也未尝不可！
　　晚上，到了睡觉时间，他们每个人都已经玩得筋疲力尽了。朱利安打了个大哈欠，这时乔安娜走了进来，手里端着一壶热可可和一些饼干。她看朱利安已经很累了，就提出她来负责锁门。
　　“噢，乔安娜，谢谢你，不过还是让我来吧！”朱利安立刻说，“锁门是男人该做的事，放心地交给我吧，我会把所有门窗都锁好的。”
　　“好，交给你啦，朱利安小主人！”说完，乔安娜便匆匆往厨房走去，她给钟上好发条，掏出炉子里没燃尽的柴火，然后上楼睡觉了。孩子们也上楼了。蒂米像往常一样，紧跟着乔治，只留下朱利安在楼下锁门。
　　朱利安是个负责任的小伙儿，乔安娜相信他会锁好每一扇门窗。这时，乔安娜听到朱利安正试着锁上食物储藏室的小窗户，就冲着楼下喊道：“朱利安，那扇窗户好像卡住了，关不上。你不用管它啦，那么小的窗户，谁也爬不进来！”
　　“好的！”朱利安松了口气，上了楼。进房间的时候，他又打了个大哈欠，住在同一个房间的迪克像是被传染了般，也打了个大哈欠。正在隔壁换衣服的女孩们听到后，大笑起来。
　　“朱利安，迪克，半夜有贼爬进来你们也听不见！”安妮冲着隔壁喊道，“你们肯定睡得死死的！”
　　“蒂米会帮我们提防着的。”朱利安一边快速刷着牙，一边说，“这是它的职责，不是我的。对吧，蒂米？”
　　“汪汪。”蒂米答道，然后爬上乔治的床，晚上它总是蜷在乔治的膝弯旁。范妮婶婶本来不许乔治带它上床，但后来也不得不妥协了。按照乔治的说法，就算她同意不带蒂米上床，但是蒂米不肯呀！
　　他们一上床，很快就睡着了。几个孩子什么都没聊，只是迷迷糊糊地互道了晚安。蒂米也躺下了，它把头枕在乔治的脚上，嘴里发出轻微的呼噜声。它的头有点重，但乔治喜欢蒂米这样，她伸手轻轻抚摸着蒂米。蒂米隔着被子舔了舔乔治的脚，在这个世界上，蒂米最喜欢的人就是乔治了。
　　这个夜晚，外面漆黑一片，厚厚的云层压下来，遮住了所有的星光。一切显得安静极了，只有林间的晚风和远处的海浪声，交织缠绕在一起，难分彼此。
　　除此，再听不到其他声音——听不到猫头鹰彼此呼唤的鸣叫声，也听不到刺猬在沟渠里爬过时发出的啪嗒声。
　　是什么惊醒了蒂米呢？为什么它慢慢睁开两只眼睛，竖起耳朵，躺在那里屏气凝神地听着周围的动静？起初，它一动不动，连头也没有抬，只是静静躺着，听着暗夜中的声响。
　　最后，它小心翼翼地抬起了头，像猫咪一样，灵巧地从床上滑下来，悄无声息地走出了房间。它走下楼，进入门厅，爪子在瓷砖上发出声响，但没人注意到这些细微的动静，所有人都熟睡着。
　　蒂米停在门厅，竖起耳朵仔细聆听。它确信它听到了一些声响。是哪里有老鼠吗？它四下嗅了嗅。
　　然后它全身僵住了，好像变成了一尊石像。它听见了一些声音，好像有什么东西正顺着墙往上爬。先是一阵轻微的刮擦声，然后是一阵窸窸窣窣的声音！老鼠能发出这么大动静吗？
　　在楼上的房间里，安妮不知为什么突然醒了过来。她有些口渴，想喝些水。她摸索到自己的手电筒，打开了开关。
　　手电筒光一下子照射在窗户上，她被看到的景象吓得魂飞魄散，尖叫起来，手电筒在慌乱中掉在地上。乔治立刻醒了过来，蒂米听到动静，也急忙蹿上楼来。
　　“朱利安！”安妮哭喊着，“快来！我在窗户上看见了一个恐怖的人影，盯着我呢！”
　　乔治立刻冲到窗前，打开窗户和手电筒，但什么都没看到。蒂米上前嗅了嗅，然后冲着窗外咆哮起来。
　　“听！外面那条小路上有人逃跑的声音，”朱利安说道，他和迪克一同赶来了乔治的房间，“蒂米，快下楼去追上他们！”
　　于是他们全都冲下楼，包括受了惊的安妮。他们一把推开大门，蒂米冲了出去，大声咆哮。窗边的人影是谁？它不久就会找到答案！
Chapter 4 THE NEXT DAY
　　Chapter 4 THE NEXT DAY
　　The four children waited at the open front door, listening to Timmy's angry, excited barking.
　　Anne was trembling, and Julian put his arm round her comfortingly.
　　'What was this dreadful face like?' he asked her. Anne shivered in his arm.
　　'I didn't see very much,' she said. 'You see, I just switched on my torch, and the beam was directed onthe window nearby - and it lighted up the face for a second. It had nasty gleaming eyes, and it lookedvery dark - perhaps it was a black man's face! Oh, I was frightened!'
　　'Then did it disappear?' asked Julian.
　　'I don't know,' said Anne. 'I was so frightened that I dropped my torch and the light went out.
　　Then George woke up and rushed to the window.'
　　'Where on earth was Timmy?' said Dick, feeling suddenly surprised that Timmy hadn't awakenedthem all by barking. Surely he must have heard the owner of the face climbing up to the window?
　　'I don't know. He came rushing into the bedroom when I screamed,' said Anne. 'Perhaps he had hearda noise and had gone down to see what it was.'
　　'That's about it,' said Julian. 'Never mind, Anne. It was a tramp, I expect. He found all the doors andwindows downstairs fastened - and shinned up the ivy to see if he could enter by way of a bedroom.
　　Timmy will get him, that's certain.'
　　But Timmy didn't get him. He came back after a time, with his tail down, and a puzzled look in hiseyes. 'Couldn't you find him, Timmy?' asked George, anxiously.
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, mournfully, his tail still down. George felt him. He was wet through.
　　14
　　'Goodness! Where have you been to get so wet?' she said, in surprise. 'Feel him, Dick.'
　　Dick felt him, and so did the others. 'He's been in the sea,' said Julian. 'That's why he's wet. I guessthe burglar, or whatever he was, must have sprinted down to the beach, when he knew Timmy wasafter him - and jumped into a boat! It was his only chance of getting away.'
　　'And Timmy must have swum after him till he couldn't keep up any more,' said George. 'Poor oldTim. So you lost him, did you?'
　　Timmy wagged his tail a little. He looked very downhearted indeed. To think he had heard noises andthought it was a rat - and now, whoever it was had got away from him. Timmy felt ashamed.
　　Julian shut and bolted the front door. He put up the chain, too. 'I don't think the Face will come backagain in a hurry,' he said. 'Now he knows there's a big dog here he'll keep away. I don't think we needworry any more.'
　　They all went back to bed again. Julian didn't go to sleep for some time. Although he had told theothers not to worry, he felt worried himself. He was sorry that Anne had been frightened, andsomehow the boldness of the burglar in climbing up to a bedroom worried him, too. He must havebeen determined to get in somehow.
　　Joan, the cook, slept through all the disturbance. Julian wouldn't wake her. 'No,' he said, 'don't tell heranything about it. She'd want to send telegrams to Uncle Quentin or something.'
　　So Joan knew nothing about the night's happenings, and they heard her cheerfully humming in thekitchen the next morning as she cooked bacon and eggs and tomatoes for their breakfast.
　　Anne was rather ashamed of herself when she woke up and remembered the fuss she had made.
　　The Face was rather dim in her memory now. She half wondered if she had dreamed it all. She askedJulian if he thought she might have had a bad dream.
　　'Quite likely,' said Julian, cheerfully, very glad that Anne should think this. 'More than likely! Iwouldn't worry about it any more, if I were you.'
　　He didn't tell Anne that he had examined the thickly-growing ivy outside the window, and had foundclear traces of the night-climber. Part of the sturdy clinging ivy-stem had come away from the wall,and beneath the window were strewn broken-off ivy leaves. Julian showed them to Dick.
　　'There was somebody,' he said. 'What a nerve he had, climbing right up to the window like that.
　　A real cat-burglar!'
　　15
　　There were no footprints to be seen anywhere in the garden. Julian didn't expect to find any, for theground was dry and hard.
　　The day was very fine and warm again. 'I vote we do what we did yesterday - go off to the beach andbathe,' said Dick. 'We might take a picnic lunch if Joan will give us one.'
　　'I'll help her to make it up for us,' said Anne, and she and George went off to beg for sandwiches andbuns. Soon they were busy wrapping up a colossal lunch.
　　'Do for twelve, I should think!' said Joan, with a laugh. 'Here's a bottle of home-made lemonade, too.
　　You can take as many ripe plums as you like as well. I shan't prepare any supper for you tonight -you'll not need it after all this lunch.'
　　George and Anne looked at her in alarm. No supper! Then they caught the twinkle in her eye andlaughed.
　　'We'll make all the beds and do our rooms before we go,' said Anne. 'And is there anything you wantfrom the village?'
　　'No, not today. You hurry up with your jobs and get along to the beach,' said Joan. 'I'll be quite gladof a peaceful day to myself. I shall turn out the larder and the hall cupboards and the scullery, andenjoy myself in peace!'
　　Anne seemed quite to have forgotten her fright of the night before as they went down to the beachthat day, chattering and laughing together. Even if she had thought about it, something soonhappened that swept everything else from her mind.
　　The little ragamuffin girl was down on the beach again! She was alone. Her dreadful old father, orwhatever he was, was not there.
　　George saw the girl first and scowled. Julian saw the scowl and then the girl, and made up his mind atonce. He led the others firmly to where rocks jutted up from the beach, surrounded by limpid rock-pools.
　　'We'll be here today,' he said. 'It's so hot we'll be glad of the shade from the rocks. What about justhere?'
　　'It's all right,' said George, half sulky and half amused at Julian for being so firm about things.
　　'Don't worry. I'm not having anything more to do with that smelly girl.'
　　'I'm glad to hear it,' said Julian. They had now turned a corner, and were out of sight of the girl.
　　Big rocks ran in an upwards direction behind them, and jutted up all around them. Julian sat down ina lovely little corner, with rocks protecting them from the sun and the wind.
　　16
　　'Let's have a read before we bathe,' said Dick. 'I've got a mystery story here. I simply MUST find outwho the thief is.'
　　He settled himself comfortably. Anne went to look for sea anemones in the pool. She liked the petal-like creatures that looked so like plants and weren't. She liked feeding them with bits of biscuit,seeing their 'petals' close over the fragment and draw them quickly inside.
　　George lay back and stroked Timmy. Julian began to sketch the rocks around, and the little pools. Itwas all very peaceful indeed.
　　Suddenly something landed on George's middle and made her jump. She sat up, and so did Timmy.
　　'What was that?' said George indignantly. 'Did you throw something at me, Dick?'
　　'No,' said Dick, his eyes glued to his book.
　　Something else hit George on the back of the neck, and she put her hand up with an exclamation.
　　'What's happening? Who's throwing things?'
　　She looked to see what had hit her. Lying on the sand was a small roundish thing. George picked itup. 'Why - it's a damson stone,' she said. And 'Ping'! Another one hit her on the shoulder. She leaptup in a rage.
　　She could see nobody at all. She waited for another damson stone to appear, but none did.
　　'I just wish I could draw your face, George,' said Julian, with a grin. 'I never saw such a frown in mylife. Ooch!'
　　The 'ooch!' was nothing to do with George's frown; it was caused by another damson stone thatcaught Julian neatly behind the ear. He leapt to his feet too. A helpless giggle came from behind arock some way behind and above them. George was up on the ledge in a second.
　　Behind one of the rocks sat the ragamuffin girl. Her pockets were full of damsons, some of themspilling out as she rolled on the rocks, laughing. She sat up when she saw George, and grinned.
　　'What do you mean, throwing those stones at us?' demanded George.
　　'I wasn't throwing them,' said the girl.
　　'Don't tell lies,' said George scornfully. 'You know you were.'
　　'I wasn't. I was just spitting them,' said the awful girl. 'Watch!' She slipped a stone into her mouth,took a deep breath and then spat out the stone. It flew straight at George and hit her sharply andsquarely on the nose. George looked so extremely surprised that Dick and Julian roared withlaughter.
　　17
　　'Bet I can spit stones farther than any of you,' said the ragamuffin. 'Have some of my damsons andsee.'
　　'Right!' said Dick promptly. 'If you win I'll buy you an ice-cream. If I do, you can clear off from hereand not bother us any more. See?'
　　'Yes,' said the girl, and her eyes gleamed and danced. 'But I shall win!'
4.又起余波
　　又起余波
　　四个孩子在大门处焦急地等待着，远处传来蒂米愤怒的咆哮声。安妮依旧浑身发抖，朱利安揽着她的肩膀，不停地安慰着她。
　　“那张脸长什么样？”朱利安问。安妮在朱利安的怀里哆嗦着。
　　“我没看清，”她说，“我当时刚打开手电筒，照到旁边的窗户上，一下子照亮了那张脸。那人双眼闪着寒光，脸黑黢黢的，可能是个黑人！啊，我当时差点吓晕过去！”
　　“然后就消失了吗？”朱利安问。
　　“我不知道，”安妮说，“我吓坏了，不小心弄丢了手电筒，灯光就灭了。接着乔治醒了，冲到了窗边。”
　　“那时蒂米在哪儿？”迪克问。蒂米居然没叫醒大家，这让迪克十分意外。它是不是听到了有人翻墙的声音？
　　“我不清楚。我大叫时，蒂米才从外面冲进来，”安妮说，“它可能是听到了什么动静，然后下楼去一探究竟。”
　　“可能吧，”朱利安说，“没事的，安妮，我猜是个流浪汉。他看楼下的门窗都锁好了，就沿着常春藤爬了上来，想看看能不能从卧室进来。蒂米肯定会抓住他的，放心吧。”
　　但蒂米根本没追上。没过多久，它耷拉着尾巴回来了，眼神迷离。“你没找到他吗，蒂米？”乔治焦急地问。
　　“汪汪！”蒂米惭愧地叫着，尾巴仍旧垂在地上。乔治摸了摸它，发现它全身都湿透了。
　　“天哪！你去哪里了？怎么全身湿透了？”乔治惊讶地问，“迪克，你摸。”
　　迪克和其他人都摸了摸蒂米。“它去过海里，所以才湿透了。”朱利安说，“我猜那小偷，或流浪汉什么的，肯定往沙滩的方向逃走了。他知道蒂米在追他，于是跳上了船，只有这样他才能摆脱蒂米。”
　　“蒂米肯定追着他游了很久，直到撑不住了才放弃。”乔治说，“可怜的蒂米，你还是跟丢了，对吗？”
　　蒂米轻轻地摇了摇尾巴，看起来十分沮丧。它本来听到了动静，却以为是只老鼠，结果现在不仅不知道那人是谁，还让他逃走了，蒂米感到十分羞愧。
　　朱利安关上大门，插好门闩，把防盗链也给拉上了。“我估计那人短时间内不会回来了。他知道我们这儿有只看门狗，肯定会躲得远远的，我们不用再担心了。”
　　所有人又回到了床上，朱利安却辗转反侧，难以入眠。虽然他安慰了别人，让别人放心了，但他自己却忧心忡忡。安妮受到了惊吓，这让他心里很不好受。另外，那胆大包天的小偷竟敢翻墙进来，这也让他心烦意乱。看来这小偷是铁了心，无论如何也要进到屋子里来。
　　厨娘乔安娜今夜却睡得十分安稳，丝毫没有受到这场风波的干扰。朱利安没有叫醒她。“别告诉她，”他说，“这件事一个字都别跟她讲。不然她肯定会给昆廷叔叔发电报，或是采取其他行动。”
　　第二天早晨，孩子们听到乔安娜在厨房里边哼着歌边准备早餐，早餐有煎培根、鸡蛋和番茄。显然，乔安娜对前一晚发生的事毫不知情。
　　安妮早晨醒来时，想起自己昨晚大惊小怪的样子，感到十分惭愧。现在她记忆中的那张脸已变得十分模糊，她开始怀疑这一切是不是一场梦。于是她问朱利安，自己昨晚是不是做了噩梦。
　　“很有可能。”朱利安高兴地回答，安妮能这么想，他十分欣慰，“肯定是这样！如果我是你，我根本就不会担心。”
　　但朱利安没有告诉安妮，他去检查过窗外的常春藤，发现浓密的常春藤中留下了一串清晰的翻爬痕迹。几根原本结实地攀附在墙上的常春藤掉了下来，窗户下散落着碎掉的常春藤叶子。朱利安把这件事告诉了迪克。
　　“真的有贼，”他说，“还是个身手敏捷的飞贼！他胆子真大，居然敢直接从窗外爬上来！”
　　花园里没有脚印，地面又干又硬，朱利安也没指望能找到脚印。
　　又是阳光和煦、温暖宜人的一天。“我提议，我们还像昨天那样，去海边游泳吧，”迪克说，“如果乔安娜让我们带午餐的话，我们还可以野餐。”
　　“我去帮忙准备。”安妮说。她和乔治去厨房，向乔安娜要了些三明治和小面包。没过一会儿，她们就在忙着打包一顿丰盛的午餐了。
　　“打包12人份吧！”乔安娜笑着说，“这儿还有一瓶我做的柠檬汁。再拿点熟梅子，想带多少就带多少。我今晚就不给你们准备晚餐了，这顿午饭后，估计你们也吃不下晚餐了。”
　　没有晚餐！乔治和安妮惊讶地看着乔安娜。接着她们发现乔安娜眼睛里闪烁着调皮的光芒，原来她只是开玩笑，她们笑了起来。
　　“我们走前会铺好床，整理好房间。”安妮说，“需要我们从村子里帮你捎点什么东西回来吗？”
　　“今天不用，你们赶快把自己的任务完成，然后就去海滩吧！”乔安娜说，“今天能一个人享受一整天的安静，我高兴都来不及呢！我要关上食物柜、客厅的橱柜和碗碟柜，安安稳稳地度过这一天！”
　　安妮似乎已经忘记了昨晚发生的一切。在去往沙滩的路上，他们欢声笑语不断。即使有时她又想起那件可怕的事来，但眼前发生的趣事总会把那些回忆扫除得一干二净。
　　那小邋遢竟然又来沙滩了！这次她独自一人，旁边没有她那令人心烦的父亲，或是别的什么人。
　　乔治第一个发现她，脸立刻沉了下来，朱利安看到乔治满脸怒容，决定带大家去沙滩的另一边，那儿乱石嶙峋，环绕着清澈的小浅滩。
　　“我们今天就待在这儿吧，”他说，“天气太热了，我们可以在岩石下面乘凉，怎么样？”
　　“行，就在这儿吧。”乔治闷闷不乐地说，但看到朱利安唯恐她与那小邋遢起争执的样子，她又感到有些好笑，“别担心，我不会再跟那臭丫头扯上什么关系了。”
　　“你这么讲我就放心了。”朱利安说。他们拐了个弯，消失在那女孩的视野中。他们身后耸立着巨大的岩石，像堡垒一样环绕保护着他们。朱利安挑了个角落坐了下来，那里既舒服凉快，又可让他免受风吹日晒之苦。
　　“游泳前，我想先看会儿书。”迪克说，“我带了一本侦探小说，我要弄清楚到底谁是小偷。”
　　迪克舒舒服服地坐好，捧着书津津有味地读了起来。安妮则去小浅滩里寻找海葵，她特别喜欢这种酷似植物、像花朵一样绚丽的海洋生物。她喜欢喂它们吃饼干屑，看着它们花瓣似的触手一张一合地把饼干屑快速裹入口中。
　　乔治此时静静地躺在蒂米旁边，轻轻抚摸着它。朱利安则在一旁用画笔轻轻勾勒周围的岩石和小浅滩。真是个惬意的下午！
　　突然什么东西落到了乔治的腰上，吓了她一跳。她急忙坐了起来，蒂米也跟着坐了起来。
　　“什么东西？”乔治愤愤地喊道，“你是不是冲我扔了什么，迪克？”
　　“没有啊。”迪克回答道，依然目不转睛地读着那本书。
　　又有东西从后面击中了乔治的脖子。她连忙抬手遮挡，惊呼道：“怎么回事？谁在砸我？”
　　乔治转身想看是什么击中了她，发现沙子上躺着一块圆圆的东西，捡起来看了看，“怎么会有一枚西梅果核？”她说道。砰！又有一枚果核飞来，砸中了她的肩膀，气得她直跺脚。
　　她连个人影都没看到，想等着下一枚果核飞来，但等了半天，却一无所获。
　　“我真想把你现在的表情画下来，乔治。”朱利安笑着说，“我从没见过谁像你这样愁眉苦脸的——哎呦！”
　　这声“哎呦”并不是紧皱眉头的乔治发出的，而是朱利安发出的。原来一枚果核从后面飞来，正中朱利安的耳朵，使朱利安吓得跳了起来。这时，他们身后的岩石上传来一阵“咯咯”的笑声。乔治立刻爬上岩石，去看个究竟。
　　岩石后竟是那个小邋遢！她在岩石上笑得直打滚，口袋里装满的西梅果核也滚出来了几枚。她看到乔治便坐了起来，咧开嘴得意地笑了。
　　“你什么意思，为什么用果核砸我们？”乔治质问道。
　　“我并没有砸你们。”那女孩儿说。
　　“少骗人了，”乔治轻蔑地说，“就是你。”
　　“我没有砸，我只是把它们喷出来，”小邋遢说，“你看！”她把一颗果核塞进嘴里，深吸一口气，然后用力把它喷了出来。那颗果核径直飞向乔治，刚好打在乔治的鼻子上。乔治一脸惊愕，迪克和朱利安看到了，哄堂大笑。
　　“我敢打赌我比你们喷得都远。”小邋遢说，“不信你们拿几颗西梅试一试。”
　　“好啊！”迪克不假思索地答应，“如果你赢了，我就给你买个冰激凌。如果我赢了，你要赶快离开这里，别再烦我们了。明白了吗？”
　　“好，”她回答道，眼中闪烁着戏谑的光芒，“但赢的肯定是我！”
Chapter 5 RAGAMUFFIN JO
　　Chapter 5 RAGAMUFFIN JO
　　George was most astonished at Dick. How very shocking to see who could spit damson stones out thefarthest.
　　'It's all right,' said Julian to her in a low voice. 'You know how good Dick is at that sort of game.
　　He'll win - and we'll send the girl scooting off, well and truly beaten.'
　　'I think you're horrible, Dick,' said George, in a loud voice. 'Horrible!'
　　'Who used to spit cherry-stones out and try and beat me last year?' said Dick at once. 'Don't be sohigh-and-mighty, George.'
　　Anne came slowly back from her pool, wondering why the others were up on the rocks. Damsonstones began to rain round her. She stopped in astonishment. Surely - surely it couldn't be the othersdoing that? A stone hit her on her bare arm, and she squealed.
　　The ragamuffin girl won handsomely. She managed to get her stones at least three feet farther thanDick. She lay back, laughing, her teeth gleaming very white indeed.
　　'You owe me an ice-cream,' she said, in her sing-song voice. Julian wondered if she was Welsh.
　　Dick looked at her, marvelling that she managed to get her stones so far.
　　'I'll buy you the ice-cream, don't worry,' he said. 'Nobody's ever beaten me before like that, not evenStevens, a boy at school with a most enormous mouth.'
　　'I do think you really are dreadful,' said Anne. 'Go and buy her the ice-cream and tell her to go home.'
　　'I'm going to eat it here,' said the girl, and she suddenly looked exactly as mulish and obstinate asGeorge did when she wanted something she didn't think she would get.
　　18
　　'You look like George now!' said Dick, and immediately wished he hadn't. George glared at him,furious.
　　'What! That nasty, rude tangly-haired girl like me!' stormed George. 'Pooh! I can't bear to go nearher.'
　　'Shut up,' said Dick, shortly. The girl looked surprised.
　　'What does she mean?' she asked Dick. 'Am I nasty? You're as rude as I am, anyway.'
　　'There's an ice-cream man,' said Julian, afraid that the hot-tempered George would fly at the girl andslap her. He whistled to the man, who came to the edge of the rocks and handed out six ice-creams.
　　'Here you are,' said Julian, handing one to the girl. 'You eat that up and go.'
　　They all sat and ate ice-creams, George still scowling. Timmy gulped his at once as usual. 'Look- he's had all his,' marvelled the girl. 'I call that a waste. Here, boy - have a bit of mine!'
　　To George's annoyance, Timmy licked up the bit of ice-cream thrown to him by the girl. How couldTimmy accept anything from her?
　　Dick couldn't help being amused by this queer, bold little girl, with her tangled short hair and sharpdarting eyes. He suddenly saw something that made him feel uncomfortable.
　　On her chin the girl had a big black bruise. 'I say,' said Dick, 'I didn't give you that bruise yesterday,did I?'
　　'What bruise? Oh, this one on my chin?' said the girl, touching it. 'Yes, that's where you hit me whenyou sent me flying. I don't mind. I've had plenty worse ones from my Dad.'
　　'I'm sorry I hit you,' said Dick, awkwardly. 'I honestly thought you were a boy. What's your name?'
　　'Jo,' said the girl.
　　'But that's a boy's name,' said Dick.
　　'So's George. But you said she was a girl,' said Jo, licking the last bits of ice-cream from her fingers.
　　'Yes, but George is short for Georgina,' said Anne. 'What's Jo short for?'
　　'Don't know,' said Jo. 'I never heard. All I know is I'm a girl and my name is Jo.'
　　'It's probably short for Josephine,' said Julian. They all stared at the possible Josephine. The shortname of Jo certainly suited her - but not the long and pretty name of Josephine.
　　19
　　'It's really queer,' said Anne, at last, 'but Jo is awfully like you, George - same short curly hair -only Jo's is terribly messy and tangly - same freckles, dozens of them - same turned-up nose...'
　　'Same way of sticking her chin up in the air, same scowl, same glare!' said Dick. George put on herfiercest glare at these remarks, which she didn't like at all.
　　'Well, all I can say I hope I haven't her layers of dirt and her sm -' she began, angrily. But Dickstopped her.
　　'She's probably not got any soap or hair-brush or anything. She'd be all right cleaned up. Don't beunkind, George.'
　　George turned her back. How could Dick stick up for that awful girl? 'Isn't she ever going?' she said.
　　'Or is she going to park herself on us all day long?'
　　'I'll go when I want to,' said Jo, and put on a scowl, so exactly like George's that Julian and Dicklaughed in surprise. Jo laughed, too, but George clenched her fists furiously. Anne looked on indistress. She wished Jo would go, then everything would be all right again.
　　'I like that dog,' said Jo, suddenly, and she leaned over to where Timmy lay beside George. Shepatted him with a hand that was like a little brown paw. George swung round.
　　'Don't touch my dog!' she said. 'He doesn't like you, either!'
　　'Oh, but he does,' said Jo, surprisingly. 'All dogs like me. So do cats. I can make your dog come to meas easy as anything.'
　　'Try!' said George, scornfully. 'He won't go to you! Will you, Tim?'
　　Jo didn't move. She began to make a queer little whining noise down in her throat, like a forlornpuppy. Timmy pricked up his ears at once. He looked inquiringly at Jo. Jo stopped making the noiseand held out her hand.
　　Timmy looked at it and turned away - but when he heard the whining again he got up, listening.
　　He stared intently at Jo. Was this a kind of dog-girl, that she could so well speak his language?
　　Jo flung herself on her face and went on with the small, whining noises that sounded as if she were asmall dog in pain or sorrow. Timmy walked over to her and sat down, his head on one side, puzzled.
　　Then he suddenly bent down and licked the girl's half-hidden face. She sat up at once and put herarms round Timmy's neck.
　　'Come here, Timmy,' said George, jealously. Timmy shook off the brown arms that held him andwalked over to George at once.
　　Jo laughed.
　　20
　　'See? I made him come to me and give me one of his best licks! I can do that to any dog.'
　　'How can you?' asked Dick, in wonder. He had never seen Timmy make friends before with anyonewho was disliked by George.
　　'I don't know, really,' said Jo, pushing back her hair again, as she sat up. 'I reckon it's in the family.
　　My mother was in a circus, and she trained dogs for the ring. We had dozens - lovely they were. Iloved them all.'
　　'Where is your mother?' asked Julian. 'Is she still in the circus?'
　　'No. She died,' said Jo. 'And I left the circus with my Dad. We've got a caravan. Dad was an acrobattill he hurt his foot.'
　　The four children remembered how the man had dragged his foot as he walked. They looked silentlyat dirty little Jo. What a strange life she must have led!
　　'She's dirty, she's probably very good at telling lies and thieving, but she's got pluck,' thought Julian.
　　'Still, I'll be glad when she goes.'
　　'I wish I hadn't given her that awful bruise,' thought Dick. 'I wonder what she'd be like cleaned up andbrushed? She looks as if a little kindness would do her good.'
　　'I'm sorry for her, but I don't much like her,' thought Anne.
　　'I don't believe a word she says!' thought George angrily. 'Not one word! She's a humbug. And I'mashamed of Timmy for going to her. I feel very cross with him.'
　　'Where's your father?' asked Julian at last.
　　'Gone off somewhere to meet somebody,' said Jo vaguely. 'I'm glad. He was in one of his tempers thismorning. I went and hid under the caravan.'
　　There was a silence. 'Can I stay with you today till my Dad comes back?' said Jo suddenly, in hersing-song voice. 'I'll wash myself if you like. I'm all alone today.'
　　'No. We don't want you,' said George, feeling as if she really couldn't bear Jo any longer. 'Do we,Anne?'
　　Anne didn't like hurting anyone. She hesitated. 'Well,' she said at last, 'perhaps Jo had better go.'
　　'Yes,' said Julian. 'It's time you scooted off now, Jo. You've had a long time with us.'
　　Jo looked at Dick with mournful eyes, and touched the bruise on her chin as if it hurt her. Dick feltmost uncomfortable again. He looked round at the others.
　　'Don't you think she could stay and share our picnic?' he said. 'After all - she can't help being dirtyand - and...'
　　21
　　'It's all right,' said Jo, suddenly scrambling up. 'I'm going! There's my Dad!'
　　They saw the man in the distance, dragging his foot as he walked. He caught sight of Jo and gave ashrill and piercing whistle. Jo made a face at them all, an impudent, ugly, insolent face.
　　'I don't like you!' she said. Then she pointed at Dick. 'I only like him - he's nice. Yah to the rest ofyou!'
　　And off she went like a hare over the sand, her bare feet hardly touching the ground.
　　'What an extraordinary girl!' said Julian. 'I don't feel we've seen the last of her yet!'
5.“小邋遢”
　　“小邋遢”
　　——琼
　　比谁能把果核喷得更远？迪克的提议让乔治很惊讶。
　　“放心，”朱利安低声对乔治说，“迪克很擅长这类游戏，他肯定会赢的，然后我们就可以名正言顺地让那个女孩离开了。”
　　“你们太有心机了，迪克，”乔治大声说，“太讨厌了！”
　　“是谁去年跟我比吐樱桃核，还赢了我呢？”迪克立刻反驳道，“别自视清高了，乔治。”
　　这时，安妮慢悠悠地从水潭边回来了，她很好奇为什么大家都跑到了岩石上。突然，果核像雨点般砸落在她周围，她震惊不已，停下了脚步。不会是他们扔的吧？一颗果核忽然砸在了她赤裸的胳膊上，吓得她尖叫起来。
　　小邋遢轻而易举地赢了，她的果核至少要比迪克的多飞出三英尺。她躺在地上大笑起来，露出了洁白闪亮的牙齿。
　　“你欠我一根冰激凌。”她用如歌般的声音说，朱利安不免猜想她会不会是南威尔士人 。迪克目瞪口呆地看着她，她竟能把果核喷得那么远！
　　“我说到做到，不用担心。”迪克说，“没有人能赢我，就连学校里的大嘴史蒂文也是我的手下败将。
　　“你们太可恶了。”安妮说，“快给她买根冰激凌，让她回家吧。”
　　“不，我就在这儿吃。”小邋遢突然倔强起来，神情跟乔治得不到想要的东西时一模一样。
　　“你这样子看起来真像乔治！”话一出口迪克立刻就后悔了。乔治这时正怒视着他，眼睛里似乎能冒出火来。
　　“什么！那个肮脏、粗鲁、头发都黏成一块儿的家伙像我！”乔治气呼呼地说，“哼！我根本不想靠近她半步！”
　　“住口！”迪克立刻说。小邋遢听了乔治的话则大吃一惊。
　　“她说什么？”她问迪克，“我脏？你比我干净不到哪里去！”
　　“卖冰激凌的人来了。”朱利安赶紧说。他害怕两人继续吵下去，乔治会失去理智，冲上去揍那小邋遢一顿。他冲着卖冰激凌的人吹了吹口哨，那人走了过来，给了他六根冰激凌。
　　“这是你的，”朱利安把冰激凌递给那个小女孩，“吃完就走吧。”
　　所有人都坐下来开始吃冰激凌，只有乔治仍然眉头紧锁、闷闷不乐。蒂米还是和往常一样，三下五除二就把冰激凌吃完了。“看，它已经吃光了，”小邋遢惊讶地说，“真是浪费！来，给你一口我的！”
　　蒂米上前把小邋遢扔过来的冰激凌一舔而尽，这让乔治大为恼火，蒂米怎么能吃这家伙给的东西？
　　迪克看着眼前这个头发凌乱、咄咄逼人的小邋遢，不禁笑了起来。她真是既冒失，又古怪！迪克的目光移到小邋遢的下巴上，突然有些自责。
　　小女孩的下巴上有一大块淤青。迪克问：“你下巴上的伤是我昨天打的吗？”
　　“什么伤？哦，下巴上的这个？”小邋遢说着摸了摸下巴，“对，是你昨天打的。不过没关系，我爸爸下手更狠呢。”
　　“抱歉，我不该打你的。”迪克不好意思地说，“我当时真以为你是个男孩。你叫什么名字？”
　　“琼。”小邋遢说。
　　“可那是男生的名字，”迪克说。
　　“乔治也是男孩的名字呀，可你们都说她是个女孩。”琼说着，把手指上的冰激凌舔得一干二净。
　　“话虽如此，可乔治是乔治娜的简称。”安妮说，“你的全名是什么？”
　　“我不知道，”琼说，“没人跟我讲过，我只知道我是个女孩，我叫琼。”
　　“会不会是琼瑟芬？”朱利安说。所有人都注视着这个可能叫琼瑟芬的女孩，“不过，还是琼这个名字比较适合她，琼瑟芬听起来又长又优雅，一点都不适合她。”
　　“真奇怪，”安妮最后还是忍不住开口道，“乔治，你和琼长得真像！你们都留着短短的鬈发，只是琼的头发有些脏兮兮、乱蓬蓬的。你们脸上的雀斑和微微上翘的鼻子也一模一样……”
　　“就连抬下巴，还有皱眉和瞪人的动作看起来也一模一样！”迪克插嘴道。
　　可是，这些话惹恼了乔治，她怒视着他们说：“好吧，我只能说，我不像她那样又脏又臭……”
　　话未说完，迪克打断了她。“她可能只是没有香皂或梳子什么的，不然她肯定会打理得干干净净。别这么刻薄，乔治。”
　　乔治不高兴地转过身去，心中愤愤不平，迪克怎么能帮这个臭丫头说话呢？“她到底走不走？”乔治问，“还是说，她打算一整天都赖着我们？”
　　“我想走就走，用不着你管！”琼说着皱起了眉，跟乔治简直就像是一个模子里刻出来的，朱利安和迪克不禁大笑。琼也忍不住笑了，但乔治却愤怒地握紧了拳头。安妮十分不安，她希望琼赶紧走，这样一切又会恢复平静。
　　“我喜欢这只狗。”琼突然说。她凑到蒂米身旁，伸出她棕色的小手轻轻拍了拍蒂米。乔治刚好在蒂米旁边，她突然转过身来。
　　“快把你的脏手拿开！”乔治叫道，“它讨厌你！”
　　“噢，不，它喜欢我。”琼惊讶地说，“所有的小猫小狗都愿意跟我交朋友。信不信？我不费吹灰之力，就能让它靠近我。”
　　“那你试试！”乔治轻蔑地说，“它才不会理你呢！是吧，蒂米？”
　　琼站在原地不动，喉咙里发出一阵奇怪、类似于呜咽的声音，听上去就像一只被抛弃的小狗在叫唤。蒂米听到后立刻竖起耳朵，好奇地看着琼。这时琼安静了下来，向蒂米伸出了一只手。
　　蒂米看了看那只手，并未理睬，但它又听到了那种呜咽的声音。它站了起来，仔细地聆听着。它目不转睛地看着琼，心想，她也是一只小狗吗？她怎么会说狗的语言？
　　琼突然捂住了脸，继续发出低沉的呜咽声，听起来就像一只悲伤的小狗。蒂米朝她走了过去，坐在她身旁。它侧着头，疑惑地看着琼。突然，蒂米低下头来舔了一下琼半遮着的脸，琼立刻坐起来，用胳膊环抱住蒂米的脖子。
　　“回来，蒂米！”乔治有些嫉妒地呼唤蒂米。蒂米挣脱琼的胳膊，马上回到了乔治身边。
　　琼大笑起来。
　　“看到了吗？我能让它过来舔我，换成其他狗也会这样做。”
　　“你是怎么做到的？”迪克好奇极了。他从来没见过蒂米会跟乔治讨厌的人如此亲密。
　　“说实话，我也不知道，”琼把头发捋到脑后，坐了起来，“可能是妈妈遗传给我的吧，她以前在马戏团工作，负责训练狗狗表演跳环。我们养过好几十只狗，个个都很可爱，我可喜欢它们了。”
　　“你妈妈在哪儿？”朱利安问，“还在马戏团吗？”
　　“不，她去世了。”琼说，“我爸爸原本也是个杂技演员，可后来他的脚受伤了，于是我跟着他离开了马戏团，住在一个大篷车里。”
　　四个孩子想起了琼的父亲走路时一瘸一拐的样子。他们沉默地看着琼，心想，她的生活可真不寻常！
　　“她看起来很脏，估计还是个撒谎、盗窃的老手，却有着过人的胆量。”朱利安心想，“不过，我还是希望她赶紧离开。”
　　“我要是没打她就好了，”迪克心里懊悔极了，“她要是洗过澡、梳好头发会是什么样子？她看起来需要帮助。”
　　“她的遭遇令人同情，但我还是不喜欢她。”安妮心想。
　　“她说的话我一个字都不信！”乔治气鼓鼓地想，“她就是个骗子，蒂米居然靠近她，真丢人！它真的要气死我了！”
　　“你爸爸呢？”朱利安最后问道。
　　“去什么地方见什么人了。”琼模棱两可地说，“他不在太好了！
　　他今早又发脾气了，吓得我躲到了大篷车底下。”
　　又是一阵沉默。“爸爸回来之前，我能和你们待在一块儿吗？”琼唱歌般的嗓音响起，“你们要是介意我脏的话，我可以去洗一洗。今天就我一个人。”
　　“不，我们不想跟你待在一起。”乔治说，听起来她好像再也忍受不了琼的存在，“对吧，安妮？”
　　安妮不想伤害任何人，她迟疑了一会儿。“唉，”她终于开口道，“琼最好还是离开吧。”
　　“是的，”朱利安说，“你该走了，琼。你已经跟我们待了很长一段时间了。”
　　琼哀求地看着迪克，摸了摸下巴上的淤青，好像那里正隐隐作痛。迪克再次感到愧疚，他看了看几个小伙伴。
　　“你们难道不觉得让她留下来，跟我们一起野餐也挺好的吗？”他说，“毕竟不是她自己想要搞得这么脏兮兮的，而且……”
　　“不用了，”琼突然爬了起来，“我得走了，我爸爸回来了！”
　　他们看到琼的爸爸正一瘸一拐地从远处走来，他发现了琼，吹了一声响亮而刺耳的口哨。琼冲着朱利安他们扮了个粗鲁无礼的鬼脸。
　　“我讨厌你们！”说完她又指着迪克，“我只喜欢他，他人不错。
　　你们几个太差劲了！”
　　接着，她像兔子一般一溜烟跑掉了。她赤脚奔跑着，轻轻地掠过地面。
　　“真是个奇怪的女孩！”朱利安说，“我觉得我们还会再跟她打交道的！”
Chapter 6 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT?
　　Chapter 6 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT?
　　That night Anne began to look rather scared as darkness fell. She was remembering the Face at theWindow!
　　'It won't come again, Ju, will it?' she said to her big brother half a dozen times.
　　'No, Anne. But if you like I'll come and lie down on George's bed instead of George tonight, and staywith you all night long,' said Julian.
　　Anne considered this and then shook her head. 'No. I think I'd almost rather have George and Timmy.
　　I mean - George and I - and even you - might be scared of Faces, but Timmy wouldn't.
　　He'd simply leap at them.'
　　'You're quite right,' said Julian. 'He would. All right then, I won't keep you company - but you'll see,nothing whatever will happen tonight. Anyway, if you like, we'll all close our bedroom windows andfasten them, even if we are too hot for anything - then we'll know nobody can possibly get in.'
　　So that night Julian not only closed all the doors and windows downstairs as he had done the nightbefore (except the tiny pantry window that wouldn't shut), but he also shut and fastened all the onesupstairs.
　　'What about Joan's window?' asked Anne.
　　'She always sleeps with it shut, summer and winter,' said Julian, with a grin. 'Country folk often do.
　　They think the night air's dangerous. Now you've nothing at all to worry about, silly.'
　　22
　　So Anne went to bed with her mind at rest. George drew the curtains across their window so thateven if the Face came again they wouldn't be able to see it!
　　'Let Timmy out for me, Julian, will you?' called George. 'Anne doesn't want me to leave her, even totake old Timmy out for his last walk. Just open the door and let him out. He'll come in when he'sready.'
　　'Right!' called Julian, and opened the front door Timmy trotted out, tail wagging. He loved his lastsniff round. He liked to smell the trail of the hedgehog who was out on his night-rounds; he liked toput his nose down a rabbit-hole and listen to stirrings down below; and he loved to follow themeanderings of rats and mice round by the thick hedges.
　　'Isn't Timmy in yet?' called George from the top of the stairs. 'Do call him, Ju. I want to get into bed.
　　Anne's half-asleep already.'
　　'He'll be in in a moment,' said Julian, who wanted to finish his book. 'Don't fuss.'
　　But no Timmy had appeared even when he had finished his book. Julian went to the door andwhistled. He listened for Timmy to come. Then, hearing nothing, he whistled once more.'
　　This time he heard the sound of pattering footsteps coming up the path to the door. 'Oh there you are,Tim,' said Julian. 'What have you been up to? Chasing rabbits or something?'
　　Timothy wagged his tail feebly. He didn't jump up at Julian as he usually did. 'You look as if you'vebeen up to some mischief, Tim,' said Julian. 'Go on - up to bed with you - and mind you bark if youhear the smallest sound in the night.'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, in rather a subdued voice, and went upstairs. He climbed on to George's bed andsighed heavily.
　　'What a sigh!' said George. 'And what have you been eating, Timmy? Pooh - you've dug up somefrightful old bone, I know you have. I've a good mind to push you off my bed. I suppose yousuddenly remembered one you buried months ago. Pooh!'
　　Timmy wouldn't be pushed off the bed. He settled down to sleep, his nose on George's feet as usual.
　　He snored a little, and woke George in about half an hour.
　　'Shut up, Timmy,' she said, pushing him with her feet. Anne woke up, alarmed.
　　'What is it, George?' she whispered, her heart thumping.
　　'Nothing. Only Timmy snoring. Hark at him. He won't stop,' said George, irritated. 'Wake up,Timmy, and stop snoring.'
　　23
　　Timmy moved sleepily and settled down again. He stopped snoring and George and Anne fell soundasleep. Julian woke once, thinking he heard something fall - but hearing Timmy gently snoring againthrough the open doors of the two rooms, he lay down, his mind at rest.
　　If the noise had really been a noise Timmy would have heard it, no doubt about that. George alwayssaid that Timmy slept with one ear open.
　　Julian heard nothing more till Joan went downstairs at seven o'clock. He heard her go into the kitchenand do something to the kitchen grate. He turned over and fell asleep again.
　　He was wakened suddenly twenty minutes later by loud screams from downstairs. He sat up and thenleapt out of bed at once. He rushed downstairs. Dick followed him.
　　'Look at this! The master's study - turned upside down - those drawers ransacked! The safe's open,too. Mercy me, who's been here in the night - with all the doors locked and bolted, too!'
　　Joan wailed loudly and wrung her hands as she gazed at the untidy room.
　　'I say!' said Dick, horrified. 'Someone's been searching for something pretty thoroughly! Even got thesafe open - and wrenched the drawers out.'
　　'How did he get in?' said Julian, feeling bewildered. He went round the house, looking at doors andwindows. Except for the kitchen door, which Joan said she had unlocked and unbolted herself assoon as she came down, not a window or door had been touched. All were fastened securely.
　　Anne came down, looking scared. 'What's the matter?' she said. But Julian brushed her aside.
　　How did that burglar get in? That was what he wanted to know. Through one of the upstairswindows, he supposed - one that somebody had opened last night after he had fastened it.
　　Perhaps in the girls' room?
　　But no - not one window was open. All were fastened securely, including Joan's. Then a thoughtstruck him as he looked into George's room. Why hadn't Timmy barked? After all, there must havebeen quite a bit of noise, however quiet the thief had been. He had himself heard something and hadawakened. Why hadn't Timmy, then?
　　George was trying to pull Timmy off the bed. 'Ju, Ju! There's something wrong with Timmy. Hewon't wake up!' she cried. 'He's breathing so heavily, too - just listen to him! And what's the matterdownstairs? What's happened?'
　　24
　　Julian told her shortly while he examined Timmy. 'Somebody got in last night - your father's study'sin the most awful mess - absolutely ransacked from top to bottom, safe and all. Goodness knows howthe fellow got in to do it.'
　　'How awful!' said George, looking very pale. 'And now something's wrong with Tim. He didn't wakeup last night when the burglar came - he's ill, Julian!'
　　'No, he's not. He's been doped,' said Julian, pulling back Timmy's eyelids. 'So that's why he was solong outside last night! Somebody gave him some meat or something with dope in - some kind ofdrug. And he ate it, and slept so soundly that he never heard a thing - and isn't even awake yet.'
　　'Oh, Julian - will he be all right?' asked George anxiously, stroking Timmy's motionless body.
　　'But how could he take any food from a stranger in the night?'
　　'May be he picked it up - the burglar may have flung it down hoping that Timmy would eat it, saidJulian. 'Now I understand why he looked so sheepish when he came in. He didn't even jump up andlick me.'
　　'Oh, dear - Timmy, do, do wake up,' begged poor George, and she shook the big dog gently. Hegroaned a little and snuggled down again.
　　'Leave him,' said Julian. 'He'll be all right. He's not poisoned, only drugged. Come down and see thedamage!'
　　George was horrified at the state of her father's study. 'They were after his two special books ofAmerican notes, I'm sure they were,' she said. 'Father said that any other country in the world wouldbe glad to have those. Whatever are we to do?'
　　'Better get in the police,' said Julian, gravely. 'We can't manage this sort of thing ourselves. And doyou know your father's address in Spain?'
　　'No,' wailed George. 'He and Mother said they were going to have a real holiday this time - no lettersto be forwarded, and no address left till they had been settled somewhere for a few days.
