22
　　A talk with Bill – and a shock
　　Philip was filled with dismay. It had never occurred to him that Bill mightnot be at home. How awful! Philip sat down on a stool and tried to think –but he was tired out, and his brain wouldn’t seem to work.
　　‘What shall I do now? What shall I do now?’ he thought, and could notseem to think of anything else. ‘What shall I do now?’
　　It was dark in the little shack¹. Philip sat on the stool, his hands hanginglimply between his legs. Then he became aware of something at the back ofthe shack, and he turned to see what it was.
　　To his great amazement² he saw a red light there, glowing deeply. Then itdisappeared. Then it came back again, went out, reappeared. It went ondoing this for a few minutes, whilst Philip tried to think what it was, andwhy it seemed to be signalling. At last he got up and went over to the light.
　　It came from a small bulb beside the radio. Philip had a look at it. Hetwiddled one or two knobs. A Morse code came from it when he twiddledanother. Then by chance he saw, at the back of the set, a small telephonereceiver, smaller than any he had seen before – almost a pocket size, hethought.
　　He picked it up – and immediately he heard a voice crackling in thereceiver. He lifted it to his ear.
　　‘Y2 calling,’ said the voice. ‘Y2. Y2 calling.’
　　Philip listened in, astonished. He decided³ to speak to the voice.
　　‘Hallo!’ he said. ‘Who are you?’
　　There was a moment’s silence. Evidently Y2, whoever he might be, wassurprised. A cautious voice came over the phone again.
　　‘Who is there?’
　　‘A boy