　　Then they'd telegraph it.'
　　'Well, we'll certainly have to get the police in, then,' said Julian, looking rather white and stern.
　　George glanced at him. He seemed suddenly very grown-up indeed. She watched him go out of theroom. He went into the hall and rang up the police station. Joan was very relieved.
　　25
　　'Yes, get in the police, that's what we ought to do,' she said. 'There's that nice Constable Wilkins, andthat other one with the red face, what's he called - Mr. Donaldson. I'll be making some coffee forthem when they come.'
　　She cheered up considerably at the thought of handing out cups of her good hot coffee to twointerested policemen, who would ask her plenty of questions that she would be only too delighted toanswer. She bustled off to the kitchen.
　　The four children stared silently at the ruins of the study. What a mess! Could it ever be cleared up?
　　Nobody would know what was gone till Uncle Quentin came back. How furious he would be.
　　'I hope nothing very important has been taken,' said Dick. 'It looks as if somebody knew there wassomething valuable here, and meant to get it!'
　　'And has probably got it,' said Julian. 'Hallo - that must be the police! Come on - I can see it will be along time before we get our breakfast this morning!'
6.晚上发生了什么？
　　晚上发生了什么？
　　夜幕降临，安妮开始害怕起来。她又想起了昨晚窗外的那张人脸！
　　“朱利安，他还会再来吗？”她问了哥哥好几次。
　　“不会的，安妮。如果你不介意的话，我今晚可以和乔治换床睡，这样我一晚上都可以陪着你。”朱利安说。
　　安妮思索了一会儿，摇了摇头。“不用了，我还是希望乔治和蒂米睡在我旁边。我、乔治，还有你都有可能被那张脸吓得不知所措，但蒂米不会，它会直接扑上去，抓住那个人。”
　　“你说得没错，”朱利安说，“蒂米肯定会这样做的。好，那我就不陪你了，但你放心，今晚不会有事的。你需要的话，我们把卧室里的所有窗户都关上，虽然可能会有些热，但也就没人能进来了。”
　　于是，朱利安像昨晚一样，除了食物储藏室那扇关不上的小窗户外，他把楼下的所有门窗都关了起来。
　　“乔安娜的窗户关上了吗？”安妮问。
　　“不管冬天还是夏天，她睡觉时总把窗户关得死死的。”朱利安笑着说，“乡下人都这样，他们认为晚上的空气很危险。现在你没什么好担心的了，小傻瓜。”
　　于是安妮放心地上床了。乔治拉上了窗帘，即使那张脸再出现，她们也看不到！
　　“朱利安，可以帮我把蒂米放出去吗？”乔治喊道，“安妮不想让我离开，就算我带蒂米出去散个步也不行。你只需要把门打开，放它出去，它散完步会自己回来的。”
　　“好！”朱利安应道，打开了前门。蒂米摇着尾巴，小跑着出去了。它睡前总要在周围嗅上一圈才肯回去。它喜欢寻找刺猬夜行时留下的踪迹；喜欢趴在兔子窝边，把鼻子伸进洞里，聆听里面惊慌的躁动声。它最喜欢的是匍匐在茂密的树篱下，追踪田鼠迂回曲折的足迹。
　　“蒂米还没回来吗？”乔治在楼上喊，“叫它回来吧，朱利安。我想睡觉了，安妮也快睡着了。”
　　“它马上就回来了。”朱利安翻着手里的书，心不在焉地回答，“不要吵。”
　　但直到他把书看完，蒂米也没回来。朱利安站在门口吹了声口哨，以为马上能听到蒂米跑回来的声音。但他什么都没有听见，于是他又吹了一声口哨。
　　这一次，他听到门前的小路上传来嗒嗒的脚步声。“噢，你终于回来了，蒂米。”朱利安说，“你干嘛去了？追兔子去了吗？”
　　蒂米无力地摇了摇尾巴，它没有像平时一样亲密地扑到朱利安的身上。“别耍花招了，蒂米。”朱利安说，“上楼睡觉吧，晚上要是听到什么动静，记得叫醒我们。”
　　“汪。”蒂米好像提不起精神，小声地叫着。它上了楼，爬到乔治的床上，重重地喘了一口气。
　　“你怎么了？”乔治问，“噢，你吃了些什么，蒂米？你不会又去挖那些破骨头了吧？肯定是！太恶心了，我真想把你推下床。我猜，你肯定是突然想起来你几个月前埋过的那些骨头吧。唉，真是的！”
　　但乔治根本推不动蒂米。蒂米已经趴在床上睡着了，它的鼻子像往常一样贴在乔治的脚边。它轻轻地打着呼噜。大概半小时后，乔治被它的呼噜声吵醒了。
　　“安静，蒂米。”她用脚推了推蒂米。安妮这时警觉地醒了过来。
　　“怎么了，乔治？”她的心砰砰直跳，小声问道。
　　“没什么，只是蒂米在打呼噜。你听听，它根本停不下来。”乔治生气地说，“醒醒，蒂米，安静！”
　　蒂米迷迷糊糊地挪了挪身体，又躺下睡着了。它停止了打鼾，乔治和安妮很快进入了梦乡。朱利安中途醒了一次，他好像听到什么东西掉下来。但他听到隔壁传来蒂米轻微的鼾声，便放下心，又躺下沉沉地睡去了。
　　如果真有什么动静，蒂米肯定能听到，这毫无疑问。乔治总说，蒂米就算睡着了，也警觉得很。
　　朱利安这一夜睡得十分安稳，第二天早上七点，他隐隐约约听见乔安娜下楼去了厨房，在炉子旁不停地忙活着。他翻了个身，又睡着了。
　　20分钟后，他突然被楼下传来的尖叫声惊醒。他立马坐了起来，翻身下床，冲下楼去。迪克紧跟在他身后。
　　“快来呀！书房被翻了个底朝天！所有的抽屉都被翻得乱七八糟！保险柜也被撬开了。天哪，昨晚所有的门都锁好了，门闩也插上了，到底是谁闯进来了！”乔安娜大声喊道。她看着凌乱的书房，止不住地绞着颤抖着的双手。
　　“天哪！”迪克惊恐地说，“像是有人在翻找什么东西，连保险柜和抽屉都没有放过。”
　　“小偷到底是怎么进来的？”朱利安想不通。他绕着房子查看了一圈，检查门窗是否关好。可除了厨房的门是乔安娜下楼后才打开的，其他的门窗都关得好好的，没有松动的迹象。
　　安妮也下楼来了，她看到杂乱的书房后一脸惊恐。“发生了什么？”她问。朱利安没有回答。他把她推到一边，试图弄明白小偷到底是怎么进来的。昨晚在他关紧门窗后，难道有人又打开了窗户，小偷趁机爬进来了？小偷是从女孩们的房间里进来的吗？
　　答案是否定的。楼上的窗户都关得好好的，包括乔安娜房间里的窗户。在朱利安查看乔治的房间时，一个念头突然闪现。为什么蒂米没有叫醒他们呢？不管那小偷再怎么小心，他肯定会弄出声响。他自己半夜就听到了动静，醒过一次。但蒂米为什么没醒呢？
　　此时楼上的乔治正尝试把蒂米推下床。“朱利安！蒂米有些不对劲，我叫不醒它！”乔治大声喊道，“它还喘着粗气，快来看看它！
　　楼下怎么了？发生了什么事？”
　　朱利安一边查看蒂米，一边简要地向乔治说明了楼下的情况。“昨晚有人闯进来了，昆廷叔叔的书房被掀了个底朝天，保险柜还有其他地方都没能幸免。不知道那家伙是怎么进来的。”
　　“太糟糕了！”乔治脸色惨白，“蒂米也出事了。昨晚小偷进来时它竟然没醒，它肯定生病了，朱利安！”
　　“不，它只是被人下了药。”朱利安检查了蒂米的瞳孔后说道，“怪不得昨晚它在外面溜达了那么久！有人喂它吃了掺有安眠药的食物，所以它才睡得这么沉，昨晚什么都没听见，到现在还没醒。”
　　“噢，朱利安，它不会有事吧？”乔治摇了摇朱利安，焦急地问，“蒂米昨晚怎么会吃陌生人的食物呢？”
　　“有可能是它捡到的。小偷为了不让蒂米怀疑，就把肉扔在了地上。”朱利安说，“现在我终于明白，为什么昨晚它回来时看上去那么疲惫。它都没像往常那样跳起来舔我。”
　　“噢，亲爱的蒂米，拜托，快醒过来吧。”乔治祈求道。她轻轻地摇了摇蒂米，蒂米哼哼了几声，又躺下睡着了。
　　“不用管它，”朱利安说，“它没事，没有中毒，只是被下了药。
　　先去看看楼下的情况吧！”
　　书房里一片狼藉，乔治吓了一跳。“他们肯定是要找爸爸从美国带回来的两本笔记本，我敢肯定。”她说，“爸爸说过，其他国家的人都想得到它们。这下我们该怎么办？”
　　“我们最好报警，”朱利安脸色凝重地说，“我们无法应对这种情况。你知道昆廷叔叔在西班牙的地址吗？”
　　“不知道，”乔治难过地说，“爸爸妈妈说，这次他们要好好度假，不让我们寄信。他们要先安顿下来，几天后发电报告诉我们地址。”
　　“好吧，那我们只能报警了。”朱利安说。乔治发现，朱利安虽然脸色苍白，却一脸坚定，好像突然成熟了不少。朱利安走出书房，来到客厅，拨通了警局的电话。看到朱利安报警，乔安娜终于松了一口气。
　　“对，我们的确应该报警。”她说，“警局里有个威尔金斯警官，他人很好。还有一个红脸的警官，他们都管他叫唐纳森先生。他们待会儿来的时候，我准备些咖啡招待他们。”
　　想到自己端出浓香的热咖啡招待两位警官，他们还会问她很多问题，乔安娜激动不已，心情一下子明朗了。她急忙进入厨房忙活起来。
　　四个孩子沉默地看着书房的惨状：真是一团乱，这怎么收拾啊？只有等昆廷叔叔回来，才知道到底丢了什么。但昆廷叔叔知道这些事后肯定会大发雷霆。
　　“真希望小偷没偷走什么重要的东西，”迪克说，“他好像知道书房里有珍贵的东西，专程来偷的！”
　　“他可能已经得逞了，”朱利安说，这时门铃突然响了，“稍等——肯定是警察来了！唉，看来今天想要吃到早饭，可要等好久了！”
Chapter 7 POLICEMEN IN THE HOUSE
　　Chapter 7 POLICEMEN IN THE HOUSE
　　The police were very, very thorough. The children got tired of them long before lunch-time; Joandidn't. She made them cups of coffee and put some of her homemade buns on a plate and sent Anneto pick up ripe plums. She felt proud to think that it was she who had discovered the ransacked study.
　　There were two policemen. One was a sergeant, rather solemn and very correct. He interviewed eachof the children and asked them exactly the same questions. The other man went over the study bit bybit, very thoroughly indeed.
　　'Looking for finger-prints, I suppose,' said Anne. 'Oh dear - when can we go and bathe?'
　　The thing that puzzled everyone, the police included, was - how did the thief or thieves get in?
　　Both policemen went round the house, slowly and deliberately trying every door and window stilllocked or fastened. They stood and looked at the pantry window for some time.
　　'Got in there, I suppose,' said one of them.
　　26
　　'Must have been as small as a monkey then,' said the other. He turned to Anne, who was the smallestof the four children. 'Could you squeeze through there, Missy, do you think?'
　　'No,' said Anne. 'But I'll try if you like.' So she tried - but she stuck fast before she got even halfwaythrough, and Julian had to pull hard to get her down again.
　　'Have you any idea what has been stolen, sir?' the sergeant asked Julian, who seemed extraordinarilygrownup that morning.
　　'No, sergeant - none of us has,' said Julian. 'Not even George here, who knows her father's workbetter than any of us. The only thing we know is that my uncle went to America to lecture a shorttime ago - and he brought back two notebooks, full of valuable diagrams and notes. He did say thatother countries might be very glad to get hold of those. I expect they were in that safe.'
　　'Well - they'll certainly be gone then,' said the sergeant, shutting his own fat notebook with a snap.
　　'Pity when people leave such things in an ordinary safe - and then go off without leaving an address.
　　Can't we possibly get in touch with him? This may be terribly important.'
　　'I know,' said Julian, looking worried. 'We shall have an address in a day or two - but I honestly don'tsee how we can get in touch before then.'
　　'Right,' said the sergeant. 'Well - we'll go now - but we'll bring back a photographer with us afterlunch to photograph the room - then your cook can tidy it up. I know she's longing to.'
　　'Coming back again!' said Anne, when the two men had solemnly walked down the path, mountedvery solid-looking bicycles, and gone sailing down the lane. 'Good gracious! Have we got to answerquestions all over again?'
　　'Well, we'll go down to the beach and take a boat and go rowing,' said Julian, with a laugh. 'We'll beout of reach then. I don't see that we can give them any more help. I must say it's all very peculiar - Iwish to goodness I knew how the thief got in.'
　　George had been very quiet and subdued all the morning. She had worried about Timmy, fearing thathe had been poisoned, and not merely drugged, as Julian had said. But Timmy was now quiterecovered, except that he seemed a bit sleepy still, and not inclined to gambol round in his usualridiculous way. He looked extremely sheepish, too.
　　'I can't think why Timmy looks like that,' said George, puzzled. 'He usually only puts that look onwhen he's done something he's ashamed of - or got into mischief. He couldn't possibly know, couldhe, that whatever he picked up and ate last night was something he shouldn't eat?'
　　27
　　'No,' said Dick. 'He's sensible though, I think, not to touch poisoned meat - but he couldn't know ifsome harmless sleeping powder had been put into anything. It might have no smell and no taste.
　　Perhaps he's just ashamed of being so sleepy!'
　　'If only he'd been awake!' groaned George. 'He would have heard any noise downstairs at once -and he'd have barked and waked us all, and flown downstairs himself to attack whoever was there!
　　Why, oh why didn't I take him out myself last night as I usually do?'
　　'It was a chapter of accidents,' said Julian. 'You didn't take him out, so he was alone - and it happenedthat someone was waiting there with drugged food - which he either found or took from the thief....'
　　'No,' said George. 'Timmy would never, never take anything from someone he didn't know. I'vealways taught him that.'
　　'Well, he got it somehow - and slept through the very night he should have been awake,' said Julian.
　　'What I'm so afraid of, George, is that the thieves have got your father's two American notebooks.
　　They seem to have left most of the stuff - piles and piles of books of all kinds, filled with your father'stiny handwriting.'
　　Joan came in to say lunch was ready. She told the children that the policemen had eaten every one ofher home-made buns. She still felt important and excited, and was longing to get out to the villageand tell everyone the news.
　　'You'd better stay in and give the policemen a good tea,' said Julian. 'They're coming back with aphotographer.'
　　'Then I'd better do another baking,' said Joan, pleased.
　　'Yes. Make one of your chocolate cakes,' said Anne.
　　'Oh, do you think they'd like one?' said Joan.
　　'Not for them, Joan - for us, of course!' said George. 'Don't waste one of your marvellous chocolatecakes on policemen. Can you make us up a picnic tea? We're fed up with being indoors- we're going out in a boat.'
　　Joan packed them a good tea after they had had their lunch and they all set off before the police cameback. Timmy was much less sleepy now and did a little caper round them as they walked to thebeach. George brightened up at once.
　　'He's getting better,' she said. 'Timmy, I simply shan't let you out of my sight now! If anyone's goingto dope you again they'll have to do it under my very nose.'
　　28
　　They had a lovely time out in George's boat. They went half-way to Kirrin Island and bathed from theboat, diving in and having swimming races till they were tired out. Timmy joined them, though hecouldn't swim nearly as fast as they could.
　　'He doesn't really swim,' said Anne. 'He just tries to run through the water. I wish he'd let me ride onhis back like a sea-dog - but he always slips away under me when I try.'
　　'They got back about six o'clock to find that the policemen had eaten the whole of the chocolate cakethat Joan had made, besides an extraordinary amount of scones and buns.
　　Also the study was now tidied up, and a man had come to mend the safe. Everything was safely backthere, though the police had told Joan that if there was anything of real value it should be handed tothem till George's father came back.
　　'But we don't know which of all those papers are valuable!' said Julian. 'Well - we'll have to wait tillUncle Quentin cables us - and that may not be for days. Anyway, I don't expect we'll be worried bythe thief again - he's got what he wanted.'
　　The exciting happenings of the day had made them all tired except Julian. 'I'm off to bed,' said Dick,about nine o'clock. 'Anne, why don't you go? You look fagged out.'
　　'Yes, I will,' said Anne. 'Coming, George?'
　　'I'm going to take Timmy out for his last walk,' said George. 'I shall never let him go out alone atnight again. Come on, Timmy. If you want to go to bed I'll lock up the front door, Ju.'
　　'Right,' said Julian. 'I'll go up in a minute. I don't fancy staying down here by myself tonight. I'llfasten everything and lock up, except the front door. Don't forget to put up the chain, too, George- though I'm pretty certain we don't need to expect any more burglaries!'
　　'Or faces at the window,' said Anne, at once.
　　'No,' said Julian. 'There won't be any more of those either. Good night, Anne - sleep well!'
　　Anne and Dick went upstairs. Julian finished the paper he was reading, and then got up to go roundthe house and lock up. Joan was already upstairs, dreaming of policemen eating her chocolate cakes.
　　George went out with Timmy. He ran eagerly to the gate and then set off down the lane for his usualnight walk with George. At a gate in the lane he suddenly stood still and growled as if he sawsomething unusual.
　　'Silly, Timmy!' said George, coming up. 'It's only somebody camping in a caravan! Haven't you seena caravan before! Stop growling!'
　　29
　　They went on, Timmy sniffing into every rat hole and rabbit-hole, enjoying himself thoroughly.
　　George was enjoying the walk, too. She didn't hurry - Julian could always go up to bed if he didn'twant to wait.
　　Julian did go up to bed. He left the front door ajar, and went yawning upstairs, suddenly feelingsleepy. He got into bed quietly and quickly seeing that Dick was already asleep. He lay awakelistening for George. When he was half asleep, he heard the front door shut.
　　'There she is,' he thought, and turned over to go to sleep.
　　But it wasn't George. Her bed was empty all that night, and nobody knew, not even Anne.
　　George and Timmy didn't come back!
7.警察来了
　　警察来了
　　警察们检查得十分细致。还没到中午，孩子们就厌倦了，但乔安娜依旧兴致高涨。她给警察们煮了咖啡，端来一盘自制小面包，还让安妮去摘熟透的李子。作为第一个发现书房失窃的人，她感到很自豪。
　　来了两位警察。其中一位是警司，做事认真严谨，一丝不苟。
　　他细细盘问了所有孩子，每次问的问题都一模一样。另一位警察仔细检查了书房的每个角落，不放过任何蛛丝马迹。
　　“我猜，他们在采集指纹。”安妮说，“天哪！我们什么时候才能出去游泳？”
　　所有人都疑惑不解，包括警察在内——不论个人作案还是团伙作案，小偷是怎么进来的？两位警察绕着房子仔细检查了所有门窗，但所有的门窗都关得好好的。他俩站在食品贮藏室的窗户前，盯着看了好一会儿。
　　“我想，”一个警察说，“小偷可能是从那里进去的。”
　　“那他肯定长得又瘦又小，像只猴子。”另一位警察说。他转向四个孩子中最小的安妮，“你能从那里钻进去吗，小姑娘？”
　　“绝对不能，”安妮说，“不过，您要是想亲眼见证一下，我倒可以试试。”安妮试着钻进去，但还没爬到一半就卡住了，朱利安不得不用力把她拉下来。
　　“你知道是什么东西被盗了吗，先生？”警司问朱利安。那天早上，朱利安看起来格外成熟稳重。
　　“我不知道，警司先生，我们都不知道。”朱利安说，“乔治最了解她爸爸——也就是昆廷叔叔的工作，但她也是一头雾水。我们只知道，昆廷叔叔不久前去美国教课，带回了两本笔记，上面满是珍贵的图表和文字。叔叔说，其他国家的人都想要这些资料。它们大概还锁在那个保险箱里。”
　　“噢！这两本笔记肯定已经不在了。”警官说着，“啪”的一声合上了厚厚的笔记本，“可惜啊，人们总把如此贵重的东西放在普通的保险箱里，连去哪儿都不说一声就出门了。我们还有办法联系到他吗？这太重要了！”
　　“我只知道，”朱利安面带愁容，“我们会在一两天内得到他的住址。但在此之前，我们可能联系不到他们了。”
　　“了解了，”警司说，“我们现在要回去了，午饭后，我们会带一位摄影师过来，等他拍摄完现场，就可以让你们的厨师整理房间了。我猜她早就想收拾了。”
　　“还要再来？！”安妮惊叫道。这时，两位警察已经大踏步走上小路，跨上看起来很结实的自行车，沿着车道骑远了。“天哪，我们又要重新回答一遍所有的问题！”
　　“还是去海边划船吧！”朱利安大笑，“这样警察就找不到我们了。我们已经尽力了！这一切真奇怪，我想知道小偷到底是怎么进来的。”
　　整个上午，乔治都一言不发，闷闷不乐。她一直在担心蒂米，害怕像朱利安说的那样，蒂米被下药迷晕了。现在蒂米恢复得差不多了，只是看起来还有点昏昏欲睡。它也不大爱到处疯跑了，变得十分腼腆。
　　“我想不通蒂米为什么这样，”乔治困惑地说，“它一般只有感到惭愧或是淘气的时候，才会做出那样的表情。它肯定不知道自己昨晚吃了不该吃的东西。”
　　“不！”迪克说，“就算蒂米很聪明，能辨别有毒的食物，但要是食物里放了无毒的安眠药，它绝对无法知道！毕竟安眠药无色无味。也许蒂米就是为一直昏昏欲睡而感到惭愧呢！”
　　“要是蒂米当时清醒就好了！”乔治叹了口气，“楼下一有动静，它肯定会听到，就会叫醒我们，自己也会冲下楼去对付。为什么，噢！为什么昨晚我没像往常一样带它出门呢？”
　　“意外真是一个接一个。”朱利安说，“你没有带蒂米出门，它就自己出门了，碰巧有人备好了下药的食物等着它，要么是蒂米自己找到的，要么就是小偷喂给它的……”
　　“不会的，”乔治说，“蒂米绝不会吃陌生人给的东西，我一直都是这样教它的。”
　　“无论如何，它确实吃了，还在本该清醒的时候睡了一夜。”朱利安说，“乔治，我最担心的是，小偷已经拿到了你爸爸从美国带回来的两本笔记。他们好像对其他成堆的书籍都不感兴趣，虽然上面也有你爸爸密密麻麻的笔记。”
　　这时，乔安娜走进来，说午饭已经准备好了，还告诉孩子们警察把她做的小面包吃得精光。乔安娜依旧洋洋得意，自己这次扮演了如此重要的角色，她恨不得立马去村子里告诉所有人。
　　“你最好还是留下来招待警察们喝下午茶，”朱利安说，“他们下午还要带摄影师来。”
　　“那我最好再做点面包。”乔安娜开心地说。
　　“没错，再做些你拿手的巧克力蛋糕吧。”安妮说。
　　“噢，你觉得他们会喜欢吗？”乔安娜问。
　　“当然不是给他们准备的，是给我们的，乔安娜！”乔治说，“才不要把如此美味的巧克力蛋糕浪费在警察身上呢！你能帮我们准备野餐茶点吗？在家里实在是待够了，我们要去划船！”
　　吃完午餐后，乔安娜给孩子们准备了精美的茶点。在警察再次到来之前，他们就出发了。在去沙滩的路上，蒂米精神好多了，还围着孩子们蹦蹦跳跳。乔治见状也高兴起来。
　　“它好起来了。”乔治说，“蒂米，我绝对不会再让你离开我的视线了！再有人想给你下药，得先过我这一关。”
　　他们在乔治的船上玩得很开心。去科林岛的途中，他们下到水中嬉戏，比赛潜水和游泳，直到玩得筋疲力尽。蒂米也加入进来，虽然它没大家游得快。
　　“蒂米不是在游泳，”安妮说，“它只是试图从水里蹚过去。真希望我能骑在它背上，像骑海豹一样。可我一骑上去，它就从我身下溜走了。”
　　下午6点左右，他们回到家后发现，警察不仅把乔安娜做的巧克力蛋糕全吃光了，还吃了不少烤饼和面包。
　　书房已经整理完毕，保险柜也修好了。所有东西都完好无损地放回了原位，但警察还是告诉乔安娜，在乔治的爸爸回来之前，所有贵重的物品都该交给他们保管。
　　“我们不知道哪些文件比较珍贵！”朱利安说，“我们要等昆廷叔叔打电话过来才知道——应该过不了几天就会打来。不管怎样，我觉得我们不用再担心小偷，毕竟他已经拿到他想要的东西了。”
　　这一天内发生的事情让所有人都疲惫不堪——除了朱利安以外。“我去睡觉了，”迪克说，“快9点了，安妮，你还不去睡觉吗？
　　你看起来特别累。”
　　“我就要去睡了。”安妮说，“要一起吗，乔治？”
　　“我要带着蒂米去睡前散步。”乔治说，“我再也不会让它晚上独自出门了。我们走吧，蒂米。要是你们想睡觉的话，朱利安，我可以锁上大门。”
　　“好，”朱利安说，“我马上也要上楼了，今晚我可不想一个人待在楼下。我会把所有门窗都锁好，给你留着大门。我敢肯定今晚不会再有小偷，但你回来之后还是把防盗链挂上吧，乔治。”
　　“窗边也不会有可怕的人脸了！”安妮立马接口道。
　　“当然不会了，”朱利安说，“所有这些都不会出现了。安妮，晚安，睡个好觉！”
　　安妮和迪克上楼了。看完书后，乔治起身锁上了门窗。乔安娜早已在楼上了，她正梦见警察在吃她做的巧克力蛋糕呢！
　　乔治和蒂米一起出门了。蒂米激动地跑到门口，像往常一样沿着车道走下去和乔治一起散步。在车道口，蒂米突然站住了，它低声咆哮着，似乎发现了什么。
　　“傻蒂米，”乔治说，“快跟上。只是有人在大篷车里露营罢了，你没见过大篷车吗？别叫了！”
　　他们继续散步，每经过田鼠洞和兔子洞，蒂米都要闻一闻，沉浸在快乐中。乔治也很享受这次散步，一点也不着急，反正朱利安不想等的话，完全可以上楼睡觉。
　　朱利安确实去睡了。他突然觉得困意袭来，就把大门半开，打着哈欠上楼了。看到迪克已经睡着了，他蹑手蹑脚地上了床。他躺在床上，等着乔治回来。半睡半醒间，朱利安听到了关闭大门的声音。
　　乔治回来了，朱利安想，转个身就睡着了。
　　但那并不是乔治，她的床一整晚都是空的。没有人知道，甚至连安妮都没发现。乔治和蒂米根本没有回来！
Chapter 8 WHERE CAN GEORGE BE?
　　Chapter 8 WHERE CAN GEORGE BE?
　　Anne woke up in the night, feeling thirsty. She whispered across the room:
　　'George! Are you awake?'
　　There was no answer, so, very cautiously and quietly Anne got herself a drink from the decanter onthe washstand. George was sometimes cross if she was awakened in the middle of the night.
　　Anne got back into bed, not guessing that George hadn't answered because she wasn't there!
　　She fell asleep and didn't wake till she heard Dick's voice. 'Hey, you two - get up; it's a quarter toeight. We're going for a bathe!'
　　Anne sat up, yawning. Her eyes went to George's bed. It was empty. More than that, it was all neatand tidy, as if it had just been made!
　　'Well!' said Anne in astonishment. 'George is up already, and has even made her bed. She might havewaked me, and I could have gone out with her. It's such a lovely day. I suppose she's taken Timmyfor an early morning walk, like she sometimes does.'
　　Anne slipped into her bathing costume and ran to join the boys. They went downstairs together, theirbare feet padding on the carpet.
　　'George has gone out already,' said Anne. 'I expect she woke early and took Timmy; I never evenheard her!'
　　30
　　Julian was now at the front door. 'Yes,' he said. 'The door isn't locked or bolted - George must haveslipped down, undone it and then just pulled the door softly to. How very considerate of her! Lasttime she went out early she banged the door so hard that she woke everyone in the house!'
　　'She may have gone fishing in her boat,' said Dick. 'She said yesterday she'd like to some earlymorning when the tide was right. She'll probably arrive complete with stacks of fish for Joan to cook.'
　　They looked out to sea when they got to the beach. There was a boat far out on the water with whatlooked like two people in it, fishing.
　　'I bet that's George and Timmy,' said Dick. He yelled and waved his hands, but the boat was too faraway, and nobody waved back. The three of them plunged into the cold waves. Brrr-rrr-rrr!
　　'Lovely!' said Anne, when they came out again, the drops of sea-water running down their bodies andglistening in the early morning sun. 'Let's have a run now.'
　　They chased one another up and down the beach, and then, glowing and very hungry, went back tobreakfast.
　　'Where's George?' asked Joan, as she brought in their breakfast. 'I see her bed's made and all -what's come over her?'
　　'I think she's out fishing with Timmy,' said Dick. 'She was up and about long before we were.'
　　'I never heard her go,' said Joan. 'She must have been very quiet. There you are now - there's a finebreakfast for you - sausages and tomatoes and fried eggs!'
　　'O-o-o-h, lovely,' said Anne. 'And you've done the sausages just how I like them, Joan - all burstingtheir skins. Do you think we'd better eat George's too? She's still out in the boat. She may not be backfor ages.'
　　'Well, then you'd better eat her share,' said Joan. 'I've no doubt she took something out of the larderbefore she went. Pity I didn't lock it last night, as usual!'
　　They finished George's share between them and then started on toast and marmalade. After that Annewent to help Joan make the beds and dust and mop. Julian and Dick went off to the village to do themorning's shopping at the grocer's.
　　Nobody worried about George at all. Julian and Dick came back from their shopping and saw thelittle boat still out on the sea.
　　31
　　'George will be absolutely starving by the time she comes back,' said Julian. 'Perhaps she's got one ofher moods on and wants to be alone. She was awfully upset about Timmy being drugged.'
　　They met the ragamuffin Jo. She was walking along the beach, collecting wood, and she lookedsullen and dirtier than ever.
　　'Hallo, Jo!' called Dick. She looked up and came towards them without a smile. She looked as if shehad been crying. Her small brown face was streaked where the tears had run through the dirt.
　　'Hallo!' she said, looking at Dick. She looked so miserable that Dick felt touched.
　　'What's the matter, kid?' he said, kindly.
　　Tears trickled down Jo's face as she heard the kindness in his voice. She rubbed them away andsmudged her face more than ever.
　　'Nothing,' she said. 'Where's Anne?'
　　'Anne's at home, and George is out in that boat with Timmy fishing,' said Dick, pointing out to sea.
　　'Oh!' said Jo, and turned away to go on with her collecting of wood. Dick went after her.
　　'Hey!' he said. 'Don't go off like that. You just tell me what's wrong with you this morning.'
　　He caught hold of Jo and swung her round to face him. He looked closely at her and saw that shenow had two bruises on her face - one going yellow, that he had given her when he had sent herflying two or three days before - and a new one, dark purple.
　　'Where did you get that bruise?' he said, touching it lightly.
　　'That was my dad,' said Jo. 'He's gone off and left me - taken the caravan and all! I wanted to go, too;but he wouldn't let me into the caravan. And when I hammered at the door, he came out and pushedme down the steps. That's when I got this bruise - and I've got another on my leg, too.'
　　Dick and Julian listened in horror. What kind of a life was this that Jo had to live? The boys sat downon the beach, and Dick pulled Jo down between them.
　　'But surely your father is coming back?' said Julian. 'Is the caravan your only home?'
　　'Yes,' said Jo. 'I've never had another home. We've always lived in a caravan. Mum did, too, whenshe was alive. Things were better then. But this is the first time Dad's gone off without me.'
　　'But - how are you going to live?' asked Dick.
　　'Dad said Jake would give me money to buy food,' said Jo. 'But only if I do what he tells me. I don'tlike Jake. He's mean.'
　　'Who's Jake?' asked Julian, most astonished at all this.
　　32
　　'Jake's a gipsy fellow. He knows my father,' said Jo. 'He's always turning up for a day or two, andgoing away again. If I wait about here, he'll come and give me five pence or so, I expect.'
　　'What will he tell you to do?' said Dick, puzzled. 'It all seems very queer and horrible to me.
　　You're only a kid.'
　　'Oh, he may tell me to go poaching with him or - or - well, there's things we do that folks like youdon't,' said Jo, suddenly realizing that Dick and Julian would not at all approve of some of the thingsshe did. 'I hope he gives me some money today, though I haven't got any at all, and I'm hungry.'
　　Dick and Julian looked at one another. To think that in these days there should be a forlorn waif likeJo, going in fear of others, and often hungry and lonely.
　　Dick put his hand in the shopping basket and pulled out a packet of chocolate and some biscuits.
　　'Here you are,' he said. 'Tuck into these - and if you'd like to go to the kitchen door some time todayand ask Joan, our cook, for a meal, she'll give you one. I'll tell her about you.'
　　'Folks don't like me at kitchen doors,' said Jo, cramming biscuits into her mouth. 'They're afraid I'llsteal something.' She glanced up at Dick. 'And I do,' she said.
　　'You shouldn't do that,' said Dick.
　　'Well, wouldn't you, if you were so hungry you couldn't even bear to look at a baker's cart?' said Jo.
　　'No - I don't think so. At least, I hope not,' said Dick, wondering what he really would feel like if hewere starving. 'Where's this Jake fellow?'
　　'I don't know. Somewhere about,' said Jo. 'He'll find me when he wants me. I've got to stay on thebeach, Dad said. So I couldn't come to your house, anyway. I dursent leave here.'
　　The boys got up to go, worried about this little ragamuffin. But what could they do? Nothing, exceptfeed her and give her money. Dick had slipped five pence into her hand, and she had pocketed itwithout a word, her eyes gleaming.
　　George was still not home by lunch-time; and now Julian for the first time began to feel anxious.
　　He slipped out to the beach to see if the boat was still at sea. It was just pulling in - and with a sinkingheart Julian saw that it was not George and Timmy who were in it, but two boys.
　　He went to look for George's boat - and there it was, high up on the boat-beach with many others.
　　George had not been out in it at all!
　　33
　　He ran back to Kirrin Cottage and told the others. They were at once as anxious as he was. Whatcould have become of George?
　　'We'll wait till tea-time,' said Julian. 'Then if she's not back we'll really have to do something about it- tell the police, I should think. But she has sometimes gone off for the day before, so we'll just wait abit longer.'
　　Tea-time came - but no George, and no Timmy. Then they heard someone pattering up the gardenpath - was it Timmy? They leaned out of the window to see.
　　'It's Jo,' said Dick, in disappointment, 'She's got a note or something. Whatever does she want?'
8.乔治到底去哪儿了？
　　乔治到底去哪儿了？
　　半夜醒来，安妮觉得有点口渴。她向着房间另一端轻声问：“乔治，你醒了吗？”
　　没有回应。安妮小心翼翼地拿起盥洗台上的玻璃瓶，喝了口水。要是半夜被吵醒的话，乔治可能会大发雷霆。于是安妮回到了床上。她根本没想到乔治不作答是因为乔治根本就不在房间里！
　　安妮又睡着了，直到听到迪克的声音，她才醒过来。
　　“嘿！你们两个，起床了！再过15分钟就8点了，我们还要去游泳呢！”
　　安妮打着哈欠坐了起来，她向乔治的床望去——竟然是空的！
　　不仅如此，床铺干净整洁，仿佛刚刚被整理过一般。
　　“天哪！”安妮惊奇地叫了起来，“乔治已经起床了，她把床铺都收拾好了。她可能试着叫醒过我，我本来可以跟她一块儿出门的。
　　乔治有时会在早晨带着蒂米出去，今天天气这么好，他们一定是去散步了。”
　　安妮快速换上泳装，跑去追男孩们。他们一起走下楼，赤脚踩在地毯上。
　　“乔治已经出门了，”安妮说，“我猜她早早醒来，带蒂米出去了，我都没听到她的动静。”
　　朱利安站在大门口。“没错，”他说，“门没有上锁，也没闩上——乔治肯定悄悄溜下来，打开门出去，又轻轻地拉上了。她可真贴心！上次她一早出门，摔门声吵醒了所有人。”
　　“乔治可能坐着小船去钓鱼了，”迪克说，“她昨天说，清晨时潮水涨落正适合钓鱼。她也许能满载而归，带回成堆的鱼给乔安娜当食材呢！”
　　他们到了沙滩，朝海面望去。远处有一条小船，船上似乎有两个身影，看样子是在钓鱼。
　　“我敢打赌那是乔治和蒂米。”迪克说。他大声呼喊，挥了挥手，但是船距离太远，并没有人回应。他们三个跳进冰凉的海浪里。“咕噜噜——噜噜——噜噜！”
　　“太棒了！”安妮说。三个人上了岸，水珠沿着他们的身体向下滚落，在清晨的阳光下闪闪发光。“我们来赛跑吧！”
　　他们在海滩上来回追逐着，一直玩到满脸通红，肚子也饿了，于是他们回家去吃早饭。
　　“乔治呢？”乔安娜把大家的早餐端了上来，问道，“我看她的床收拾得整整齐齐——她今天怎么了？”
　　“我猜她带着蒂米出去钓鱼了。”迪克说，“她比我们起得都早。”
　　“我都没听到她出门，”乔安娜说，“她肯定动作特别轻。现在你们都在，看我准备的丰盛早餐——香肠、番茄还有煎蛋！”
　　“哇！太棒了！”安妮欢呼，“乔安娜，你煎的香肠真合我的胃口！就是要这种煎到肠衣都爆开的。你说我们要不要把乔治的那份也吃了？她还在船上呢，天知道还要多久才回来。”
　　“你最好把她那份也吃了。”乔安娜说，“乔治出门前肯定从橱柜里拿了食物。我昨晚竟没像往常一样把门锁上。”
　　他们把乔治的那份早餐分着吃了，然后开始吃吐司和果酱。饭后，安妮帮乔安娜铺床、掸灰、拖地，朱利安和迪克去村里的杂货店买食物。
　　没有人担心乔治。购物归来，朱利安和迪克看到小船还在海上。
　　“乔治回来时肯定该饿坏了。”朱利安说，“或许她是心情不好，想一个人待着。蒂米被下药这件事让她心烦意乱。”
　　路上他们碰见了小邋遢——琼。她正沿着沙滩边走边捡木材。
　　她这天看起来格外邋里邋遢，一副郁郁寡欢的样子。
　　“嘿！琼！”迪克喊道。琼抬起头，面无表情地走向他们。她看起来好像哭过，脏兮兮的小脸上还挂着泪痕。
　　“嘿。”琼说。她看着迪克，惨兮兮的眼神让迪克心疼。
　　“你怎么了，小家伙？”迪克温柔地问。
　　琼感受到了迪克语气里的关心，一下子就哭了，泪水顺着脸颊流了下来。琼抹去眼泪，却把脸抹成了大花猫一般。
　　“没事。”她说，“安妮呢？”
　　“安妮在家，乔治和蒂米在那条船上钓鱼。”迪克说，指了指海上的小船。
　　“哦。”琼说，转身继续捡木材了。迪克追上了她。
　　“嘿！”迪克说，“先别走，告诉我，今天早上发生了什么？”
　　迪克抓住琼，把她转过来，脸朝着自己。他仔细地看着琼，她的脸上有两处瘀伤：一处正在消退，那是两三天前他把琼打飞时留下的；另一处是新伤，还是青紫色的。
　　“你怎么受伤的？”迪克问，轻轻地摸了一下琼的瘀伤处。
　　“我爸爸打的。”琼说，“他走了，不要我了，他开走了大篷车，什么都带走了！我也想跟他走，但他不让我上车。我用力拍车门，他就出来把我推倒在台阶上。我就是这么受伤的，腿上也有一块。”
　　迪克和朱利安听得胆战心惊。琼过的是怎样的生活啊？他们坐在沙滩上，迪克把琼拉过来，让她坐在他们俩中间。
　　“你爸爸会回来的吧，”朱利安说，“大篷车是你唯一的家吗？”
　　“是的，”琼说，“我只有这一个家。我们一直住在大篷车里，妈妈活着的时候也是如此。那时候可比现在好多了。这是爸爸第一次不要我，就那样走了。”
　　“可是，接下来你怎么办啊？”迪克问。
　　“爸爸说杰克会给我钱买吃的，”琼说，“但我得听他的话。我不喜欢杰克，他很刻薄。”
　　“杰克是谁？”朱利安问，他对这一切都感到不可思议。
　　“杰克也是一个吉卜赛人，他认识我爸爸。”琼说，“他总是出现一两天就消失了。我要是在这儿等他，他应该会过来给我五个便士。”
　　“他会让你做什么？”迪克有点疑惑，“对我来说，这一切真是诡异可怕，你还只是个孩子啊。”
　　“他会叫我一起去偷东西或者……或者做一些你们不会做的事。”琼说着，突然意识到迪克和朱利安根本不会赞同她做的那些事，“我希望他今天能给我一些钱，我一分钱都没有。我太饿了。”
　　迪克和朱利安看着彼此。他们想着在世界的其他角落，还有很多像琼这样孤苦的流浪儿，整日惶惶不安，饥肠辘辘，形单影只。
　　迪克拿过购物篮，掏出一包巧克力和一些饼干。“给你，”他说，“这些给你吃。你今天可以去我们的厨房找乔安娜，让她给你一顿饭吃。她会同意的，我回去跟她说。”
　　“人们不喜欢我站在厨房门口，”琼把饼干塞到嘴里，说，“他们怕我会偷东西。”她抬起头看着迪克。“我确实会偷东西。”
　　“你不该偷东西的。”迪克说。
　　“如果你饿到一直盯着面包车看，你也不会去偷东西吃吗？”琼问。
　　“是的，我不会。至少我希望不会。”迪克说，想着食不果腹到底是什么滋味，“杰克这家伙在哪里？”
　　“我不知道，应该在附近。”琼说，“他要找我简直轻而易举。爸爸让我一直待在沙滩上，所以无论如何我都不能去你们家。我不能离开这里。”
　　准备离开时，男孩们还是担心琼。但他们又能做些什么呢？除了给她一些吃的和钱以外，无能为力。迪克把五个便士塞到琼手里，琼什么都没说，把钱揣进了口袋，眼里闪着泪光。
　　到了吃午饭的时候，乔治还没有回家，朱利安开始感到不安。
　　他跑到海边，看那条船是不是还在海上——船已经靠岸了。当他看到船里并不是乔治和蒂米，而是两个男孩儿时，心顿时沉了下来。
　　他去找乔治的船，发现它就和其他船一起停靠在沙滩上。乔治根本就没有坐船出海！
　　朱利安跑回科林庄园，把情况告诉了其他人。大家顿时和朱利安一样焦虑不安起来。乔治出什么事了？
　　“我们先等到下午茶时间，”朱利安说，“她要是那时还没回来，我们就必须采取行动了——报警。但她之前就出去过一整天，我们还要再等等。”
　　下午茶时间到了，乔治和蒂米还是没有回来。这时他们听到花园小路上有跑跳的声音——是蒂米吗？他们趴在窗户上向外看。
　　“是琼。”迪克失望地说，“她拿着张纸条之类的东西。她来做什么呢？”
Chapter 9 AN EXTRAORDINARY MESSAGE - AND A PLAN
　　Chapter 9 AN EXTRAORDINARY MESSAGE - AND A PLAN
　　Julian opened the front door. Jo silently gave him a plain envelope. Julian tore it open, not knowingwhat in the least to expect. Jo turned to go - but Julian put out his hand and caught hold of her firmly,whilst he read the note in complete amazement.
　　'Dick!' he called. 'Hold on to Jo. Don't let her go. Better take her indoors. This is serious.'
　　Jo wasn't going to be taken indoors. She squealed, and wriggled like an eel. Then she began to kickDick viciously with her bare feet.
　　'Let me go! I'm not doing any harm. I only brought you that note!'
　　'Stop squealing and being silly,' said Dick. 'I don't want to hurt you, you know that. But you mustcome indoors.'
　　But Jo wouldn't stop wriggling and pulling and kicking. She looked scared out of her life. It was asmuch as Dick and Julian could do to get the little wriggler into the dining-room and shut the door.
　　Anne followed, looking very frightened. Whatever was happening?
　　'Listen to this,' said Julian, when the door was shut. 'It's unbelievable!' He held out the typewrittennote for the others to see as he read it out loud.
　　'We want the second notebook, the one with figures in, and we mean to have it. Find it and put itunder the last stone on the crazy paving path at the bottom of the garden. Put it there tonight.
　　34
　　'We have got the girl and the dog. We will set them free when we have what we want from you.
　　If you tell the police, neither the girl nor the dog will come back. The house will be watched to seethat nobody leaves it to warn the police. The telephone wires are cut.
　　'When it is dark, put the lights on in the front room and all three of you sit there with the maid Joan,so that we can keep a watch on you. Let the big boy leave the house at eleven o'clock, shining a torchand put the note-book where we said. He must then go back to the lighted room.
　　You will hear a hoot like an owl when we have collected it. The girl and the dog will then bereturned.'
　　This amazing and terrifying note made Anne burst into tears and cling to Julian's arm.
　　'Julian! Julian! George can't have come back from her walk with Timmy last night! She must havebeen caught then - and Timmy, too. Oh, why didn't we start hunting for her then?'
　　Julian looked very grim and white. He was thinking hard. 'Yes - someone was lying in wait, I've nodoubt - and she and Timmy were kidnapped. Then the kidnapper - or one of them - came back to thehouse and shut the front door to make it seem as if George was back. And someone has probablybeen hanging round all day to find out whether we're worried about George, or just think she's goneoff for the day!'
　　'Who gave you the note?' said Dick, sharply, to the scared Jo.
　　She trembled.
　　'A man,' she said.
　　'What sort of a man?' asked Julian.
　　'I don't know,' said Jo.
　　'Yes, you do,' said Dick. 'You must tell, Jo.'
　　Jo looked sullen. Dick shook her, and she tried to get away. But he held her far too tightly. 'Go on -tell us what the fellow was like,' he said.
　　'He was tall and had a long beard and a long nose and brown eyes,' rattled off Jo suddenly. 'And hewas dressed in fisherman's clothes, and - he spoke foreign.'
　　The two boys looked sternly at her. 'I believe you're making all that up, Jo,' said Julian.
　　'I'm not,' said Jo sulkily. 'I'd never seen him before, so there.'
　　'Jo,' said Anne, taking Jo's brown little paw in hers, 'tell us truly anything you know. We're so veryworried about George.' Tears sprang out of her eyes as she spoke, and she gave a little wail.
　　35
　　'Serve that George-girl right if she's got taken away,' said Jo fiercely. 'She was rude to me - she'scrool and unkind. Serve her right, I say. I wouldn't tell you anything - not even if I knew something totell.'
　　'You do know something,' said Dick. 'You're a bad little girl, Jo. I shan't have anything more to dowith you. I felt sorry and unhappy about you, but now I don't.'
　　Jo looked sullen again, but her eyes were bright with tears. She turned away. 'Let me go,' she said. 'Itell you, that fellow gave me fifteen pence to bring this note to you, and that's all I know.
　　And I'm glad George is in trouble. People like her deserve it, see!'
　　'Let her go,' said Julian wearily. 'She's like a savage little cat - all claws and spite. I thought theremight be some good in her, but there isn't.'
　　'I thought so, too,' said Dick, letting go Jo's arm. 'I quite liked her. Well, go, Jo. We don't want youany more.'
　　Jo rushed to the door, wrenched it open, and fled down the hall and out of the house. There was asilence after she had gone.
　　'Julian,' whispered Anne. 'What are we going to do?'
　　Julian said nothing. He got up and went into the hall. He picked up the telephone receiver and put hisear to it, listening for the faint crackling that would tell him he was connected to the exchange. Aftera moment he put it back again.
　　'No connection,' he said. 'The wires have been cut, as the note said. And no doubt there's somebodyon watch to see we don't slip out to give warning. This is all crazy. It can't be true.'
　　'But it is,' said Dick. 'Horribly true. Julian, do you know what notebook they want? I've no idea!'
　　'Nor have I,' said Julian. 'And it's impossible to go and hunt for it, because the safe has been mendedand locked - and the police have the key.'
　　'Well, that's that, then,' said Dick. 'What are we going to do? Shall I slip out and warn the police?'
　　Julian considered. 'No,' he said at last. 'I think these people mean business. It would be terrible ifanything happened to George. Also, you might be caught and spirited away yourself. There arepeople watching the house, don't forget.'
　　'But Julian - we can't just sit here and do nothing!' said Dick.
　　'I know. This will have to be thought about carefully.' said Julian. 'If only we knew where George hadbeen taken to! We could rescue her then. But I can't see how we can find out.'
　　36
　　'If one of us went and hid down the bottom of the garden and waited to see whoever came to take upthe notebook - we could follow the fellow and maybe he'd lead us to where George is hidden,'
　　suggested Dick.
　　'You forget that we've all got to sit in the lighted front room, so it would easily be spotted if one of uswere missing,' said Julian. 'Even Joan has to sit there. This is all very stupid and melodramatic.'
　　'Does anyone come to the house this evening? Any of the tradesmen, for instance?' asked Anne, againin a whisper. She felt as if people must be all round the house, listening and watching!
　　'No. Else we could give them a note,' said Julian. Then he gave the table a rap that made the othersjump. 'Wait a bit! Yes, of course - the paper-boy comes! Ours is almost the last house he delivers at.
　　But perhaps it would be risky to give him a note. Can't we think of something better?'
　　'Listen,' said Dick, his eyes shining. 'I've got it! I know the paper-boy. He's all right. We'll have thefront door open and yank him in as soon as he appears. And I'll go out immediately, with his cap on,and his satchel of papers, whistling - jump on his bike and ride away. And none of the watchers willknow I'm not the boy! I'll come back when it's dark, sneak round the garden at the bottom and hide towatch who comes for the hidden notebook - and I'll follow him!'
　　'Good idea, Dick!' said Julian, turning it quickly over in his mind. 'Yes - it's possible. It would bebetter to watch and see who comes rather than tell the police - because if these kidnappers meanbusiness, George would certainly be in trouble once they knew we'd been able to get in touch withthe police.'
　　'Won't the newspaper boy think it's queer?' asked Anne.
　　'Not very. He's a bit simple,' said Dick. 'He believes anything he's told. We'll make up something tosatisfy him and give him such a good time that he'll want to keep visiting us!'
　　'About this notebook,' said Julian. 'We'd better get some kind of book out of one of the drawers andwrap it up with a note inside to say we hope it's the one. The fellow who comes to collect it will haveto have some kind of parcel to take off with him to give to the kidnappers. It isn't likely he'd undo itand look at it - or even know if it was the right one or not.'
　　'Go and hunt out a book, Anne,' said Dick. 'I'll be looking out for the newspaper boy. He's not due tillhalf-past seven, but I don't dare to risk missing him - and he may be early, you never know.'
　　37
　　Anne shot off to the study, thankful to have something to do. Her hands were trembling as she pulledout drawer after drawer to look for a big notebook that would do to wrap up in a parcel.
　　Julian went with Dick to the front door, to help him to deal with the unsuspecting newspaper boy.
　　They stood there, patiently waiting, hearing the clock strike six o'clock, then half-past, then seven.
　　'Here he comes!' said Dick, suddenly. 'Now - get ready to yank him in! Hallo, Sid!'
9.意想不到的消息
　　意想不到的消息
　　——计划出炉
　　朱利安打开了大门，琼递给他一个空白的信封，没有说话。朱利安撕开信封，不知道里面说了些什么。琼转身要走，朱利安看了字条，大惊失色，伸手牢牢地抓住了她。
　　“迪克！”朱利安大叫，“抓住琼，别让她走，最好带她进来！出大事了！”
　　琼不想被带进去。她尖叫起来，像鳗鱼一样扭动着，还狠命地用赤脚踢迪克。
　　“放我走！我又没干什么坏事！我只是来送纸条的！”
　　“别叫了，也别犯傻了，”迪克说，“你知道的，我不想伤害你，但你必须进来。”
　　琼还是不停地挣扎，又拉又踢，看起来吓坏了。迪克和朱利安用尽全力，才把这个不安分的小家伙弄到餐厅，然后关上门。安妮跟着他们，一副惊慌失措的样子。到底发生什么事了？
　　关好门之后，朱利安说：“听着，简直难以置信！”他拿出那张打印的字条给其他人看，并大声地读了出来：
　　我们想要第二本笔记本，写有数字的那本。我们一定要得到它。你们找到笔记本后，把它放在花园尽头碎石路上最后一块石头下面。今晚就放好。
　　女孩和狗都在我们手上。拿到了想要的东西，我们就会放他们走。要是敢报警，他们两个就回不来了。我们会监视这幢房子，以确保没有人溜出去报警。还有，电话线也切断了。
　　天黑之后，把前厅的灯打开，你们三个和女佣乔安娜都坐在那里，我们可以看到你们的一举一动。11点时，让那大个子男孩拿着手电筒出来，把笔记本放在我们说的地方，然后他必须马上回到亮灯的房间。我们拿到笔记本后，你们会听到猫头鹰鸣叫的声音。女孩和狗都会被送回来。
　　这字条让人吃惊又害怕，安妮吓得一下子哭了出来，抓紧了朱利安的胳膊。
　　“朱利安！朱利安！昨晚乔治和蒂米散步后根本没回来！他们肯定是那时被人绑架的。啊！当时我们怎么没开始找她呢？”
　　朱利安脸色苍白，神情严峻。他努力理清头绪：“是的，肯定有人暗中埋伏，我确定乔治和蒂米遭到了绑架。然后，绑匪们，或者其中一名绑匪来到我们家，关上大门，制造出乔治已经回来的假象。说不定还有人在附近转了一天，想看看我们到底是在担心失踪的乔治，还是仅以为她自己出门了。”
　　“谁给你的字条？”迪克向吓坏了的琼厉声问道。
　　琼颤抖着。
　　“一个男人。”她说。
　　“什么样的男人？”朱利安问。
　　“我不知道。”琼回答。
　　“不，你知道，”迪克说，“琼，你必须告诉我们。”
　　琼满脸不高兴。迪克摇了摇她，她试图挣开，但是被抓得更紧了。“快说，告诉我们，那家伙长什么样子？”迪克说。
　　“他很高，留着长长的胡子，长鼻子，棕色眼睛。”琼脱口而出，“他穿着渔夫的衣服，讲外语。”
　　两个男孩严肃地看着她。“琼，我觉得你在骗我们。”朱利安说。
　　“我没有，”琼有些生气，“我从没见过他。”
　　“琼，”安妮说着，拉起了琼棕色的小手，“把你知道的都告诉我们吧。我们非常担心乔治。”安妮说着，眼泪夺眶而出，继而大哭起来。
　　“如果乔治被绑架了，那是她活该。”琼恶狠狠地说，“她对我又粗鲁又残忍，一点都不友好。要我说，她活该。我什么都不会告诉你们的，就算知道我也不会说。”
　　“你果然知道一些事情，”迪克说，“琼，你这坏女孩，我再也不帮你了。之前我还很同情你的遭遇，现在不了。”
　　琼看起来更不高兴了，眼里充满了泪水，她转过身。“放开我。”琼说，“我告诉你们，那个家伙给了我15便士，让我把这个纸条交给你们，我就知道这么多。乔治遇到麻烦，我还挺高兴的，她这样的人是罪有应得！看到了吧！”
　　“放她走吧。”朱利安疲倦地说，“她就像只小野猫，总是张牙舞爪，充满恶意。我本以为她天性善良，看来我错了。”
　　“我也这么想，”迪克说，他松开了琼的胳膊，“我之前还挺喜欢她。算了，你走吧，琼。我们不想再见到你了。”
　　琼冲到门口，猛地拉开门冲了出去，顺着走廊逃跑了。她走后，房间里一片死寂。
　　“朱利安，”安妮小声说，“我们接下来该怎么办？”
　　朱利安没有说话，起身走进大厅。他拿起电话听筒贴在耳边，期待着里面传来微弱的噼啪声——让他能意识到电话和交换机还连通着。他听了一会儿，放下了听筒。
　　“无法连通，”他说，“跟纸条上说的一样，电话线被切断了。毋庸置疑，肯定有人在监视我们，以防我们溜出去报警。这一切太可怕了，真不敢相信这是真的。”
　　“但事实就是这样，”迪克说，“是真的，朱利安。你知道他们想要什么笔记本吗？我完全不知道！”
　　“我也不知道。”朱利安说，“保险箱已经修好上锁了，找到笔记本也不太现实——钥匙在警察手里。”
　　“好吧，确实是这样。那……”迪克说，“我们怎么办呢？我应该溜出去报警吗？”
　　朱利安想了一会儿。“不，”他最后说道，“我觉得这伙人是认真的。要是乔治出了什么事儿，那可就糟了！而且，你自己也可能被抓住、迷晕。别忘了还有人在监视着这座房子。”
　　“可是朱利安——我们不能在这儿坐以待毙啊！”迪克说。
　　“我知道。我们得好好想想，从长计议。”朱利安说，“要是知道乔治被带到哪儿就好了，那样我们就可以救她了！可是我不知道该怎么找到她。”
　　“如果我们中能有人溜出去藏在花园尽头，等着看谁来取走笔记本——然后就可以跟着那个家伙，也许他会带我们到关乔治的地方。”迪克建议道。
　　“你忘了一件事，那些人要求我们所有人都要坐在开灯的前厅。
　　如果谁不见了，很容易就能发觉。”朱利安说，“连乔安娜都得坐在那儿，这个办法简直蠢到家了，绝对不可行！”
　　“今晚会有人来我们家吗？比方说，哪个商贩？”安妮又低声问道。她觉得房子周围到处是人，正在监听、监视他们！
　　“没有人，不然我们可以递给他一张纸条。”朱利安说。突然，他拍了一下桌子，吓得大家都跳了起来。“等一下！不，不对，送报纸的男孩会来！我们差不多是他要送的最后一家，但是递纸条太冒险了。有没有更好的办法？”
　　“听着，”迪克说，眼中灵光一闪，“我想到了！我认识那个报童，他人很好。我们到时候打开大门，他一出现就拉他进来。然后我马上出去，戴上他的帽子，背着报纸袋，吹着口哨，跳上他的自行车，骑得远远的。监视者肯定想不到，我不是报童本人！天一黑我就回来，偷偷溜进花园尽头，藏起来看谁来取放好的笔记本——然后我就跟着他！”
　　“好主意，迪克！”朱利安说着，脑子飞快地转了起来，“没错，这办法可行。最好是找到取笔记的人而又不惊动警察，就怕这些绑匪动真格的。一旦他们知道我们联系了警察，乔治就该有麻烦了。”
　　“送报的男孩不会觉得很奇怪吗？”安妮问。
　　“应该不会，他比较单纯，”迪克说，“跟他说什么他都信。我们想办法让他称心如意，让他玩得开心，他以后还会来我们这儿的！”
　　“笔记本的话，”朱利安说，“我们最好从抽屉里拿一本，把它包起来，里面夹一张纸条，说，希望这就是你们想要的。来取笔记本的人肯定会连同包裹一起拿走交给绑匪，不太可能会打开包裹检验，或者他根本就不知道是不是这本。”
　　“去找本笔记本，安妮，”迪克说，“我去等那个报童。他七点半才来，我可不能错过他，否则就误了大事。他也可能会早来，说不准。”
　　安妮急忙跑去书房，庆幸自己有事可做。安妮颤抖着双手，拉开一个又一个抽屉，寻找可以包在袋子里的大笔记本。
　　朱利安和迪克走到大门口，帮他留意那个不明情况的报童。他们站在那儿，耐心地等着，听到时钟走过六点、六点半、七点……“他来了！”迪克突然说，“就是现在——准备把他拉进来！嘿，锡德！”
Chapter 10 SID'S WONDERFUL EVENING
　　Chapter 10 SID'S WONDERFUL EVENING
　　Sid, the paper-boy, was most amazed to find himself yanked quickly through the front door by Julian.
　　He was even more amazed to find his very lurid check cap snatched off his head, and his bag ofpapers torn from his shoulder.
　　'Ere!' he said feebly. 'What you doing?'
　　'It's all right, Sid,' said Julian, holding him firmly. 'Just a joke. We've got a little treat in store for you.'
　　Sid didn't like jokes of this sort. He struggled, but soon gave it up. Julian was big and strong and verydetermined. Sid turned and watched Dick stride out with his bright check cap sideways on his head,and his paper-bag over his shoulder. He gasped when he saw Dick leap on the bicyle that he, Sid, hadleft by the gate, and go sailing off up the lane on it.
　　'What's he doing?' he asked Julian, amazed. 'Funny sort of joke this.'
　　'I know. Hope you don't mind,' said Julian, leading him firmly into the sitting-room.
　　'Somebody betted him he wouldn't deliver the papers, maybe?' said Sid. 'So he's taken the bet on?'
　　'You're clever, you are, Sid,' said Julian, and Sid beamed all over his round, simple face.
　　'Well, I hope he'll deliver them all right,' he said. 'Anyway, there's only two more, up at the farm.
　　Yours is the last house but one that I go to. When's he coming back?'
　　'Soon,' said Julian. 'Will you stay and have supper with us, Sid?'
　　Sid's eyes nearly fell out of his head. 'Supper with you folks?' he said. 'Coo! That'd be a rare treat!'
　　38
　　'All right. You sit and look at these books,' said Julian, giving him two or three story books belongingto Anne. 'I'll just go and tell our cook to make a specially nice supper for you.'
　　Sid was all at sea about this unexpected treat, but quite willing to accept a free meal and sit down. Hesat beaming on the couch, turning over the pages of a fairy-story book. Coo! What would his mothersay when she heard he'd had supper at Kirrin Cottage? She wouldn't half be surprised, thought Sid.
　　And now Julian had to tackle Joan, and get her to join in their little plot. He went into the kitchen andshut the door. He looked so grave that Joan was startled.
　　'What's the matter?' she said.
　　Julian told her. He told her about the kidnapping of George, and the strange note. He gave it to her toread. She sat down, her knees beginning to shake.
　　'It's the kind of thing you read in the papers, Master Julian,' she said, in rather a shaky voice. 'But it'squeer when it happens to you! I don't like it - that's flat, I don't.'
　　'Nor do we,' said Julian, and went on to tell Joan all they had arranged to do. She smiled a waterysmile when he told her how Dick had gone off as the paper-boy in order to watch who took thenotebook that night, and described how surprised Sid was.
　　'That Sid!' she said. 'We'll never hear the last of it, down in the village - him being invited here tosupper. He's simple, that boy, but there's no harm in him.
　　'I'll get him a fine supper, don't you worry. And I'll come and sit with you tonight in the lighted room- we'll play a card game, see? One that Sid knows - he's never got much beyond Snap and HappyFamilies.'
　　'That's a very good idea,' said Julian, who had been wondering how in the world they could amuseSid all the evening. 'We'll play Snap - and let him win!'
　　Sid was quite overcome at his wonderful evening. First there was what he called a 'smasher of asupper,' with ham and eggs and chip potatoes followed by jam tarts and a big chocolate mould, ofwhich Sid ate about three-quarters.
　　'I'm partial to chocolate mould,' he explained to Anne. 'Joan knows that - she knows I'm partial toanything in the chocolate line. She's friendly with my Mum, so she knows. The things I'm partial to Ilike very much, see?'
　　39
　　Anne giggled and agreed. She was enjoying Sid, although she was very worried and anxious. But Sidwas so comical. He didn't mean to be. He was just enjoying himself hugely, and he said so everyother minute.
　　In fact, he was really a very nice guest to have. It wasn't everybody who could welcome everythingwith so much gusto and say how wonderful it was half a dozen times on end.
　　He went out to the kitchen after supper and offered to wash up for Joan. 'I always do it for Mum,'
　　he said. 'I won't break a thing.' So he did the washing up and Anne did the drying. Julian thought itwas a good thing to give her as much to do as possible, to stop her worrying.
　　Sid looked a bit taken-aback when he was asked to play games later on. 'Well - I dunno,' he said.
　　'I'm not much good at games. I did try to learn draughts, but all that jumping over one another got memuddled. If I want to jump over things I'll play leap-frog and do the thing properly.'
　　'Well - we did think of playing Snap,' said Julian, and Sid brightened up at once.
　　'Snap! That's right up my street!' he said. And so it was. His habit of shouting snap and collecting allthe cards at the same moment as his shout, led to his winning quite a lot of games. He was delighted.
　　'This is a smasher of an evening,' he kept saying. 'Don't know when I've enjoyed myself so much.
　　Wonder how that brother of yours is getting on - hope he brings my bike back all right.'
　　'Oh, he will,' said Julian, dealing out the cards for the sixth game of Snap. They were all in the lightedsitting-room now, sitting round a table in the window - Julian, Joan, Anne and Sid.
　　Anyone watching would see them clearly - and would certainly not guess that Sid, the fourth one,was the paper-boy and not Dick.
　　At eleven o'clock Julian left to put the parcel that Anne had carefully wrapped up under the stone atthe bottom of the garden. She had found a big notebook she thought would do, one that didn't seem atall important, and had wrapped it in paper and tied it with string. Julian had slipped a note inside.
　　Here is the notebook. Please release our cousin at once. You will get into serious trouble if you holdher any longer.
　　He slipped down the garden and shone his torch on the crazy paving there. When he came to the laststone he found that it had been loosened. He lifted it up easily and put the parcel into a 40hollow that seemed to have been prepared ready for it. He took a cautious look round, wondering ifDick was hidden anywhere about, but could see no one.
　　He was back in the lighted sitting-room in under two minutes, yelling 'Snap' with the others. Heplayed stupidly, partly because he wanted the delighted Sid to win and partly because he waswondering about Dick. Was he all right?
　　An outbreak of owls hooting loudly made them all jump. Julian glanced at Joan and Anne, and theynodded. They guessed that it was the signal to tell them that the parcel had been found and collected.
　　Now they could get rid of Sid, and wait for Dick.
　　Joan disappeared and came back with cups of chocolate and some buns. Sid's eyes gleamed. Talkabout an evening!
　　Another hour was spent in eating and drinking and hearing Sid relate details of all the most excitinggames of Snap he had ever played. He then went on to talk of Happy Families and seemed inclined tostay a bit longer and have a game at that.
　　'Your Mum will be getting worried about you,' said Julian, looking at the clock. 'It's very late.'
　　'Where's my bike?' said Sid, realizing with sorrow that his 'smasher of an evening' was now over.
　　'Hasn't that brother of yours come back yet? Well, you tell him to leave it at my house in time for mypaper-round tomorrow morning. And my cap, too. That's my Special Cap, that is. I'm very partial tothat cap - it's a bit of a smasher.'
　　'It certainly is,' agreed Julian, who was now feeling very tired. 'Now listen, Sid. It's very late, andthere may be bad folks about. If anyone speaks to you, run for your life, and don't stop till you gethome.'
　　'Coo,' said Sid, his eyes nearly falling out of his head. 'Yes, I'll run all right.'
　　He shook hands solemnly with each of them and departed. He whistled loudly to keep his spirits up.
　　The village policeman came unexpectedly round a corner on rubber soles and made him jump.
　　'Now then, young Sid,' said the policeman, sternly. 'What you doing out this time of night?'
　　Sid didn't wait to answer. He fled and when he got home there was his bicycle by the front gate,complete with checked cap and paper-bag. 'That was a bit of all right!' thought Sid.
　　He glanced in disappointment at the dark windows of his house. Mum was in bed and asleep.
　　Now he would have to wait till morning to tell her of his most remarkable evening.
　　41
　　And now, what had happened to Dick? He had shot out of the house and sailed away on Sid's bicycle,with Sid's dazzling cap on his head. He thought he saw a movement in the hedge nearby and guessedsomeone was hidden there, watching. He deliberately slowed down, got off his bicycle and pretendedto do something to the wheel. Let the watcher see his bag of papers and be deceived into thinking hewas without any doubt the paper-boy.
　　He rode to the farm and delivered the two papers there, then down to the village where he left Sid'sthings outside his house. Then he went into the cinema for a long while - until it was dark and hecould safely creep back to Kirrin Cottage.
　　He set off at last, going a very roundabout way indeed. He came to the back of Kirrin garden.
　　Where should he hide? Was anyone already hidden there? If so, the game was up - and he'd becaught, too!
10.锡德的美妙夜晚
　　锡德的美妙夜晚
　　报童锡德被朱利安从前门拽了进来，当时他大吃一惊。更令他惊讶的是，朱利安摘掉了他那顶花哨的格子帽，从他肩膀上扯下了装报纸的袋子。
　　“呃！”他无力地说，“你们在干什么？”
　　“没事，锡德，”朱利安一边说一边紧紧地抓着他，“开个玩笑而已。我们给你准备了一点惊喜。”
　　锡德不喜欢这样的玩笑。他挣扎了一会儿，但很快就放弃了。
　　朱利安长得又高又大，而且态度极为坚决。锡德转过身，看到迪克斜戴着自己的格子帽，挎着报纸袋子，大步走了出去。然后，迪克跳上自行车，从大门沿小路骑远了，锡德惊得倒吸了口气。
　　“他在干什么？”锡德惊愕地问朱利安，“这样的玩笑不好玩。”
　　“我知道，希望你不要介意。”朱利安说着，执意领他进了客厅。
　　“也许有人打赌他不会送报纸，”锡德说，“所以他要赌赌看？”
　　“你太聪明了，锡德，真是太聪明了。”朱利安说。锡德听了，圆圆的脸上露出了单纯的笑容。
　　“那好，我希望迪克能把报纸顺利送达。”锡德说，“反正，再送两份到农场就好了，你们是倒数第二家。他什么时候回来呢？”
　　“很快，”朱利安说，“锡德，你要留下来和我们一块儿吃晚饭吗？”
　　锡德听完，震惊得眼珠都快掉出来了。“和你们一起吃晚饭？”他说，“天！真是难得的待遇啊！”
　　“好，你坐着看这些书。”朱利安说，递给他两三本安妮的故事书，“我去叫厨师做一顿丰盛的晚餐。”
　　意想不到的款待令锡德不知所措，但他还是十分乐意坐下来享受这顿免费晚餐。他坐在沙发上，兴高采烈地翻着故事书。天哪！
　　要是妈妈听说他在科林庄园吃晚饭，会说些什么呢？她肯定会大吃一惊的，锡德心想。
　　现在朱利安需要搞定乔安娜，让她加入到计划中。朱利安走进厨房，关上门。他看上去很严肃，乔安娜吓了一跳。
　　“出什么事了？”乔安娜问。
　　朱利安将乔治遭绑架的事告诉了她，同时提及了那张骇人的字条。他把字条给乔安娜看，乔安娜坐下来，膝盖开始颤抖。
　　“这种事在报纸上才会看到，朱利安小主人。”乔安娜颤抖着说，“却正给你摊上了，这可太诡异了！我不希望发生这样的事，我绝对不希望。”
　　“我们也不想。”朱利安说。接着，他把他们全部的计划告诉了乔安娜。朱利安还描述了迪克怎么扮成报童的样子出门，以观察晚上谁来取走笔记本，以及锡德有多么惊讶。乔安娜听完如释重负地笑了。
　　“那个锡德！”乔安娜说，“之后，我们邀请他吃晚饭的事会传遍整个村子。他虽然傻乎乎的，但没有什么恶意。”
　　“别担心，我会给他准备一顿美味的晚餐。今晚我也会和你们一起坐在亮灯的房间里——到时候我们玩个锡德会玩的纸牌游戏，好吗？他只会玩‘枪’ 和‘快乐家庭’ 。”
　　“好主意。”朱利安说，他之前一直在想怎么才能让锡德开心一晚上，“我们就玩‘枪’，让他成为赢家。”
　　这个美妙的夜晚让锡德激动不已。首先，他享受到了一顿堪称“无与伦比”的晚餐：火腿、鸡蛋、薯条、果酱蛋挞等食物应接不暇，还有一大盒巧克力，锡德自己就吃了大概四分之三。
　　“我超爱吃这种套盒巧克力，”锡德告诉安妮，“乔安娜知道我爱吃这个，她跟我妈妈关系很好，知道我对巧克力毫无抵抗力。你知道我很喜欢吃这个吗？”
　　安妮“咯咯”地笑了起来，表示肯定。虽然她当下忧心忡忡、焦虑不安，但还是很喜欢和锡德在一起。锡德太搞笑了——他并非有意，只是玩得太开心了，每时每刻都在讲他有多么开心。
　　事实上，锡德真的是一位很好的客人。不是所有人都能热情地接受一切，并一再赞叹说这是件多么美妙的事。
　　晚饭后，锡德到厨房去，提出要帮乔安娜洗碗。“我总是为妈妈洗碗，”他说，“我不会打碎碗碟的。”于是锡德负责洗碗，安妮负责擦干。朱利安觉得让安妮多做点事是好的，可以防止她胡思乱想。
　　随后，锡德被邀请去玩游戏，他有点吃惊。“呃，我不太懂，”他说，“我不太会玩游戏。我试过玩跳棋，但那些跳来跳去的步骤把我给搞糊涂了。如果想玩蹦蹦跳跳的游戏，我会玩小跳蛙，这个我玩得还挺好。”
　　“嗯——实际上，我们想玩的是‘枪’。”朱利安说。锡德听了顿时高兴起来。
　　“‘枪’！正合我意！”锡德说。事实也是如此，锡德总是在大声喊牌时收了所有的牌。这让他赢了很多回合，他开心极了。
　　“这真是一个无与伦比的夜晚。”锡德不停地重复这句话，“我从未这样开心过，不知你弟弟怎样了，希望他把我的自行车完好无损地骑回来。”
　　“哦，他会的。”朱利安一边说，一边发着牌，游戏已经玩到第六局了。他们现在都在灯火通明的客厅里，围坐在窗前的桌子旁——朱利安、乔安娜、安妮和锡德。监视他们的人能看得清清楚楚，但那些人肯定猜不到第四个人是报童锡德而不是迪克。
　　11点时，朱利安带着安妮小心翼翼包好的包裹出了门，并把它放在花园尽头的石头下面。安妮找了一本她认为不重要但会奏效的大笔记本，用纸包好，又用绳子捆起来。朱利安往里面塞了张纸条：
　　这是笔记本，请立刻放了我们的堂妹。否则，你就惹大麻烦了。
　　朱利安溜进花园，用手电筒照在碎石路上。走到最后一块石头前时，他发觉石头已经松动了。朱利安轻轻松松就抬起了石头，把包裹放进下面的洞里，这个洞看起来似乎是专门为包裹准备的。他小心翼翼地环顾四周，想知道迪克是不是藏在什么地方，但他没有见到任何人影。
　　不到两分钟，朱利安就回到了亮着灯的客厅，和其他人一起玩纸牌。他打得很烂，一方面是因为他想让锡德赢得高兴，另一方面是因为他还惦记着迪克：他怎么样了？
　　这时，突然响起的猫头鹰叫声，把他们都吓得跳了起来。朱利安瞥了乔安娜和安妮一眼，三个人都点了点头，认为这就是信号，说对方已找到并带走了包裹。现在他们开始等迪克的消息，无需再管锡德了。
　　乔安娜离开了一阵，又拿着几杯热巧克力和一些小圆面包回来了。锡德的眼睛放着光，今天晚上太棒了！
　　其余四人又吃吃喝喝了一个小时，听锡德讲他以前玩“枪”时最紧张刺激的种种细节。接着，锡德又开始讲“快乐家庭”的游戏，似乎想多待一会儿，再吃些点心。
　　“你妈妈会担心你的，”朱利安看了看表说，“很晚了。”
　　“我的自行车在哪儿呢？”锡德说着，悲伤地意识到这个“无与伦比的夜晚”就要结束了。“你弟弟还没回来吗？那你告诉他尽早把车放我家门口，我明早好去送报。别忘了我的帽子，我很喜欢那顶独一无二的帽子。”
　　“当然会的。”朱利安答应道，他现在感觉特别累，“听好，锡德，已经很晚了，附近可能还有坏人。如果有人跟你说话，赶快拼命逃跑，到家之前不要停下来。”
　　“哦，”锡德说，惊得眼睛都要掉出来了，“好，我跑得很快。”
　　锡德郑重其事地和每个人握了握手就离开了。他大声吹着口哨，让自己打起精神。突然，村里的警察穿着橡胶鞋，出现在拐角处，吓了锡德一跳。
　　“小锡德，”警察厉声说，“晚上这个点，你在外面干什么？”
　　锡德没有回答，赶紧逃开了。回到家时，他看到自行车停在大门口，上面还有他的格子帽和报纸袋。“这样才算万事大吉了！”锡德想。
　　锡德瞧了一眼家里漆黑的窗户，有点失望。妈妈已经上床睡觉了，锡德只好等到明早，再告诉她这个“无与伦比的夜晚”了。
　　现在的问题是，迪克怎么样了呢？几个小时前，迪克冲出屋子，骑上锡德的自行车离开了，他头上还戴着那顶显眼的帽子。迪克察觉到附近树篱中有动静，他猜测那里有人监视。于是他故意放慢速度，从自行车上下来，假装轮子出了什么问题。这样别人就可以看到他装报纸的袋子，误以为他就是那个报童。
　　迪克骑到农场，把最后两份报纸送达，接着回到村子，把锡德的东西放在他家门口，然后去电影院待了很长时间，直到天黑。因为只有天黑下来，他才能安全地溜回科林庄园。
　　终于，他踏上归程，通过一条迂回曲折的路，来到了科林花园的后面。他应该藏在哪里呢？会不会早就有人在那儿藏好了？如果是这样，那就完了——他也会被抓住的！
Chapter 11 DICK MAKES A CAPTURE
　　Chapter 11 DICK MAKES A CAPTURE
　　Dick stood and listened, holding his breath. He could hear no sound except for the rustling of thetrees around, and the sudden squeak of a field-mouse. It was a dark night and cloudy. Was thereanyone hidden nearby, or could he find a hiding-place in safety and wait?
　　He thought for a few minutes, and decided that there wouldn't be anyone watching the back of thehouse now that it was dark. Julian and the others would be in full view of any watcher at the front,seated as they were in the lighted sitting-room - there would be no need for anyone to watch the back.
　　He debated where to hide and then made a quick decision. 'I'll climb a tree,' he thought. 'What aboutthat one just near the crazy paving path? If the clouds clear away I could perhaps catch a glimpse ofwhat the man's like who comes to collect the parcel. Then I'll shin quietly down the tree and stalkhim.'
　　He climbed up into an oak tree that spread its broad branches over the path. He wriggled down in acomfortable fork and set himself to wait patiently.
　　42
　　What time had that note said? Eleven o'clock. Yes - Julian was to go down at eleven o'clock and putthe parcel under the stone. He listened for the church clock to strike. If the wind was in the rightdirection he would hear it clearly.
　　It struck just then. Half-past ten. Half an hour to wait. The waiting was the worst part. Dick put hishand into his pocket and brought out a bar of half-melted chocolate. He began to nibble it verygently, to make it last a long time.
　　The church clock struck a quarter to eleven. Dick finished the chocolate, and wondered if Julianwould soon be along. Just as the clock began to chime the hour at eleven, the kitchen door openedand Dick saw Julian outlined in the opening. He had the parcel under his arm.
　　He saw Julian go swiftly down the path and sensed him looking all about. He dared not give theslightest hint to him that he was just above his head!
　　He heard Julian scrabble about in the path, and then drop the big stone back into its place. Hewatched the light of Julian's torch bobbing back up the path to the kitchen door. Then the door shutwith a bang.
　　And now Dick could hardly breathe! Who would come for the parcel? He listened, stiff withexcitement. The wind blew and a leaf rustled against the back of his neck making him jump. It felt asif a finger had touched him.
　　Five minutes went by and nobody came. Then he heard the slightest sound. Was that somebodycrawling through the hedge? Dick strained his eyes but could only make out a deeper shadow thatseemed to be moving. Then he could most distinctly hear somebody breathing hard as they tugged atthe heavy stone! The parcel was being collected as arranged!
　　The stone plopped back. A shadow crept over to the hedge again. Whoever had the parcel was nowgoing off with it.
　　Dick dropped quietly down. He had rubber shoes on and made no noise. He slipped through a big gapin the hedge nearby and stood straining his eyes to find the man he wanted to follow. Ah- there was a shadow moving steadily down the field-path to the stile. Dick followed, keeping close tothe hedge.
　　He kept well behind the moving shadow till it reached the stile, got over it and went into the lanebeyond. When it got there it stopped, and a perfect fusillade of loud owl-hoots came to Dick's startledears.
　　43
　　Of course! That was the signal that the parcel had been collected. Dick admired the excellentimitation of a little owl's loud, excited hooting.
　　The shadow stopped hooting and went on again. It obviously did not suspect that it might befollowed and, although it moved quietly, it did not attempt to keep under cover. Down the lane itwent and into a field.
　　Dick was about to follow when he heard the sound of voices. They were very low, and he couldn'thear a word. He crouched in the shadow of the gate, which was swung right back, leaving an entryinto the field.
　　A loud noise made him jump. Then a brilliant light dazzled him and he felt glad he could duck downbehind the gate. There was a car in the field. A car that had just started up its engine and switched onits lights. It was going, moving slowly down to the gate!
　　Dick tried his hardest to see who was in the car. He could make out only one man, and he wasdriving. It didn't seem as if anyone else was in the car at all. Where was the other fellow, then -the one who must have collected the parcel and given it to the man in the car? Had he been leftbehind? If so, Dick had better be careful!
　　The car was soon out in the lane. It gained speed and then Dick heard it roaring off in the distance.
　　He couldn't stalk a car, that was certain! He held his breath, listening for some movement of the otherman who, he felt certain, was still there.
　　He heard a sniff and crouched lower still. Then a shadow passed quickly through the gate, turnedback in the direction of Kirrin Cottage and was lost in the darkness of the lane.
　　In a trice Dick was after it again. At least he could track down this fellow! He must be goingsomewhere!
　　Down the lane to the stile. Over the stile and into the field. Across the field and back at the hedge thatgrew at the bottom of Kirrin Cottage.
　　Why was this fellow going back there? Dick was puzzled. He heard the shadow creeping through thehedge and he followed. He watched it go silently up the path and peer in at a darkened window.
　　'Going to get into the house again and ransack it, I suppose!' thought Dick, in a rage. He consideredthe shadowy figure by the window. It didn't look big. It must be a small man - one that Dick couldtackle and bring to the ground. He could yell loudly for Julian, and maybe he could hold the fellowdown till Julian came.
　　44
　　'And then perhaps we could do a little kidnapping, and a little bargaining, too,' thought Dick grimly.
　　'If they hold George as a hostage, we'll hold one of them, too! Tit for tat!'
　　He waited till the shadow left the window, and then he pounced. His victim went down at once with ayell.
　　Dick was surprised how small he was - but how he fought! He bit and scratched and heaved andkicked, and the two of them rolled over and over and over, breaking down Michaelmas daisies in thebeds, and scratching legs and arms and faces on rose bushes. Dick yelled for Julian all the time.
　　'Julian! Julian! Help! Julian!'
　　Julian heard. He tore out at once. 'Dick, Dick, where are you? What is it?'
　　He flashed his torch towards the shouting and saw Dick rolling on top of somebody. He ran to help atonce, throwing his torch on the grass so that both hands were free.
　　It wasn't long before they had the struggling figure firmly in their grasp and dragged it, wailing, to theback door. Dick recognized that wailing voice! Good gracious - no, it couldn't be - it couldn't be Jo!
　　But it was! When they dragged her inside she collapsed completely, sobbing and wailing, rubbing herscratched and bruised legs, calling both boys all the names she could think of. Anne and Joan lookedon in complete amazement. Nore what had happened?
　　'Put her upstairs,' said Julian. 'Get her to bed. She's in a awful state now. So am I! I wouldn't havelammed her like that if I'd known it was only Jo.'
　　'I never guessed,' said Dick, wiping his filthy face with his handkerchief. 'My word, what a wildcat!
　　See how she's bitten me!'
　　'I didn't know it was you, Dick; I didn't know,' wailed Jo. 'You pounced on me, and I fought back. Iwouldn't have bitten you like that.'
　　'You're a savage, deceitful, double-dealing little wildcat,' said Dick, looking at his bites and scratches.
　　'Pretending you know nothing about the man who gave you that note - and all the time you're in withthat crooked lot of thieves and kidnappers, whoever they are.'
　　'I'm not in with them,' wept Jo.
　　'Don't tell lies,' shouted Dick, in a fury, 'I was up in a tree when you came and took that parcel fromunder the stone - yes, and I followed you right to that car - and followed you back again!
　　You came back here to steal again, I suppose?'
　　45
　　Jo gulped. 'No, I didn't.'
　　'You did! You'll be handed over to the police tomorrow,' said Dick, still furious.
　　'I didn't come back to steal. I came back for something else,' insisted Jo, her eyes peering through hertangled hair like a frightened animal's.
　　'Ho! So you say! And what did you come back for? To find another dog to dope?' jeered Dick.
　　'No,' said Jo, miserably. 'I came back to tell you I'd take you to where George was, if you wouldn'ttell on me. My Dad would half kill me if he thought I'd split on him. I know I took the parcel - I hadto. I didn't know what it was or anything. I took it to the place I was told to. Jake told me. And then Icame back to tell you all I could. And you set on me like that.'
　　Four pairs of eyes bored into Jo, and she covered her face. Dick took her hands away and made herlook at him.
　　'Look here,' he said, 'this matters a lot to us, whether you are speaking the truth or not. Do you knowwhere George is?'
　　Jo nodded.
　　'And will you take us there?' said Julian, his voice stern and cold.
　　Jo nodded again. 'Yes I will. You've been mean to me, but I'll show you I'm not as bad as you makeout. I'll take you to George.'
11.迪克实施追捕
　　迪克实施追捕
　　迪克站定，屏住呼吸仔细听。周围的树木沙沙作响，田鼠突然发出“吱吱”声，除此之外，他什么声音都没听见。夜黑风高，乌云密布，有人藏在附近吗？迪克能找到一个安全的地方静待时机吗？
　　迪克想了几分钟，觉得天已经黑了，应该不会有人在房子后面监视了。朱利安和其他人坐在灯火通明的大厅——任何人从房子正面都能对此看得一清二楚，没必要在房后监视。
　　迪克考虑了一下应该藏在哪里，随后迅速做了决定。“我先爬上一棵树，”他想，“碎石路旁的那棵树怎么样？如果云散开了，我就能看见取包裹那人的长相，再悄悄爬下去跟踪他。”
　　一棵橡树枝干伸到了小路上，迪克爬了上去，躺在一根枝丫上，扭了几下换了个舒服的姿势，开始耐心地等待。
　　纸条上说是什么时间？11点。对，11点时朱利安要把包裹放在石头下面。迪克等着教堂的钟声敲响——只要风向合适，就能听得很清楚。
　　10点半时，钟响了，还要再等半个小时，等待的过程真是煎熬。迪克把手伸进口袋里，拿出一块有点化掉的巧克力。他一点点地咬，想尽量吃得慢一点。
　　10点45分，教堂的钟声又响了。迪克吃完了巧克力，想知道朱利安是不是快到了。11点，钟声刚响起，厨房的门就开了，迪克看到朱利安的身影出现在门口，他的胳膊下还夹着一个包裹。
　　迪克看着朱利安飞快地走上小路，好像还在四处张望。迪克不敢给朱利安任何暗示，不敢让他知道自己位于他的头顶之上！
　　迪克听到朱利安在路边翻找，又把大石头放回了原处。他看到朱利安走回厨房时，手电筒的光一路跳跃地闪烁着，接着厨房门“砰”的一声关上了。
　　这时，迪克紧张到了极点！谁会来取包裹？他静静地听着，一动也不敢动，内心汹涌澎湃。风吹过来，一片树叶在他脖子后沙沙作响，像是有根手指在碰他，迪克吓得几乎要跳起来。
　　五分钟过去了，没有人来，但很快他就听到了窸窸窣窣的声音。是有人从树篱底下爬进来了吗？迪克瞪大了眼睛，但只看到一个黑影好像在移动。这时，他清晰地听到有人喘着粗气，用力搬动石头！正如预想的那样，包裹要被人取走了！
　　石头“扑通”一声落回原处。那个影子又蹑手蹑脚地走向树篱，拿到包裹后他就要离开了。
　　迪克悄悄爬下树——他穿着橡胶鞋，没发出一点声音。他从附近树篱的大缺口处溜了出去，站在那儿睁大眼睛寻找他要跟踪的人——啊！有个黑影沿着田间小路稳步走向围栏旁的台阶。迪克紧贴着树篱，跟了上去。
　　迪克小心地紧随其后。黑影走上台阶，翻过篱笆，站在小路上，停了下来。这时迪克听到一阵响亮的猫头鹰叫声，他吓了一跳。
　　没错！正是包裹已收妥的信号。叫声像小猫头鹰一样洪亮兴奋，迪克觉得学得还挺像。
　　黑影不再叫了，继续向前走。很明显，他并没有想到会有人跟踪。他悄无声息地前行，并没有试图隐藏自己。黑影沿着小路走着，进入了一片田野。
　　迪克正要跟进去，突然听见有人在说话——声音很低，他一个字也听不清。大门敞开着，外面是一片田野。迪克就蹲在门后的阴影处。
　　一声巨响惊得迪克跳了起来。接着，一束光晃得他眼花缭乱，他庆幸自己可以躲在门后。田野里有辆汽车，发动了引擎，打开了车灯，正慢慢地向门口驶来！
　　迪克竭尽全力想看清谁在车里，但他只辨认出有个驾驶员——只有这一个人。那么，另一个人在哪里呢？他是不是取了包裹之后交给车上的人？现在他落在后面了吗？如果是这样，迪克还是要小心为妙！
　　汽车很快就驶上了车道，加快了速度，迪克听到它向远方呼啸而去。迪克肯定无法跟踪汽车！他屏住呼吸，听着另一个人的动静。迪克确信他还在那里。
　　迪克听到有人抽鼻子的声音，便蹲得更低了些。接着，一个身影迅速穿过大门，朝着科林庄园相反的方向走去，消失在黑暗的小路上。
　　迪克迅速追了上去。至少他可以跟着这个家伙！这个家伙肯定是要去某个地方！
　　那个黑影沿着小路，走上台阶，接着又跃过台阶，进入田野，然后又回到科林庄园外的树篱旁。
　　为什么这个家伙还要回去？迪克感到困惑。他听到那个人爬过树篱，就跟了上去。他看到这家伙不声不响地沿小路前行，透过黑漆漆的窗户向房子里张望。
　　“我猜他又要进屋去翻个乱七八糟！”迪克生气地想。他注视着窗边模糊的人影——那人看起来并不高大，是个矮个子。迪克觉得自己应该对付得了他，能把他打趴下。他可以按住那个家伙，然后大声呼叫朱利安来帮忙。
　　“也许我们可以绑架他，跟绑匪讨价还价，”迪克心想，“他们把乔治当成人质，我们也可以抓一个当人质！以牙还牙！”
　　他一直等到黑影离开了窗边，才猛扑过去。“受害者”大叫一声，随即倒下了。
　　迪克惊觉这个人实在太小了——但战斗力惊人！他又咬又抓，又推又踢，两个人滚作一团，把花坛上的米迦勒雏菊 都压碎了，腿、胳膊和脸也被玫瑰枝划伤了。迪克一直在呼叫朱利安。
　　“朱利安！朱利安！快来帮忙！朱利安！”
　　朱利安听到喊声立刻冲了出来。“迪克！迪克！你在哪儿？怎么了？”
　　他用手电筒照向发出喊叫的方向，看见迪克正和一个人扭打在一起。他赶紧把灯扔在草地上，空出两只手来，冲过去帮忙。
　　没过多久，他们就牢牢控制住了那个人，把他拖进了屋里。那人还在挣扎着，号啕大哭。迪克辨认出了那哭声！天哪！不，不可能——不会是琼吧！
　　但确实是她！他俩把琼拖进屋时，她完全瘫倒在地，哭喊着，揉着她擦伤的腿，用她所能想到的各种难听的话骂着这两个男孩。
　　安妮和乔安娜瞠目结舌地看着。到底发生了什么？
　　“把她扶上楼，”朱利安说，“让她上床睡觉。她现在状态很糟，我也是！如果我早知道是琼的话，就不会那样揍她了。”
　　“真没想到，”迪克说，用手帕擦了擦脏兮兮的脸，“我的天哪，她真是一只小野猫！看看她是怎么咬我的！”
　　“我不知道是你，迪克，我真的不知道，”琼大声痛哭，“你猛扑过来，我就还击了，不然我不会那样咬你的。”
　　“你真是个野蛮狡诈、两面三刀的小野猫，”迪克看着自己身上的咬痕和抓痕说道，“对于那个给纸条的人——你装作一无所知，但事实上你却一直和那帮奸诈的小偷、绑匪混在一起——无论他们是谁。”
　　“我没和他们混在一起。”琼哭着说。
　　“别撒谎，”迪克怒气冲冲地喊道，“我当时在树上，看着你过来从石头下拿走了包裹——没错，我跟着你找到了那辆车——然后又跟着你回来了！我猜你又回来偷东西了吧？”
　　琼嗫嚅着：“不，我没有。”
　　“你就有！明天我就把你交给警察。”迪克说，他仍然很气愤。
　　“我不是回来偷东西的，我回来是为了别的事。”琼坚持说，眼睛透过乱蓬蓬的头发向外看，像一只受惊的动物。
　　“呵！那你说！回来干什么？去找另一只狗下药？”迪克嘲笑道。
　　“不是，”琼可怜巴巴地说，“我回来是要告诉你们，只要你们不告发我，我就带你们去关乔治的地方。如果我爸爸知道我出卖他的话，他肯定要杀了我的。我拿走了包裹——我必须这么做，其他的我什么都不知道。杰克告诉我把包裹送到一个地方，我就送去了。
　　然后我回来告诉你们我知道的一切，可你们就这样对我。”
　　四双眼睛盯着琼，仿佛要把她看穿，琼遮住了脸。迪克把她的手拿开，让她看着自己。
　　“听着，”迪克说，“这对我们很重要，不管你说的是不是真话。
　　你知道乔治在哪儿吗？”
　　琼点了点头。
　　“那你会带我们去吗？”朱利安问，他的声音严厉而冷酷。
　　琼又点点头：“我会的。虽然你们对我很刻薄，但我要告诉你们，我并不像你们想的那样坏。我要带你们去见乔治。”
Chapter 12 JO BEGINS TO TALK
　　Chapter 12 JO BEGINS TO TALK
　　The hall clock suddenly struck loudly. DONG!'
　　'One o'clock,' said Joan. 'One o'clock in the morning! Master Julian, we can't do any more tonight.
　　This gipsy child here, she's not fit to take you trapesing out anywhere else. She's done for - she canhardly stand.'
　　'Yes, you're right Joan,' said Julian, at once giving up the idea of going out to find George that night.
　　'We'll have to wait till tomorrow. It's a pity the telephone wires are cut. I do really think we ought tolet the police know something about all this.'
　　46
　　Jo looked up at once. 'Then I won't tell you where George is,' she said. 'Do you know what the policewill do to me if they get hold of me? They'd put me into a Home for Bad Girls, and I'll never get outagain - because I am a bad girl and I do bad things. I've never had a chance.'
　　'Every one gets a chance sooner or later,' said Julian gently. 'You'll get yours, Jo - but see you take itwhen it comes. All right - we'll leave the police out of it if you promise you'll take us to whereGeorge is. That's a bargain.'
　　Jo understood bargains. She nodded. Joan pulled her to her feet and half led, half carried her upstairs.
　　'There's a couch in my room,' she told Julian. 'She can bed down there for the night - but late or notshe's going to have a bath first. She smells like something the dog brought in!'
　　In half an hour's time Jo was tucked up on the couch in Joan's room, perfectly clean, though markedwith scratches and bruises from top to toe, hair washed, dried, and brushed so that it stood up in wirycurls like George's. A basin of steaming bread and milk was on a tray in front of her.
　　Joan went to the landing and called across to Julian's room. 'Master Julian! Jo's in bed. She wants tosay something to you and Master Dick.'
　　Dick and Julian put on dressing-gowns and went into Joan's neat room. They hardly recognized Jo.
　　She was wearing one of Anne's old nightgowns and looked very clean and childish and somehowpathetic.
　　Jo looked at them and gave them a very small smile. 'What do you want to say to us?' asked Julian.
　　'I've got some things to tell you,' said Jo, stirring the bread round and round in the basin. 'I feel goodnow - good and clean and - and all that. But maybe tomorrow I'll feel like I always do - and then Iwouldn't tell you everything. So I'd better tell you now.'
　　'Go ahead,' said Julian.
　　'Well, I let the men into your house here, the night they came,' said Jo. Julian and Dick stared inastonishment. Jo went on stirring her bread round and round.
　　'It's true,' she said. 'I got in at that tiny window that was left unfastened, and then I went to the backdoor and opened it and let the men in. They did make a mess of that room, didn't they? I watchedthem. They took a lot of papers.'
　　'You couldn't possibly squeeze through that window,' said Dick at once.
　　47
　　'Well, I did,' said Jo. 'I've - I've squeezed through quite a lot of little windows. I know how to wriggle,you see. I can't get through such tiny ones as I used to, because I keep on growing. But yours waseasy.'
　　'Phew!' said Julian, and let out a long breath. He hardly knew what to say. 'Well, go on. I supposewhen the men had finished you locked and bolted the kitchen door after them and then squeezed outof the pantry window again?'
　　'Yes,' said Jo, and put a piece of milky bread into her mouth.
　　'What about Timmy? Who doped him so that he slept all that night?' demanded Dick.
　　'I did,' said Jo. 'That was easy, too.'
　　Both boys were speechless. To think that Jo did that, too! The wicked little misery!
　　'I made friends with Timmy on the beach, don't you remember?' said Jo. 'George was cross about it. Ilike dogs. We always had dozens till Mum died, and they'd do anything I told them. Dad told mewhat I was to do - make friends with Timmy so that I could meet him that night and give him meatwith something in it.'
　　'I see. And it was very, very easy, because we sent Timmy out alone - straight into your hands,'
　　said Dick bitterly.
　　'Yes. He came to me at once, he was glad to see me. I took him quite a long walk, letting him sniffthe meat I'd got. When I gave it to him, he swallowed it all at once with hardly a chew!'
　　'And slept all night long so that your precious friends could break into the house,' said Julian. 'All Ican say is that you are a hardened little rogue. Aren't you ashamed of anything?'
　　'I don't know,' said Jo, who wasn't really quite certain what feeling ashamed meant. 'Shall I stoptelling you things?'
　　'No. For goodness' sake go on,' said Dick, hastily. 'Had you anything to do with George'skidnapping?'
　　'I just had to hoot like an owl when she and Timmy were coming,' said Jo. 'They were ready for herwith a sack to put over her head - and they were going to bang Timmy on the head with a stick toknock him out - then put him into a sack too. That's what I heard them say. But I didn't see them. Ihad to creep back here and shut the front door, so that if nobody missed George till morning they'djust think she'd gone out early somewhere.'
　　'Which is what we did think,' groaned Dick. 'What mutts we are! The only clever thing we thought ofwas to stalk the person who collected the parcel.'
　　48
　　'It was only me, though,' said Jo. 'And anyway, I was coming back to tell you I would take you toGeorge. Not because I like her - I don't. I think she's rude and horrible. I'd like her to stay kidnappedfor years!'
　　'What a nice, kind nature!' said Julian to Dick, helplessly. 'What can you do with a kid like this?'
　　He turned to Jo again. 'Seeing that you wish George would stay kidnapped for years, what made youdecide to come and tell us where to find her?' he asked, puzzled.
　　'Well, I don't like George - but I do like him!' said Jo, pointing with her spoon at Dick. 'He was niceto me, so I wanted to be nice back. I don't often feel like that,' she added hurriedly, as if being kindwas some sort of weakness not really to be admired. 'I wanted him to go on liking me,' she said.
　　Dick looked at her. 'I shall like you if you take us to George,' he said. 'Not unless. If you deceive us, Ishall think you're like one of those sour damson stones - only fit to be spat out as far away aspossible.'
　　'I'll take you tomorrow,' said Jo.
　　'Where is George?' asked Julian, bluntly, thinking it would be as well to know now, in case Jochanged her mind by the morning, and became her wicked little self again.
　　Jo hesitated. She looked at Dick. 'It would be very nice of you to tell us,' said Dick, in a kind voice.
　　Jo loved a bit of kindness and couldn't resist this.
　　'Well,' she whispered, 'you know I told you my Dad had gone off and left me to Jake. Dad didn't tellme why - but Jake did. He shut George and Timmy into our caravan, harnessed Blackie the horse,and drove away in the night with them both. And I guess I know where he's gone - where he alwaysgoes when he wants to hide.'
　　'Where?' asked Julian, feeling so astounded at these extraordinary revelations that he really began towonder if he was dreaming.
　　'In the middle of Ravens Wood,' said Jo. 'You don't know where that is, but I do. I'll take youtomorrow. I can't tell you any more now.' She began to spoon up her bread and milk very fast indeed,watching the boys through her long eyelashes.
　　Dick considered her. He felt pretty sure she had told them the truth, though he was equally certain shewould have told lies if she could have got more by doing so.
　　He thought her a bad, cold- blooded, savage little monkey, but he pitied her, and admired herunwillingly for her courage.
　　49
　　He caught sight of her bruises and grazes, and bit his lip as he remembered how he had pounced onher and pummelled her, giving her back kick for kick and blow for blow - he hadn't guessed for onemoment it was Jo.
　　'I'm sorry I hurt you so,' he said. 'You know I didn't mean to. It was a mistake.'
　　Jo looked at him as a slave might look at a king. 'I don't mind,' she said. 'I'd do anything for you,straight I would. You're kind.'
　　Joan knocked impatiently at the door. 'Aren't you ready yet, you boys?' she said. 'I want to come tobed. Tell Jo to stop talking, and you come on out too, and go to bed.'
　　The boys opened the door. Joan took one look at their solemn faces and guessed that what Jo had toldthem was important. She took the empty basin from the girl's hands and pushed her down on thecouch.
　　'Now you go straight off to sleep - and mind, if I hear any hanky-panky from you in the night I'll getup and give you such a spanking you won't be able to sit down for a month of Sundays,' she saidroughly, but - not unkindly.
　　Jo grinned. She understood that kind of talk. She snuggled down into the rugs, marvelling at thewarmth and softness. She was already half-asleep. Joan got into bed and switched off her light.
　　'Two o'clock in the morning!' she muttered as she heard the hall clock strike. 'Such goings-on! I'llnever wake up in time to tell the milkman I want more milk.'
　　Soon only Julian was awake. He worried about whether he was doing right or not. Poor George -was she safe? Would that scamp of a Jo really lead them to the caravan next day - or might she leadthem right into the lion's mouth, and get them all captured? Julian simply didn't know.
12.琼吐露实情
　　琼吐露实情
　　大厅的钟猛然敲响——咚！
　　“一点了，”乔安娜惊呼，“凌晨一点了！朱利安小主人，今晚我们到此为止吧。这小流浪儿恐怕无法带您去任何地方了。她——她几乎都站不住了。”
　　“没错，你说得对，乔安娜。”朱利安说，立刻放弃了当晚出去找乔治的想法，“我们得等到明天。只可惜电话线被切断了，我觉得我们应该把这一切都告诉警察。”
　　琼立刻抬起头。“那我就不会告诉你乔治在哪里了，”她说，“如果被警察抓住，你知道他们会怎么对我吗？他们会把我送到‘坏女孩之家’，我就再也出不来了——因为我确实是个坏女孩，还会做坏事。我从来没有选择的机会。”
　　“每个人都会有机会的，只不过是早晚的事。”朱利安温柔地说，“你也会有的，琼——但机会到来时你必须抓住它。好了，如果你答应带我们找到乔治，我们就不会让警察掺和这件事。这是个协议。”
　　琼明白什么是协议，她点了点头。乔安娜拉她起来，半领半搀着带她上楼了。
　　“我的房间里有一张沙发，”乔安娜告诉朱利安，“琼可以在那里过夜——但是不管多晚她都得先洗个澡，她身上有狗的气味。”
　　半个小时后，琼就躺在了乔安娜房间的沙发上。虽然满身抓痕和淤伤，但她现在非常干净，头发已经洗过吹干了，梳成挺立的卷发，跟乔治的发型很像。她面前放着一个托盘，上面放着热气腾腾的牛奶和一些面包。
　　乔安娜走到门外的走廊上，冲着对面朱利安的房间喊：“朱利安小主人！琼在床上，她想跟你和迪克小主人说点事。”
　　迪克和朱利安穿上睡衣，走进了乔安娜整洁的房间。他们几乎认不出琼了。她穿着安妮的一件旧睡衣，看起来非常干净，带着点孩子气，非常惹人怜爱。
　　琼看着他们，微微一笑。“你想对我们说什么？”朱利安问道。
　　“我有一些事情要告诉你们，”琼边说边搅拌着泡在牛奶里的面包。“我现在感觉不错——神清气爽，这种感觉并不多见。但说不定明天我就恢复老样子了，那我就不会告诉你们所有的事了，所以我最好现在就告诉你们。”
　　“说吧。”朱利安说。
　　“嗯，那天晚上，是我领着那些人进来的。”琼说。朱利安和迪克惊讶地瞪大了眼睛，琼继续搅着面包。
　　“是真的，”琼说，“我从没上锁的小窗户进来，打开后门，放他们进来了。他们把房间弄得很乱，我看到他们拿走了很多资料。”
　　“你不可能从那扇窗户挤进来。”迪克突然打断她的话。
　　“但我确实进来了，我……我钻进过很多窄小的窗户。你看，我知道怎么扭动身体。我以前进得去特别小的窗户，现在不行了，因为我一直在长身体。但你们家的窗户还是挺容易进的。”
　　“嘘——”朱利安长吁了一口气，他几乎不知说什么好，“好吧，继续说。我猜等那些人拿完东西离开后，你就把厨房门锁上、闩好，又从食品间的窗户钻了出去吧？”
　　“没错。”琼说着，然后把一片浸了牛奶的面包放进嘴里。
　　“那蒂米呢？谁给它下药了，害它睡了一整夜？”迪克质问道。
　　“是我，”琼说，“这也很简单。”
　　两个男孩儿都说不出话了。他们难以想象琼竟然这样做！这个可恶的小坏蛋！
　　“那天在沙滩上我和蒂米玩得很好，你们还记不记得？”琼问，“乔治还为此发了脾气。我喜欢狗，妈妈去世之前我们养了十几只狗，它们都很听我的话。爸爸告诉我怎么做——先和蒂米成为朋友，这样我就可以在那晚见到它时，喂它吃下了药的肉。”
　　“我明白，这对你来说简直易如反掌。我们让蒂米独自出去，就等于把它送到了你手上。”迪克愤愤地说。
　　“是的，它立马就来找我了，见到我还很高兴呢。我带着它走了很久，让它一路都闻着我准备的肉。后来我把肉喂给它，它一口就吞了下去，嚼都没嚼。”
　　“之后它就睡了一整夜，放你的宝贝朋友闯了进来。”朱利安说，“我只能说你真是个铁石心肠的小骗子。你难道不感到羞耻吗？”
　　“我不知道，”琼说，她并不太清楚羞耻是什么样的感觉，“我不该往下说了吗？”
　　“别，拜托继续说下去，”迪克慌张地说，“你和乔治遭绑架有什么关系？”
　　“她和蒂米一过来，我就学猫头鹰叫。”琼说，“那些人准备用一个袋子套住乔治的头，用棍子把蒂米打晕，然后把它塞进袋子里。
　　我听到的是这样，但我没有看见。我得溜回去关上大门，这样就算第二天早上有人发现乔治不见了，他们也只会认为乔治一早就出门了。”
　　“我们就是这么想的，”迪克叹了口气，“我们真傻！我们做的唯一一件聪明事就是跟踪来取包裹的人。”
　　“不过只有我来了。”琼说，“不管怎样，我回来是要告诉你们，我会带你们去找乔治，不是因为我喜欢她——我不喜欢她，她又粗鲁又可恶，我希望她被绑架个三五年！”
　　“多么‘善良’的本性啊！”朱利安无助地对迪克说。他又转向琼，疑惑地问：“你怎么能对一个小孩子做出这样的事？你说你希望乔治被绑个三五年，那怎么又来这儿告诉我们去哪里找她呢？”
　　“我不喜欢乔治，但我喜欢他！”琼拿勺子指着迪克，“他对我很好，我也想对他好，这种感觉不常有。”她赶忙接着说，好像表现出友好是种不被看好的弱点，“我想让他继续喜欢我。”
　　迪克看着琼：“如果你带我们找到乔治，我还会喜欢你。但是，要是欺骗我们，你只配做酸李子的核，被吐得越远越好。”
　　“明天我就带你们去。”琼说。
　　“乔治在哪里？”朱利安直截了当地问道。他觉得最好现在就问清楚，以防琼明天早上改变了主意，又变回小恶人。
　　琼犹豫不决，看着迪克。“你要是能告诉我们的话就太好了。”迪克用友善的声音说。琼无法抗拒别人对她的友好。
　　“好，”她低声说，“你们知道的，我之前说过，爸爸走了，把我丢给了杰克。爸爸没说为什么，但杰克告诉我了。爸爸把乔治和蒂米关进了大篷车，把那匹叫小黑的马套到车上，连夜离开了。我想我知道他去哪儿了——他想藏起来时总会去那个地方。”
　　“哪里？”朱利安感到无比震惊，这些事情毫无关联，他开始怀疑自己在做梦。
　　“在渡鸦林。”琼说，“你们不知道那个地方在哪里，但我知道。
　　我明天就带你们去，现在我只能告诉你们这么多。”她拿着勺子快速地舀着面包和牛奶，透过长长的睫毛看着面前的这两个男孩。
　　迪克思索着琼的话，他十分确信她说的是实话，但他也十分确信，如果撒谎能给她带来更多好处，那她一定会撒谎。
　　迪克觉得琼是一个又坏又冷血的野蛮小怪物，但他也非常同情琼，也非常钦佩她的勇气。
　　迪克看到琼身上的淤伤和擦伤，不禁咬了咬嘴唇。他想起来之前自己如何扑在她身上猛捶，在她背上不停踢打——迪克完全没有猜到那个人竟然是琼。
　　“我很抱歉这样伤害你，”迪克说，“你知道我不是故意的，这是个误会。”
　　琼看着他，像奴隶看着国王一般。“我不介意，”她说，“我愿意为你做任何事情，绝对愿意。你很善良。”
　　乔安娜不耐烦地敲了敲门。“你们还没好吗，孩子们？”她说，“我想睡觉了。别让琼说话了，你们也出来，去睡觉吧。”
　　两个男孩打开了门，乔安娜看了看他们严肃的面孔，猜到琼肯定说了些重要的事。她拿走琼手上的空盘，扶着她躺在沙发上。
　　“现在你赶快睡觉——记住，要是夜里听你说什么鬼话，我就揍你屁股，让你一个月都没法坐着。”乔安娜粗鲁地说，但并无恶意。
　　琼咧嘴一笑，她懂乔安娜的意思。她躺在沙发上，感受着沙发的温暖柔软，很快睡着了。乔安娜回到床上，关上了灯。
　　“凌晨两点！”听到大厅里的钟声，乔安娜咕哝着说，“照这样，我早上怎么能按时起来，告诉送牛奶的人要多订些牛奶。”
　　只有朱利安还没有睡着。他忧心忡忡，不知自己做得对不对。
　　可怜的乔治——她安全吗？琼那个捣蛋鬼明天真的会带他们找到大篷车吗？还是会把他们引入虎口，中了坏人的圈套？朱利安无法确定这一切。
Chapter 13 OFF TO FIND GEORGE
　　Chapter 13 OFF TO FIND GEORGE
　　Joan was the only one in the household who woke up reasonably early the next morning - but evenshe was too late to catch the milkman. She scurried downstairs at half-past seven, an hour later thanusual, tying up her apron as she went.
　　'Half-past seven - what a time to wake up!' she muttered, as she began to do the kitchen fire. Shethought of all the happenings of the night before - the queer evening with young Sid, Dick's 50capture of Jo - and Jo's extraordinary tale. She had had a look at Jo before she went down, halfexpecting that lively young rogue to have disappeared in the night.
　　But Jo was curled up like a kitten, her brown cheek on her brown paw, her hair, unusually bright andtidy, falling over her tightly-shut eyes. She didn't even stir when Joan scurried about the bedroom,washing and dressing.
　　The others were fast asleep, too. Julian woke first, but not till eight o'clock. He rememberedimmediately all that had happened, and jumped out of bed at once.
　　He went to Joan's room. He could hear Joan downstairs talking to herself as usual. He peeped roundthe open door of her bedroom. Thank goodness - Jo was still there.
　　He went and shook her gently. She wriggled away, turned over and buried her face in the pillow.
　　Julian shook her more vigorously. He meant to get her up and make her take them to where Georgewas as soon as possible!
　　Most miraculously everyone was down at half-past eight, eating porridge and looking rather subdued.
　　Jo had hers in the kitchen, and the others could hear Joan scolding her for her manners.
　　'Have you got to stuff yourself like that, as if the dog's going to come and lick your plate beforeyou've finished? And who told you to stick your fingers into the syrup and lick them? I've eyes in theback of my head, so just you be careful what you're doing!'
　　Jo liked Joan. She knew where she was with her. If she kept on Joan's right side and did what she wastold, Joan would feed her well and not interfere too much - but if she didn't, then she could expectsomething else she understood very well indeed - scoldings and a sharp slap. Joan was good-heartedbut impatient, and no child was ever afraid of her. Jo followed her about like a little dog when shehad finished her breakfast.
　　Julian came out into the kitchen at nine o'clock. 'Where's Jo?' he said. 'Oh, there you are. Now, whatabout taking us to where you father's caravan is? You're sure you know the way?'
　　Jo laughed scornfully. 'Course I do! I know everywhere round here for miles.'
　　'Right,' said Julian, and he produced a map, which he spread out on the kitchen table. He put a fingeron one spot. 'That's Kirrin,' he said. 'And here's a place called Ravens Wood. Is that the place youmean? How do you propose to get there - by this road, or that one?'
　　Jo looked at the map. It meant nothing to her at all. She gazed vaguely at the spot that Julian hadpointed to.
　　'Well?' said Julian, impatiently. 'Is that the Ravens Wood you mean?'
　　51
　　'I don't know,' said Jo, helplessly. 'The one I mean is a real wood - I don't know anything about yourson this map.'
　　Joan gave a little snort. 'Master Julian, maps are wasted on her. I don't expect she's ever seen one inher life! She can't even read!'
　　'Can't she?' said Julian, amazed. 'Then she can't write either.' He looked questioningly at Jo.
　　She shook her head. 'Mum tried to learn me to read,' she said, 'but Mum wasn't very good herself.
　　What's the good of reading, anyway? Won't help you to trap rabbits or catch fish for your dinner, willit?'
　　'No. It's used for other things,' said Julian, amused. 'Well - maps are no good to you, I can see.'
　　He rolled his map up, looking thoughtful. It was very difficult to know exactly how to deal with aperson like Jo, who knew so little of some things and so much of others.
　　'She'll know the way all right,' said Joan, scraping out a saucepan. 'They're like dogs, these folk -they can smell out any road they want.'
　　'Do you smell out your way like a dog?' asked Anne, curiously. She had come in to see what wasgoing on, and was quite willing to believe that Jo really could smell her way here and there, asTimmy did.
　　'No, I don't,' said Jo. 'I just know the way I have to go. And I don't go by the roads, either! They taketoo long to get to a place. I take the shortest way, see?'
　　'How do you know it's the shortest way?' asked Anne.
　　Jo shrugged her thin shoulders. All this was very boring to her.
　　'Where's that other boy?' she said. 'Isn't he coming? I want to see him.'
　　'She's just crazy on Dick,' said Joan, taking up another saucepan. 'Here he is - now you can go andlick his boots if you want to, young Jo!'
　　'Hallo, Jo!' said Dick, with one of his amiable grins. 'Ready to take us travelling?'
　　'Better go at night,' said Jo, staring at Dick.
　　'Oh, no!' said Dick. 'We're going now. We're not going to be put off like that. Now, Jo, now!'
　　'If my Dad sees us coming he'll be mad,' said Jo obstinately.
　　'Very well,' said Dick, looking at Julian. 'We'll go by ourselves. We've found Ravens Wood on themap. We can easily get there.'
　　'Pooh,' said Jo, rudely. 'You can get there all right - but it's a big place, Ravens Wood is - and nobodybut me and Dad knows where we hide the caravan there. And if Dad wants to keep 52George quite safe, he'll take her to our hidey-hole in the middle of the wood, see? You can't gowithout me.'
　　'Right. Then we'll get the police to take us,' said Julian, quite cheerfully. 'They will help us to combthe wood from end to end. We'll soon find George.'
　　'No!' cried Jo, in alarm. 'You said you wouldn't! You promised!'
　　'You made a promise too,' said Julian. 'It was a bargain. But I see you're not really to be trusted.
　　I'll just get on my bike and ride down to the police-station.'
　　But before he could go out of the room Jo flung herself on him and clung to his arm like a cat.
　　'No, no! I'll take you. I'll keep my promise! But it would be best to go at night!'
　　'I'm not putting things off any more,' said Julian, shaking Jo off his arm. 'If you mean what you say,you'll come with us now. Make up your mind.'
　　'I'll come,' said Jo.
　　'Hadn't we better give her another pair of shorts or something?' said Anne, suddenly seeing atremendous hole in Jo's grubby shorts. 'She can't go out like that. And look at her awful jersey.
　　It's full of holes.'
　　The boys looked at it. 'She'd smell a bit better if she had clean clothes,' said Joan. 'There's that oldpair of shorts I washed for George last week, and mended up. Jo could have those. And there's an oldshirt of hers she could have, too.'
　　In five minutes' time Jo was proudly wearing a pair of perfectly clean, much-mended shorts ofGeorge's, and a shirt like the one Anne had on. Anne looked at her and laughed.
　　'Now she's more like George than ever! They might be sisters.'
　　'Brothers, you mean,' said Dick. 'George and Jo - what a pair!'
　　Jo scowled. She didn't like George, and she didn't want to look like her.
　　'She's even got George's scowl!' said Anne. Jo turned her back at once, and Joan then got the benefitof the scowl.
　　'My word, what an ugly creature you are!' said Joan. 'You be careful the wind doesn't change -you might get your face stuck like that!'
　　'Oh, come on,' said Julian, impatiently. 'Jo! Do you hear me? Come along now and take us to RavensWood.'
　　'Jake might see us,' said Jo, sulkily. She was determined to put off going as long as she could.
　　53
　　'Yes, he might,' said Julian, who hadn't thought of that. 'Well - you go on a long way ahead, and we'llfollow. We won't let Jake know you're leading us anywhere.'
　　At last they set off. Joan had packed them up a meal in case they wanted one. Julian slipped thepackage into a bag and slid it over his shoulder.
　　Jo slipped out the back way, went down to the bottom of the garden and made her way out to the lanethrough a little thicket. The others went out of the front gate and walked up the lane slowly, watchingfor Jo to appear.
　　'There she is,' said Julian. 'Come on. We must keep the little wretch in sight. I wouldn't be surprised ifshe gave us the slip even now!'
　　Jo danced on in front, a good way ahead. She took no notice of the others behind, and they followedsteadily.
　　Then suddenly something happened. A dark figure strode out from the hedge, stood in front of Jo,and said something to her. She screamed and tried to dodge away. But the man caught hold of herand firmly pulled her into the hedge.
　　'It was Jake!' said Dick. 'I'm sure it was Jake. He was watching out for her. Now what do we do?'
13.出发，去寻找乔治
　　出发，去寻找乔治
　　第二天早上，只有乔安娜醒得比较早，那也没能赶上送牛奶的人。她一边系围裙一边匆忙下楼，现在已经七点半了——比平时晚了一个小时。
　　“七点半了，现在才起床！”她喃喃自语着，开始准备早餐。乔安娜回想起昨晚发生的一切——先是和小锡德度过了奇怪的一晚，接着迪克抓住琼，然后琼讲出了令人目瞪口呆的故事。下楼前乔安娜看了一眼琼，担心那个活泼的小淘气说不定在夜里逃走了。
　　琼正像小猫一样蜷缩在沙发上，棕色的脸颊贴着棕色的小手，头发异常整齐光洁，散落在紧闭的眼睛上。乔安娜急急忙忙跑出卧室梳洗打扮时，丝毫没有吵到琼。
　　其他人都睡得很熟。朱利安是最先醒来的，但那也已经八点了。他一醒来就想起了昨晚发生的一切，立马从床上跳了下去。
　　朱利安来到乔安娜的房间，听到乔安娜一如既往地在楼下自言自语。乔安娜的卧室门开着，朱利安偷偷往里瞄。谢天谢地——琼还在那里。
　　朱利安走过去轻轻地摇了摇琼。琼扭过头，翻身把脸埋进了枕头里。朱利安更加用力地摇晃琼，想叫她起来，让她尽快带他们去找乔治。
　　不可思议的是，八点半的时候，大家都起来了，在那里闷声不响地喝着粥，情绪低落。琼在厨房吃早餐，大家都听到乔安娜在训斥她没有教养。
　　“你用得着那样胡吃海塞吗？仿佛不吃快点就会有小狗来舔你的盘子一样？谁让你把手指伸进糖浆里又塞进嘴巴舔的？我后脑勺上也有眼睛，别给我乱来！”
　　琼喜欢乔安娜，她能摸清乔安娜的脾气，明白乔安娜没什么恶意。只要按乔安娜的吩咐做事，乔安娜就会给她好吃的，不做过多干涉。否则，琼很清楚自己会得到什么——责备和响亮的耳光。乔安娜心肠很好，尽管缺乏耐心，但孩子们都不怕她。吃过早饭，琼像一只小狗一样跟着乔安娜。
　　九点时，朱利安来到厨房，“琼在哪里？”他问，“噢，你在这儿。现在带我们去你爸爸的大篷车吧？你确定你认得路吗？”
　　琼轻蔑地笑了：“当然，方圆几英里的路我都认得。”
　　“好。”朱利安说完，拿出了一张地图，摊在厨房的桌子上。他用手指着一个地方。“这里是科林，”他说，“这里是渡鸦林。你说的是这个地方吗？你打算怎么去——走这条路还是那条路？”
　　琼看着地图——地图对她而言没有任何意义，她只是茫然地盯着朱利安手指的位置。
　　“嗯？”朱利安不耐烦地说，“那儿就是你说的渡鸦林吗？”
　　“我不知道，”琼无助地说，“我说的是一片真正的树林——关于你这张图上的树林，我完全不了解。”
　　乔安娜轻哼了一声：“朱利安小主人，给她看地图简直就是浪费！我猜她从没见过地图！甚至都不认字！”
　　“她不认字？”朱利安惊讶地说，“她也不会写字？”他诧异地看着琼。
　　琼摇了摇头。“妈妈试着教过我认字，”她说，“但她自己也不太在行。会读书有什么用呢？又不能帮你逮兔子抓鱼，是吧？”
　　“没错，读书确实不是用在这些事上的。”朱利安笑着说，“嗯，我懂了，地图对你并不适用。”他卷起地图，若有所思。像琼这样的人，对某些事情知之甚少，却对其他事情了如指掌，跟这些人打交道，真是太难了。
　　“她会认路的，”乔安娜边说边刷着平底锅，“这些乡下人就像狗一样，能凭嗅觉认路。”
　　“你能像小狗一样凭嗅觉认路吗？”安妮好奇地问，她本想进来看看发生了什么。安妮更愿意相信琼像蒂米那样，可以靠嗅觉到处走。
　　“不，我不会。”琼说，“我只认识我要走的路。我也不走大路，大路要走很久才能到达目的地。我只走最近的路，明白吗？”
　　“你怎么知道哪条是最近的路呢？”安妮问。
　　琼耸了耸瘦弱的肩膀，这一切对她来说都太无聊了。
　　“另一个男孩在哪里？”琼说，“他不去吗？我想见他。”
　　“她真成迪克的粉丝了，”乔安娜说着，又拿起了另一个平底锅，“他来了——你愿意的话，现在就可以去拍他的马屁！”
　　“嘿，琼！”迪克露出了友好的笑容，“准备好带我们出发了吗？”
　　“最好晚上再去。”琼盯着迪克说。
　　“不！”迪克说，“我们现在就去，不能再推迟了。现在，琼，就现在！”
　　“要是我爸爸看到我们，他会生气的。”琼固执地说。
　　“好吧，”迪克看着朱利安说，“那我们自己去。我们已经在地图上找到了渡鸦林，很容易就能到那里。”
　　“呸！”琼粗鲁地说，“你们能到那里，但渡鸦林是一个很大的地方——除了我和我爸爸，没人知道我们把大篷车藏在哪儿。如果爸爸想让乔治藏得够隐蔽，就一定会带她去我们的秘密据点，明白吗？没有我，你们去不了的。”
　　“好，那就让警察带我们去，”朱利安激动地说，“警察会帮我们搜遍整个树林，很快就能找到乔治。”
　　“不行！”琼惊慌地叫道，“你说过不会报警的！你答应过的！”
　　“你也承诺过，”朱利安说，“这是个协议。但我看你并不可信，我就只好骑自行车去警察局了。”
　　还没等他走出房间，琼就扑到他身上，像猫一样紧紧抓着他的胳膊。“不，不要！我会带你们去的！我会遵守诺言！但最好晚上再去！”
　　“这件事不能再拖了，”朱利安说着，一把甩开了琼，“如果你说话算数，现在就带我们去。快做决定。”
　　“现在就去。”琼说。
　　“我们最好再给她换一条短裤什么的？”安妮突然看到琼脏兮兮的裤子上有个很大的破洞，“她不能就这样出去。看她那件脏运动衫，也都是洞。”
　　男孩们看了看。“她要是穿着干净的衣服，身上的气味会好闻一些。”乔安娜说，“上周我给乔治洗了条旧短裤，还补了补。琼可以穿那条，还有件旧衬衫她也可以穿。”
　　五分钟后，琼得意洋洋地穿上了乔治的一条短裤，虽然上面有很多补丁，但特别干净，她还穿着和安妮身上那件差不多的衬衫。
　　安妮看着她笑了起来。
　　“现在她更像乔治了！简直是亲姐妹！”
　　“是亲兄弟吧，”迪克说，“乔治和琼，真是天生一对儿！”
　　琼皱起了眉头。她不喜欢乔治，也不想看起来像乔治。
　　“她们皱起眉来都一模一样！”安妮说。琼立马转过身去背对着安妮，不过乔安娜依旧可以看到她皱眉的样子。
　　“我的天，你这个样子可真丑啊！”乔安娜说，“你可要小心风一直朝一边吹啊，你的脸可能就被吹定型了。”
　　“哦，天哪，”朱利安没了耐心，“琼！你听见了吗？快走，带我们去渡鸦林。”
　　“杰克可能会看到我们。”琼闷闷不乐地说。她已下定决心要晚点去，能拖多久是多久。
　　“没错，有这种可能。”朱利安说，他忘了这一点，“这样，你在最前面带路，我们远远地跟着你。杰克不会知道是你在带路。”
　　他们终于出发了。乔安娜为他们准备了食物，以备饿的时候吃。朱利安把东西都塞进了一个袋子，背在肩上。
　　琼从后门溜了出去，走到花园尽头，穿过一片灌木丛，来到小路上。其他人从大门出去，慢慢地沿小路走，等着琼出现。
　　“她来了，”朱利安说，“快跟上，我们必须时刻跟紧这个小坏蛋。她万一把我们甩了，也不是不可能啊。”
　　琼边走边跳，离他们有一段距离。她没有留意身后的人，而他们小心翼翼地紧跟在她后面。
　　这时，情况有变。一个黑影大步走出树篱，站到琼面前，对她说了些什么。她尖叫着试图躲开，但那个人抓住了她，用力把她拉进了树篱。
　　“是杰克！”迪克说，“我敢肯定那个人是杰克，他一直在监视琼。我们该怎么办？”
Chapter 14 SIMMY'S CARAVAN
　　Chapter 14 SIMMY'S CARAVAN
　　They all hurried up to the place where Jake had caught hold of Jo. There was absolutely nothing to beseen except a few broken twigs in the hedge there. No Jake, no Jo. There was not a sound to be heard,either. Not a scream from Jo, not a shout from Jake. It was as if both had faded into the hedge anddisappeared.
　　Dick squeezed through the hedge and into the field beyond. Nobody was there either, except a fewcows who looked at him in surprise, their tails whisking.
　　'There's a little copse at the end of the field,' called back Dick. 'I bet they're there. I'll go and see.'
　　He ran across the field to the copse. But there was nobody there either. Beyond the copse was a rowof huddled-up cottages. Dick looked along the untidy row, exasperated.
　　'I suppose Jake's taken her to one of those,' he thought, angrily. 'Probably lives there! Well, he won'tlet her go, that's certain. He most likely guesses that she's in with us now. Poor Jo!'
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　　He went back to the others and they had a low-voiced conference in the lane. 'Let's tell the policenow,' begged Anne.
　　'No. Let's go to Ravens Wood ourselves,' said Dick. 'We know where it is. We wouldn't be able to gothe way Jo would have taken us - but at least we can go by the map.'
　　'Yes. I think we will,' said Julian. 'Come on, then. Quick march!'
　　They went on up the lane, took a field path and came out eventually on to a road. A bus passed themin the opposite direction to which they were going.
　　'When we come to a bus stop we'll find out if one goes anywhere near Raven's Wood,' said Julian. 'Itwould save a lot of time if we caught a bus.' We'd be there long before Jake, if he thinks of going towarn Jo's father we're on the way! I bet Jo will tell him. You might as well trust a snake as thatslippery little thing.'
　　'I hate Jo!' said Anne, almost in tears. 'I don't trust her a bit. Do you, Dick?'
　　'I don't know,' said Dick. 'I can't make up my mind. She hasn't really proved whether she's trustableor not yet. Anyway, she came back to tell us all she knew last night, didn't she?'
　　'I don't believe she did come back for that,' said Anne obstinately. 'I believe she was coming back topry and snoop.'
　　'You may be right,' said Dick. 'Look, here's a bus-stop - and a time-table!'
　　A bus did apparently go quite near Ravens Wood, and was due in five minutes' time. They sat downon the bus-stop seat and waited. The bus was punctual and came rumbling down the road, full ofwomen going to Ravens Market. They all seemed very plump women and had enormous baskets, soit was difficult to squeeze inside.
　　Everyone got out at Ravens Market. Julian asked his way to Ravens Wood. 'There it is,' said theconductor, pointing down the hill to where trees grew thickly in the valley. 'It's a big place. Don't getlost! And look out for the gipsies. There's usually hordes of them there!'
　　'Thanks,' said Julian, and the three of them set off down the hill into the valley. They came to thewood.
　　'It's a proper wood,' said Anne. 'Nothing but trees and trees. I should think it gets very thick in themiddle - like a forest.'
　　They came to a clearing where there was a little gipsy camp. Three rather dirty-looking caravansstood together, and a crowd of brown gipsy children were playing some sort of a game with a rope.
　　Julian took a quick look at the caravans. All had their doors open.
　　55
　　'No George here,' he said in a low voice to the others. 'I wish I knew exactly where to go! I suppose ifwe follow this broad pathway it would be best. After all, Jo's caravan must have a fairly broad way togo on.'
　　'Can't we ask if anyone knows if Jo's caravan is anywhere about?' said Anne.
　　'We don't know her father's name,' said Julian.
　　'But we could say it's a caravan drawn by a horse called Blackie, and that a girl called Jo lives in itwith her father,' said Anne.
　　'Yes. I'd forgotten the horse,' said Julian. He went up to an old woman who was stirring something ina black pot over a fire of sticks. Julian thought she looked very like a witch. She peered up at himthrough tangled grey hair.
　　'Can you tell me if there's a caravan in the wood drawn by a horse called Blackie?' he asked politely.
　　'A girl called Jo lives in it with her father. We want to see her.'
　　The old woman blinked. She took an iron spoon out of the pot and waved it to the right.
　　'Simmy's gone down-away there,' she said. 'I never saw Jo this time - but the caravan door was shutso maybe she was inside. What you want with Jo?'
　　'Oh - only just to see her,' said Julian, quite unable to think up a good reason for going to visit agipsy-child on the spur of the moment. 'Is Simmy her father?'
　　The old woman nodded and began to stir her pot again. Julian went back to the others.
　　'This way,' he said, and they went down the rutted path. It was just wide enough for a caravan to godown. Anne looked up. Tree branches waved overhead.
　　'I should think they brush against the roof of a caravan all the time,' she said. 'What a queer life tolive - in a little caravan day in and day out, hiding yourself away in woods and fields!'
　　They walked on down the path, which wound about through the trees, following the clear spaces.
　　Sometimes the trees were so close together that it seemed impossible for a caravan to go between.
　　But the wheel-ruts showed that caravans did go down the path.
　　After a time the wood became thicker, and the sunlight could hardly pierce through the branches.
　　Still the path went on, but now it seemed as if only one set of wheel-ruts was marked on it. Theywere probably the wheels of Simmy's caravan.
　　Here and there a tree was shorn of one of its branches, and a bush uprooted and thrown to one side.
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　　'Simmy meant to go deep into the wood last time he came,' said Julian, pointing to where a bush laydying by the side of the path. 'He's cleared the way here and there. Actually we aren't on a properpath any longer - we're only following wheel-ruts.'
　　It was true. The path had faded out. They were now in a thick part of the wood, with only the ruts ofthe caravan wheels to guide them.
　　They fell silent. The wood was very quiet. There were no birds singing, and the branches of the treeswere so thick that there was a kind of green twilight round them.
　　'I wish we had Timmy with us,' half-whispered Anne at last.
　　Julian nodded. He had been wishing that a long time. He was also wishing he hadn't brought Anne -but when they had started out, they had Jo with them to guide them, and warn them of any danger.
　　Now they hadn't.
　　'I think we'd better go very cautiously,' he said, in a low voice. 'We may come on the caravanunexpectedly. We don't want Simmy to hear us and lie in wait.'
　　'I'll go a little way in front and warn you if I hear or see anything,' said Dick. Julian nodded to himand he went on ahead, peering round the trees when he came to any curve in the wheel-rut path.
　　Julian began to think of what they would do when they reached the caravan. He was pretty certainthat both George and Timmy would be found locked up securely inside.
　　'If we can undo the door and let them out, Timmy will do the rest,' he thought. 'He's as good as threepolicemen! Yes - that's the best plan.'
　　Dick suddenly stopped and lifted up his hand in warning. He peered round the bole of a big tree, andthen turned and nodded excitedly.
　　'He's found the caravan!' said Anne, and her heart began its usual thump-thump-thump of excitement.
　　'Stay here,' said Julian to Anne, and went on quietly to join Dick. Anne crept under a bush. She didn'tlike this dark, silent wood, with the green light all round. She peered out, watching the boys.
　　Dick had suddenly seen the caravan. It was small, badly needed painting, and appeared quitedeserted. No fire burned outside. No Simmy was sitting anywhere about. Not even Blackie the horsewas to be seen.
　　The boys watched intently for a few minutes, not daring to move or speak. There was absolutely nosound or movement from the tiny clearing in which the caravan stood.
　　57
　　Windows and doors were shut. The shafts rested crookedly on the ground. The whole place seemeddeserted.
　　'Dick,' whispered Julian at last, 'Simmy doesn't seem to be about. This is our chance! We'll creep overto the caravan and look into the window. We'll attract George's attention, and get her out as soon aswe can. Timmy, too.'
　　'Funny he doesn't bark,' said Dick, also in a whisper. 'I suppose he can't have heard us. Well -shall we get over to the caravan now?'
　　They ran quietly to the little caravan, and Julian peered through the dirty window. It was too darkinside to see anything at all.
　　'George!' he whispered. 'George! Are you there?'
14.西米的大篷车
　　西米的大篷车
　　他们跑到杰克抓走琼的地方，却只看到树篱被撞断了几根。杰克和琼都不在，四下寂静，没有琼的尖叫声，也没有杰克的喊叫声，两个人仿佛都在树篱处消失了。
　　迪克从树篱的间隙挤过去，来到另一边的田野上。那里也没有人，只有几头受惊的牛，摆着尾巴看着他。
　　“田野的尽头有片小灌木丛，”迪克回头喊道，“我猜他们就在那里，我去看看。”
　　他跑过田野，进入树林，但依旧看不到人。树林后是一排鳞次栉比的房屋。迪克顺着房屋的方向望去，心里一阵恼火。
　　“我想杰克已经把琼带进某间屋子了，”他生气地想，“他很可能就住在那里！他绝对不会让琼走。他现在十有八九认定她跟我们是一伙了。可怜的琼！”
　　迪克回到其他人身边，他们压低声音，在小路上商议了一番。“现在就报警吧。”安妮乞求道。
　　“不行。我们自己去渡鸦林，”迪克说，“我们知道渡鸦林在哪里。虽然现在没有琼带我们抄近路，但我们至少可以跟着地图走。”
　　“对，我觉得可以。”朱利安说，“那就走吧，快出发！”
　　他们继续沿着小路走，穿过一条田间小径，终于来到了大路上。一辆公共汽车朝着他们走来的方向驶过去。
　　“到了巴士站之后，我们要找一班去渡鸦林的车。”朱利安说，“要是能坐上巴士，我们就会省很多时间。这样一来，我们便能赶在杰克之前到达，否则他如果给琼的爸爸通风报信，那可就糟了！要我说，琼肯定会告诉杰克一切。我们宁可相信一条蛇，都不能相信那小东西。”
　　“我讨厌琼！”安妮快哭了，“我完全不相信她。你呢，迪克？”
　　“我不知道，”迪克说，“我说不准，没法证明她到底值不值得信任。不过不管怎样，昨晚她还是回来把知道的一切告诉了我们。”
　　“我不相信她回来是为了向我们坦白，”安妮坚持道，“我觉得她是来打探消息的。”
　　“也许你是对的。”迪克说，“看，那儿有巴士站，还有时刻表！”
　　时刻表显示，有一辆巴士要去渡鸦林附近，五分钟后就到站。
　　于是他们坐在车站的座位上等待。车很准时，沿着马路隆隆驶来，车上坐满了要去渡鸦市场的妇女。这些身材很胖的女人们挎着大篮子，令孩子们好不容易才挤进车里。
　　所有人都在渡鸦市场站下车了，朱利安上前打听去往渡鸦林的路。“就在那边，”售票员告诉他，一手指着山谷中繁茂的树林，“渡鸦林很大，别迷路了！要是能找到一个吉卜赛人给你们带路就好了，树林里有许多吉卜赛人！”
　　“谢谢您。”朱利安道谢离开。三人动身下山，进入山谷，来到树林。
　　“好大一片树林，”安妮说，“除了树还是树。我猜树林中心地带应该尤为茂密，这儿看起来就像森林一样。”
　　他们来到一片空地上，那里有一个流浪汉聚集的小营地。三辆看上去很脏的大篷车停在一起，一群吉卜赛小孩在用绳子玩游戏。
　　所有大篷车的车门都开着，朱利安飞快地扫了一眼。
　　“乔治不在里面，”朱利安低声对其他人说，“我要是知道她的具体方位就好了！我觉得，我们最好沿大路走。毕竟，琼的大篷车没法走小路。”
　　“我们是不是应该问一下别人，看有没有人知道琼的大篷车在哪儿？”安妮说。
　　“可是我们不知道她爸爸的名字。”朱利安说。
　　“但我们可以向他们描述一下，就说一匹叫小黑的马拉着一辆大篷车，一个叫琼的女孩和她爸爸住在里面。”安妮说。
　　“对，我把那匹马给忘了。”朱利安说完，朝一个老妇人走去。
　　那个老妇人正在一口黑锅里搅着什么，锅架在柴火堆上。朱利安觉得她像一个女巫。老妇人抬起头，透过乱蓬蓬的白发看着他。
　　“请问，树林里是不是有一辆大篷车，拉车的那匹马叫小黑？”朱利安礼貌地问，“一个叫琼的女孩和她爸爸住在里面。我们想见她。”
　　老妇人眨了眨眼睛，从锅里拿出一个大铁勺，挥向右边。
　　“西米去那边了，”她说，“这次我没有见到琼——但大篷车的门关着，也许她在里面。你们找琼干什么？”
　　“噢，就是想见见她。”朱利安说。他实在想不出一个好理由来解释他们为何一时兴起，来找一个吉卜赛女孩，“西米是她爸爸吗？”
　　老妇人点点头，又开始在锅里来回搅动。朱利安回去找其他人。
　　“这边来。”朱利安说。他们沿着有车辙的路走，这条路的宽度刚好适合大篷车行驶。安妮一抬头，看到枝叶在头顶摇晃。
　　“我感觉这些树枝会碰到大篷车车顶，”安妮说，“多么奇特的生活啊——终日住在小小的车里，藏身于林间野地中。”
　　他们沿着蜿蜒的小路前行，穿过树林，走过空地。有些地方树木长得很密，大篷车似乎无法通过，但车辙表明大篷车确实沿着这条路往前驶去了。
　　走了一会儿，树木更密了，枝叶层层叠叠，遮天蔽日。他们看不到路的尽头，只看到两道车辙，应该就是西米的大篷车留下的。
　　到处都是破碎的枝干，还有一丛灌木被连根拔起，丢在一边。
　　“西米上次来的时候，可能打算进入树林深处，”朱利安指着路边一丛快要枯萎的灌木说道，“这是他自己清理出来的路。事实上我们现在走的已经不是原来的那条路了，只是在跟着车辙前行而已。”
　　确实如此，这里已经没有任何路了。此刻他们身处树林最茂密的地方，只有大篷车的车辙在引导他们往前走。
　　大家陷入一片静默。整片树林静悄悄的，听不到鸟儿的歌唱，树木枝繁叶茂，周围笼罩着绿色的微光。
　　“真希望蒂米和我们在一起。”安妮忍不住小声说。
　　朱利安点点头，他早就希望蒂米能跟来了。他还希望没有带安妮来这里。刚开始有琼当向导，她可以提醒他们可能遇到什么危险，现在她被抓走了，他们陷入了孤立无援的境地。
　　“我们最好小心行事，”朱利安压低声音说，“我们说不准什么时候就遇到大篷车了，可别让西米听见动静后埋伏起来，引我们上钩啊。”
　　“我走前面，一旦发现任何异常，就提醒大家。”迪克说。看到朱利安点了点头，迪克继续往前走。遇到车辙拐弯时，他都会在树旁谨慎地张望。朱利安不禁思索着，遇到大篷车后他们该怎么办。
　　他很肯定，乔治和蒂米就被锁在车里。
　　“只要我们打开门，让他们出来，剩下的蒂米就能搞定。”他想，“蒂米顶得了三个警察！没错——这是最好的计划。”
　　迪克突然停了下来，举起手以示警告。他躲在大树的树干后张望，然后兴奋地转过身来，点了点头。
　　“他发现大篷车了！”安妮惊呼，心脏激动得怦怦直跳。
　　“你待在这儿。”朱利安告诉安妮，然后悄悄跟上迪克。安妮蹑手蹑脚地躲在灌木丛下。她一点都不喜欢这片树林，树林里光线昏暗，悄无声息，周围还笼罩着绿光。她静静地向外面张望着，看着朱利安和迪克。
　　迪克是突然看见大篷车的。车身很小，上面的漆剥落得厉害，似乎废弃了很久的样子。大篷车周围没有火堆，西米并不在附近，连小黑也不在。
　　两个男孩目不转睛地看了几分钟，他们不敢动，也不敢说话。
　　大篷车就停在那一小片空地上，周围没有任何动静。
　　车窗和车门都紧闭着，车轴歪斜地搁在地上，四周一片荒凉。
　　“迪克，”朱利安终于小声开口，“西米好像不在这儿，这是个好机会！我们爬上大篷车，往车窗里看一下。我们想方设法吸引乔治的注意，尽快把她和蒂米救出来。”
　　“蒂米竟然没有叫出声音，”迪克低声说，“我猜它还没听见我们说话。我们现在就去大篷车那儿吗？”
　　他们悄声跑到车旁，朱利安透过脏兮兮的玻璃往车里看。不过车里很黑，他什么也看不见。
　　“乔治！”朱利安低声呼喊，“乔治！你在里面吗？”
Chapter 15 ANNE DOESN'T LIKE ADVENTURES
　　Chapter 15 ANNE DOESN'T LIKE ADVENTURES
　　There was no answer from inside the caravan. Perhaps George was asleep - or drugged! And Timmy,too. Julian's heart sank. It would be dreadful if George had been ill-treated. He tried to peer inside thewindow again, but what with the darkness of the wood and the dirt on the pane, it really wasimpossible to see inside.
　　'Shall we bang on the door?' asked Dick.
　　'No. That would only bring Simmy if he's anywhere about - and if George is inside and awake, ourvoices would have attracted her attention,' said Julian.
　　They went quietly round the caravan to the door at the back. It had no key in the lock. Julianfrowned.
　　Simmy must have got the key with him. That would mean breaking down the door and making anoise. He went up the few steps and pushed at the door. It seemed very solid indeed. How could hebreak it down, anyway? He had no tools, and it didn't look as if kicking and shoving would burst it in.
　　He knocked gently on the door - rap-rap-rap. Not a movement from inside. It seemed very strange.
　　He tried the round handle, and it turned easily.
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　　It not only turned easily - but the door opened! 'Dick! It's not locked!' said Julian, forgetting towhisper in his surprise. He went inside the dark caravan, hardly hoping now to see George or Timmy.
　　Dick pushed in after him. There was a nasty sour smell and it was very untidy. Nobody was there. Itwas quite empty, as Julian had feared.
　　He groaned. 'All this way for nothing. They've taken George somewhere else. We're done, now, Dick- we haven't a clue where to go next.'
　　Dick fished his torch out of his pocket. He flashed it over the untidy jumble of things in the caravan,looking for some sign that George had been there. But there was nothing at all that he could see toshow him that either Timmy or George had been there.
　　'It's quite likely that Jo made the whole story up about her father taking George away,' he groaned. 'Itdoesn't look as if they've been here at all.'
　　His torch flashed on to the wooden wall of the caravan, and Dick saw something that arrested hisattention. Somebody had written something on the wall!
　　He looked more closely. 'Julian! Isn't that George's writing? Look! What's written there?'
　　Both boys bent towards the dirty wall. 'Red Tower, Red Tower, Red Tower,' was written again andagain, in very small writing.
　　'Red Tower!' said Dick. 'What does that mean? Is it George's writing?'
　　'Yes, I think so,' said Julian. 'But why should she keep writing that? Do you suppose that's where theyhave taken her to? She might have heard them saying something and scribbled it down quickly - justin case we found the caravan and examined it. Red Tower! It sounds queer.'
　　'It must be a house with a red tower, I should think,' said Dick. 'Well - we'd better get back and tellthe police now - and they'll have to hunt for a red tower somewhere.'
　　Bitterly disappointed the boys went back to Anne. She scrambled out from under her bush as theycame.
　　'George is not there,' said Dick. 'She's gone. But she has been there - we saw some scribbled writingon the wall of the caravan inside.'
　　'How do you know it's hers?' said Anne.
　　'Well, she's written 'Red Tower' ever so many times, and the R's and the T's are just like hers,'
　　said Dick. 'We think she must have heard someone talking and say they were taking her to Red 59Tower, wherever it is. We're going straight back to the police now. I wish we hadn't trusted Jo.
　　We've wasted such a lot of time.'
　　'Let's have something to eat,' said Julian. 'We won't sit down. We'll eat as we go. Come on.'
　　But somehow nobody wanted anything to eat. Anne said she felt sick. Julian was too worried to eat,and Dick was so anxious to go that he felt he couldn't even wait to unpack sandwiches! So theystarted back down the path, following the wheel-ruts as before.
　　It suddenly grew very dark indeed, and on the leaves of the trees heavy rain fell with a loud, patteringsound. Thunder suddenly rolled.
　　Anne caught hold of Julian's arm, startled. 'Julian! It's dangerous to be in a wood, isn't it, in a storm?
　　Oh, Julian, we'll be struck by lightning.'
　　'No, we shan't,' said Julian. 'A wood's no more dangerous than anywhere else. It's sheltering under alone tree somewhere that's dangerous. Look - there's a little clearing over there; we'll go to that, ifyou like.'
　　But when they got to the little clearing the rain was falling down in such heavy torrents that Juliancould see that they would immediately be soaked through. He hurried Anne to a clump of bushes, andthey crouched underneath, waiting for the storm to pass.
　　Soon the rain stopped, and the thunder rolled away to the east. There had been no lightning that theycould see. The wood grew just a little lighter, as if somewhere above the thick green branches the sunmight be shining!
　　'I hate this wood,' said Dick, crawling out from the bushes. 'Come on, for goodness' sake. Let's getback to the wheel-rut path.'
　　He led the way through the trees. Julian called to him. 'Wait, Dick. Are you sure this is right?'
　　Dick stopped, anxious at once. 'Well,' he said uncertainly. 'I thought it was. But I don't know. Doyou?'
　　'I thought it was through those trees there,' said Julian. 'Where that little clearing is?'
　　They went to it. 'It's not the same clearing, though,' said Anne at once. 'The other clearing had a deadtree at one side. There's no dead tree here.'
　　'Blow!' said Julian. 'Well - try this way, then.'
　　They went to the left, and soon found themselves in a thicker part of the wood than ever. Julian'sheart went cold. What an absolute idiot he was! He might have known that it was madness to leavethe only path they knew without marking it in some way.
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　　Now he hadn't the very faintest idea where the wheel-rut way was. It might be in any direction!
　　He hadn't even the sun to guide him.
　　He looked gloomily at Dick. 'Bad show!' said Dick. 'Well - we'll have to make up our minds whichway to go! We can't just stay here.'
　　'We might go deeper and deeper and deeper,' said Anne, with a sudden little gulp of fear. Julian puthis arm round her shoulder.
　　'Well, if we go deeper and deeper, we shall come out on the other side!' he said. 'It's not an endlesswood, you know.'
　　'Well, let's go straight on through the wood, then,' said Anne. 'We'll have to come out the other sidesome time.'
　　The boys didn't tell her that it was impossible to go straight through a wood. It was necessary to goround' clumps of bushes, to double back sometimes when they came to an impenetrable part, and togo either to the left or right when clumps of trees barred their way. It was quite impossible to gostraight through.
　　'For all I know we're probably going round and round in circles, like people do when they're lost inthe desert,' he thought. He blamed himself bitterly for having left the wheel-ruts.
　　They made their way on and on for about two or three hours, and then Anne stumbled and fell. 'I can'tgo on any further,' she wept. 'I must have a rest.'
　　Dick glanced at his watch and whistled. Where ever had the time gone? It was almost three o'clock.
　　He sat down by Anne and pulled her close to him. 'What we want is a jolly good meal,'
　　he said. 'We've had nothing since breakfast.'
　　Anne said she still wasn't hungry, but when she smelt the meat sandwiches that Joan had made shechanged her mind. She was soon eating with the others, and feeling much better.
　　'There's nothing to drink, unfortunately,' said Dick. 'But Joan's packed tomatoes and plums, too -so we'll have those instead of a drink. They're nice and juicy.'
　　They ate everything, though secretly Julian wondered if it was a good thing to wolf all their food atonce. There was no telling how long they might be lost in Ravens Wood! Joan might get worriedsooner or later and tell the police they had gone there, and a search would be made. But it might beages before they were found.
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　　Anne fell asleep after her meal. The boys talked softly over her head. 'I don't much like this,' saidDick. 'We set out to find George - and all we've done is to lose ourselves. We don't seem to bemanaging this adventure as well as we usually do.'
　　'If we don't get out before dark we'll have to make up some kind of bed under a bush,' said Julian.
　　'We'll have another go when Anne wakes - and we'll do a bit of yelling, too. Then if we're still lost,we'll bed down for the night.'
　　But when darkness came - and it came very early in that thick wood, they were still as much lost asever. They were all hoarse with shouting, too.
　　In silence they pulled bracken from an open space and piled it under a sheltering bush. 'Thankgoodness it's warm tonight,' said Dick, trying to sound cheerful. 'Well - we'll all feel much morelively in the morning. Cuddle up to me, Anne, and keep warm. That's right. Julian's on the other sideof you! This is quite an adventure.'
　　'I don't like adventures,' said Anne, in a small voice, and immediately fell asleep.
15.安妮不喜欢冒险
　　安妮不喜欢冒险
　　大篷车里没有回应，乔治可能睡着了——或是被下了药！蒂米说不定也如此。朱利安的心沉了下去，要是乔治受到如此虐待，就太可怕了。他又往窗户里看了看，但树林里光线不好，玻璃窗上灰尘又多，实在看不清车里的情形。
　　“要不要敲门？”迪克问。
　　“不行，如果西米在附近的话，那样做会惊动他的。要是乔治在里面，还清醒着，她肯定会听到我们的声音。”朱利安说。
　　他们悄悄绕到大篷车后门，发现门锁上没有钥匙。朱利安不禁皱起了眉头。
　　西米肯定把钥匙带走了。他们只能破门而入了，但肯定会发出声响——那也没办法了。朱利安走上台阶，推了推门。门很结实，怎样打开呢？他没有工具，光靠硬踢硬推显然无济于事。
　　朱利安轻轻地敲门。里面没有动静，真是奇怪。他试着转了转圆圆的门把手，没想到门把手很容易就拧动了。
　　门竟然开了！“迪克！门没锁！”朱利安惊讶得忘了压低声音。
　　他走进昏暗的大篷车，开始希望不要在这种地方见到乔治和蒂米。
　　迪克跟着朱利安进来。车里脏乱不堪，有刺鼻的酸臭味。车内空无一人。
　　朱利安叹了口气。“竹篮打水一场空。他们把乔治带到别处了。
　　现在完了，迪克。我们没有线索，接下来真不知道该去哪里。”
　　迪克掏出手电筒，照亮了车内堆放的杂物，试图寻找关于乔治的蛛丝马迹，但他没有发现任何可以表明乔治或蒂米来过这里的证据。
　　“琼说她爸爸带走了乔治，现在看来，这些可能是她瞎编的。”迪克叹气道，“他们好像从未来过这里。”
　　迪克照亮了大篷车的木车身，他一下子被吸引住了——上面有字！
　　迪克凑近了去看。“朱利安！这是不是乔治的字？快看！写了什么？”
　　两个人都凑到脏兮兮的车身前。“红塔，红塔，红塔”，这两个字写了好几遍，字体很小。
　　“红塔！”迪克说，“什么意思呢？是乔治写的吗？”
　　“我觉得是，”朱利安说，“但她为什么要一直写这个词呢？这会不会是她被绑匪带去的地方？乔治可能听到他们说红塔，就飞快地写了下来——想着万一我们找到了大篷车，就会看到她留下的线索。红塔，听起来怪怪的。”
　　“我想，肯定是一座有红色塔顶的房子。”迪克说，“我们最好马上回去报警，警察会找到红塔的。”
　　两人心灰意冷，折回去找安妮。安妮见他们回来了，便从藏身的灌木下爬了出来。
　　“乔治不在里面，”迪克说，“她已经离开了。但她之前在这里待过——我们看到车身上有潦草的字迹。”
　　“你们怎么知道是乔治写的？”安妮问。
　　“她写了很多遍‘红塔’，‘纟’和‘土’都像她的笔迹。”迪克说，“我想，她肯定听他们说要去一个叫‘红塔’的地方。我们应该直接回去报警，真希望当初没有相信琼，害我们浪费了这么多时间。”
　　“我们吃点东西吧。”朱利安说，“别坐下了，边走边吃吧。”
　　但不知怎的，大家都不想吃东西。安妮说她觉得恶心；朱利安忧心忡忡，食不下咽；迪克心急如焚，觉得拆三明治简直是浪费时间！于是他们沿着小路往回走，像之前一样沿着车辙折返。
　　天色突然变得很暗，伴随着忽而大作的雷声，滂沱的大雨落在树叶上，哗啦哗啦。
　　安妮惊恐地抓住朱利安的胳膊。“朱利安！暴风雨来临时，待在树林里很危险，是不是？啊，朱利安，我们会被雷电击中的。”
　　“不会的。”朱利安说，“树林并不危险，在孤零零的树下避雨才危险。看，那儿有一片空地，你要是愿意，我们可以去那里。”
　　他们到达空地时，倾盆而下的大雨让朱利安觉得他们马上就会被淋透了。他匆忙拉着安妮跑到一丛灌木旁，蹲下身子，等暴风雨过去。
　　不久，雨停了，隆隆的雷声向东而去，闪电也不见踪影。树林明亮了些，仿佛有阳光照耀在浓密苍翠的枝叶上。
　　“我讨厌这片树林，”迪克从灌木丛中爬出来说道，“天哪，我们快回到有车辙的路上去。”
　　迪克带领大家穿过树林。朱利安叫住他，说道：“等一下，迪克。你确定是这条路吗？”
　　迪克停了下来，焦虑万分。“嗯，”他犹豫了一下，“我觉得是，但我不确定。你呢？”
　　“我觉得要穿过那边的树，”朱利安说，“小空地那边。”
　　他们走向空地。“但这不是刚才的那片空地，”安妮马上发觉，“那片空地旁边有一棵枯树，这里没有。”
　　“喂！”朱利安说，“那就试试这条路。”
　　他们向左转，紧接着进入了一片更茂密的树林。朱利安的心凉了半截。他觉得自己真是个十足的白痴！他本该知道，离开唯一认识的道路，又不做任何标记，简直是蠢到家了。
　　现在，他完全不知道那条有车辙的路在哪里。任何方向都有可能！也没有太阳能给他指路。
　　朱利安沮丧地看着迪克。“太糟了！”迪克说，“现在我们必须确定一条路！我们不能待在原地。”
　　“我们可能会越走越深入，”安妮说道，她突然害怕地倒吸了一口气。朱利安用胳膊环住她的肩膀。
　　“嗯，如果我们越走越深入，就可以从树林另一边出去了！”朱利安说，“你知道的，这片树林一定有边界。”
　　“那就一直走下去，穿过树林。”安妮说，“我们总会从另一边出去。”
　　两个男孩没有告诉安妮，在树林里走直线是不可能的。遇到灌木丛要绕路；碰到过不去的地方，还要往回走两倍的路程；有树丛挡路就要从左右两边走。直走穿越树林，根本不可能。
　　“看来我们很可能一直在原地打转，就像人们在沙漠里迷路时那样。”朱利安心想。他为离开了车辙路而深深自责。
　　他们继续走了两三个小时，安妮绊了一跤，跌在路上。“我走不动了，”安妮哭了起来，“我得休息一下。”
　　迪克看看手表，吹了声口哨。时间怎么过得这么快？已经快三点了。他坐在安妮身边，把她拉到自己身边。“我只想美餐一顿，”他说，“早饭后我们就什么也没吃了。”
　　安妮说她还不饿，但一闻到乔安娜做的三明治的香味，她就改变了主意。安妮和两个男孩儿一块儿吃了起来，这才感觉好些。
　　“只可惜没有喝的，”迪克说，“不过乔安娜还打包了番茄和梅子。这些蔬果美味多汁，我们可以吃点解渴。”
　　他们吃光了所有东西，朱利安暗暗担心，一下子把所有东西吃完会不会不太好。谁知道他们会在渡鸦林迷路多久呢！乔安娜应该会担心他们，迟早要把他们去渡鸦林的事情告诉警察，那么警方就会展开搜寻，但一时半会儿并不能找到他们。
　　吃过饭，安妮就睡着了。两个男孩儿在她头顶轻声说话。“我不喜欢这样，”迪克说，“我们出来找乔治，自己却迷路了。这次冒险不如以前把握得好。”
　　“如果天黑之前还没出去，我们就得露宿灌木丛了。”朱利安说，“安妮醒之后，我们再走一会儿，试着大声呼救。要是走不出去，就只能在这里过夜。”
　　在浓密的树林里，夜幕降临得早。他们没找到路，嗓子也喊哑了。
　　三人默默地从空地上拔来了些蕨菜，堆在灌木下，勉强栖身。“幸亏今晚暖和，”迪克强颜欢笑，“明早就恢复体力了。安妮，躺在我身边，别着凉。对，就这样。朱利安睡在你那边！我们现在这才叫冒险呢！”
　　“我不喜欢冒险。”安妮小声说着，很快睡着了。
Chapter 16 VISITOR IN THE NIGHT
　　Chapter 16 VISITOR IN THE NIGHT
　　It took a long time for Julian and Dick to fall asleep. They were both worried - worried about Georgeand worried about themselves, too. They were also very hungry, and their hunger kept them awake asmuch as their anxiety.
　　Dick fell asleep at last. Julian still lay awake, hoping that Anne was nice and warm between them. Hedidn't feel very warm himself.
　　He heard the whisper of the leaves in the trees, and then the scamper of tiny paws behind his head.
　　He wondered what animal it was - a mouse?
　　Something ran lightly over his hair and he shivered. A spider, perhaps. Well he couldn't move, or hewould disturb Anne. If it wanted to make a web over his hair it would have to. He shut his eyes andbegan to doze off. Soon he was dreaming.
　　He awoke very suddenly, with a jump. He heard the hoot of an owl. That must have been whatwakened him. Now it would be ages before he slept again.
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　　He shut his eyes. The owl hooted again and Julian frowned, hoping that Anne would not wake.
　　She stirred and muttered in her sleep. Julian touched her lightly. She felt quite warm.
　　He settled down again and shut his eyes. Then he opened them. He had heard something! Not an owlor the pattering of some little animal's feet - but another sound, a bigger one. He listened.
　　There was a rustling going on somewhere. Some much bigger animal was about.
　　Julian was suddenly panic-stricken. Then he reasoned sternly with himself. There were no dangerouswild animals in this country, not even a wolf. It was probably a badger out on a nightly prowl. Helistened for any snuffling sound, but he heard none, only the rustling as the animal moved aboutthrough the bushes.
　　It came nearer. It came right over to him! He felt warm breath on his ear and made a quick movementof revulsion. He sat up swiftly and put out his hand. It fell on something warm and hairy. Hewithdrew his hand at once, feeling for his torch in panic. To touch something warm and hairy in thepitch darkness was too much even for Julian!
　　Something caught hold of his arm, and he gave a yell and fought it off. Then he got the surprise of hislife. The animal spoke.
　　'Julian!' said a voice. 'It's me!'
　　Julian, his hands trembling, flashed his torch round. The light fell on a dirty dark face, with tangledhair over its eyes.
　　'Jo!' said Julian. 'Jo! What on earth are you doing here? You scared me stiff. I thought you were somehorrible hairy animal. I must have touched your head.'
　　'You did,' said Jo, squeezing in under the bush. Anne and Dick, who had both wakened up at Julian'syell, gazed at her, speechless with surprise. Jo of all people, here in the middle of the wood. How hadshe got there?
　　'You're surprised to see me, aren't you?' said Jo. 'I got caught by Jake. But he didn't know you werefollowing behind. He dragged me off to the cottage he lives in and locked me up. He knew I'd spentthe night at Kirrin Cottage, and he said he was going to take me to my Dad, who would give me theworst hiding I'd ever had in my life. So he would, too.'
　　'So that's what happened to you!' said Dick.
　　'Then I broke the window and got out,' said Jo. 'That Jake! I'll never do a thing he tells me again -locking me up like that. I hate that worse than anything! Well, then I came to look for you.'
　　'How did you find us?' said Julian, in wonder.
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　　'Well, first I went to the caravan,' said Jo. 'Old Ma Smith - the one who always sits stirring a pot -she told me you'd been asking for my Dad's caravan. I guessed you'd go off to find it. So along I wentafter you - but there was the caravan all by itself, and nobody there. Not even George.'
　　'Where is George, do you know?' asked Anne.
　　'No. I don't,' said Jo. 'Dad's taken her somewhere else. I expect he put her on Blackie, becauseBlackie's gone, too.'
　　'What about Timmy?' asked Dick.
　　Jo looked away. 'I reckon they've done Timmy in,' she said. Nobody said anything. The thought thatTimmy might have come to harm was too dreadful to speak about.
　　'How did you find us here?' asked Julian at last.
　　'That was easy,' said Jo. 'I can follow anybody's trail. I'd have come quicker, but it got dark. My, youdid wander round, didn't you?'
　　'Yes. We did,' said Dick. 'Do you mean to say you followed all our wanderings in and out and roundabout?'
　　'Oh, yes,' said Jo. 'Properly tired me out, you did, with all your messing round and round. Why didyou leave the wheel-ruts?'
　　Julian told her. 'You're daft,' said Jo. 'If you're going somewhere off the path, just mark the trees witha nick as you go along - one here and one there - and then you can always find your way back.'
　　'We didn't even know we were lost till we were,' said Anne. She took Jo's hand and squeezed it.
　　She was so very, very glad to see her. Now they would be able to get out of this horrible wood.
　　Jo was surprised and touched, but she withdrew her hand at once. She didn't like being fondled,though she would not have minded Dick taking her hand. Dick was her hero, someone above allothers. He had been kind to her, and she was glad she had found him.
　　'We found something written on the caravan wall,' said Julian. 'We think we know where George hasbeen taken. It's a place called Red Tower. Do you know it?'
　　'There's no place called Red Tower,' said Jo at once. 'It's...'
　　'Don't be silly, Jo. You can't possibly know if there's no place called Red Tower,' said Dick,impatiently. 'There may be hundreds of places with that name. That's the place we've got to find,anyway. The police will know it.'
　　Jo gave a frightened movement. 'You promised you wouldn't tell the police.'
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　　'Yes - we promised that - but only if you took us to George,' said Dick. 'And you didn't. And anywayif you had taken us to the caravan George wouldn't have been there. So we'll jolly well have to call inthe police now and find out where Red Tower is.'
　　'Was it Red Tower George had written down?' asked Jo. 'Well, then - I can take you to George!'
　　'How can you, when you say there's no place called Red Tower?' began Julian, exasperated. 'I don'tbelieve a word you say, Jo. You're a fraud - and I half-believe you're still working for our enemiestoo!'
　　'I'm not,' said Jo. 'I'm NOT! You're mean. I tell you Red Tower isn't a place. Red Tower is a man.'
　　There was a most surprised silence after this astonishing remark. A man! Nobody had thought of that.
　　Jo spoke again, pleased at the surprise she had caused. 'His name's Tower, and he's got red hair,flaming red - so he's called Red Tower. See?'
　　'Are you making this up, by any chance?' asked Dick, after a pause. 'You have made up things before,you know.'
　　'All right. You can think I made it up, then,' said Jo, sulkily. 'I'll go. Get yourselves out of this thebest you can. You're mean.'
　　She wriggled away, but Julian caught hold of her arm. 'Oh, no, you don't! You'll just stay with usnow, if I have to tie you to me all night long! You see, we find it difficult to trust you, Jo - and that'syour fault, not ours. But we'll trust you just this once. Tell us about Red Tower, and take us to wherehe lives. If you do that, we'll trust you for evermore.'
　　'Will Dick trust me, too?' said Jo, trying to get away from Julian's hand.
　　'Yes,' said Dick shortly. He felt as if he would dearly like to smack this unpredictable, annoying,extraordinary, yet somehow likeable ragamuffin girl. 'But I don't feel as if I like you very much atpresent. If you want us to like you as well as to trust you, you'll have to help us a lot more than youhave done.'
　　'All right,' said Jo, and she wriggled down again. 'I'm tired. I'll show you the way out in the morning,and then I'll take you to Red's. But you won't like Red. He's a beast.'
　　She would say nothing more, so once again they tried to sleep. They felt happier now that Jo waswith them and would show them the right way out of the wood. Julian hardly thought she wouldleave them in the lurch now. He shut his eyes and was soon dreaming.
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　　Jo woke first. She uncurled like an animal and stretched, forgetting where she was. She woke up theothers, and they all sat up, feeling stiff, dirty and hungry.
　　'I'm thirsty as well as hungry,' complained Anne. 'Where can we get something to eat and drink?'
　　'Better get back home for a wash and a meal, and to let Joan know where we are,' said Julian.
　　'Come on, Jo - show us the way.'
　　Jo led the way immediately. The others wondered how in the world she knew it. They were evenmore astonished when they found themselves on the wheel-rut path in about two minutes.
　　'Gracious! We were as near to it as that!' said Dick. 'And yet we seemed to walk for miles throughthis horrible wood.'
　　'You did,' said Jo. 'You went round in an enormous circle, and you were almost back where youstarted. Come on - I'll take you my way back to your house now - it's much better than any bus!'
16.夜间访客
　　夜间访客
　　朱利安和迪克辗转难眠。他们忧心忡忡——既担心乔治，又担心自己；他们也很饿，饥饿和焦虑交织在一起，无法入睡。
　　终于，迪克睡着了，但朱利安还醒着，他觉得有点冷，但愿安妮在他俩中间能感到温暖舒服些。
　　朱利安听见了林间树叶发出的沙沙声，还有小爪子在他身后跑跳的声音。他在想那是什么动物——老鼠吗？
　　有东西轻轻掠过朱利安的头发，他哆嗦了一下。他猜那有可能是蜘蛛，但他不能动，否则会吵醒安妮。这蜘蛛大概想在他头发上结网。朱利安闭上眼睛，打起盹来，很快就进入了梦乡。
　　突然，朱利安从睡梦中惊醒，猛地跳了起来，他听到了猫头鹰的叫声。这声音吵醒了他，现在，他又得过好久才能睡着。
　　朱利安刚闭上眼睛，猫头鹰又叫了起来。他皱了皱眉，希望安妮不被吵醒。安妮在梦中翻身，说着梦话。朱利安温柔地轻轻拍她。
　　朱利安再次躺下，闭上眼睛。随即，他猛地睁开眼。有动静！
　　不是猫头鹰叫声，也不是小动物走路的吧嗒声——这声音更重！朱利安竖起耳朵——不远处传来一阵沙沙声，看来附近有只体形庞大的动物。
　　朱利安顿时惊慌失措，他安慰自己：这个地方没有什么危险的动物，连狼都没有，可能只是一只夜间出来觅食的獾。他竖起耳朵，没有听到鼻息声，只听见那只不明动物走过灌木丛时发出的沙沙声。
　　不明动物越来越近，就快要到他眼前了！他感到耳旁有温热的呼吸，立刻反感地躲开。他迅速坐起来，伸出手，摸到了一个热乎乎、毛茸茸的东西。他立刻将手缩了回去，慌忙摸索手电筒。即使朱利安很勇敢，在伸手不见五指的夜里，摸到这样一个“东西”，也足以让他毛骨悚然。
　　那个“东西”抓住了他的胳膊，朱利安大叫一声，拼了命地想摆脱它。朱利安做梦也没想到的是，这个“东西”开口说话了。
　　“朱利安！”一个声音说道，“是我！”
　　朱利安颤抖着手，打开了手电筒。灯光照在一张脏兮兮的小黑脸上，凌乱打结的头发遮住了她的眼睛。
　　“琼！”朱利安惊呼，“琼！你在这里干什么！你吓死我了，我还以为你是什么可怕的长毛动物。我刚才肯定是摸到了你的头。”
　　“没错。”琼躲在灌木丛下面说。安妮和迪克都被朱利安的叫声惊醒了，他俩盯着琼，惊讶得说不出话来。他们的大救星琼竟然出现在大树林这儿。她是怎么到这里的？
　　“你们看到我很惊讶吧？”琼说，“我被杰克逮住了，但是他不知道你们在后面跟着。杰克把我拖到他住的小屋里关了起来。他知道我在科林庄园住了一夜。杰克说要带我去见我爸爸，叫他痛打我一顿。当然，杰克也不会放过我的。”
　　“原来如此！”迪克说。
　　“然后我打破窗户逃了出来。”琼说，“可恶的杰克！我再也不会听他的话了。他竟敢把我锁起来，我最讨厌那样！我就来找你们了。”
　　“你是怎么找到我们的？”朱利安好奇地问。
　　“我先去了大篷车那儿，”琼说，“史密斯老婆婆，就是那个天天坐在那里，在锅里搅个不停的人，她说你们打听过我爸爸的车，我就猜你们一定会去那儿。我比你们到得晚些，只看到了大篷车，没看到你们，乔治也不在。”
　　“乔治在哪里？你知道吗？”安妮问。
　　“我不知道。”琼说，“爸爸把她带到别的地方了。我猜他可能是骑马把乔治带走的，因为小黑也不见了。”
　　“那蒂米呢？”迪克问。
　　琼看着远方。“我猜他们已经把蒂米干掉了。”她说完这句话，所有人都陷入了沉默。一想到蒂米可能受到了伤害，大家都害怕得说不出话来。
　　“你怎么找到我们的？”朱利安终于开口问道。
　　“很简单，”琼说，“我可以追踪到任何人。要不是天黑了，我本可以更快找到你们的。天哪，你们一直在绕圈子，是吧？”
　　“确实，”迪克说，“你也在一直跟着我们绕吗？”
　　“是的，”琼说，“真把我累晕了，我跟着你们团团转。你们为什么不循着车辙走呢？”
　　朱利安把情况告诉了她。“你可真傻，”琼说，“要是离开大路，就得在沿途的树上作记号，这儿一个那儿一个，这样才能找到回去的路。”
　　“之前我们都不知道会迷路。”安妮说道，紧紧地抓住了琼的手。她因看见琼而欢呼雀跃——现在他们终于可以走出这片可怕的树林了。
　　琼又惊喜又感动，但马上把手抽了回来。琼不喜欢被其他人抚摸，不过她不介意迪克牵她的手。迪克是她心目中的英雄，比其他人都重要。迪克之前对她很好，她很高兴能遇见迪克。
　　“我们发现大篷车上有字，”朱利安说，“我们应该已经知道乔治被带到哪里了，是个叫红塔的地方。你知道这个地方吗？”
　　“没有叫红塔的地方，”琼立刻说，“那是……”
　　“别傻了，琼。你根本不知道是否真的有地方叫红塔。”迪克不耐烦地说，“或许有成百上千个地方都叫这个名字，但我们必须要找到红塔。警察知道该怎么做。”
　　琼吓了一跳：“你们答应过我不会报警的。”
　　“没错，我们是答应过，前提是你要带我们找到乔治，”迪克说，“但你没有。就算你带我们找到了大篷车，乔治却不在那里。所以我们现在就得叫警察来，看看红塔在哪里。”
　　“乔治写的是‘红塔’吗？”琼问，“我带你们去找乔治！”
　　“你都说了没有叫红塔的地方，怎么带我们去呢？”朱利安恼火起来，“我不相信你了，琼，你这个骗子。我怀疑你和我们的敌人是一伙的。”
　　“我没骗你，”琼说，“我不是骗子！你太刻薄了。告诉你吧，红塔不是什么地方，红塔是个人。”
　　大家都惊得说不出话来。谁能想到，红塔竟是个人！
　　看到大家惊愕的表情，琼很得意，她继续说道：“他的名字叫塔，他的头发红得像火一样，所以大家都叫他红塔，明白了吧。”
　　“这不会也是你瞎编的吧？”迪克顿了一下，说道，“你之前就说过谎。”
　　“你可以觉得我是瞎编的。”琼面带愠怒，“我走了，你们自己去吧。你怎么也这么刻薄。”
　　琼转身要走，朱利安抓住了她的胳膊。“别，你不能走。哪怕整晚和你绑在一起，你也得和我们待在一块儿。琼，我们很难相信你，这是你的错，不是我们的错，但这次我们还是相信你。告诉我们红塔到底是谁，带我们找到他。如果你做到了，我们以后都会相信你。”
　　“迪克也会相信我吗？”琼一边问一边试着挣脱朱利安的手。
　　“会。”迪克立刻说。他真想揍琼，这个邋遢女孩善变又惹人厌，不过奇怪的是，不知怎的，他觉得她现在竟也有点惹人爱，“不过我现在没有那么喜欢你了。如果你想让我们重新喜欢你、信任你，你就必须好好帮我们。”
　　“好，”琼说，又转身坐下了，“我累了。明天早上我带你们出去，然后去红塔家。你们肯定不会喜欢他，他很粗鲁。”
　　琼不再说话了，于是大家都试着重新入睡。他们很高兴，琼回来了，她会带他们找到正确的路，走出树林。朱利安觉得，琼不至于在这个紧要关头弃他们于不顾。他闭上眼睛，很快睡着了。
　　琼最先醒来。她像动物一样伸着懒腰，迷迷糊糊地忘了自己在哪里。她叫醒了其他人，大家都脏兮兮的，腰酸背痛，饥肠辘辘。
　　“我又渴又饿。”安妮抱怨道，“我们去哪里找点吃的喝的呢？”
　　“最好回家洗个澡，吃顿饭，给乔安娜报个平安。”朱利安说，“走吧，琼，给我们带路。”
　　琼立刻开始带路。大家都奇怪她究竟是怎么认路的。过了大约两分钟，他们回到了有车辙的路上，他们更诧异了。
　　“天哪，我们原来离车辙路这么近！”迪克说，“但是我们居然在这片可怕的树林里绕了好几英里。”
　　“没错。”琼说，“你们绕了一大圈，差点回到了原点。走吧，我带你们回家，跟我走比坐巴士快多了！”
Chapter 17 OFF IN GEORGE'S BOAT
　　Chapter 17 OFF IN GEORGE'S BOAT
　　Joan was extremely thankful to see them. She had been so worried the night before that if thetelephone wires in the house had been mended, she would most certainly have rung up the police. Asit was, she couldn't telephone, and the night was so dark that she was really afraid of walking all theway down to the village.
　　'I haven't slept all night,' she declared. 'This mustn't happen again, Master Julian. It's worrying me todeath. And now you haven't got George or Timmy. I tell you, if they don't turn up soon I'll takematters into my own hands. I haven't heard from your uncle and aunt either - let's hope they're notlost, too!'
　　She bustled about after this outburst, and was soon frying sausages and tomatoes for them. Theycouldn't wait till they were cooked, and helped themselves to great hunks of bread and butter.
　　'I can't even go and wash till I've had something,' said Anne. 'I'm glad you knew so many short cutsback here, Jo - the way didn't seem nearly so long as when we came by bus.'
　　It had really been amazing to see the deft, confident manner in which Jo had taken them home,through fields and little narrow paths, over stiles and across allotments. She was never once at a loss.
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　　They had arrived not long after Joan had got up, and she had almost cried with surprise and reliefwhen she had seen them walking up the front path.
　　'And a lot of dirty little tatterdemalions you looked,' she said, as she turned their breakfast out on to abig dish. 'And still do, for that matter. I'll get the kitchen fire going for a bath for you. You might allbe sister and brothers to that ragamuffin Jo.'
　　Jo didn't mind remarks of this sort at all. She chewed her bread and grinned. She wolfed the breakfastwith no manners at all - but the others were nearly as bad, they were so hungry!
　　'It's a spade and trowel you want for your food this morning, not a knife and fork,' said Joan,disapprovingly. 'You're just shovelling it in. No, I can't cook you any more, Master Julian.
　　There's not a sausage left in the house nor a bit of bacon either. You fill up with toast andmarmalade.'
　　The bath water ran vigorously after breakfast. All four had baths. Jo didn't want to, but Joan ran afterher with a carpet beater, vowing and declaring she would beat the dust and dirt out of her if she didn'tbath. So Jo bathed, and quite enjoyed it.
　　They had a conference after breakfast. 'About this fellow, Red Tower,' said Julian. 'Who is he, Jo?
　　What do you know about him?'
　　'Not much,' said Jo. 'He's rich, and he talks queer, and I think he's mad. He gets fellows like Dad andJake to do his dirty work for him.'
　　'What dirty work?' asked Dick.
　　'Oh - stealing and such,' said Jo, vaguely. 'I don't really know. Dad doesn't tell me much; I just dowhat I'm told, and don't ask questions. I don't want more slaps than I get!'
　　'Where does he live?' said Anne. 'Far away?'
　　'He's taken a house on the cliff,' said Jo. 'I don't know the way by land. Only by boat. It's a queerplace - like a small castle almost, with very thick stone walls. Just the place for Red, my Dad says.'
　　'Have you been there?' asked Dick, eagerly.
　　Jo nodded. 'Oh, yes,' she said. 'Twice. My Dad took a big iron box there once, and another time hetook something in a sack. I went with him.'
　　'Why?' asked Julian. 'I shouldn't have thought he'd wanted you messing round!'
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　　'I rowed the boat,' said Jo. 'I told you, Red's place is up on the cliff. We got to it by boat; I don't knowthe way by road. There's a sort of cave behind a cove we landed at, and we went in there.
　　Red met us. He came from his house on the cliff, he said, but I don't know how.'
　　Dick looked at Jo closely. 'I suppose you'll say next that there's a secret way from the cave to thehouse!' he said. 'Go on!'
　　'Must be,' said Jo. She suddenly glared at Dick. 'Don't you believe me? All right, find the placeyourself!'
　　'Well - it does sound like a tale in a book,' said Julian. 'You're sure it is all true, Jo? We don't want togo on a wild-goose chase again, you know.'
　　'There's no wild goose in my story,' said Jo, puzzled. She hadn't the faintest idea what a wild-goosechase was. 'I'm telling you about Red. I'm ready to go when you are. We'll have to have a boat,though.'
　　'We'll take George's,' said Dick, getting up. 'Look, Jo - I think we'd better leave Anne behind thistime. I don't like taking her into something that may be dangerous.
　　'I want to come,' said Anne at once.
　　'No, you stay with me,' said Joan. 'I want company today. 'I'm getting scared of being by myself withall these things happening. You stay with me.'
　　So Anne stayed behind, really rather glad, and watched the other three go off together. Jo slipped intothe hedge to avoid being seen by Jake, in case he was anywhere about. Julian and Dick went down tothe beach and glanced round to make sure the gipsy was nowhere in sight.
　　They beckoned to Jo, and she came swiftly from hiding, and leapt into George's boat. She lay downin it so that she couldn't be seen. The boys hauled the boat down to the sea. Dick jumped in, andJulian pushed off when a big wave came. Then he jumped in too.
　　'How far up the coast is it?' he asked Jo, who was still at the bottom of the boat.
　　'I don't know,' said Jo, with her usual irritating vagueness. 'Two hours, three hours, maybe.'
　　Time didn't mean the same to Jo as it did to the others. For one thing Jo had no wrist-watch as theyhad, always there to be glanced at. She wouldn't have found one any use if she had, because shecouldn't tell the time. Time was just day and night to her, nothing else.
　　Dick put up the little sail. The wind was in their favour, so he thought he might as well use it.
　　They would get there all the more quickly.
　　'Did you bring the lunch that Joan put up for us?' said Julian to Dick. 'I can't see it anywhere.'
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　　'Jo! You must be lying on it!' said Dick.
　　'It won't hurt it,' said Jo. She sat up as soon as they were well out to sea, and offered to take the tiller.
　　She was very deft with it, and the boys soon saw that they could leave her to guide the boat.
　　Julian unfolded the map he had brought with him.
　　'I wonder whereabouts this place is where Red lives,' he said. 'It's pretty desolate all the way up to thenext place, Port Limmersley, If there is a castle-like building, it must be a very lonely place to live in.
　　There's not even a little fishing village shown for miles.'
　　The boat went on and on, scudding at times before a fairly strong wind. Julian took the tiller from Jo.
　　'We've come a long way already,' he said. 'Where is this place? Are you sure you'll know it, Jo?'
　　'Of course,' said Jo, scornfully. 'I think it's round that far-off rocky cliff.'
　　She was right. As they rounded the high cliff, which jutted fiercely with great slanting rocks, shepointed in triumph.
　　'There you are! See that place up there? That's Red's place.'
　　The boys looked at it. It was a dour, grey stone building, and was, as Jo had said, a little like a smallcastle. It brooded over the sea, with one square tower overlooking the waves.
　　'There's a cove before you come to the place,' said Jo. 'Watch out for it - it's very well hidden.'
　　It certainly was. The boat went right past it before they saw it. 'There it is!' cried Jo, urgently.
　　They took the sail down and then rowed back. The cove lay between two high layers of rock thatjutted out from the cliff. They rowed right into it. It was very quiet and calm there, and their boatmerely rose and fell as the water swelled and subsided under it.
　　'Can anyone see us from the house above?' asked Dick, as they rowed right to the back of the cove.
　　'I don't know,' said Jo. 'I shouldn't think so. Look - pull the boat up behind that big rock. We don'tknow who else might come here.'
　　They dragged the boat up. Dick draped it with great armfuls of seaweed, and soon it looked almostlike a rock itself.
　　'Now, what next?' said Julian. 'Where's this cave you were talking about?'
　　'Up here,' said Jo, and began to climb up the rocky cliff like a monkey. Both the boys were very goodclimbers, but soon they found it impossible to get any further.
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　　Jo scrambled down to them. 'What's the matter?' she said. 'If my Dad can climb up, surely you can!'
　　'Your Dad was an acrobat,' said Julian, sliding down a few feet, much too suddenly. 'Oooh! I don'tmuch like this. I wish we had a rope.'
　　'There's one in the boat. I'll get it,' said Jo, and slithered down the cliff to the cove below at a mostalarming rate. She climbed up again with the rope. She went on a good bit higher, and tied the rope tosomething. It hung down to where Dick and Julian stood clinging for dear life.
　　It was much easier to climb up with the help of a rope. Both boys were soon standing on a ledge,looking into a curious shaped cave. It was oval-shaped, and very dark.
　　'In here,' said Jo, and led the way. Dick and Julian followed stumblingly. Where in the world werethey going to now?
17.乘乔治的船出发
　　乘乔治的船出发
　　乔安娜见到他们后终于松了一口气。昨晚，她非常担心孩子们，要不是电话线还没修好，她早就报警了。但事与愿违，她打不了电话，天又太黑，她不敢走到外面去。
　　“我一整晚都没睡着。”乔安娜对他们说，“再不能让这种事发生了，朱利安。我担心得要死。你们还是没把乔治和蒂米找回来。要是他俩过会儿还没回来，这件事就要听我的。我还没有收到你叔叔、婶婶的消息，希望他们不会像乔治和蒂米一样失踪了。”
　　乔安娜发了一通脾气后，就忙活起来，她开始煎香肠、煎番茄。孩子们等不及食物煮熟，先吃了许多黄油面包。
　　“我得先吃饱再去洗澡。”安妮说，“琼，幸亏你知道这么多近路，抄近路回来好像比乘公交还要快些。”
　　琼一路上熟练自信的样子的确令人惊讶。她带着他们穿过田野，走过狭窄的小路，跨过栅栏，越过田地。她从来不会迷路。
　　他们到家那会儿，乔安娜刚起床没多久。看到孩子们从门前的小路上走来时，她惊喜交加，热泪盈眶。
　　“你们看起来就像一群邋里邋遢的小流浪儿，”乔安娜说着，把他们的早餐放在一个大盘子里，“我去厨房生火烧水给你们洗澡。你们现在都可以和小邋遢琼称兄道弟了。”
　　琼不在乎这个评价，她嚼着面包，咧嘴一笑，狼吞虎咽地吃着早餐，没有半点礼仪可言。其他人的吃相也不过如此，他们太饿了！
　　“你们干脆用铲子和铁锹吃早餐吧，别用刀叉了。”乔安娜不满地说，“你们简直是要把饭铲进嘴里了。我只能做这么多饭，朱利安小主人。家里没有香肠和培根了，你们要是还饿的话就去吃面包果酱吧。”
　　早饭过后，浴室里的洗澡水就哗哗地流个不停。他们四个都洗了澡。琼本来不想洗，可乔安娜却拿着鸡毛掸子追着她跑，发誓说如果她不洗澡，就把她身上的尘土都给打出来。琼不得不洗了个澡，之后感觉还挺舒服的。
　　早饭之后，他们开了个会。“红塔这个家伙，”朱利安问，“他是谁？琼，你了解他吗？”
　　“不是很了解。”琼说，“他很有钱，说话很奇怪，我觉得他不太正常。他让爸爸和杰克等人替他干‘脏活儿’。”
　　“什么样的脏活儿？”迪克问。
　　“嗯，比如说偷东西，”琼含糊地说，“我也不太清楚，爸爸没怎么跟我说过。我只按吩咐办事，不多问。我不想被多扇几个耳光。”
　　“他住在哪里？”安妮问，“很远吗？”
　　“他在悬崖边有个房子。”琼说，“我只知道坐船怎么去，不知道陆路怎么走。那地方很奇怪，就像一个小城堡，有很厚的石墙。我爸爸说这是红塔的领地。”
　　“你去过那里吗？”迪克急切地问。
　　琼点点头。“去过两次，”她说，“有一次我爸爸带了一个大铁盒去那里，还有一次把东西装在麻袋里带了去。我和他一块儿去的。”
　　“为什么带你去？”朱利安问，“他应该不希望你在旁边捣乱。”
　　“我得划船。”琼说，“我跟你说过，红塔家在悬崖上。我们坐船去他家，我不知道陆路怎么走。我们通常会在海湾后面的洞穴处上岸，从那里进去，红塔会在里面见我们。他说自己从悬崖城堡那儿来，但我也不知道他是怎么下来的。”
　　迪克仔细地盯着琼。“我猜，你接下来会说从洞穴到他家有一条密道！”他说，“说吧！”
　　“肯定是这样。”琼说，突然瞪着迪克，“你不相信我吗？那你们自己去找吧！”
　　“嗯，听起来确实像故事书里的情节。”朱利安说，“琼，你确定这都是真的吗？你知道，我们不想再竹篮打水一场空了。”
　　“我又没说过什么竹篮，”琼困惑地说，她根本不知道“竹篮打水一场空”是什么意思，“我在跟你们讲红塔的事，你们几个准备好了，我们就出发。不过我们得有一条船。”
　　“用乔治的船。”迪克站起来说，“琼，是这样的，我觉得这次我们最好让安妮留在家里。我不想让她参与这么危险的事情。”
　　“可我想去。”安妮连忙说。
　　“不行，你和我待在家里。”乔安娜说，“今天我需要人陪。发生了这么多事，我真怕自己一个人待着。你得陪着我。”
　　于是，安妮留下了，目送其他三个小伙伴出发了。琼溜进树篱，以防被可能躲在附近的杰克发现。朱利安和迪克向海滩走去，他们环视四周，以确定周围没有流浪汉。
　　他们向琼示意，琼飞快地从藏身的地方溜出来，跳进乔治的小船。她趴在船里面，以防被别人发现。两个男孩把船拉进海里，迪克跳了进去。一个大浪涌来，朱利安用力把船推了下去，自己也跳了进去。
　　“红塔家离海岸有多远？”朱利安问琼，琼还躲在船底。
　　“我不知道，”琼说，带着她一贯令人不悦的含糊语气，“可能要两三个小时吧。”
　　琼的时间观念和别人不一样。一方面，琼不像别人那样有手表，可以时不时看一眼时间。不过就算她有，她也不觉得手表有什么用，因为她不会读表。对她来说，一天之中只有白天和黑夜的分别。
　　此时的风向对他们有利，于是迪克扬起小帆，想借助风力前行，这样可以更快到达。
　　“你带了乔安娜给我们准备的午餐吗？”朱利安问迪克，“我哪儿都没找到。”
　　“琼！肯定是你压在了午餐上面！”迪克说。
　　“不会压坏的。”琼说。船刚一起航，她就马上坐了起来，主动承担起掌舵的任务。
　　琼划船相当熟练，两个男孩儿非常放心地让她掌舵。朱利安打开了随身带的地图。
　　“我想知道红塔住在哪里，”他说，“从这里到利默斯雷港，一路上都很荒凉。住在城堡里肯定很寂寞，这附近几英里内连个小渔村都没有。”
　　船一直向前行驶，有时一阵强风吹来，助船飞驰前行。朱利安从琼手中接过舵柄。“我们已经走很远了，”他说，“那地方到底在哪里？琼，你确定你知道吗？”
　　“当然知道，”琼不屑地说，“就在远处的岩石峭壁附近。”
　　琼说对了。当他们绕过高高的悬崖时，琼得意地指了指耸立在悬崖上的歪歪斜斜的巨大岩石。
　　“就在那儿！看见那上面了吗？那就是红塔的家。”
　　男孩们看过去。那是一座死气沉沉的灰色石头建筑，就像琼说的，像座小城堡。它矗立在大海上，旁边还有一座方塔俯视着海浪。
　　“去那儿之前还要经过一个海湾，”琼说，“这个海湾很隐蔽。”
　　的确如此，当船经过那里时他们都没注意到。“在那儿！”琼急忙喊道。
　　他们把帆取下来，然后把船划了回去。一层层高耸的岩石从悬崖上伸出来，三个人将船划进中间的海湾里去。海湾里风平浪静，他们的小船随着水面的涨落而起伏。
　　“别人能从上面的房子里看到我们吗？”迪克问，这时他们把船划到了海湾背面。
　　“我不知道，”琼说，“我觉得应该不会。看！把船绑在那块大石头后面吧，我们无法确定会有谁来这里。”
　　他们把船拖上岸，迪克找来很多海藻盖在船上，很快船看起来就像一块岩石了。
　　“接下来怎么办？”朱利安问，“你说的那个洞穴在哪里？”
　　“就在上面。”琼回答，随即像猴子一样开始攀爬岩壁。两个男孩子本来都很会攀爬，但很快他们就坚持不住了。
　　琼爬下来找他们俩。“怎么了？”她问，“我爸爸都能爬上来，你们肯定也能。”
　　“你爸爸以前是耍杂技的。”朱利安说着，突然往下滑了一段距离，“哦！我不喜欢这样，真希望有根绳子。”
　　“船里有根绳子，我去拿。”琼说完，以惊人的速度滑下悬岩，到了海湾里，又带着绳子爬了上来。这次她爬到了更高一些的地方，把绳子系在什么东西上。绳子垂到乔治和朱利安旁边，当时他俩正拼命挣扎着想要稳定姿势。
　　有了绳子，爬起来就容易多了。很快，两个男孩就都站在了悬崖顶上。他们向一个形状古怪的洞穴里望去，洞穴呈椭圆形，里面非常暗。
　　“从这里进来。”琼走在前面带路。迪克和朱利安踉踉跄跄地跟在后面。他们要去哪里呢？
Chapter 18 THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN
　　Chapter 18 THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN
　　Jo led them into a narrow rocky tunnel, and then out into a wider cave, whose walls dripped withdamp. Julian was thankful for his torch. It was eerie and chilly and musty. He shivered.
　　Something brushed his face and he leapt back.
　　'What was that?' he said.
　　'Bats,' said Jo, 'there's hundreds of them here. That's why the place smells so sour. Come on. We goround this rocky bit here into a better cave.'
　　They squeezed round a rocky corner and came into a drier cave that did not smell so strongly of bats.
　　'I haven't been any farther than this,' said Jo. 'This is where me and Dad came and waited for Red. Hesuddenly appeared, but I don't know where from.'
　　'Well, he must have come from somewhere,' said Dick, switching on his torch, too. 'There's a passageprobably. We'll soon find it.'
　　He and Julian began to hunt round the cave, looking for a passage or little tunnel, or even a hole thatled into the cliff, upwards towards the house. Obviously Red must have come down some suchpassage to reach the cave. Jo stayed in a corner, waiting. She had no torch.
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　　Suddenly the boys had a tremendous shock. A voice boomed into their cave, a loud and angry voicethat made their hearts beat painfully.
　　'SO! YOU DARE TO COME HERE!'
　　Jo slipped behind a rock immediately, like an animal going to cover. The boys stood where theywere, rooted to the spot. Where did the voice come from?
　　'Who are you?' boomed the voice.
　　'Who are you?' shouted Julian. 'Come out and show yourself! We've come to see a man called Red.
　　Take us to him.'
　　There was a moment's silence, as if the owner of the voice was rather taken aback. Then it boomedout again.
　　'Why do you want to see Red? Who sent you?'
　　'Nobody. We came because we want our cousin back, and her dog, too,' boomed Julian, making afunnel of his hands and trying to outdo the other voice.
　　There was another astonished silence. Then two legs appeared out of a hole in the low ceiling, andsomeone leapt lightly down beside them. The boys started back in surprise. They hadn't expected thatthe voice came from the roof of the cave!
　　Julian flashed his torch on the man. He was a giantlike fellow with flaming red hair. His eyebrowswere red, too, and he had a red beard that partly hid a cruel mouth. Julian took one look into theman's eyes and then no more.
　　'He's mad,' he thought. 'So this is Red Tower. What is he? A scientist like Uncle Quentin, jealous ofuncle's work? Or a thief working on a big scale, trying to get important papers and sell them?
　　He's mad, whatever he is.
　　Red was looking closely at the two boys. 'So you think I have your cousin,' he said. 'Who told yousuch a stupid tale?'
　　Julian didn't answer. Red took a threatening step towards him. 'Who told you?'
　　'I'll tell you that when the police come,' said Julian boldly.
　　Red stepped back.
　　'The police! What do they know'' Why should they come here? Answer me, boy!'
　　'There's a lot to know about you, Mr. Red Tower,' said Julian, 'Who sent men to steal my uncle'spapers? Who sent a note to ask for another lot? Who kidnapped our cousin, so that she could be heldtill the papers were sent? Who brought her here from Simmy's old caravan. Who...?'
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　　'Aaaaaah!' said Red, and there was panic in his voice. 'How do you know all this? It isn't true!
　　But the police - have they heard this fantastic tale, too?'
　　'What do you suppose?' said Julian, wishing with all his heart that the police did know, and that hewas not merely bluffing. Red pulled at his beard. His green eyes gleamed as he thought quickly andurgently.
　　He suddenly called loudly, turning his head up to the hole in the ceiling. 'Markhoff! Come down!'
　　Two legs were swung down through the hole, and a short burly man leapt down beside the twostartled boys.
　　'Go down the cliff. You will find a boat in the cove, somewhere - the boat we saw these boys comingin,' said Red sharply. 'Smash it to pieces. Then come back here and take the boys to the yard. Tiethem up. We must leave quickly, and take the girl with us.'
　　The man stood listening, his face sullen. 'How can we go?' he said. 'You know the helicopter is notready. You know that.'
　　'Make it ready then,' snapped Red. 'We leave tonight. The police will be here - do you hear that?
　　This boy knows everything - he has told me - and the police must know everything too. I tell you, wemust go.'
　　'What about the dog?' said the man.
　　'Shoot it,' ordered Red. 'Shoot it before we go. It's a brute of a dog. We should have shot it before.
　　Now go and smash the boat.'
　　The man disappeared round the rocky corner that led into the cave of bats. Julian clenched his fist. Hehated to think of George's boat being smashed to bits. Red stood there waiting, his eyes glinting inthe light of the torches.
　　'I'd take you with us too, if there was room!' he suddenly snarled at Julian. 'Yes, and drop you into thesea! You can tell your uncle he'll hear from me about his precious daughter - we'll make an exchange.
　　If he wants her back he can send me the notes I want. And many thanks for coming to warn me. I'llbe off before the police break in.'
　　He began to pace up and down the cave, muttering. Dick and Julian watched in silence. They feltafraid for George. Would Red really take her off in his helicopter? He looked mad enough foranything.
　　The sullen man came back at last. 'It's smashed,' he said.
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　　'Right,' said Red. 'I'll go first. Then the boys. Then you. And boot them if they make any trouble.'
　　Red swung himself up into the hole in the roof. Julian and Dick followed, not seeing any point inresisting. The man behind was too sulky to stand any nonsense. He followed immediately.
　　There had been no sign of Jo. She had kept herself well hidden, scared stiff. Julian didn't know whatto do about her. He couldn't possibly tell Red about her - and yet it seemed terrible to leave herbehind all alone. Well - she was a sharp-brained little monkey. Maybe she would think up somethingfor herself.
　　Red led the way through another cave into a passage with such a low roof that he had to walk bentalmost double.
　　The man behind had now switched on a very powerful torch, and it was easier to see. The passagesloped upwards and was obviously leading to the building on the cliff. At one part it was so steep thata hand-rail had been put for the climber to help himself up.
　　Then came a flight of steps hewn out of the rock itself - rough, badly-shaped steps, so steep that itwas quite an effort to climb from one to the next.
　　At the top of the steps was a stout door set on a broad ledge. Red pushed it open and daylight floodedin. Julian blinked. He was looking out on an enormous yard paved with great flat stones with weedsgrowing in all the crevices and cracks.
　　In the middle stood a helicopter. It looked very strange and out-of-place in that old yard. The house,with its one tall square tower, was built round three sides of the yard. It was covered with creeper andthick-stemmed ivy.
　　A high wall ran along the fourth side, with an enormous gate in the middle. It was shut, and fromwhere he stood Julian could see the huge bolts that were drawn across.
　　'It's almost like a small fort,' thought Julian, in astonishment. Then he felt himself seized and taken toa shed nearby. His arms were forced behind him and his wrists were tightly tied. Then the rope wasrun through an iron loop and tied again.
　　Julian glared at the burly fellow now doing the same to Dick. He twisted about to try to see how therope was tied, but he couldn't even turn, he was so tightly tethered.
　　He looked up at the tower. A small, forlorn face was looking out of the window there. Julian's heartjumped and beat fast. That must be poor old George up there. He wondered if she had seen them. Hehoped not, because she would know that he and Dick had been captured, and she would be veryupset.
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　　Where was Timmy? There seemed no sign of him. But wait a minute - what was that lying insidewhat looked like a summer-house on the opposite side of the yard? Was it Timmy? Surely he wouldhave barked a welcome when he heard them coming into the yard, if it was Timmy!
　　'Is that my cousin's dog?' he asked the sullen man.
　　The man nodded. 'Yes. He's been doped half the time, he barked so. Savage brute, isn't he?
　　Ought to be shot, I reckon.'
　　Red had gone across the yard and had disappeared through a stone archway. The sullen man nowfollowed him. Julian and Dick were left by themselves.
　　'We've muddled things again,' said Julian, with a groan. 'Now these fellows will be off and away, andtake George with them - they've been nicely warned!'
　　Dick said nothing. He felt very miserable, and his bound wrists hurt him, too. Both boys stood there,wondering what would happen to them.
　　'Psssssst!'
　　What was that? Julian turned round sharply and looked in the direction of the door that led fromunderground into the yard. Jo stood there, half-hidden by the archway over the door. 'Pssssst! I'llcome and untie you. Is the coast clear?'
18.意外迭生
　　意外迭生
　　琼带他们走进一条狭窄的岩石通道，然后又进入一个稍宽敞一些的山洞里。山洞里湿气很重，水珠沿着石壁滴落。朱利安庆幸自己带了手电筒。这里怪诞恐怖，寒气逼人，还有一股霉味儿，他不禁打了个哆嗦。忽然有什么东西擦过他的脸，吓得他往后一跳。
　　“那是什么？”朱利安问。
　　“蝙蝠，”琼说，“这里有上百只蝙蝠，所以有股酸臭味。走吧，我们绕过这个岩洞，下一个洞穴会好些。”
　　他们从一块岩石的拐角处挤过去，进入了一个干燥的洞穴，这里没有那么强烈的蝙蝠气味。“我最远只到过这里，”琼说，“我和爸爸就在这里等红塔。他总是突然就出现了，我不知道他从哪里过来的。”
　　“他总不会凭空出现。”迪克说，他也打开了手电筒，“很可能有一条密道，我们马上就会找到的。”
　　迪克和朱利安开始在洞里四处搜寻密道，或是通向悬崖、与山顶的房子相连的洞口。红塔一定是从某个这样的通道下来，才到达山洞里的。琼没有带手电筒，只能在角落里等着。
　　突然，一阵低沉的声音传入洞穴，男孩们大吃一惊，响亮而愤怒的嗓音让他们心里一颤。
　　“你们竟然敢来这里！”
　　琼立刻溜到了一块岩石后面，像只急于藏身的动物。两个男孩站在原地一动不动。这声音从何而来？
　　“你们是谁？”这声音在低吼。
　　“你是谁？”朱利安大声呼喊，“出来吧，别藏了。我们要找一个叫红塔的人，带我们去找他吧。”
　　没有回答，声音的主人似乎吃了一惊。随后低沉的声音再次响起。
　　“你们为什么要见红塔？谁带你们来的？”
　　“没人带我们来。我们来这里，是要找堂妹乔治和她的小狗。”朱利安也低吼起来，他攥紧拳头，想在声音上盖过那个人。
　　又是一阵沉默，对方似乎很惊讶。接着，两条腿从低矮的洞顶伸了出来，有人从上面轻轻跳到了他们身边。男孩们惊愕地往回跑，他们没有想到声音是从洞顶传来的！
　　朱利安用手电筒向那个人照过去。他如巨人般高大，有着火红的头发，他的眉毛和胡子也是红的，胡子下还长着一张冷酷的嘴。
　　朱利安瞥了一眼那人的眼睛，就不想再看了。
　　“他像个疯子，”朱利安想，“应该就是红塔了。他是做什么的呢？难道像昆廷叔叔一样是个科学家，但又嫉妒叔叔的成果？还是某个团伙里的小偷，想得到重要的文件，然后卖掉？不管他是干什么的，他都是个疯子。”
　　红塔紧紧盯着两个男孩。“你们觉得你们的堂妹在我手里，”他说，“这种蠢话是谁说的？”
　　朱利安没有回答。红塔靠近他，威胁道：“谁跟你讲的？”
　　“等警察来了我就告诉你。”朱利安大胆地回答。
　　红塔后退了一步。
　　“警察！他们知道什么？他们为什么要来这里？回答我，小男孩！”
　　“红塔先生，我们还有很多事要问你。”朱利安说，“谁派人来偷我叔叔的文件？谁送来纸条说要另一份笔记本？谁绑架了我们的堂妹，拿她作为得到笔记本的筹码？谁把她从西米的大篷车带到这里来？又是谁……”
　　“停！”红塔叫道，声音中带着慌乱，“你怎么知道的？简直一派胡言！警察也听过这些胡话了吗？”
　　“你觉得呢？”朱利安说，他多希望警察真的知道这一切，而不是自己在虚张声势。红塔扯了扯胡子，脑子飞速运转着，绿色的眼睛里闪着光。
　　他突然把头转向上方的洞口，大叫：“马克霍夫，下来吧。”
　　又有两条腿从洞口荡下来，一个粗壮的男人跳到了两个目瞪口呆的男孩旁边。
　　“快去悬崖下面，你会在海湾里看到一条船——这两个男孩坐那条船过来的。”红塔厉声说，“把船砸碎，然后把他们两个绑起来。
　　我们得尽快带着那个女孩离开。”
　　那个男人脸色阴沉，站着听他吩咐。“怎么走？”他说，“直升机还没准备好，你又不是不知道。”
　　“那就去准备好。”红塔怒气冲冲地说，“我们今晚就走。警察就要来了，听见了吗？这个男孩已经知道了一切，警察肯定也知道了。我们必须走。”
　　“那只狗怎么办？”男人问道。
　　“杀了它，”红塔吩咐道，“我们走之前把它杀死。它不过是个畜生，我们早该把它解决掉。现在马上去把船毁掉。”
　　那个男人消失在岩洞拐角处。朱利安握紧拳头，不敢想象乔治的船就要被砸成碎片了。红塔站在那里等着，他的眼睛在手电筒的光线下闪闪发光。
　　“要是飞机上还有位置，我就把你们也带上去！”红塔突然冲着朱利安吼道，“然后丢进海里。”
　　“告诉你叔叔，我们想做个交易，他能从我这儿得到他宝贝女儿的消息。如果想要回女儿，就把我要的笔记本寄来。多谢你来通知我，在警察来之前我们会离开的。”
　　红塔在山洞里踱来踱去，嘴里咕哝着些什么。迪克和朱利安默默看着，他们很担心乔治。红塔真的会带她上直升机吗？他是个什么都干得出的疯子。
　　那个面色阴沉的男人终于回来了。“砸碎了。”他说。
　　“好，”红塔说，“我先走，这两个男孩跟着我，你垫后。要是他俩惹什么事就给我狠狠地踢。”
　　红塔纵身跃进头顶的洞里，朱利安和迪克跟在后面，这时反抗已经毫无意义了。后面的那个人板着脸，紧紧跟在他们后面，不允许他们做出任何出格的行为。
　　琼不见踪影。她藏得很好，不过已经吓得僵住了。朱利安不知道该怎么办。他不可能告诉红塔，琼在这里——但把她一个人留在这里似乎也很危险。不过她头脑敏锐，古灵精怪，兴许能自己想办法。
　　红塔领着他们穿过另一个洞穴，进入一条低矮的通道，他们不得不弯着腰走路。
　　后面的人换了个更亮的手电筒，眼前的一切看起来清楚多了：
　　通道向上倾斜，显然通向悬崖上那座建筑。有一处坡很陡，但可以扶着扶手向上走。
　　接着，一段台阶出现了。这段台阶是在岩石上凿出的，非常粗糙，非常陡，要爬上台阶可要大费一番力气。
　　台阶顶上有一扇坚固的门，门框宽大。红塔推开门，阳光倾泻进来。朱利安眨了眨眼睛，向外看去。他看到了一个很大的院子，院子里铺着扁平的石砖，砖缝里长着野草。
　　院子中间停着一架直升机。在那个旧院子里，直升机看起来很奇怪，与整个院子格格不入。房子三面都是院墙，中间矗立着一座高大的方形塔楼，上面布满了茂密的常春藤。
　　另一面竖着一道高墙，中间有一扇巨大的门，门紧锁着。朱利安从他站着的地方看过去，看到了很多巨大的门闩。
　　“就像座小堡垒。”朱利安吃惊地想。突然，他发觉自己被人抓住，带到了附近的一个棚子里。那人把他的手臂强压在身后，用绳子紧紧绑住他的手腕。绳子穿过一个铁环，然后牢牢地系在上面。
　　朱利安怒视着那个壮汉，他正在对迪克做同样的事情。朱利安扭着身子想看看绳子是怎么系的，但他被紧紧束缚着，根本转不了身。
　　他抬头看那座塔，一张小脸正凄惨地望着窗外。朱利安的心怦怦跳起来，可怜的乔治一定被困在上面。朱利安不知乔治有没有看到他们，他希望她没有——乔治要是知道他和迪克也被抓了，肯定会难过的。
　　蒂米在哪儿？似乎哪儿都没有它的影子。房子对面有个凉亭，里面有什么呢？蒂米在里面吗？如果在的话，蒂米听到他们走进院子时，肯定会大叫的！
　　“我堂妹的狗在那里吗？”朱利安问那个面色阴沉的男人。
　　那个人点了点头，“没错。它叫得太厉害了，所以一半时间都被注射了麻醉剂在睡觉。它是个野蛮的畜生，对吧？我觉得应该把它枪毙了。”
　　红塔穿过院子，走过一道石拱门，然后就消失了。那个黑着脸的人跟着他，把朱利安和迪克留在了那里。
　　“我们又把事情搞砸了。”朱利安叹了一口气，“那些家伙就要逃之夭夭了，还要把乔治也带走。我们反倒提醒了他们。”
　　迪克一言不发。他很难受，手腕被绑得生疼。两个男孩站在那里，不知会发生什么。
　　“嗞嗞嗞！”
　　是什么声音？朱利安猛地转过身，向通往地下小门的那个方向看去。琼站在那里，半个身子藏在拱形的门后。“嗞嗞嗞！我来帮你们解开绳子，现在附近安全吗？”
Chapter 19 JO IS VERY SURPRISING
　　Chapter 19 JO IS VERY SURPRISING
　　'Jo!' said the boys together, and their spirits lifted at once. 'Come on!'
　　There was no one about in the yard. Jo skipped lightly across from the doorway and slipped insidethe shed.
　　'There's a knife in my back pocket,' said Julian. 'Get it out. It would be quicker to cut these ropes thanto untie them. My word, Jo - I was never so pleased to see anyone in my life!'
　　Jo grinned as she hauled out Julian's sturdy pocketknife. She opened it and ran her thumb lightly overthe blade. It was beautifully sharp. She set to work to saw the blade across the thick rope. It cut easilythrough the fibres.
　　'I waited behind,' she said, rapidly. 'Then I followed when it was safe. But it was very dark and Ididn't like it. Then I came to that door and peeped out. I was glad when I saw you.'
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　　'Good thing the men didn't guess you were there,' said Dick. 'Good old Jo! I take back any nasty thingI've ever said about you!'
　　Jo beamed. She cut the last bit of rope that bound Julian, and he swung himself away from the ironloop and began to rub his stiff, aching wrists. Jo set to work on Dick's bonds. She soon had those cutthrough, too.
　　'Where's George?' she asked, after she had helped Dick to rub his wrists and arms.
　　'Up in that tower,' said Julian. 'If we dared to go out in that yard you could look up and see her.
　　And there's poor old Tim, look - half-doped - lying in that summerhouse place over there.'
　　'I shan't let him be shot,' said Jo. 'He's a nice dog. I shall go and drag him down into those cavesunderground.'
　　'Not now!' said Julian, horrified. 'If you're seen now, you'll spoil everything. We'll all be tied up then!'
　　But Jo had already darted over to the summer-house and was fondling poor old Timmy.
　　The slam of a door made the boys jump and sent Jo into the shadows at the back of the summerhouseat once. It was Red, coming across the yard!
　　'Quick! He's coming over here!' said Dick, in a panic. 'Let's get back to the iron loops and put ourhands behind us so that he thinks we're still bound.'
　　So, when Red came over to the door of the shed, it looked exactly as if the boys still had their handstied behind them. He laughed.
　　'You can stay here till the police come!' he said. Then he shut the shed door and locked it. He strolledover to the helicopter and examined it thoroughly. Then back he went to the door he had come from,opened it, and slammed it shut. He was gone.
　　When everything was quiet Jo sped back from the summer-house to the shed. She unlocked the doorof the shed. 'Come out,' she said. 'And we'll lock it again. Then nobody will know you aren't here.
　　Hurry!'
　　There was nothing for it but to come out and hope there was nobody looking. Jo locked the shed doorafter them and hurried them back to the door that led underground. They slipped through it and half-fell down the steep steps.
　　'Thanks, Jo,' said Dick.
　　They sat down. Julian scratched his head, and for the life of him could not think of anything sensibleto do. The police were not coming because they didn't know a thing about Red, or where 75George was or anything. And before long George would be flown off in that helicopter, and Timmywould be shot.
　　Julian thought of the high square tower and groaned. 'There's no way of getting George out of thattower,' he said aloud. 'It'll be locked and barred, or George would have got out at once. We can't evenget to her. It's no good trying to make our way into the house - we'd be seen and caught at once.'
　　Jo looked at Dick. 'Do you badly want George to be rescued?' she said.
　　'That's a silly question,' said Dick. 'I want it more than anything else in the world.'
　　'Well - I'll go and get her, then,' said Jo, and she got up as if she really meant it.
　　'Don't make jokes now,' said Julian. 'This really is serious, Jo.'
　　'Well, so am I,' retorted Jo. 'I'll get her out, you see if I don't. Then you'll know I'm trustable, won'tyou? You think I'm mean and thieving and not worth a penny, and I expect you're right.
　　But I can do some things you can't, and if you want this thing, I'll do it for you.'
　　'How?' said Julian, astonished and disbelieving.
　　Jo sat down again.
　　'You saw that tower, didn't you?' she began. 'Well, it's a big one, so I reckon there's more than oneroom in it - and if I can get into the room next to George's I could undo her door and set her free.'
　　'And how do you think you're going to get into the room next to hers?' said Dick, scornfully.
　　'Climb up the wall, of course,' said Jo. 'It's set thick with ivy. I've often climbed up walls like that.'
　　The boys looked at her. 'Were you the Face at the Window by any chance?' said Julian, rememberingAnne's fright. 'I bet you were. You're like a monkey, climbing and darting about.
　　But you can't climb up that great high wall, so don't think it. You'd fall and be killed, We couldn't letyou.'
　　'Pooh!' said Jo, with great scorn. 'Fall off a wall like that! I've climbed up a wall without any ivy atall! There's always holes and cracks to hold on to. That one would be easy!'
　　Julian was quite dumbfounded to think that Jo really meant all this. Dick remembered that Jo's fatherwas an acrobat. Perhaps that kind of thing was in the family.
　　'You just ought to see me on a tight-rope,' said Jo earnestly. 'I can dance on it - and I never have asafety-net underneath - that's baby-play! Well, I'm going.'
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　　Without another word she climbed the steep steps lightly as a goat and stood poised in the archway ofthe door. All was quiet. Like a squirrel she leapt and bounded over the courtyard and came to the footof the ivy-covered tower. Julian and Dick were now at the doorway that led into the yard, watchingher.
　　'She'll be killed,' said Julian.
　　'Talk about pluck!' said Dick.
　　'I never saw such a kid in my life. There she goes - just like a monkey.'
　　And, sure enough, up the ivy went Jo, climbing lightly and steadily. Her hands reached out and testedeach ivy-stem before she threw her weight on it, and her feet tried each one, too, before she stood onit.
　　Once she slipped when an ivy-stem came away from the wall. Julian and Dick watched, their heartsin their mouths. But Jo merely clutched at another piece of stem and steadied herself once.
　　Then up she went again.
　　Up and up, Past the first storey, past the second, and up to the third. Only one more now and shewould be up to the topmost one. She seemed very small as she neared the top.
　　'I can't bear to look and I can't bear not to,' said Dick, pretending to shield his eyes and almosttrembling with nervousness. 'If she fell now - what should we do?'
　　'Do shut up,' said Julian, between his teeth. 'She won't fall. She's like a cat. There - she's making forthe window next to George's. It's open at the bottom.'
　　Jo now sat triumphantly on the broad window- sill of the room next to George's. She wavedimpudently to the boys far below. Then she pushed with all her might at the window to open it a littlemore. It wouldn't budge.
　　So Jo laid herself flat, and by dint of much wriggling and squeezing, she managed to slip through thenarrow space between the bottom of the window-pane and the sill. She disappeared from sight.
　　Both boys heaved heartfelt sighs of relief. Dick found that his knees were shaking. He and Julianretired into the underground passage below the steep steps and sat there in silence.
　　'Worse than a circus,' said Dick at last. 'I'll never be able to watch acrobats again. What's she doingnow, do you suppose?'
　　Jo was very busy. She had fallen off the inside windowsill with a bump, and bruised herself on thefloor below. But she was used to bruises.
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　　She picked herself up and shot behind a chair in case anyone had heard her. Nobody seemed to haveheard anything, so she peeped cautiously out. The room was furnished with enormous pieces offurniture, old and heavy. Dust was on everything, and cobwebs hung down from the stone ceiling.
　　Jo tiptoed to the door. Her feet were bare and made no sound at all. She looked out. There was aspiral stone stairway nearby going downwards, and on each side was a door - there must be fourrooms in the tower then, one for each corner, two windows in each. She looked at the door next to theroom she was in. That must be the door of George's room.
　　There was a very large key in the lock, and a great bolt had been drawn across. Jo leapt across anddragged at the bolt. It made a loud noise and she darted back into the room again. But still nobodycame. Back she went to the door again, and this time turned the enormous key. It was well oiled andturned easily.
　　Jo pushed open the door and put her head cautiously round. George was there - a thin and unhappyGeorge, sitting by the window. She stared at Jo as if she couldn't believe her eyes!
　　'Psssst!' said Jo, enjoying all this very much indeed. 'I've come to get you out!'
19.令人惊喜的琼
　　令人惊喜的琼
　　“琼！”男孩儿们齐声叫道，瞬间燃起了希望，“快来救我们！”
　　院子里没人看守。琼轻手轻脚地穿过门廊，溜进小屋。
　　“我口袋里有一把小刀，”朱利安说，“快把它拿出来，割断绳子比解开绳子要快得多。我保证，琼，我第一次见到一个人之后能如此开心。”
　　琼咧开嘴笑了，从朱利安的口袋里掏出了那把结实的折叠刀。
　　她打开这把小刀，拇指轻轻地试了下锋利的刀刃，然后开始动手割捆着朱利安的粗绳，这把刀割起绳子来锋利得很。
　　“我一直在后面躲着，”琼边割绳子边快速说道，“直到安全了我才悄悄跟上你们。不过坑里太黑了，什么都看不见，我不喜欢黑漆漆的。后来我走到那扇门那儿，偷偷往外看，见到你们我真是太高兴了。”
　　“幸好那些人没看到你躲在那儿。”迪克说，“琼，好样的！我收回对你说过的那些坏话！”
　　琼笑得开心极了。终于，她割断了捆住朱利安的绳子，朱利安扭了扭身子，从铁环里挣脱出来，轻轻地揉着他那僵痛的手腕。琼接着开始割绑住迪克的绳子，很快也割断了。
　　“乔治在哪儿？”帮迪克揉了揉手腕和手臂后，琼问道。
　　“在上面的那个塔上，”朱利安说，“如果我们从屋子里出去，在院子里抬头就能看到她。还有可怜的蒂米，它正躺在那边的凉亭里，昏昏沉沉地睡着，大概是被人下了药。”
　　“我不会让他们开枪打死蒂米的，”琼说，“它是只好狗，我要去把它藏到地下坑穴里。”
　　“现在不要！”朱利安惊恐地说道，“要是你被发现了，一切就都完了，我们都会被绑起来的。”
　　可是琼已经蹿到了凉亭那儿，正心疼地抚摸着可怜的蒂米。
　　这时，门“砰”地一下关上了，男孩儿们吓了一跳，琼赶紧躲进凉亭后的阴影处。是红塔，他穿过院子向小屋走来。
　　“快跑！他要过来了！”迪克慌张地说着，“我们回到铁环那儿去，把手放在背后，让他以为我们还被绑着。”
　　没过多久，红塔走到屋前，看到男孩儿们依然被“老老实实”地绑着，他笑了一下，嘲讽道：“你们就待在这儿等着警察来吧！”说完，他便关上屋门，并上了锁。接着他走到直升机前，仔细检查了一番。最后，他回到来时的那扇门前，打开门进去后，“砰”的一声将门关上离开了。
　　一切都安静下来，琼从凉亭迅速跑回小屋，她打开门锁，说道：“快出来！我们继续把门锁上，这样就没人会发现你们不在，快！”
　　现在唯一能做的就只有先逃出来，并希望没有人会发现他们。
　　男孩儿们连忙跑了出来，琼锁上了屋门，催促着他们赶紧逃到地下通道那儿去。他们偷偷溜了进去，猫着腰走下了高高的台阶。
　　“谢谢你，琼。”迪克说。
　　他们坐了下来。朱利安用力地挠了挠头，他生命中第一次变得手足无措，不知道该怎么办才好。警察根本就不会来，他们对红塔一无所知，也不知道乔治在哪里。过不了多久，乔治就会被直升机带走，蒂米也会被他们开枪打死。
　　朱利安想着那座高高的方形塔，叹息道：“我们根本无法把乔治从那座塔里救出来。塔里肯定上了锁，门窗上肯定也钉满了铁条，不然乔治早就自己逃出来了。我们甚至都无法接近她。如果尝试从大门进去，偷偷爬上塔楼，他们会马上发现，把我们抓起来。”
　　琼看着迪克说：“你们真的很想救出乔治吗？”
　　“当然！”迪克说，“我来这里就是为了救她，这是我最重要的事情。”
　　“那好，我现在就去救她出来。”琼说。她站了起来，仿佛已经下定了决心。
　　“现在可不是开玩笑的时候，”朱利安说，“严肃点，琼！”
　　“不，我是认真的，”琼反驳道，“我会把乔治救出来，然后你就会知道我值得信任。你们总觉得我是坏人，是小偷，一文不值，我的确是这样的人，但我能做一些你们做不到的事情。如果你们想救出乔治，我可以帮你们办到。”
　　“怎么救？”朱利安问，他半是惊讶，半是怀疑。
　　琼再次坐了下来。
　　“你看见那座塔了吗？”她开始说道，“这座塔很大，我估计里面不止有一间房间。如果我能混进乔治隔壁的房间，我就可以打开她房间的门，把她救出来。”
　　“你凭什么认为你能混进乔治隔壁的房间？”迪克不屑地说道。
　　“当然是爬上去，”琼说，“那堵墙上长满了厚厚的常春藤，我经常爬这种墙的。”
　　男孩们吃惊地看着她。“那次窗外的那张脸该不会就是你吧？”朱利安说道，想起了那晚安妮惊恐万分的样子，“我敢打赌就是你，你就像猴子一样敏捷。但那堵墙太高了，你爬不上去的。想都别想，你会摔死，我们不能让你去！”
　　“切！”琼轻蔑地说，“我会从那种墙上摔下来？我连光秃秃的墙都爬过，上面连常春藤都没有，我就抠着墙上的坑和裂缝往上爬。
　　相比而言，这堵墙好爬多了。”
　　听了琼的话，朱利安目瞪口呆。迪克想起琼的爸爸曾是杂技演员，或许她遗传到了她爸爸的本领，爬墙这种事对她来说就是家常便饭。
　　“你们真该看看我走钢丝的样子，”琼一本正经地说，“我可以在上边跳舞，而且下面根本不需要安全网。这些简直小菜一碟！好了，我去去就来。”
　　说完这句话，琼蹑手蹑脚地爬上高高的台阶，镇定地来到通往院子的拱门前。四周静悄悄的，她像只灵巧的松鼠，蹦跳着穿过小院，来到爬满常春藤的塔底。朱利安和迪克就站在拱门前，担心地看着琼。
　　“她这是在找死。”朱利安说。
　　“但她很勇敢。”迪克说，“我从没遇到过像琼这样的小孩儿，她敏捷得像只猴子。”
　　这时，琼轻而易举地爬上了常春藤，她的动作轻盈平稳。她每次向上爬时，都先伸手试探常春藤是否够结实，再双手抓住藤蔓往上爬。每次往上蹬时，她会先确认脚下是否足够稳固，然后才落脚。
　　每当常春藤断裂滑落时，琼也会跟着滑下来一截。朱利安和迪克紧张地看着，心提到了嗓子眼。但琼每次只是拽住另一根常春藤，再次稳住身子，继续往上爬。
　　琼不断爬着，慢慢爬过了第一层、第二层，一直爬到第三层楼。现在只要再爬一层，她就到顶层了。她越往上爬，身影就变得越小。
　　“我不敢看了，可我忍不住想看。”迪克说道，害怕得捂住了双眼，紧张到颤抖，“要是琼掉下来了，我们可怎么办呀？”
　　“闭嘴！”朱利安咬紧牙关，“琼不会掉下来，她像小猫一样灵活。快看，她已经爬到了乔治隔壁房间的窗户，那窗户从底下开着。”
　　琼正坐在宽阔的窗沿上，刚好就在关着乔治的房间隔壁。她得意洋洋，向塔底的男孩们招手。接着，她用尽浑身力气想把窗户再打开一点，但窗户却纹丝不动。
　　于是，琼在窗沿上平躺下来，慢慢蠕动着身体，终于从窗底和窗沿间的狭窄缝隙中挤了进去。她的身影消失在男孩们的视线中。
　　男孩们如释重负，舒了一口气。迪克发觉自己的膝盖在颤抖。
　　他和朱利安悄悄走下台阶，回到地下通道，静静坐在那儿等待。
　　“琼都快比得上一个马戏团了。”过了好一会儿，迪克才开口说，“她是我见过的最优秀的杂技演员。你说，她现在在做什么呢？”
　　琼这会儿正忙着呢。她“砰”的一声从窗沿上跳了下来，不小心磕到了地板，不过她早已习惯了磕磕碰碰。
　　琼赶紧站起来，快速躲到椅子后面，以防有人听到了声响。但周围似乎没什么动静，于是琼小心地往外偷偷看去。房间里摆着许多又旧又重的家具，到处都是灰尘，石制的天花板上也布满了蜘蛛网。
　　琼蹑手蹑脚地走到门口。她光着脚，没发出一点声音。她警惕地向外看，发现外面有个向下延伸的螺旋石梯，还有四面墙，每面墙上都有一扇门。这儿果然有四个房间，分布在塔楼的四个角落，每个房间都有两扇窗户。她看了看隔壁房间的门，心想乔治一定就在那里。
　　琼发现门锁上挂着一把很大的钥匙，门上还插着一个巨大的门闩。琼跑过去用力拉开门闩，发出了很大的声响，吓得她又冲回房间躲了起来。但外面静悄悄的，没有人来。琼又回到门口，转动那把钥匙。钥匙上过油，很容易转动，门一下子就打开了。
　　琼推开门，小心翼翼地探出头往里瞧。乔治就在那儿，瘦小的身影正闷闷不乐地坐在窗边。她转过身目瞪口呆地盯着琼，简直不敢相信自己的眼睛！
　　“嘘！”琼开心地对乔治轻声说，“我是来救你出去的！”
Chapter 20 THE ADVENTURE BOILS UP
　　Chapter 20 THE ADVENTURE BOILS UP
　　George looked as if she had seen a ghost. 'Jo!' she whispered. 'It can't really be you.'
　　'It is. Feel,' said Jo, and pattered across the room to give George quite a hard pinch. Then she pulledat her arm.
　　'Come on,' she said. 'We must go before Red comes. Hurry! I don't want to be caught.'
　　George got up as if she was in a dream. She went across to the door. She and Jo slipped out, andstood at the top of the spiral staircase.
　　'Have to go down here, I suppose,' said Jo. She cocked her head and listened. Then she went down afew steps and turned the first spiral bend.
　　But before she had gone down more than a dozen steps she stopped in fright. Somebody was comingup!
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　　In panic Jo ran up again and pushed George roughly into the room she had climbed into first of all.
　　'Someone's coming,' she panted. 'Now we're finished.'
　　'It's that red-haired man, I expect,' said George. 'He comes up three or four times a day and tries tomake me tell him about my father's work. But I don't know a thing. What are we to do?'
　　The slow steps came up and up, sounding hollowly on the stone stairs. They could hear a pantingbreath now, too.
　　An idea came to Jo. She put her mouth close to George's ear. 'Listen! We look awfully alike. I'll letmyself be caught and locked up in that room - and you take the chance to slip down and go to Dickand Julian. Red will never know I'm not you - we've even got the same clothes on now, because Joangave me old ones of yours.'
　　'No,' said George, astounded. 'You'll be caught. I don't want you to do that.'
　　'You've got to,' whispered Jo, fiercely. 'Don't be daft. I can open the window and climb down the ivy,easy as winking, when Red's gone. It's your only chance. They're going to take you off in thathelicopter tonight.'
　　The footsteps were now at the top. Jo pushed George well behind a curtain and whispered fiercelyagain: 'Anyway, I'm not really doing this for you. I'm doing it for Dick. You keep there and I'll do therest.'
　　There was a loud exclamation when the man outside discovered the door of George's room open.
　　He went in quickly and found nobody there. Out he came and yelled down the stairs.
　　'Markhoff! The door's open and the girl's gone! Who opened the door?'
　　Markhoff came up two steps at a time, looking bewildered. 'No one! Who could? Anyway, the girlcan't be far off! I've been in the room below all the time since I locked her in last time. I'd have seenher if she's gone.'
　　'Who unlocked the door?' screamed Red, quite beside himself with anger. 'We've got to have that girlto bargain with.'
　　'Well, she must be in one of the other rooms,' said Markhoff, stolidly, quite unmoved by his master'sfury. He went into one on the opposite side to the room where Jo and George crouched trembling.
　　Then he came into their room, and at once saw the top of Jo's head showing behind the chair.
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　　He pounced on her and dragged her out. 'Here she is!' he said, and didn't seem to realize that it wasnot George at all, but Jo. With their short hair, freckled faces and their similar clothes they reallywere alike. Jo yelled and struggled most realistically. Nobody would have guessed that she hadplanned to be caught and locked up!
　　George shook and shivered behind the curtain, longing to go to Jo's help, but knowing that it wouldn'tbe of the least use. Besides - there might be a chance now of finding Timmy. It had almost brokenGeorge's heart to be parted from him for so long.
　　Jo was dragged yelling and kicking into the room and locked in again. Red and Markhoff began toquarrel about which of them must have left the door unlocked.
　　'You were there last,' said Red.
　　'Well, if I was, I tell you I didn't leave the door unlocked,' Markhoff raged back. 'I wouldn't be sofatheaded. That's the kind of thing you do.'
　　'That'll do,' snapped Red. 'Have you shot that dog yet? No, you haven't! Go down and do it before heescapes too!'
　　George's heart went stone-cold. Shoot Timmy! Oh no! Dear darling old Timmy. She couldn't let himbe shot!
　　She didn't know what to do. She heard Red and Markhoff go down the stone stairway, their bootsmaking a terrific noise at first, and then gradually becoming fainter.
　　She slipped down after them. They went into a nearby room, still arguing. George risked being seenand shot past the open door. She came to another stairway, not a spiral one this time, and went downit so fast that she almost lost her footing. Down and down and down. She met nobody at all. What avery strange place this was!
　　She came into a dark, enormous hall that smelt musty and old. She ran to the great door at the frontand tried to open it. It was very heavy, but at last it swung slowly back.
　　She stood there in the bright sunlight, peering out cautiously. She knew where Timmy was. She hadbeen able to see him sometimes, flopping queerly in and out of the summer-house. She knew thatbecause of his continual barking he had been doped. Red had told her that when she had asked him.
　　He enjoyed making her miserable. Poor George!
　　She tore across the courtyard and came to the summerhouse. Timmy was there, lying as if he wereasleep. George flung herself on him, her arms round his thick neck.
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　　'Timmy, oh Timmy!' she cried, and couldn't see him for tears. Timmy, far away in some druggeddream, heard the voice he loved best in all the world. He stirred. He opened his eyes and saw George!
　　He was too heavy with his sleep to do more than lick her face. Then his eyes dosed again.
　　George was in despair. She was afraid Markhoff would come and shoot him in a very short time.
　　'Timmy! she called in his ear. 'TIMMY! Do wake up. TIMMY!'
　　Tim opened his eyes again. What - his mistress still here! Then it couldn't be a dream. Perhaps hisworld would soon be right again. Timmy didn't understand at all what had been happening the lastfew days. He staggered to his feet somehow and stood swaying there, shaking his head.
　　George put her hand on his collar. 'That's right, Tim,' she said. 'Now you come with me. Quick!'
　　But Timmy couldn't walk, though he had managed to stand. In despair George glanced over thecourtyard, fearful that she would see Markhoff coming at any moment.
　　She saw somebody else. She saw Julian standing in an archway opposite, staring at her. She was tooupset about Timmy even to feel much astonishment.
　　'Ju!' she called. 'Come and help me with Timmy. They're going to shoot him!'
　　In a trice Julian and Dick shot across the courtyard to George. 'What happened, Jo?' said Julian.
　　'Did you find George?'
　　'Ju - it's me, George!' said George, and Julian suddenly saw that indeed it was George herself. He hadbeen so certain that it was still Jo that he hadn't known it was George!
　　'Help me with Timmy,' said George, and she pulled at the heavy dog. 'Where shall we hide him?'
　　'Down underground,' said Dick. 'It's the only place. Come on!'
　　How they managed it they never quite knew, but they did drag the heavy, stupid Timmy all the wayacross the yard and into the archway. They opened the door and shoved him inside. Poor Timmy fellover and immediately rolled down the steep steps, landing at the bottom with a frightful thud. Georgegave a little scream.
　　'He'll be hurt!'
　　But astonishingly enough Timmy didn't seem to be hurt at all. In fact the shaking seemed to havedone him good. He got up and looked round him in rather a surprised way. Then he whined andlooked up at George. He tried to climb the steep steps, but wasn't lively enough.
　　George was down beside him in a moment, patting him and stroking him. The two boys joined in.
　　Timmy began to feel that things might be all right again, if only he could get rid of the 81dreadful, heavy feeling in his head. He couldn't understand why he kept wanting to lie down and goto sleep.
　　'Bring him right down to the caves,' said Dick. 'Those men are sure to hunt for him and for us toowhen they find Timmy gone, and us not in the shed.'
　　So down the narrow passages and into the little cave with the hole in the roof they all went, Timmyfeeling as if he didn't quite know which of his legs to use next.
　　They all sat down in a heap together when they got there, and George got as close to Timmy as shecould. She was glad when the boys switched off their torches. She badly wanted to cry, and as shenever did cry it was most embarrassing if anyone saw her.
　　She told the boys in a low voice all that had happened with Jo. 'She made me stay hidden so that shecould be caught,' she said. 'She's wonderful. She's the bravest girl I ever knew. And she did it all eventhough she doesn't like me.'
　　'She's a queer one,' said Dick. 'She's all right at heart, though - very much all right.'
　　They talked quickly, in low voices, exchanging their news. George told them how she had beencaught and taken to the caravan with Timmy, who had been knocked out with a cudgel.
　　'We saw where you had written Red's name,' said Dick. 'That gave us the clue to come here!'
　　'Listen,' said Julian, suddenly. 'I think we ought to make a plan quickly. I keep thinking I hear things.
　　We're sure to be looked for soon, you know. What can we do?'
20.危机此起彼伏
　　危机此起彼伏
　　乔治看见琼就像见了鬼一样。“琼！”她低声说，“真的是你吗？”
　　“是我，你没在做梦。”琼说着，快步穿过房间，用力拧了一下乔治，然后拉起了她的胳膊。
　　琼拽着乔治的胳膊。“快跟我走！”琼说道，“我们得在红塔来之前离开。快点，我可不想被抓住。”
　　乔治站了起来，但整个人仍然恍恍惚惚的，仿佛在做梦一般。
　　她走到门口，和琼一起偷偷溜了出去，站到螺旋楼梯的顶部。
　　“我想我们只能从这儿下去了。”琼一边说着，一边伸着脖子仔细观察着周围的动静，然后走下几步台阶，到了第一个拐弯处。
　　但正准备继续往下走时，她突然慌里慌张地停了下来。有人上来了！
　　琼惊慌失措地跑了上来，急忙把乔治推进她最先爬进的那个房间里。
　　“有人来了！”琼喘着气说道，“我们完蛋了。”
　　“我猜是那个长着红头发的人。”乔治说道，“他每天都会上来三四次，想让我告诉他关于我爸爸工作的事，可我什么都不知道。我们现在怎么办？”
　　那人走得很慢，他一步步往上爬，石阶发出一阵阵沉闷的空响。乔治她们甚至可以听到他的喘息声。
　　这时，琼突然有了个主意。她贴近乔治的耳朵说道：“听着！我们两个人看起来很像。我会假扮成你，故意让红塔把我抓住，锁进那间屋子里。你抓住机会溜出去，然后去找迪克和朱利安。红塔肯定不会发现，乔安娜给了我一些你的旧衣服，我们现在穿的衣服一模一样。”
　　“不行，”乔治吃惊地说，“你会被抓住的，不要这样做。”
　　“你必须得听我的，”琼不客气地小声说道，“别犯傻了，红塔走后，我可以打开窗户，抓着常春藤往下爬，这对我来说就跟眨眼一样简单。听好，这是你唯一可以逃出去的机会，他们今晚就要用直升机带你走了。”
　　脚步声越来越近，那人终于来到了顶楼。琼把乔治推到窗帘后藏好，再次低声说道：“总之，我这么做不是为了你，是为了迪克。
　　你先躲在这儿，接下来的事交给我。”
　　这时，一阵惊呼传来，红塔发现乔治的房门大开着。他快步走进房间，发现里面空无一人。他怒气冲冲地走了出来，对着楼下大叫：“马克霍夫！门怎么开着？那女孩不见了！谁开的门？”
　　马克霍夫三步并作两步，急忙跑了上来，他一脸疑惑。“没人开门啊！谁会这样做？不管怎样，那女孩肯定跑不远！自打上次把她锁起来，我一直都在楼下守着。她要是逃了出来，我肯定早就发现了。”
　　“那谁开的门？”红塔火冒三丈，大声吼道，“这女孩可是我们交易的筹码。”
　　“她肯定藏在另一个房间。”马克霍夫没有理会红塔的怒火，冷静地分析道。他先走进乔治她们对面的房间，但一无所获。然后他走进了另一个房间，琼和乔治正在里面躲着，吓得瑟瑟发抖。这时，琼故意把脑袋从椅子后面露了出来，马克霍夫一眼就发现了她。
　　马克霍夫扑过去一把抓住琼就往外拖。“她在这儿呢！”他大喊道，完全没察觉出她不是乔治。不过，琼和乔治都留着短发，脸上都有雀斑，身上的衣服也差不多，两个人看起来确实很像。琼尖叫着，用尽全力挣扎着，好像她真的是乔治一样。谁会料想到她是想要故意被抓起来的呢？
　　乔治躲在窗帘后边，吓得浑身发抖，她很想去救琼，但她知道，这一点用也没有。不过，这倒是个找到蒂米的好机会，和蒂米分开了这么久，乔治难过极了。
　　琼又踢又叫，挣扎着被马克霍夫拖进房间锁了起来。红塔和马克霍夫开始在那儿争吵——他们中到底是谁没把房间门给锁上。
　　“最后一次锁门的可是你！”红塔说。
　　“哼，如果是我，我不可能没锁门。”马克霍夫怒气冲冲地回答，“我才不会做这种蠢事，只有你才会。”
　　“够了，别说了。”红塔厉声说道，“你杀死那只狗了吗？还没有吧！你现在就去杀了它，免得它也逃跑了。”
　　乔治的心瞬间如坠入冰窟般冰冷。他们要杀死蒂米！哦不！亲爱的蒂米，她不能让他们杀掉它。
　　她不知该怎么办。她听见红塔和马克霍夫走下了楼梯，他们的靴子踩在石阶上发出了巨大的声响，渐渐地声音变小了。
　　乔治跟着他们偷偷溜下楼梯。他们走进不远处的一个房间，还在争吵。乔治冒着被发现的危险，快速从那个房间门前蹿了过去。
　　她来到另一个楼梯那里——这次不是螺旋梯。她迅速往楼下跑，由于跑得太快，她差点就摔倒了。她不断地向下跑呀跑，一个人都没有遇见，这真是个奇怪的地方！
　　楼梯的尽头是一个大厅，里面黑魆魆的，一股腐朽陈旧的气味迎面扑来。乔治穿过大厅，跑到大门处，试图打开它。这扇门很重，不过最后还是被她给推开了一条缝隙。
　　乔治站在有阳光的地方，小心翼翼地往外看。她知道蒂米在哪儿，有时甚至还能看得见，它就在凉亭内外笨拙地走来走去——因为蒂米一直叫，他们给它下了药。她之前问红塔蒂米的情况时，红塔就是这样告诉她的，他喜欢看着她难受。可怜的乔治！
　　她急忙穿过庭院跑到凉亭里，蒂米就在那儿躺着，仿佛睡着了。乔治拥抱着它，双臂围着它粗粗的脖子。
　　“蒂米！哦，蒂米！”乔治看到蒂米后忍不住哭了起来。蒂米被迷晕了，躺在那里，突然听到了这个世界上最悦耳的声音。它动弹了一下，慢慢睁开眼睛，看到了乔治！
　　蒂米昏昏沉沉，身体如灌了铅一般沉重，它只能舔舔乔治的脸颊，然后又合上了双眼。乔治绝望极了，她害怕马克霍夫马上就过来开枪打死蒂米。
　　“蒂米！”她在它耳边呼唤着。“蒂米！快醒过来。蒂米！”
　　蒂米再次睁开了眼睛，发现它的小主人居然还在这儿！这一定不是梦。看来一切都会再次好起来，虽然它根本就不知道过去这几天都发生了什么。不管怎样，它还是踉跄着站了起来，身体摇摇晃晃的，头也不住地摆来摆去。乔治抓住蒂米的颈圈说：“好样的，蒂米，现在跟我走，快！”
　　蒂米努力站了起来，但它根本走不了路。乔治感到很绝望，又焦急地瞥了一眼院子，害怕马克霍夫随时会过来。
　　这时，她看到了一个人。她看到朱利安正站在对面的门廊下盯着她看。她整颗心都在蒂米身上，看到朱利安并没有感到惊讶。
　　“朱利安！”她喊道，“快来帮忙抬蒂米，他们就要杀死它了。”
　　朱利安和迪克立刻穿过院子来到了乔治面前。“怎么了，琼？”朱利安问道，“你找到乔治了吗？”
　　“朱利安，是我，乔治！”乔治说道。朱利安突然发现，面前的人是乔治。他一直以为是琼，没想到竟是乔治！
　　“快来帮我搬蒂米，”乔治说着，拖了拖沉重的蒂米，“我们能把它藏到哪儿呢？”
　　“去地下通道，”迪克说，“这是唯一能藏的地方了。快行动！”
　　没人知道他们怎么做到的，但他们确实把笨重的蒂米一路从院子拖到了门廊。他们打开门，把蒂米推了进去。可怜的蒂米没站稳，立刻从高高的台阶上滚了下去，“砰”的一声摔在了台阶底下。
　　乔治吓得小声地尖叫了一声。
　　“它会受伤的！”
　　然而意外的是，蒂米似乎一点也没有受伤，事实上，从楼梯上滚下去是件好事。它站起来，惊奇地打量着四周。它低声呜呜地叫着，抬头看到了乔治。它试着爬上这些高高的台阶，却没有力气。
　　乔治立刻跑下台阶，来到蒂米身边，轻拍着它，安抚着它。迪克和朱利安也连忙过来安慰蒂米。蒂米觉得，如果能摆脱掉昏昏沉沉的感觉，一切都会好起来。它想不通为什么这几天自己总想躺下来睡觉。
　　“带它到坑里吧，”迪克说道，“那些人一旦发现蒂米和我们不见了，一定会来抓我们的。”
　　他们沿着狭窄的通道往下走，发现了一个小坑洞，然后钻了进去，坑口刚好在头顶。蒂米已经累得迈不开腿了。
　　这时他们都躺了下来，乔治紧挨着蒂米，她特别想哭，但她从不会在别人面前哭，如果有人看见了，她会感到丢脸，幸亏两个男孩把火把熄灭了。
　　她低声向男孩们讲述琼做的所有事情。“她让我藏起来，然后故意让自己被抓住，”乔治说道，“她太了不起了！她是我见过的最勇敢的女孩。虽然她不喜欢我，但她还是想尽办法救我出来。”
　　“她真奇怪，”迪克说，“不过她本质不坏，甚至好得不能再好。”
　　他们小声交谈着彼此的遭遇。乔治告诉他们那伙人是如何抓住她，又敲晕蒂米，再把他们关进大篷车的。
　　“我们发现你写下了红塔的名字，”迪克说道，“根据这个线索一路找到这儿。”
　　“听着，”朱利安突然说道，“我们得赶快想个办法离开这儿，我总觉得周围有奇怪的声音，那些人马上就会来抓我们。现在怎么办？”
Chapter 21 A FEW SURPRISES
　　Chapter 21 A FEW SURPRISES
　　As soon as Julian had said that he kept hearing noises, the others felt as if they could hear some, too.
　　They sat and listened intently, George's heart beating so loudly that she was certain the boys wouldbe able to hear it.
　　'I think perhaps it's the sound of the sea, echoing in through the caves and the tunnels,' said Julian atlast. 'In the ordinary way, of course, we wouldn't need to bother to listen - Timmy would growl atonce! But, poor old chap, he's so doped and sleepy that I don't believe he hears anything.'
　　'Will he get all right again?' asked George, anxiously,' fondling Timmy's silky ears.
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　　'Oh, yes,' said Julian, sounding much more certain than he really felt. Poor Timmy - he really didseem ill! There wasn't even a growl in him.
　　'You've had an awful time these last few days, haven't you George?' asked Dick.
　　'Yes,' said George. 'I don't much want to talk about it. If I'd had Timmy with me it wouldn't have beenso bad, but at first, when they brought me here, all I knew of Timmy was hearing him bark and snarland bark and snarl down below in that yard. Then Red told me he had doped him.'
　　'How did you get to Red's place?' asked Julian.
　　'Well, you know I was locked in that horrible-smelling caravan,' said George. 'Then suddenly a mancalled Simmy - he's Jo's father, I think - came and dragged us out. Timmy was all stupid with theblow they'd given him - and they put him in a sack and put us both on the caravan horse and took usthrough the wood and along a desolate path by the coast till we came here. That was in the middle ofthe night.'
　　'Poor old George!' said Julian. 'I wish Tim was himself again - I'd love to set him loose on Red andthe other fellow!'
　　'I wonder what's happening to Jo,' said Dick, suddenly remembering that Jo was now imprisoned inthe tower room where George had been kept so long.
　　'And do you suppose Red and Markhoff have discovered that we've got out of that shed, and thatTimmy has disappeared, too?' said Julian. 'They'll be in a fury when they do discover it!'
　　'Can't we get away?' said George, feeling suddenly scared. 'You came in a boat, didn't you? Well,can't we get away in that and go and fetch help for Jo?'
　　There was a silence. Neither of the boys liked to tell George that her beloved boat had been smashedto pieces by Markhoff. But she had to know, of course, and Julian told her in a few short words.
　　George said nothing at all. They all sat silently for a few minutes, hearing nothing but Timmy'sheavy, almost snoring, breathing.
　　'Would it be possible, when it's dark, to creep up into the courtyard, and go round the walls to the biggate?' said Dick, breaking the silence. 'We can't escape anywhere down here, it's certain - not withouta boat, anyhow.'
　　'Should we wait till Red and Markhoff have gone off in the helicopter?' said Julian. 'Then we'd bemuch safer.'
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　　'Yes - but what about Jo?' asked Dick. 'They think she's George, don't they? - and they'll take heraway with them, just as they planned to do with George. I don't see how we can try to escapeourselves without first trying to save Jo. She's been a brick about George.'
　　They talked round and round the idea of trying to save Jo, but nobody could think of any reallysensible plan at all. Time went on, and they all felt hungry and rather cold. 'If only we could dosomething, it wouldn't be so bad!' groaned Dick. 'I wonder what's happening up at the house.'
　　Up at the grey stone house with its big square-tower, plenty was happening!
　　To begin with, Markhoff had gone to shoot Timmy, as Red had ordered. But when he got to thesummerhouse there was no dog there!
　　Markhoff stared in the greatest amazement! The dog had been tied up, even though he was doped- and now, there was the loose rope, and no dog attached to it!
　　Markhoff gazed round the summer- house in astonishment. Who could have loosed Timmy? Hedarted across to the locked shed where he had tied Julian and Dick with rope to the iron staples.
　　The door was still locked, of course - and Markhoff turned the key and pushed it open.
　　'Here, you...' he began, shouting roughly. Then he stopped dead. Nobody was there! Again there wasloose rope - this time cut here and there, so that it lay in short pieces - and again the prisoners hadgone. No dog. No boys.
　　Markhoff couldn't believe his eyes. He looked all round the shed. 'But it was locked from theoutside!' he muttered. 'What's all this? Who's freed the dog and the boys? What will Red say?'
　　Markhoff looked at the helicopter standing ready for flight in the middle of the yard, and half decidedto desert Red and get away himself. Then, remembering Red's mad tempers, and his cruel revengeson anyone who dared to let him down, he changed his mind.
　　'We'd better get off now, before it's dark,' he thought. 'There's something queer going on here.
　　There must be somebody else here that we know nothing about. I'd better find Red and tell him.'
　　He went in through the massive front door, and in the hall he came face to face with two men waitingthere. At first he couldn't see who they were, and he stepped back hurriedly. Then he saw it wasSimmy and Jake.
　　'What are you doing here?' shouted Markhoff. 'Weren't you told to keep watch on Kirrin Cottage andmake sure the police weren't told anything?'
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　　'Yes,' said Jake, sulkily. 'And we've come to say that that cook - woman called Joan - went down tothe police this morning. She had one of the kids with her - a girl. The boys don't seem to be about.'
　　'No. They're here - at least, they were,' said Markhoff. 'They've disappeared again. As for the police,we've heard they're on the way, and we've made our plans. You're a bit late with your news! Lot ofgood you are, with your spying! Clear off now - we're taking the girl off in the helicopter before thepolice come. How did anyone know where the girl was? Have you been spilling the beans?'
　　'Pah!' said Simmy, contemptuously. 'Think we want to be messed up with the police? You must bemad. We want some money. We've done all your dirty work, and you've only paid us half youpromised. Give us the rest.'
　　'You can ask Red for it!' growled Markhoff. 'What's the good of asking me? Go and ask him!'
　　'Right. We will,' said Jake, his face as black as thunder. 'We've done all he told us - took the papersfor him, took the girl - and that savage brute of a dog too - see where he bit me on my hand? And allwe get is half our money! I reckon we've only just come in time, too. Planning to go off in that thereheli-thing and do us out of our pay. Pah!'
　　'Where's Red?' demanded Simmy.
　　'Upstairs,' said Markhoff. 'I've got some bad news for him, so he won't be pleased to see you and yourugly mugs. Better let me find him for you and say what I've got to say - then you can chip in withyour polite little speeches.'
　　'Funny, aren't you?' said Jake, in a dangerous voice. Neither he nor Simmy liked Markhoff. Theyfollowed him up the broad stairway, and then up again till they came to the room that lay below thespiral staircase.
　　Red was there, scanning through the papers that had been stolen from the study of George's father.
　　He was in a black temper. He flung down the papers as Markhoff came in.
　　'These aren't the notes I wanted!' he began, loudly. 'Well, I'll hold the girl till I get... why, Markhoff,what's up? Anything wrong?'
　　'Plenty,' said Markhoff. 'The dog's gone - he wasn't there when I went to shoot him - and the two boyshave gone too - yes, escaped out of a locked shed. Beats me!
　　'And here are two visitors for you - they want money! They've come to tell you what you alreadyknow - the police have been told about you.'
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　　Red went purple in the face, and his strange eyes shone with rage. He stared first at Markhoff, then atSimmy and Jake. Markhoff looked uneasy, but Simmy and Jake looked back insolently.
　　'You - you - you dare to come here when I told you to keep away!' he shouted. 'You've BEENpaid. You can't blackmail me for any more money.'
　　What he would have said next nobody knew because from up the spiral stairs there came yells andscreams and the noise of someone apparently trying to batter down a door.
　　'That's that girl, I suppose,' muttered Markhoff. 'What's up with her? She's been quiet enough before.'
　　'We'd better get her out now and go,' said Red, his face still purple. 'Jake, go and get her. Bring herdown here, and knock some sense into her if she goes on screaming.'
　　'Fetch her yourself,' said Jake, insolently.
　　Red looked at Markhoff, who immediately produced a revolver.
　　'My orders are always obeyed,' said Red in a suddenly cold voice. 'Always, you understand?'
　　Not only Jake scuttled up the stairs then but also Simmy! They went to the locked and bolted room atthe top and unlocked the door. They pulled back the bolt and door. Simmy stepped into the room todeal with the imprisoned girl.
　　But he stopped dead and gaped. He blinked, rubbed his eyes and gaped again. Jake gaped too.
　　'Hallo, Dad!' said Jo. 'You do seem surprised to see me!'
21.意外不断
　　意外不断
　　朱利安一说自己听到了奇怪的声音，其他人也感觉好像听到了。几个人坐在那儿聚精会神地听着周围的动静。乔治紧张得一颗心怦怦直跳，她想，男孩们肯定都听到她的心跳声了。
　　“我觉得，可能是海浪声传到坑穴和地道里后产生的回声，”朱利安做出结论，“要是在平常，我们哪儿需要费力听这些，一有动静，蒂米就会立刻叫起来的！可现在，它反应迟钝，困得要命，肯定什么都听不出来。唉，可怜的蒂米！”
　　“它还会好起来吗？”乔治抚摸着蒂米柔顺的耳朵，担心地问。
　　“当然。”朱利安说，听起来底气十足，但他心里很清楚，蒂米现在看起来确实不太好，它连叫一声的力气都没有。
　　“这几天你一定过得很糟糕吧，乔治？”迪克问道。
　　“是啊，”乔治说道，“糟糕到我不想提。要是能跟蒂米待在一块儿，也不至于这么糟糕。我们一到这儿，就被分开了，我只能听见蒂米一直在下面的院子里狂叫。后来红塔告诉我，他给蒂米打了麻药。”
　　“你是怎么被抓到这儿来的？”朱利安问道。
　　“唔……一开始他们把我锁在那个臭烘烘的大篷车里，”乔治说，“突然来了一个叫西米的男人——估计是琼的爸爸，他走过来把我们拽了出来。他们一棍子打晕了蒂米，把它装进一个麻袋里，然后又用大篷车的马驮着我和蒂米，穿过树林，沿着海边一条偏僻的小路，一直走到这里。当时还是半夜。”
　　“可怜的乔治！”朱利安说道，“我真希望蒂米能快点好起来，然后好好教训教训红塔和他的手下！”
　　“我想知道琼怎么样了。”迪克说，他突然想起琼还被关着——就在乔治被囚禁了好几天的那间房间里。
　　“你们觉得红塔和马克霍夫会不会发现我和迪克溜走了，蒂米也不见了？”朱利安说道，“他们要是真的发现了，一定会火冒三丈的！”
　　“我们能离开吗？”乔治问，突然觉得很害怕，“你们是坐船来的吗？我们要不先坐船逃走，然后再叫人来救琼？”
　　没人回答。两个男孩都不愿意告诉乔治，她心爱的小船已被马克霍夫砸碎了——但她必须得知道。朱利安寥寥数语向乔治说明了情况。
　　乔治听后一言不发。几个人坐在那儿，沉默了几分钟，一时间只能听见蒂米打鼾时沉重的呼吸声。
　　“要不等天黑了，我们偷偷溜进院子里，绕着墙溜到大门那儿，看能不能逃出去？”迪克打破沉默道。
　　“没有船，我们无论如何都逃不出去。”
　　“要不然我们一直等到红塔和马克霍夫乘直升机离开？”朱利安说，“那样我们会更安全。”
　　“这样也行，但琼怎么办？”迪克问道，“他们以为琼就是乔治，他们会把她一块儿带走的。我们得先把琼救出来，然后再想办法逃走。多亏有她，乔治才逃了出来。”
　　他们商量了半天，还是没能想出一个能救出琼的好办法。时间一分一秒过去，几个人又冷又饿，“如果我们能做点什么，事情也就不会这么糟糕了！”迪克叹息道，“也不知道现在上面是什么情况。”
　　此刻，上面的屋子里已经乱成了一团！
　　先是马克霍夫，他按照红塔的命令想要去枪毙蒂米，走近凉亭时却发现蒂米不见了！
　　马克霍夫瞪着眼睛，惊讶到了极点！那只狗明明服了麻药，被好好地拴在这里，可是现在，地上只有绳子，显然那只狗早就跑了！
　　马克霍夫感到十分震惊，在凉亭周围四处搜寻着。谁会放走蒂米呢？他心想，然后飞快地跑到锁着朱利安和迪克的小屋前，门还好好锁着。马克霍夫转动钥匙，推开了门。
　　“听着，你们……”他粗鲁地吼道，突然猛地停住了，惊得目瞪口呆。房间里空无一人！地上只有七零八碎的绳子——被扔得到处都是，里面的人已经不见了。狗跑了，两个男孩也消失了。
　　马克霍夫简直不敢相信自己的眼睛。他在屋子里四处查看。“屋子是从外面锁上的？”他嘀咕着，“到底怎么回事？谁放走了那只狗和那两个男孩？红塔知道了肯定会大发雷霆！”
　　马克霍夫盯着院子中央准备好了的直升机，他犹豫着要不要抛下红塔，自己一个人离开。但想到红塔是个脾气暴躁的人，要是有人胆敢背叛他，他准会展开疯狂的报复，马克霍夫最终打消了独自离开的念头。
　　“趁着天没黑，我们最好马上离开，”他想，“这一切太离奇了，肯定还有人藏在这儿，我们却不知道。我要先找到红塔，把这些情况告诉他。”
　　他走进前门，发现大厅里有两个人正直勾勾地盯着他。起初他没看清是谁，急忙后退了几步。然后他认出这两人是西米和杰克。
　　“你们在这儿做什么？”马克霍夫喊道，“不是让你们好好守着科林庄园，防止他们去报警吗？”
　　“是呀，”杰克发火了，“我们只是来通知你们，那个叫乔安娜的厨娘今早带着一个女孩去找警察了，男孩们没跟她们在一起。”
　　“是的，男孩们在这儿，至少，刚刚还在这儿，”马克霍夫说道，“他们又不见了。我们早已知道警察在来的路上，不过我们已想好了对策。你们的消息来得太晚了！哼，你们的监视工作做得太好了！快走开！警察来之前，我们会坐直升机带着女孩离开。为什么会有人知道她的下落？是不是你们走漏了风声？”
　　“不可能！”西米不高兴地说，“我们怎么会跟警察搅和到一块儿？你一定是疯了。我们是来拿钱的，你们让干的脏活儿，我们都干了，你们却只给了一半报酬，快把剩下的钱给我们！”
　　“去找红塔要吧！”马克霍夫吼道，“问我有什么用？你们去问他要！”
　　“那好，我们现在就去找他！”杰克说着，面色铁青，“他交代的事，我们都做了，去花园的石头底下取笔记本，抓那个女孩，还有那只疯狗！快看看它咬在我手上的伤口！做了这么多，得到的却只是一半报酬！我们来得太及时了，否则你们已经坐着那架该死的飞机溜掉了。想让我们白白干活儿？我呸！”
　　“红塔在哪儿？”西米大声质问道。
　　“在楼上，”马克霍夫说道，“我要告诉他一些坏消息，他待会儿见到你们这副嘴脸肯定不高兴。先让我找到他，我说完了，你们再客客气气地跟红塔讨价还价。”
　　“你可真幽默！”杰克恶狠狠地说道，他和西米都不喜欢马克霍夫。他们随着马克霍夫一步步走上楼梯，来到螺旋楼梯下边的那个房间里。
　　红塔正在房间里翻看从乔治的爸爸书房中偷来的文件。他阴沉着脸，马克霍夫进来时，他把文件“啪”地甩了一地。
　　“这根本就不是我想要的笔记本！”他大吼道，“得不到我想要的，那个女孩也别想离开！怎么了，马克霍夫？他们怎么在这儿？
　　出什么岔子了吗？”
　　“我有一些坏消息要告诉你，”马克霍夫说，“那只狗不见了，我赶到那儿时，它已经消失了。两个男孩也不见了，门是从外面锁上的。我也搞不懂到底是怎么回事！”
　　“还有，这两个人来找你，他们想要钱！他们只是来告诉你一些你已经知道的事情，警察已经盯上你了。”
　　红塔听后，气得脸色发青，双眼立刻充满了怒火。他恶狠狠地盯着马克霍夫、西米和杰克。马克霍夫被他盯得浑身不舒服，但西米和杰克却毫不在意，傲慢地瞪了回去。
　　“你，还有你，你们竟然还敢来这儿，我没说过让你们滚蛋吗？”他大喊道，“你们的报酬早就结清了，休想再来敲诈我。”
　　没人知道他接下来要说什么，因为这时，螺旋楼梯上传来一阵大吼大叫，还有人用力撞门的声音。
　　“估计是那个女孩在闹腾，”马克霍夫小声嘟囔道，“她怎么了？
　　她不是一直都挺安静的吗？”
　　“我们最好现在就带她离开，”红塔说，脸色依旧很难看，“杰克，去把她带下来，要是她还吵吵嚷嚷的，就给她点颜色瞧瞧。”
　　“你自己去！”杰克不屑地说道。
　　红塔给马克霍夫使了个眼色，马克霍夫立马拔出了一把手枪对准杰克。
　　“从来没有人敢违抗我的命令，”红塔突然冷冷地说，“没有人，你懂吗？”
　　杰克和西米听到后都急忙跑上了楼。他们来到顶楼，打开门锁，拨开门闩。
　　西米推门而入，准备去收拾被关着的那个女孩。但是他停了下来，目瞪口呆地盯着那个女孩。他眨了眨眼，揉了揉眼睛，再次吃了一惊。杰克也僵住了。
　　“你好啊，爸爸！”琼说，“看到我是不是很惊讶？”
Chapter 22 JO IS VERY SMART
　　Chapter 22 JO IS VERY SMART
　　'Jo,' said Simmy. 'Well, of all the... well... Jo!' Jake recovered first. 'What's all this?' he said, roughly,to Simmy. 'What's Jo doing here? How did she get here? Where's the other kid, the one we caught?'
　　'How do I know?' said Simmy, still staring at Jo. 'Look here, Jo - what are you doing here? Go on, tellus. And where's the other kid?'
　　'Hunt round the room and see if you can find her!' said Jo, brightly, keeping on her toes in case herfather or Jake was going to pounce on her. The two men looked hurriedly round the room.
　　Jake went to a big cupboard.
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　　'Yes - she might be in there,' said Jo, enjoying herself. 'You have a good look.'
　　The two bewildered men didn't know what to think. They had come to get George - and had onlyfound Jo!
　　But how - why - what had happened? They didn't know what to do. Neither of them wanted to goback and tell Red. So they began to search the room feverishly, looking into likely and unlikelyplaces, with Jo jeering at them all the time.
　　'Better take the drawers out of that chest and see if she's here. And don't forget to look under the rug.
　　That's right, Jake, poke your head up the chimney. Mind George doesn't kick soot down into youreyes.'
　　'I'll lam you in a minute!' growled Jake, furiously, opening a small cupboard door.
　　An angry voice came up the stairway. 'Jake! What are you doing up there? Bring that kid down.'
　　'She's not here!' yelled back Jake, suddenly losing his temper. 'What have you done with her?
　　She's gone!'
　　Red came tearing up, two steps at a time, his eyes narrow with anger. The first thing he saw in theroom was Jo - and, of course, he thought she was George.
　　'What do you mean - saying she's not here!' he raged. 'Are you mad?'
　　'Nope,' said Jake, his eyes narrow too. 'Not so mad as you are, anyway, Red. This kid isn't thatfellow's daughter - the scientist chap we took the papers from - this is Simmy's kid - Jo.'
　　Red looked at Jake as if he had gone off his head. Then he looked at Jo. He could see no differencebetween Jo and the absent George at all - short hair, freckles, turned-up nose - he couldn't believe thatshe was Simmy's daughter.
　　In fact, he didn't believe it. He thought Jake and Simmy were suddenly deceiving him for somestrange reason.
　　But Jo had a word to say, too. 'Yes, I'm Jo,' she said. 'I'm not Georgina. She's gone. I'm just Jo, andSimmy's my Dad. You've come to save me, haven't you, Dad?'
　　Simmy hadn't come to do anything of the sort, of course. He stared helplessly at Jo, completelybewildered.
　　Red completely lost his temper. As soon as he heard Jo's voice he realized she was not George.
　　Somehow or other he had been deceived - and seeing that this was Simmy's daughter, then it must beSimmy who had had a hand in the deception!
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　　He went suddenly over to Simmy and struck him hard, his eyes blazing. 'Have you double-crossedme?' he shouted.
　　Simmy was sent flying to the floor. Jake came up immediately to help him. He tripped up Red, andleapt on him.
　　Jo looked at the three struggling, shouting men, and shrugged her shoulders. Let them fight!
　　They had forgotten all about her, and that suited her very well. She ran to the door and was just goingdown the stairs, when an idea came into her sharp little mind. With an impish grin she turned back.
　　She pulled the door to quietly - and then she turned the key in the lock, and shot the bolt.
　　The three men inside heard the key turn, and in a trice Jake was at the door, pulling at the handle.
　　'She's locked us in!' he raged. 'And shot the bolt, too.'
　　'Yell for Markhoff!' shouted Red, trembling with fury. And Markhoff, left down in the room at thebottom of the stairs, suddenly heard yells and shouts and tremendous hammerings at the door! Hetore up at once, wondering what in the world had happened.
　　Jo was hiding in the next room. As soon as Markhoff went to the door and shot back the bolt sheslipped out and was down the spiral stairway in a trice, unseen by Markhoff. She grinned to herselfand hugged something to her thin little chest.
　　It was the big key belonging to the door upstairs. Nobody could unlock that door now - the key wasmissing. Jo had it!
　　'Unlock the door!' shouted Red. 'That kid's gone.'
　　'There's no key!' yelled back Markhoff. 'She must have taken it. I'll go after her.'
　　But it was one thing to go after Jo and quite another to find her. She seemed to have disappeared intothin air.
　　Markhoff raged through every room, but she was nowhere to be seen. He went out into the courtyardand looked round there.
　　Actually she had made her way to the kitchen and found the larder. She was very hungry and wantedsomething to eat. There was nobody in the kitchen at all, though a fine fire burned in the big rangethere.
　　She slipped into the larder, took the key from the outer side of the door and locked herself in.
　　She saw that there was a small window, and she carefully unfastened it so that she could make herescape if anyone discovered that she was locked in the larder.
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　　Then she tucked in. Three sausage rolls, a large piece of cheese, a hunk of bread, half a meat pie andtwo jam tarts went the same way. After that Jo felt a lot better. She remembered the others andthought how hungry they must be feeling, too.
　　She found a rush bag hanging on a nail and slipped some food into it - more sausage rolls, some rock-buns, some cheese and bread. Now, if only she could find the others, how they would welcome her!
　　Jo put the big key at the bottom of the rush basket. She was feeling very, very pleased with herself.
　　Red and Simmy and Jake were all nicely locked up and out of the way. She didn't fear Markhoff asmuch as Red. She was sure she could get away from him.
　　She wasn't even sorry for her father, Simmy.
　　She had no love for him and no respect, because he was everything that a father shouldn't be.
　　She heard Markhoff come raging into the kitchen and she clambered quickly up on the larder shelf,ready to drop out of the window if he tried the door. But he didn't. He raged out again, and she heardhim no more.
　　Jo unlocked the door very cautiously. There was now an old woman in the kitchen, standing by thetable, folding some clothes she had brought in from the clothes line in the yard. She stared in thegreatest surprise at Jo peeping out of the larder.
　　'What...?' she began, indignantly; but Jo was out of the room before she had even got out the nextword. The old dame waddled over to the larder and began to wail as she saw all the empty plates anddishes.
　　Jo went cautiously into the front hall. She could hear Markhoff upstairs, still tearing about. Shesmiled delightedly and slipped over to the door.
　　She undid it and pulled it open. Then, keeping to the wall, she sidled like a weasel to the door that ledunderground. She opened it and went through, shutting it softly behind her.
　　Now to find the others. She felt sure they must be down in the caves. How pleased they would bewith the food in her bag!
　　She half-fell down the steep steps, and made her way as quickly as she could down the slantingpassage. She had no torch and had to feel her way in the dark. She wasn't in the least afraid. Onlywhen she trod on a sharp stone with her bare foot did she make a sound.
　　The other three - Julian, Dick and George - were still sitting crouched together with Timmy in thecentre. Julian had been once up to the door that led into the yard and had cautiously peered 89out to see what was to be seen - but had seen nothing at all except for an old woman hanging outsome clothes on a line.
　　The three had decided to wait till night before they did anything. They thought maybe Timmy mighthave recovered a little then, and would be of some help in protecting them against Red or Markhoff.
　　They half-dozed, sitting together for warmth, enjoying the heat of Timmy's big body.
　　Timmy growled! Yes, he actually growled - a thing he hadn't done at all so far. George put a warninghand on him. They all sat up, listening. A voice came to them.
　　'Julian! Dick! Where are you? I've lost my way!'
　　'It's Jo!' cried Dick, and switched on his torch at once. 'Here we are, Jo! How did you escape?
　　What's happened?'
　　'Heaps,' said Jo, and came gladly over to them. 'My, it was dark up in those passages without a torch.
　　Somehow I went the wrong way. That's why I yelled. But I hadn't gone far wrong. Have a sausageroll?'
　　'What?' cried three hungry voices, and even Timmy lifted his head and began to sniff at the rushbasket that Jo carried.
　　Jo laughed and opened the basket. She handed out all the food and the three of them fell on it likewolves. 'Jo, you're the eighth wonder of the world,' said Dick. 'Is there anything left in the basket?'
　　'Yes,' said Jo, and took out the enormous key. 'This, look! I locked Red and Jake and Simmy into thattower room, and here's the key. What do you think of that?'
22.机智的琼
　　机智的琼
　　“琼？”西米不敢相信自己的眼睛，“呃，这一切是——呃——琼！”
　　杰克立刻回过神来。“这一切到底是怎么回事？”他大声质问西米，“琼在这儿做什么？她怎么到这来的？另一个小孩呢？我们抓的那个女孩去哪儿了？”
　　“我怎么知道？”西米说，依旧盯着琼，“听着，琼，你在这儿干什么？快说，那个女孩在哪儿？”
　　“你们在这个房间里搜搜，说不定能找到她！”琼机智地回答，时刻保持着警惕，以防她爸爸或者杰克会扑过来揍她。两个大人急切地在房间里环视了一圈，然后杰克走到一个大橱柜前。
　　“对，可能就藏在里面，”琼窃喜道，“你好好找找。”
　　两个大人一头雾水。他们本是来抓乔治的，却发现了琼。
　　怎么会这样？为什么？到底发生了什么？他们不知如何是好。
　　两人都不愿空手而归，告诉红塔这个坏消息。于是他们开始疯狂搜寻这个房间，不放过任何一个角落，而琼全程在一旁讥笑地看着。
　　“最好把柜子抽屉也打开，看她是不是在里面。别忘了掀开地毯！对，杰克，把头伸到烟囱里，小心乔治把烟灰踢到你眼睛里！”
　　“我待会儿再来修理你！”杰克怒吼着，同时打开一个小橱柜。
　　这时，楼下传来了红塔愤怒的吼声：“杰克！你们在上面做什么呢？快把那个女孩带下来。”
　　“她不见了！”杰克突然大发脾气，大声回应道，“你做了什么？
　　她逃走了！”
　　红塔两步并作一步，气冲冲地跑了上来，面目狰狞。到了房间后一眼看到了琼，当然，他以为这是乔治。
　　“什么意思，她不是在这儿吗？”红塔愤怒地说道，“你们是不是疯了？”
　　“不，”杰克同样面目狰狞地回应道，“你才疯了，红塔。看清楚，这孩子不是科学家的女儿，她是西米的女儿，琼。”
　　红塔看着杰克，简直失去了理智。他仔细打量着琼，实在看不出琼和乔治有什么区别，都是短头发，脸上长着雀斑，鼻梁高高翘起，他不相信眼前的孩子竟是西米的女儿。
　　总之，他根本不信。他认为杰克和西米在设计骗他。
　　但琼这时开口了。“是的，我是琼，”她说道，“我不是乔治，她已经逃走了。我叫琼，西米是我爸爸。你是来救我的吗，爸爸？”
　　西米根本不知作何反应，他不知所措地盯着琼，一脸茫然。
　　红塔彻底怒了。他听到琼的声音，就知道她不是乔治。他神不知鬼不觉地被戏弄了！她是西米的女儿，那一定是西米策划了这场骗局！
　　红塔突然冲到西米面前，狠狠揍了他一拳，眼中满是怒火。“是你出卖了我吗？”他大吼道。
　　西米被一拳击飞，躺在了地上。杰克立即上前帮忙，他一脚绊倒了红塔，然后飞身扑在他的身上。
　　琼看着这三个人怒吼着扭打在一起，耸了耸肩。让他们打吧！
　　他们早已把她抛诸脑后，这正合她意。琼悄悄跑出房间，正准备下楼时，突然心生一计。她顽皮地笑了笑，又回到门口，轻轻地拉上门，转动钥匙把门锁上，最后插上了门闩。
　　屋内三人听到了钥匙转动的声音，杰克立刻爬起来，冲到门前，用力拽门把手。
　　“她把我们锁起来了！”他愤怒地吼道，“门闩也插上了。”
　　“快叫马克霍夫！”红塔叫道，气得浑身发抖。马克霍夫在楼下房间里，突然听到有人大喊大叫，用力捶门。他立刻冲上楼去，不知道楼上到底发生了什么。
　　琼正躲在隔壁房间，等到马克霍夫走到门口，拉开门闩时，她趁机溜出房间，转眼间就跑下了楼梯，没被马克霍夫发现。她狡黠一笑，瘦小的身板前好像抱着什么东西。
　　是楼上那扇门的大钥匙！现在除了琼，再没人能打开那扇门！
　　“快开门！”红塔叫道，“那女孩逃走了。”
　　“钥匙不见了！”马克霍夫喊道，“她肯定把钥匙带走了，我这就去追她。”
　　然而，追她容易，找到她可就难了，琼仿佛凭空消失了一般。
　　马克霍夫怒气冲天，他找遍了所有房间，但没有找到琼。他下楼来到院子里，四处查看。
　　琼此时溜到了厨房，找到了食物储藏室。她饿极了，想找点东西填饱肚子。炉火正旺，厨房里却空无一人。
　　她溜进储藏室，取下插在门外的钥匙，把自己锁了起来。她发现屋里有个小窗户，她小心翼翼地推开它，这样就算有人发现她把自己反锁在储藏室，她也有机会逃出去。
　　然后琼放开肚皮，风卷残云般吃了起来。她吃掉了三个香肠卷、一大块奶酪、一大片面包、半块肉馅饼，还有两个果酱馅饼。
　　她感觉舒服多了，突然想起其他几个小伙伴，心想他们一定也饿极了。
　　琼发现墙上的钉子上有一个草篮，她取下草篮，塞了很多食物，有香肠卷、岩皮饼 、奶酪和面包。现在，只要能找到其他小伙伴，她一定会受到他们的热烈欢迎！
　　琼把大钥匙藏到了篮子底部，心中得意极了。红塔、西米和杰克都已经被锁了起来，绝对出不来。比起红塔，她倒没有那么害怕马克霍夫，她相信自己可以摆脱掉他。
　　她甚至毫不同情她的爸爸西米。
　　她对他既没有爱，也没有敬意。他的所作所为完全不像一位父亲！
　　她听到马克霍夫气冲冲地来到厨房，便急忙爬到储物架上，准备在马克霍夫试着破门而入时跳出窗户。但马克霍夫并没有进入储藏室，他愤怒地走出厨房，渐渐走远了。
　　琼小心翼翼地打开门。厨房里只有一位老妇人，她刚从院子里收了衣服回来，正站在桌边收拾着。她震惊地盯着在储藏室探头探脑的琼。
　　“你……”老妇人愤怒地开口道，但还没等她说完，琼已经冲出了厨房。老妇人连忙蹒跚地走进储藏室，看到架子上空空如也，忍不住大叫起来。
　　琼小心翼翼地走进前厅。她听到马克霍夫在楼上找她，一副怒气冲天的样子。她轻笑一声，溜到了门口。
　　她打开门锁，把门推开，悄悄溜了出去。然后，她紧贴着墙，顺着墙根，像黄鼠狼一样偷偷来到通往地下通道的门前，打开门钻了进去，又轻轻地关上了门。
　　她现在要去找其他人，她确信他们一定躲在下面的洞里。有了她包里的食物，他们肯定会非常高兴！
　　她跌跌撞撞地走下陡峭的台阶，尽可能快地爬下倾斜的通道。
　　她没有带手电筒，只好在黑暗中摸索着往前走，但她一点也不害怕，只是赤脚踩到一块锋利的石头时，她叫了一声。
　　此时朱利安、迪克和乔治三人依旧和蒂米一起缩在洞中。此前，朱利安曾爬出洞外，来到通往小院的门前偷看，但只看到一个老妇人正在晾衣绳上挂衣服。
　　三人决定夜幕降临后再采取行动，或许那时蒂米已经恢复了一些体力，可以帮助他们对付红塔和马克霍夫。此时他们昏昏欲睡，缩成一团，围坐在蒂米身旁，感受着它身体传来的热量。
　　蒂米突然叫了起来！乔治三人大吃一惊，这是他们重逢之后，蒂米第一次大叫。乔治一只手按住蒂米，让它安静下来。这时他们都坐了起来，一阵窸窸窣窣的声音传来，离他们越来越近。
　　“朱利安！迪克！你们在哪儿？我迷路了！”
　　“是琼！”迪克叫道，立马打开了手电筒，“我们在这儿，琼！你是怎么逃出来的？发生了什么？”
　　“很复杂，一时半会儿也说不清。”琼说道，开心地跑到他们面前，“天哪，通道里太黑了，我没有手电筒，走错了方向，我就叫了一声。幸好没有走错太远。要不要吃个香肠卷？”
　　“什么？”三人此时已饥肠辘辘，不禁兴奋地大叫了一声，连蒂米也抬起了头，使劲嗅着琼带来的草篮。
　　琼笑着打开草篮，把所有的食物都拿了出来，其他三人立刻狼吞虎咽地吃了起来。“琼，你简直是世界第八大奇迹，”迪克说道，“草篮里还有其他东西吗？”
　　“还有一把钥匙，”琼说，从草篮里取出那把大钥匙，“看！我把红塔、杰克还有西米都锁在塔顶房间里了，这是钥匙。我厉害吧？”
Chapter 23 MARKHOFF GOES HUNTING
　　Chapter 23 MARKHOFF GOES HUNTING
　　George took the big key and looked at it with awe. 'Jo! Is this really the key - and you've locked themall in? Honestly, I think you're a marvel.'
　　'She is,' said Dick, and to Jo's enormous delight he gave her a sudden quick hug. 'I never knew such agirl in my life. Never. She's got the pluck of twenty!'
　　'It was easy, really,' said Jo, her eyes shining joyfully in the light of the torch. 'You trust me now,Dick, don't you? You won't be mean to me any more, any of you, will you?'
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　　'Of course not,' said Julian. 'You're our friend for ever!'
　　'Not George's,' said Jo at once.
　　'Oh yes you are,' said George. 'I take back every single mean thing I said about you. You're as goodas a boy.'
　　This was the very highest compliment that George could ever pay any girl. Jo beamed and gaveGeorge a light punch.
　　'I did it all for Dick, really,' she said. 'But next time I'll do it for you!'
　　'Goodness, I hope there won't be a next time,' said George, with a shiver. 'I can't say I enjoyed onesingle minute of the last few days.'
　　Timmy suddenly put his head on Jo's knee. She stroked him. 'Look at that!' she said. 'He remembersme. He's better, isn't he, George?'
　　George carefully removed Timmy's head from Jo's knee to her own. She felt decidedly friendlytowards Jo now, but not to the extent of having Timmy put his head on Jo's knee. She patted him.
　　'Yes, he's better,' she said. 'He ate half the sausage roll I gave him, though he sniffed at it likeanything first. I think he knows something has been put into his food and now he's suspicious of it.
　　Good old Timmy.'
　　They all felt much more lively and cheerful now that they were no longer so dreadfully empty.
　　Julian looked at his watch. 'It's getting on towards evening now,' he said. 'I wonder what all thosefellows are doing.'
　　Three of them were still locked up! No matter how Markhoff had tried to batter in the door, it held. Itwas old and immensely strong, and the lock held without showing any sign of giving way even aneighth of an inch. Two other men had been called in from the garage to help, but except that the doorlooked decidedly worse for wear, it stood there just the same, sturdy and unbreakable.
　　Simmy and Jake watched Red as he walked up and down the tower room like a caged lion. Theywere glad they were two against one. He seemed like a madman to them as he raged and paced upand down.
　　Markhoff, outside with the other two men he had brought up to help, was getting very worried.
　　No police had arrived as yet (and wouldn't either, because Joan hadn't been able to tell them anythingexcept that she knew Julian and Dick had gone to see a man called Red - but where he lived she hadno idea!).
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　　But Red and Markhoff didn't know this - they felt sure that a police ambush was somewhere nearby.
　　If only they could get away in the helicopter before anything else happened!
　　'Markhoff! Take Carl and Tom and go down into those underground caves,' ordered Red at last.
　　'Those children are sure to be there - it's the only place for them to hide. They can't get out of herebecause the front gate is locked and bolted, and the wall's too high to climb. Get hold of the kids andsearch them for the key.'
　　So Markhoff and two burly fellows went downstairs and out of the door. They crossed the yard to thedoor that led to the caves.
　　They got down the steep steps and were soon stumbling along the narrow, slanting passage, theirnailed boots making a great noise as they went. They hung on to the hand-rail when they came to thedifficult stretch of tunnel, and finally came out into the cave that had the hole in the floor.
　　There was nobody there. The children had heard the noise of the coming men, and had hurriedlyswung themselves down through the hole into the cave below.
　　They ran through into another cave, the sour smelling one where bats lived and slept. Then round therocky corner into the first cave, the curious oval- shaped one that led out to the ledge of rockoverlooking the steep cliff.
　　'There's nowhere to hide,' groaned Julian. He looked back into the cave. At least it was better in therethan out on this ledge, outlined by the daylight. He pulled the others back into the cave, and shone historch up and down the walls to find some corner that they could squeeze behind.
　　Half-way up the wall was a shelf of rock. He hoisted George up there, and she dragged Timmy uptoo. Poor Timmy - he wasn't much use to them; he was still so bemused and so very sleepy.
　　He had growled at the noise made by the coming men, but had dropped his head again almostimmediately.
　　Dick got up beside George. Julian found a jutting-out rock and tried to hide behind it, while Jo laydown in a hole beside one wall and covered herself cleverly with sand. Julian couldn't help thinkinghow sharp Jo was. She always seemed to know the best thing to do.
　　But as it happened, Jo was the only one to be discovered! It was quite by accident - Markhoff trod onher. He and the other two men had let themselves down through the hole into the cave below, hadthen gone into the cave of bats, seen no sign of anyone there, and were now in the cave that led to thecliff.
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　　'Those kids aren't here,' said one of the men. 'They've gone to hide somewhere else. What a horribleplace this is - let's go back.'
　　Markhoff was flashing his torch up and down the walls to see if any of the children were crouchingbehind a jutting rock - and he trod heavily on Jo's hand. She gave an agonized yell, and Markhoffalmost dropped his torch!
　　In a trice he had pulled the girl out of her bed of sand and was shaking her like a rat. 'This is the onewe want!' he said to the others. 'She's got the key. Where is it, you little rat? Give it to me or I'll throwyou down the cliff!'
　　Julian was horrified. He felt quite certain that Markhoff really would throw Jo down the cliff, and hewas just about to jump down to help her, when he heard her speak.
　　'All right. Let me go, you brute. Here's the key! You go and let my Dad out before the police come! Idon't want him caught!'
　　Markhoff gave an exclamation of triumph, and snatched a shining key out of Jo's hand. He gave her aresounding box on the ear.
　　'You little toad! You can just stay down here with the others, and it'll be a very, very long stay!
　　Do you know what we're going to do? We're going to roll a big rock over the hole in that other cave'sroof - and you'll be prisoners!
　　'You can't escape upwards - and you won't be able to escape downwards. You'll be dashed on therocks by the sea if you try to swim away. That'll teach you to interfere!'
　　The other two men guffawed. 'Good idea Mark,' said one. 'They'll all be nicely boxed up here andnobody will know where they are! Come on - we've no time to lose. If Red isn't unlocked soon he'llgo mad!'
　　They made their way into the heart of the cliff again, and the listening children heard their footstepsgetting fainter. Finally they ceased altogether, as one by one the men levered themselves up throughthe hole in the roof of the last cave, and disappeared up the narrow, low-roofed tunnel that led to thecourtyard.
　　Julian came out from his hiding-place, looking grim and rather scared. 'That's done it!' he said. 'Ifthose fellows really do block up that hole - and I bet they have already - it looks as if we're here forkeeps! As he said, we can't get up, and we can't escape down - the sea's too rough for us to attemptany swimming, and the cliff's unclimbable above the ledge!'
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　　'I'll go and have a look and see if they have blocked up that hole,' said Dick. 'They may be bluffing.'
　　But it hadn't been bluff. When Julian and Dick shone their torches on to the hole in the roof, they sawthat a great rock was now blocking it up.
　　They could not get through the hole again. It was impossible to move the rock from below. Theywent soberly back to the front cave and sat out on the ledge in the light of the sinking sun.
　　'It's a pity poor Jo was found,' said George. 'And an even greater pity she had to give up the key!
　　Now Red and the others will go free.'
　　'They won't,' said Jo, surprisingly. 'I didn't give them the key of the tower room. I'd another key withme - the key of the kitchen larder! And I gave them that.'
　　'Well, I'm blessed!' said Julian, astounded. 'The things you do, Jo! But how on earth did you happento have the key of the larder?'
　　Jo told them how she had taken it out and locked herself in when she was having a meal there.
　　'I had to unlock the door to get out again, of course,' 'she said. 'And I thought I'd take that key, too,because, who knows? - I might have wanted to get into that larder again and lock myself in with thefood!'
　　'No one will ever get the better of you, Jo,' said Dick with the utmost conviction. 'Never. You're ascute as a bagful of monkeys. So you've still got the right key with you?'
　　'Yes,' said Jo. 'And Red and my Dad and Jake are still locked up in the tower room!'
　　'But suddenly a most disagreeable thought struck Dick. 'Wait a bit!' he said. 'What's going to happenwhen they find they've got the wrong key? They'll be down here again, and my word, what'll happento us all then!'
23.马克霍夫的追击
　　马克霍夫的追击
　　乔治拿起那把大钥匙端详着，十分吃惊，大喊道：“琼！这真的是那把钥匙吗？你真的把他们都锁起来了吗？说真的，你太厉害了！”
　　“她的确如此。我从未遇到过像琼这样的女孩，从来没有。她真的太勇敢了！”迪克说道，突然给了琼一个拥抱，琼喜出望外。
　　“事实上没那么难。”琼不好意思道，她的眼睛在灯光的照耀下闪闪发光，“迪克，现在你总该相信我了吧？你还会再对我冷言冷语吗？你们呢？”
　　“当然不会，”朱利安说，“你永远是我们的朋友！”
　　“乔治可不这么认为。”琼立马说道。
　　“哦，你当然是，”乔治说，“我收回对你说过的所有坏话。你就像一个男孩一样棒！”
　　这是乔治给一个女孩的最高评价。琼笑了，轻轻捶了乔治一下。
　　“说实话，我做这些都是为了迪克，”琼说道，“不过下一次，我也会为了你这样做的！”
　　“天哪，希望我不会再有下一次了。”乔治打了个寒战，心有余悸地说，“过去几天里，我没有一刻是舒心的。”
　　蒂米突然把头枕在琼的膝盖上。琼抚摸着它说道：“快看！它还记得我。乔治，它恢复些了吗？”
　　乔治小心翼翼地把蒂米的头挪到自己的膝盖上。虽说她现在对琼的态度略有改观，但还是不愿意让蒂米把头枕到她的膝盖上。她轻轻拍着蒂米。
　　“是的，它好多了，”琼说道，“我给它吃了半个香肠卷。它之前吃过掺有麻醉剂的食物，现在它对待食物很谨慎，无论什么东西都会先习惯性地凑上去嗅嗅，不管怎么说，这都是个好习惯。”
　　这会儿吃过东西，肚子里不再空空如也，几个人变得活泼起来。朱利安看了看手表说，“就快晚上了，不知那些人正在干些什么。”
　　红塔三人仍旧被锁在塔顶。那扇门虽然陈旧，但却很结实，不管马克霍夫如何捶打它，它都纹丝不动，门上的那把锁也没有任何松动的迹象。马克霍夫又从车库找来两个人帮忙，但无论如何，这扇门除了表面上看起来破了些，还像之前一样坚不可摧。
　　西米和杰克看着红塔像牢笼中的困兽一样在房间里踱来踱去，庆幸他们两人都在。红塔暴躁地走来走去，像发狂一般。
　　此时，门外的马克霍夫以及另外两人开始担心警察会随时出现。但他们不知道，警察根本就不会来！乔安娜只告诉警察，朱利安和迪克去找一个叫红塔的人去了，至于红塔的住址，她一无所知。
　　可红塔和马克霍夫并不知道这一点，他们认定警察已埋伏在附近了。他们想，要是能坐直升机逃跑就好了，省得再出什么岔子！
　　“马克霍夫！带上卡尔和汤姆去地下洞穴，”红塔下达了命令，“孩子们肯定在那儿，那是他们唯一能藏身的地方。前门是锁着的，门闩也插着，他们出不去。墙那么高，他们也爬不出去。快去抓住那帮小孩，从他们身上搜出钥匙。”
　　于是马克霍夫带着那两个身材魁梧的手下走下楼，出了大门，穿过院子，来到那扇通往地下的门前。
　　他们走下陡峭的台阶，沿着狭窄倾斜的通道东跌西撞地往前走，脚上的钉靴发出巨大的声响。他们紧紧抓住栏杆，穿过地道中最狭窄难走的部分，最终走出地道，来到一个洞穴，洞穴底部有一个小孔。
　　此时洞穴里一个人都没有。孩子们听到有人靠近，早已钻入洞中，逃到底下另一个洞穴里去了。
　　这个洞穴是蝙蝠的巢穴，里面散发着阵阵酸臭味。接着孩子们绕过一个由岩石堆砌而成的拐角，进入拐角后的第一个洞穴。这个洞穴很奇怪，通体呈椭圆形，延伸至悬崖顶部，下面是茫茫大海。
　　“我们无处可藏了。”朱利安叹息着说。他回头看了看洞穴，觉得待在洞里至少要比暴露在阳光中好。他把其余人拉回洞里，拿着手电筒在石壁上来回照着，希望找到一些可以藏身的小角落。
　　朱利安在石壁上方发现了一块突出的岩石，他抱起乔治把她举了上去，乔治接着把蒂米也拖了上去。可怜的蒂米这会儿很虚弱，仍旧迷迷糊糊、昏昏欲睡。它之前听到有人靠近时，及时发出了警报，但它随即就累得又垂下了头。
　　迪克这时也爬了上去，挤在乔治旁边。朱利安找到另一块突出的岩石，躲了起来。琼躺在石壁边的一个坑洞里，用沙子将自己盖住。朱利安忍不住赞叹琼的机智，她似乎总能想到最好的办法。
　　但只有琼被发现了！这纯属巧合，马克霍夫踩到了她身上。他和另外两人钻出山洞，穿过蝙蝠洞来到这里，却发现空无一人。
　　“那些小孩儿不在这儿，”其中一个人说，“他们肯定藏到其他地方去了。这地方太可怕了，我们回去吧。”
　　马克霍夫拿着手电筒在石壁上来回照着，想看看那些小孩儿是不是躲在上面。突然，他重重地踩在琼的手上，琼大叫一声，吓得他差点丢掉手电筒。
　　他立刻把琼从沙子里拽了出来，他拎着琼，就像拎着一只小鸡。“这就是我们要找的那个！”他对其他人喊道，“就是她拿走了钥匙。钥匙呢？你这个小贼！快把它交出来，不然我就把你丢下悬崖！”
　　朱利安害怕极了，他相信马克霍夫真的会那样做，他正准备跳下去救她，这时琼开口了。
　　“好，放我下来，你们这群坏蛋！钥匙在这儿！你们拿走吧，在警察来之前把我爸爸放出来，我可不想他被抓到！”
　　马克霍夫像胜利者一样欢呼着，从琼手中抢过那把闪闪发光的钥匙，狠狠扇了琼一个耳光，巴掌声在空旷的洞穴中不断回响着。
　　“你这个可恶的小鬼！你就跟你的同伴待在这儿吧！不过时间会比较久，知道接下来会怎么样吗？我们会用石头堵住你们下来的洞口，你们就一直被关在这儿吧！”
　　“不管往上爬，还是往下爬，你们都逃不出去。你们要是想跳海游走，海浪会把你们冲到礁石上，摔个粉碎。到时候，你就会知道多管闲事的下场！”
　　另外两人听了哈哈大笑起来，“好主意，马克，”一个人说道，“他们会一直困在这儿，不会有人知道！好了，不要浪费时间了，再不把红塔放出来，他会气疯的！”
　　三人转身离开了，孩子们听到他们的脚步声越来越弱。最后他们停了下来，一个接一个地从洞口爬了上去，消失在狭窄低矮的隧道中。
　　朱利安从他藏身的岩石后走了出来，一脸绝望。“完了！”他说，“如果那些家伙真的堵住了洞口，我们会被永远困在这里。马克霍夫说得对，我们逃不了。风浪太大，我们游不出去。悬崖太陡峭，我们也爬不出去！”
　　“我去看看他们是不是真的堵住了洞口，”迪克说，“或许只是吓唬吓唬我们。”
　　但这是真的。朱利安和迪克看到一块巨石堵住了洞口。
　　无法原路返回了，从下面根本就搬不动那块大石头。他们神色凝重地走回去，斜阳西沉，在余晖中，他们坐在悬崖上，默默思索着。
　　“太倒霉了！琼竟然被发现了，”乔治说，“更倒霉的是，她交出了那把钥匙！红塔他们肯定被放出来了。”
　　“不会的，”琼突然说，“我给他们的不是塔楼的钥匙，我还有一把厨房储藏室的钥匙，我给他们的是那把。”
　　“谢天谢地！”朱利安震惊地说，“干得好，琼！不过你怎么会有储藏室的钥匙？”
　　琼告诉他们，她是如何取走储藏室的钥匙，把自己锁在里面大吃一顿的。
　　“当然，我得用钥匙开门，然后才能出去，”琼说，“我想，还是把钥匙也带走吧，谁知道我会不会再回到那个储藏室，把自己锁进去再大吃一顿呢？”
　　“论聪明才智，谁也比不上你，琼，”迪克深信不疑道，“你就像猴子一样机灵。所以塔楼的钥匙还在你身上吗？”
　　“当然，”琼说，“红塔、我爸爸还有杰克出不来的！”
　　迪克的脑海中突然闪过一个可怕的念头，他急忙道：“等等！要是他们发现钥匙不对怎么办呢？他们还会回来，我的天哪，他们肯定要狠狠收拾我们一顿！”
Chapter 24 A GRAND SURPRISE
　　Chapter 24 A GRAND SURPRISE
　　The thought that the men might soon return even angrier than they had been before was mostunpleasant.
　　'As soon as Markhoff tries the key in the door of the tower room he'll find it won't unlock it, and he'llknow that Jo has tricked him!' said George.
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　　'And then he'll be in such a fury that he'll tear down here again, and goodness knows what willhappen to us!' groaned Julian. 'What shall we do? Hide again?'
　　'No,' said Dick. 'Let's get out of here and climb down the cliff to the sea. I'd feel safer there than uphere in this cave. We might be able to find a better hiding-place down on the rocks in that little cove.'
　　'It's a pity my boat's smashed,' said George, with a sigh for her lovely boat. 'And, I say - how are wegoing to get old Timmy down?'
　　There was a conference about this. Timmy couldn't climb down, that was certain. Jo remembered therope still hanging down the side of the cliff to the ledges below - the one she had tied there to helpJulian and Dick climb up the steep sides of the cliff.
　　'I know,' she said, her quick mind working hard again. 'You go down first, Julian, then Dick.
　　Then George can go - each of you holding on to the rope as you climb down, in case you fall.
　　'Then I'll haul up the rope and tie old Timmy to it, round his waist - and I'll lower him down to you.
　　He's so sleepy still, he won't struggle. He won't even know what's happening!'
　　'But what about you?' said Dick. 'You'll be last of all. Will you mind? You'll be all alone up on thisledge, with the men coming behind you at any minute.'
　　'No, I don't mind,' said Jo. 'But let's be quick.'
　　Julian went down first, glad of the rope to hold to as his feet and hands searched for crevices andcracks. Then came Dick, almost slipping in his anxiety to get down.
　　Then George climbed down, slowly and anxiously, not at all liking the steep cliff. Once she glanceddown to the sea below, and felt sick. She shut her eyes for a moment and clung with one hand to therope.
　　It was a dreadful business getting Timmy down. George stood below, anxiously waiting. Jo found itvery difficult to tie Timmy safely. He was big and heavy, and didn't like being tied up at all, thoughhe really seemed hardly to know what was going on. At last Jo had got the knots well and securelytied, and called out to the others.
　　'Here he comes. Watch out that the rope doesn't break. Oh, dear - I wish he wouldn't struggle -now he's bumped himself against the cliff!'
　　It was not at all a nice experience for poor Timmy. He swung to and fro on the rope as he was slowlylet down, and was amazed to find that he was suspended in mid air. Above him Jo panted and puffed.
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　　'Oh, he's so awfully heavy! I hope I shan't have to let go. Look out for him!' she screamed.
　　The weight was too much for her just at the last, and the rope was let out with rather a rush.
　　Fortunately Timmy was only about six feet up then, and Julian and George managed to catch him ashe suddenly descended.
　　'I'm coming now,' called Jo, and without even holding the rope, or looking at it, she climbed downlike a monkey, seeming to find handholds and footholds by magic. The others watched heradmiringly. Soon she was standing beside them. George was untying Timmy.
　　'Thanks awfully, Jo,' said George, looking up gratefully at Jo. 'You're a wonder. Tim must have beenfrightfully heavy.'
　　'He was,' said Jo, giving him a pat. 'I nearly dropped him. Well - what's the next move?'
　　'We'll hunt round this queer little cove a bit and see if there's any place we can hide,' said Julian.
　　'You go that way, George, and we'll go this.'
　　They parted, and began to hunt for a hiding-place. As far as Julian and Dick could see there was noneat all, at least on the side they were exploring. The sea swept into the cove, swelling and subsiding -and just outside the great waves battered on to the rocks. There was certainly no chance of swimmingout.
　　There was suddenly an excited shriek from George. 'Ju! Come here. Look what I've found!'
　　They all rushed round to where George was standing, behind a big ledge of rock. She pointed to agreat mass of something draped with seaweed.
　　'A boat! It's covered with seaweed - but it's a boat!'
　　'It's your boat!' yelled Dick, suddenly, and began to pull the fronds of seaweed madly off the hiddenboat. 'Markhoff didn't smash it! It's here, perfectly all right. He couldn't find it - it was hidden so wellwith seaweed - so he just came back to Red and told him a lie.'
　　'He didn't smash it!' shouted Jo, and she, too, began to pull away the seaweed. 'It's quite all right -there's nothing wrong with it. He didn't smash it!'
　　The four children were so tremendously surprised and joyful that they thumped each otherridiculously on the back, and leapt about like mad things. They had their boat after all - George'sgood, sound boat. They could escape, hip hip hurrah!
　　A roar from above made them fall silent.
　　They gazed up, startled. Markhoff and the other two men were on the ledge far above, shouting andshaking their fists.
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　　'You wait till we get you!' yelled Markhoff.
　　'Quick, quick!' said Julian, urgently, pulling at the boat. 'We've got just a chance. Pull her down to thewater, pull hard!'
　　Markhoff was now coming down the cliff, and Jo wished she had untied the rope before she herselfhad climbed down, for Markhoff was finding it very useful. She tugged at the boat with the others,wishing it wasn't so heavy.
　　The boat was almost down to the water when something happened. Timmy, who had been gazing ateverything in a most bewildered manner, suddenly slid off the ledge he was on and fell straight intothe sea. George gave a scream.
　　'Oh, Timmy! He's in the water, quick, quick - he's too doped to swim! He'll drown!'
　　Julian and Dick didn't dare to stop heaving at the boat, because they could see that Markhoff wouldsoon be down beside them. George rushed to Timmy, who was splashing around in the waves, stilllooking surprised and bemused.
　　But the water had an amazing effect on him. It was cold and it seemed to bring him to his senses quitesuddenly. He became much more lively and swam strongly to the rock off which he had slipped. Heclambered out with George's help, barking loudly.
　　The boat slid into the water, and Julian grabbed at George. 'Come on. In you get. Buck up!'
　　Jo was in the boat and so was Dick. George, trying to clutch at Timmy, was hauled in, too. Juliantook a despairing look at Markhoff, who was almost at the end of the rope, about to jump down.
　　They just wouldn't get off in time!
　　Timmy suddenly slipped out of George's grasp and tore madly over to the cliff barking warningly. Heseemed to be perfectly all right. The sudden coldness of the sea had washed away all his dopeynessand sleepiness. Timmy was himself again!
　　Markhoff was about five feet above the ledge when he heard Timmy barking. He looked down inhorror and saw the big dog trying to jump up at him. He tried to climb up quickly, out of Timmy'sreach.
　　'Woof!' barked Timmy. 'Woof, woof, woof! Grrrrrrr!'
　　'Look out - he'll have your foot off!' yelled one of the men above on the ledge.
　　'He's mad - angry - he's savage. Look out Mark!'
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　　Markhoff was looking out! He was terrified. He clambered up another few feet, and then found thatTimmy was making runs at the cliff to try and get up after him. He went up a bit further and clung tothe rope with one hand, afraid of falling and being pounced on by the furious Timmy.
　　'Come on, Timmy!' suddenly cried George. 'Come on!'
　　The four of them had now got the boat on the waves, and if only they had Timmy they could set offand row round the rocks at the cave entrance before Markhoff could possibly reach them.
　　'Timmy! Timmy!'
　　Timmy heard, cast a last regretful look at Markhoff's legs, and bounded across to the boat. He leaptright in and stood there, still barking madly.
　　Markhoff dropped down the rope to the ledge - but he was too late. The boat shot out to the entranceof the cove and rounded it. In half a minute it had disappeared round the rocky corner and was out atsea.
　　Julian and Dick rowed steadily. George put her arms round Timmy and buried her face in his fur.
　　Jo did the same.
　　'He's all right again, quite all right,' said George, happily.
　　'Yes, falling into the cold water did it,' agreed Jo, ruffling up his fur. 'Good old Timmy!'
　　Timmy was now snuffling about in the bottom of the boat joyfully. He had smelt a lovely smell.
　　Jo wondered what he had found. Then she knew.
　　'It's the packet of sandwiches we brought with us in the boat and never ate!' she cried. 'Good oldTimmy - he's wolfing the lot!'
　　'Let him!' said Julian, pulling hard at the oars. 'He deserves them all! My word, it's nice to hear hisbark again and see his tail wagging.'
　　And wag it certainly did. It never stopped. The world had come right again for Timmy, he could seeand hear properly again, he could bark and caper and jump - and he had his beloved George with himonce more.
　　'Now for home,' said Julian. 'Anne will be pleased to see us. Gosh, what a time we've had!'
24.天大的惊喜
　　天大的惊喜
　　想到那些人会满腔怒火地回来，孩子们感到很沮丧。
　　“一旦马克霍夫发现那把钥匙开不了塔楼的门，他就知道琼骗了他！”乔治说道。
　　“那他肯定会很生气，会回来把这儿翻个底朝天！天哪，鬼知道我们那时会面临什么！”朱利安哀叫着，“我们怎么办？再躲起来？”
　　“不，”迪克说，“我们赶快离开这里，顺着悬崖往下爬，到海边去。跟这儿比起来，那里安全多了。我们说不定可以在小海湾的岩石堆里，找到一个更好的藏身之处。”
　　“真可惜，我的小船被毁了，”乔治惋惜道，想到自己心爱的小船，她叹了口气，“还有一个问题，我们怎么把蒂米带下去呢？”
　　大家讨论了一番。很明显，蒂米自己爬不下去。这时琼想起之前她为了帮助朱利安和迪克爬上悬崖，在悬崖顶系了根绳子，那根绳子还在那儿。
　　“我知道怎么办了，”她灵机一动，说道，“朱利安，你第一个下去，迪克跟上，接着是乔治。往下爬时注意抓紧绳子，免得掉下去。”
　　“你们下去后，我会把绳子拉上来，把它绑到蒂米的腰上，然后慢慢把蒂米放下去，直到你们接到它。蒂米现在昏昏沉沉的，根本不会反抗，它甚至都不知发生了什么！”
　　“那你呢？”迪克迟疑道，“你最后一个下来，没关系吗？你一个人待在这里，那些人随时都可能出现在你身后。”
　　“没关系的，”琼说，“赶快行动吧！”
　　朱利安先爬了下去，他很高兴在崖壁上摸索裂缝时，还可以抓住绳子。然后是迪克，他一脸惊恐，几乎是顺着绳子一路滑下去的。
　　接着是乔治，她有些害怕，抓着绳子以极慢的速度往下爬。她真讨厌这样陡峭的悬崖！一瞥到身下的大海，她就头晕目眩，只好闭上眼睛，一只手紧紧抓住绳子。
　　把蒂米安全运下去可不简单——乔治站在悬崖下，焦急地等待着。而悬崖上的琼发现，要绑好蒂米很难。蒂米又大又重，虽然它不知道发生了什么，但它很不喜欢被绳子绑着的感觉。最后，琼终于把蒂米牢牢地绑好了，她让其他人做好准备。
　　“我要送它下来了。你们多加小心，绳子可能会断。哦天，我真希望蒂米不要乱动，它把自己撞到崖壁上了。”
　　对蒂米来说，这并不是一次愉快的经历！它一边缓缓下落，一边在绳子上摇来晃去。当发现自己悬在半空时，它茫然无措。而上方的琼正上气不接下气地把它往下送。
　　“它太重了！我快坚持不住了，你们准备接住它！”琼尖叫着说。
　　琼终于支撑不住，一下子松开了绳子。幸运的是，蒂米这时距离地面只有六英尺，朱利安和乔治在蒂米突然下落时，成功接住了它。
　　“我要下来了！”琼叫道，瞧也没瞧那绳子一眼，赤手空拳往下爬，像猴子一样敏捷。她好像会魔法，总是能找到最合适的支点。
　　其余人一脸钦佩地看着琼。不一会儿，琼就站在了他们面前，乔治正忙着解开蒂米身上的绳子。
　　“谢谢你，琼，”乔治感激地看着琼说，“辛苦你了，蒂米肯定特别重。”
　　“它的确很重，”琼说着，轻拍了蒂米一下，“我都拉不住它。接下来我们该怎么办？”
　　“我们先在这个奇怪的小海湾附近瞧瞧，看能不能找到可以躲的地方，”朱利安说，“乔治，你去那边，我们去这边。”
　　他们分头行动，四处搜寻着。但是在朱利安和迪克这边，触目所及，一无所获。海水涌进海湾，水面时涨时落。海湾外，巨浪猛烈地拍击着岩石，根本无法游出去。
　　突然传来乔治兴奋的尖叫声。“朱利安！来这边，看我发现了什么！”
　　乔治正站在一块巨石后，所有人都冲到了那里。乔治指着一个被海草覆盖着的庞然大物说：“我找到了一艘船！上面盖满了海草，但确实是一艘船！”
　　“这是你的船！”迪克突然叫道，开始激动地扯掉上面的海草，“马克霍夫没有毁了它！它依旧好好的。或许是它藏得太好了，马克霍夫根本就没找到它，所以向红塔撒了个谎。”
　　“太好了！”琼叫道，也开始去扯那些海草，“它好好的，哪儿也没坏。太棒了！”
　　四个孩子又惊又喜，他们兴奋地追逐打闹、又蹦又跳。有船了，乔治的小船可以载他们安全出去，终于可以逃走了！耶，万岁！
　　突然，悬崖上传来一阵吼叫，他们立刻安静了下来。
　　他们往上一瞧，吓得寒毛直立，马克霍夫和其他两个人正站在高高的悬崖上，冲着他们挥舞着拳头。
　　“你们站在那儿别动，我这就下来抓你们！”马克霍夫大嚷道。
　　“快，快！”朱利安拖着那艘船，急忙说，“现在是我们能逃走的唯一机会。快把这条船拉到水下，使劲拉！”
　　马克霍夫正抓着绳子往下爬，琼真希望自己爬下来之前已经解掉了那根绳子，不然马克霍夫就不会下来得那么快了。她和其他人一起努力地拉着这条小船，祈祷它不要太重。
　　就在小船即将被拉入水中时，意外发生了，一直昏昏欲睡的蒂米突然从它趴着的岩脊上滑了下去，直直地掉进了海里。乔治吓得尖叫起来。
　　“哦，蒂米！它掉到水里了，快，快把它捞起来，它中了麻药，没法游泳！它会淹死的！”
　　朱利安和迪克丝毫不敢停止拉船，马克霍夫很快会下来追上他们。乔治冲向蒂米，蒂米在巨浪中扑腾，激起层层水花，满脸惊奇与茫然。
　　冰凉的海水似乎有着神奇的力量，蒂米突然恢复了意识。它变得精神抖擞，奋力游回落水的地方，在乔治的帮助下爬上了岸，大声叫着。
　　船终于进入了水中，朱利安拉住乔治。“快！赶紧上船！快！”
　　琼和迪克已经上船了。他们把努力拖着蒂米的乔治也拽上了船。朱利安回头绝望地看着马克霍夫，他已经爬到绳子的末端，就快跳下来了。他们的时间不够了！
　　蒂米突然挣脱乔治的怀抱，箭一般奔向悬崖，大声地狂吠着，警告马克霍夫不要靠近。它好像完全恢复了正常。冰凉的海水冲走了它所有的昏沉和倦怠。蒂米终于恢复了！
　　马克霍夫在距地面只有五英尺时，突然听到了蒂米的狂吠。他惊恐地往下看，一条恶犬正试图跳起来扑咬他，吓得他赶紧往上爬。
　　“汪！”蒂米狂吠，“汪汪汪！汪汪！”
　　“小心，它快咬到你的脚了！”悬崖上方一个人叫道。
　　“这只狗又凶又狂躁，真是只疯狗！小心点！”
　　马克霍夫小心翼翼地往上爬，恐惧袭上心头。他爬了几英尺，突然发现蒂米正尝试爬上悬崖来追他。他又爬了几英尺，一只手紧紧抓住绳子，害怕一不小心掉下去，暴怒的蒂米会扑上来狠狠地撕咬他。
　　“快回来，蒂米！”乔治突然大喊道，“回来！”
　　这时，孩子们正坐着小船，漂浮在海面上，只要蒂米回来，他们就可以划出这个小海湾，扬长而去，马克霍夫就永远抓不到他们了。
　　“蒂米！蒂米！”
　　蒂米听到了乔治的呼唤，遗憾地瞥了一眼马克霍夫的双腿，以惊人的速度冲到船边，纵身一跃，进入船内，仍然朝悬崖狂叫着。
　　马克霍夫这时连忙把绳子扔下悬崖，但是太迟了。小船已经划到海湾口，就快转弯出去了。半分钟后，小船消失在海湾处，驶向了茫茫的大海。
　　朱利安和迪克稳稳地划着船。乔治和琼搂着蒂米，把脸埋在蒂米柔软的毛里。
　　“它完全恢复了。”乔治开心地说道。
　　“是的，冰冷的海水反倒救了他，”琼揉着蒂米的毛，赞同道，“好样的，蒂米！”
　　蒂米这时正兴奋地贴着船底，呼哧呼哧地嗅来嗅去，它闻到了一股美妙的气味。琼很好奇蒂米发现了什么，不久她便明白了。
　　“是我们带到船上还没来得及吃的三明治！”她叫道，“蒂米会把它们吃光的！”
　　“让它吃吧！”朱利安一边说着，一边奋力划着船桨，“这是它应得的！天哪，能再次听到它的叫声，看到它摇尾巴真是太好了。”
　　蒂米此刻的确在不断地摇着尾巴。对它来说，世界又恢复了原貌，它可以看到远方五彩斑斓的晚霞，也能听见近处细细的风声，它可以叫，可以跳，它最爱的乔治依旧依偎在它身旁。
　　“现在回家吧，”朱利安说道，“安妮看到我们肯定高兴坏了。天哪，真是惊心动魄的一天！”
Chapter 25 EVERYTHING OKAY
　　Chapter 25 EVERYTHING OKAY
　　It was getting dark as George's boat came into Kirrin Bay. It had seemed a very long pull indeed, andeveryone was tired out. The girls had helped in the rowing when the boys had almost collapsed fromexhaustion, and Timmy had cheered everyone up by his sudden high spirits.
　　'Honestly, his tail hasn't stopped wagging since he got into the boat,' said George. 'He's so pleased tobe himself again!'
　　A small figure was on the beach as they came in, half-lost in the darkness. It was Anne. She calledout to them in a trembling voice.
　　'Is it really you? I've been watching for you all day long! Are you all right?'
　　'Rather! And we've got George and Timmy, too!' shouted back Dick, as the boat scraped on theshingle. 'We're fine!'
　　They jumped out, Timmy too, and hauled the boat up the beach. Anne gave a hand, almost cryingwith joy to have them all again.
　　'It's bad enough being in the middle of an adventure,' she said, 'but it's much, much worse whenyou're left out. I'll never be left out again!'
　　'Woof,' said Timmy, wagging his tail in full agreement. He never wanted to be left out of adventureseither!
　　They all went home - rather slowly, because they were so tired. Joan was on the look-out for them, asshe had been all day. She screamed for joy when she saw George. 'George! You've got George atlast! Oh, you bad children, you've been away all day and I didn't know where and I've been worriedto death. George, are you all right?'
　　'Yes, thank you,' said George, who felt as if she was about to fall asleep at any moment. 'I just wantsomething to eat before I fall absolutely sound asleep!'
　　'But where have you been all day? What have you been doing?' cried Joan, as she bustled off to getthem a meal.
　　'I got so worked up I went to the police - and what a silly I felt - I couldn't tell them where you'd goneor anything. All I could say was you'd gone to find a man called Red, and had rowed away inGeorge's boat!'
　　99
　　'The police have been up and down the coast in a motor-boat ever since,' said Anne. 'Trying to spotyou, but they couldn't.'
　　'No. Our boat was well hidden,' said Dick. 'And so were we! So well hidden that I began to thinkwe'd stay hidden for the rest of our lives.'
　　The telephone bell rang. Julian jumped. 'Oh, good - you've had the telephone mended. I'll go andphone the police when you've answered this call, Joan.'
　　But it was the police themselves on the telephone, very pleased to hear Joan saying excitedly that allthe children were back safely. 'We'll be up in ten minutes,' they said.
　　In ten minutes' time the five children and Timmy were tucking into a good meal. 'Don't stop,'
　　said the police sergeant, when he came into the room with the constable the children had seen before.
　　'Just talk while you're eating.'
　　So they talked. They told about every single thing. First George told a bit, then Jo, then Dick thenJulian. At first the sergeant was bewildered, but then the bits of information began to piecethemselves together in his mind like a jigsaw puzzle.
　　'Will my father go to prison?' asked Jo.
　　'I'm afraid so,' said the sergeant.
　　'Bad luck, Jo,' said Dick.
　　'I don't mind,' said Jo. 'I'm better off when he's away - I don't have to do things he tells me then.'
　　'We'll see if we can't fix you up with a nice home,' said the sergeant kindly. 'You've run wild, Jo -you want looking after.'
　　'I don't want to go to a Home for Bad Girls,' said Jo, looking scared.
　　'I shan't let you,' said Dick. 'You're one of the pluckiest kids I've ever known. We'll none of us let yougo to a Home. We'll find someone who'll be kind to you someone like - like...'
　　'Like me,' said Joan, who was listening, and she put her arm round Jo and gave her a squeeze.
　　'I've got a cousin who'd like a ragamuffin like you - a bad little girl with a very good heart. Don't youfret. We'll look after you.'
　　'I wouldn't mind living with somebody like you,' said Jo, in an offhand way. 'I wouldn't be mean anymore then, and I daresay I wouldn't be bad. I'd like to see Dick and all of you sometimes, though.'
　　'You will if you're good,' said Dick, with a grin. 'But mind - if I ever hear you've got in at anyone'spantry window again, or anything like that, I'll never see you again!'
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　　Jo grinned. She was very happy. She suddenly remembered something and put her hand into the littlerush basket she still carried. She took out an enormous key.
　　'Here you are,' she said to the sergeant. 'Here's the key to the tower room. I bet Red and the others arestill locked up there, ready for you to catch! My, won't they get a shock when you unlock the doorand walk in!'
　　'Quite a lot of people are going to get shocks,' said the sergeant, putting away his very full notebook.
　　'Miss Georgina, you're lucky to get away unharmed, you and your dog. By the way, we got in touchwith a friend of your father's, when we tried to find out about those papers that were stolen. He saysyour father gave him all his important American papers before he went - so this fellow Red hasn'tanything of value at all. He went to all his trouble for nothing.'
　　'Do you know anything about Red?' asked Julian. 'He seemed a bit mad to me.'
　　'If he's the fellow we think he is, he's not very sane,' said the sergeant. 'We'll be glad to have himunder lock and key - and that man Markhoff too. He's not as clever as Red, but he's dangerous.'
　　'I hope he hasn't escaped in that helicopter,' said Dick. 'He meant to go tonight.'
　　'Well, we'll be there in under an hour or so,' said the sergeant. 'I'll just use your telephone, if I may,and set things going.'
　　Things were certainly set going that night! Cars roared up to Red's house, and the gate was broken inwhen no one came to open it. The helicopter was still in the yard - but alas! it was on its side,smashed beyond repair. The children were told afterwards that Markhoff and the other two men hadtried to set off in it, but there was something wrong - and it had risen some way and then fallen backto the yard.
　　The old woman was trying to look after the three hurt men, who had crawled from their seats andgone to bathe their cuts and bruises. Markhoff had hurt his head, and showed no fight at all.
　　'And what about Red?' the sergeant asked Markhoff. 'Is he still locked up?'
　　'Yes,' said Markhoff, savagely. 'And a good thing, too. You'll have to break that door down with abattering-ram to get him and the others out.'
　　'Oh no, we shan't,' said the sergeant, and produced the key. Markhoff stared at it.
　　'That kid!' he said. 'She gave me the key of the larder. Wait till I get her - she'll be sorry.'
　　'It'll be a long wait, Markhoff,' said the sergeant. 'A long, long wait. We'll have to take you off withus, I'm afraid.'
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　　Red, Simmy and Jake were still locked up, and were mad with rage. But they saw that the game wasup, and it wasn't long before all of them were safely tucked away in police cars.
　　'A very, very nice little haul,' said the sergeant to one of his men. 'Very neat, too - three of them alllocked up ready for us!'
　　'What about that kid, Jo?' said the man. 'She seems a bad lot, and as clever as they make them!'
　　'She's going to have a chance now,' said the sergeant. 'Everybody has a chance sometimes, and this ishers. She's just about half-and-half. I reckon - half bad and half good. But she'll be all right now she'sgot a chance!'
　　Jo was sleeping in Joan's room again. The rest were in their own bedrooms, getting ready for bed.
　　They suddenly didn't feel sleepy any more. Timmy especially was very lively, darting in and out ofthe rooms, and sending the landing mats sliding about all over the place.
　　'Timmy! If you jump on my bed again I'll slam the door on you!' threatened Anne. But she didn't, ofcourse. It was so lovely to see old Timmy quite himself once more.
　　The telephone bell suddenly rang, and made everyone jump.
　　'Now what's up?' said Julian, and went down in the hall to answer it. A voice spoke in his ear.
　　'Is that Kirrin 011? This is Telegrams. There is a cable for you, with reply prepaid. I am now going toread it.'
　　'Go ahead,' said Julian.
　　'It is from Seville in Spain,' said the voice, 'and reads as follows:
　　''HERE IS OUR ADDRESS. PLEASE CABLE BACK SAYING IF EVERYTHING ALLRIGHT - UNCLE QUENTIN''.'
　　Julian repeated the message to the others, who had now crowded round him in the hall. 'What replyshall I give?' he asked. 'No good upsetting them now everything is over!'
　　'Not a bit of good,' said Dick. 'Say what you like!'
　　'Right!' said Julian, and turned to the telephone again. 'Hallo - here is the reply message, please.
　　Ready?
　　''HAVING A MOST EXCITING TIME, WITH LOTS OF FUN AND GAMES, EVERYTHINGOKAY - JULIAN''.'
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　　'Everything okay,' repeated Anne, as they went upstairs to bed once more. 'That's what I like to hearat the end of an adventure. Everything okay.'
　　THE END
25.一切安好
　　一切安好
　　乔治的小船抵达科林湾时，天色暗了下来。事实上，他们已经在海上划了很久。男孩们累得筋疲力尽，女孩们就接过船桨继续划，大家都累坏了。一旁的蒂米则精神抖擞，不断鼓励着他们。
　　“说实话，蒂米上船后一直在摇尾巴，”乔治说，“它重获新生，肯定很高兴！”
　　小船逐渐驶进科林湾，他们发现沙滩上有一个小小的身影隐藏在黑暗之中。是安妮！安妮发现小船后，声音颤抖地呼喊着：“是你们吗？我在这儿等了你们一整天！你们没事吧？”
　　“没事的！我们还把乔治和蒂米带回来了！”迪克大声回道，这时船停靠在卵石滩上，“我们都没事！”
　　四人和蒂米跳下了船，努力把船往沙滩上拖。安妮看到他们平安归来，几乎喜极而泣，连忙上前搭把手。
　　“冒险的确很糟糕，”她说道，“但只有自己一人没有参加冒险更糟糕。你们再也不要丢下我了！”
　　“汪汪！”蒂米叫道，摇着尾巴，表示完全赞同。它也不想被排除在侦探团之外！
　　他们开始往家的方向走去，他们实在太累了，走得很缓慢。乔安娜在家盼了他们一整天。当看到乔治时，她高兴极了，忍不住尖叫起来。“乔治！你们终于把乔治带回来了！哦，孩子们，你们消失了一整天，我不知道你们去哪儿了，快要担心死了。乔治，你还好吗？”
　　“我没事，谢谢您，”乔治有些犯困，好像下一秒就能睡着，“我想先吃点东西，然后痛痛快快地睡一觉！”
　　“这些日子你们去哪儿了？都做了些什么？”乔安娜一边大声问着，一边匆匆走进厨房，为孩子们准备食物。
　　“你们离开了这么久，我不知道怎么办，就去了警局。我真傻，除了告诉他们，你们划着小船，去找一个叫红塔的人，其他一概不知！”
　　“之后警察就开着摩托艇在海边四处搜寻，”安妮说，“他们想要找到你们，但是没找到。”
　　“哦，不，我们的船藏得很隐蔽，”迪克说，“我们也躲了起来！
　　我甚至以为我们这辈子都要东躲西藏了。”
　　电话突然响了，吓了朱利安一跳。“哦，太好了，电话线修好了。乔安娜，你先接，然后我再给警察打电话。”
　　但电话那头正好是警察。乔安娜激动地告诉他们，孩子们已经安然无恙地回家了。听到这个消息，他们也很高兴。“我们十分钟后到。”他们说。
　　十分钟后，五个孩子和蒂米正在狼吞虎咽地享受一顿美餐。“你们继续吃，”一位警官走进房间说，一位警员跟在他身后，孩子们之前见过他，“可以边吃边说。”
　　他们一个接着一个说了起来，没有漏掉任何细节。先是乔治，接着是琼，最后是迪克和朱利安。开始，警官听得稀里糊涂，慢慢地，所有线索像拼图碎片一样在他脑海里拼凑起来，真相渐渐浮出水面。
　　“我爸爸会进监狱吗？”琼问。
　　“恐怕是的。”警官说。
　　“对不起，琼。”迪克说。
　　“我不介意，”琼说，“他不在，我会过得更好，那样他就不能命令我做任何事了。”
　　“我们会为你找个好去处，”警官友好地说，“你现在无人照顾，我们会为你找一个监护人。”
　　“我不想去坏女孩之家。”琼害怕地说。
　　“我不会让你去那种地方的，”迪克说，“你是我见过的最勇敢正直的小孩。我们都不会让你去那种地方的。我们会为你找一个好心人，就像……像……”
　　“就像我一样。”乔安娜插嘴道，她用手臂环绕着琼，给了琼一个紧紧的拥抱，“我有个堂妹，她曾经像你一样，是个脏兮兮的坏女孩，但她却有一颗善良的心。不要担心，我们会照顾你的。”
　　“跟你生活在一起？那我就没什么好担心的了，”琼大咧咧地说，“我再也不会做坏孩子了，也不会做坏事。我希望以后能时不时地见见迪克和你们所有人。”
　　“只要你当个好女孩，你会再见到我们的，”迪克笑着说，“但如果再让我知道，你又从窗户钻进别人的食物储藏室，或者其他类似的事，我就再也不想见到你了！”
　　琼开心地笑了起来。突然，她想起了一件事。她把手伸进背包，取出了那把大钥匙。
　　“这个给您，”她对那个警官说，“这是塔楼的钥匙。我敢肯定红塔和其他人一定还锁在里面，‘乖乖地’等着你们去抓他们！你们开门进去时，他们肯定会大吃一惊！”琼有些幸灾乐祸。
　　“还有更多让人大吃一惊的事呢！”警官收好满是记录的笔记本说，“乔治娜小姐，你和你的爱犬能毫发无损地回来，真是太幸运了。我们之前在寻找那些被偷走的文件时，联系上了你爸爸的一个朋友。他说你爸爸在离开之前，把从美国带回来的所有重要文件都交给了他。所以，红塔这个家伙根本就没得到任何有价值的东西。
　　他坏事做尽，却什么都没捞到。”
　　“您了解红塔这个人吗？”朱利安问，“我看他似乎有点不正常。”
　　“如果他就是我们要找的那个人的话，的确如此，”警官说，“他能被关起来，实在是太好了。还有他的手下马克霍夫，他没红塔聪明，但也是个极其危险的人物。”
　　“希望他还没有乘直升机逃走，”迪克说，“他本打算今晚就走。”
　　“别担心，我们会在一小时内赶到那里，”警官说，“我可以用下你们的电话吗？我需要先安排一下任务。”
　　当晚警察就开展了行动！警车呼啸而至，来到红塔的屋子前。
　　他们敲了敲门，屋里没有人来开门，他们只好破门而入。直升机还在院子里，但它已经支离破碎地侧翻在地上，看样子修不好了。孩子们后来听警察说，马克霍夫和另外两个人试图乘坐这架飞机逃走，但飞机出了一些故障。它升到一定高度后，又坠落在院子里。
　　三人艰难地从飞机座位上爬了出来，试着冲洗身上的伤口。警察进去时，那个老妇人正在照顾他们。马克霍夫伤到了头部，丝毫没有反抗的能力。
　　“红塔在哪儿？”警官问马克霍夫，“他还被锁在塔楼里吗？”
　　“是的，”马克霍夫凶狠地说，“好消息是，你们只能捶坏那扇门，才能把他和其他人抓出来。”
　　“哦不，我们不需要那样做。”警官说着，掏出了那把钥匙。马克霍夫目瞪口呆地盯着那把钥匙。
　　“那个臭丫头！”他咬牙切齿地说，“她骗了我，给了我错误的钥匙。等我抓到她，她就死定了。”
　　“那恐怕要久等了，马克霍夫，”警官说，“你被逮捕了。”
　　红塔、西米和杰克还在上面锁着，他们气坏了。他们知道一切都完了，很快他们就会被塞到警车带走。
　　“这次抓捕，干得漂亮！”警官对他的一个手下说，“他们三个被锁在屋子里，就等我们来把他们一网打尽！”
　　“那个叫琼的小孩怎么处置呢？”他的手下说，“她看上去坏透了，还很聪明，连这些大人都被她玩弄了。”
　　“她会有个改过自新的机会。”警官说，“有时候，每个人都有被宽恕的机会。她有坏的一面，但也有好的一面。如果给她一个机会，她肯定会越变越好的。”
　　琼在乔安娜的房间里睡下了。其他人在各自的房间也准备上床睡觉，可他们突然不困了。蒂米尤其活跃，在屋里屋外跑来跑去，还把地垫扯来扯去。
　　“蒂米！你再跳到我床上，我就把你赶出去！”安妮威胁蒂米，但她当然不会那样做。看到蒂米还是像以前那样活跃，真是太好了。
　　电话铃突然响了，所有人都吓了一跳。
　　“又出了什么事吗？”朱利安说着，下楼到客厅里接电话，听筒中传来一阵声音。
　　“请问是科林011号吗？这里是电报局。您有一份电报，已经预付了回电费用。现在我来读一下电报内容。”
　　“请读。”朱利安说。
　　“这份电报来自西班牙塞维利亚。”对方道，“内容如下：这是我们的地址。请回复，告诉我你们是否一切安好——昆廷叔叔。”
　　其他人此刻都簇拥在朱利安身旁，朱利安重复了电报的内容。“该怎么回复呢？”他问道，“我认为没必要打扰他们，毕竟一切都已经过去了。”
　　“的确如此，”迪克说，“你就随便回复吧！”
　　“好的！”朱利安说着，又拿起了电话，“您好，我要回复信息，请听好：我们度过了一段刺激的时光，游戏多多，乐趣多多，一切安好——朱利安。”
　　大家转身上楼准备继续睡觉。“一切安好，”安妮重复着，“这是冒险结束后，我听到的最美妙的话：一切安好。”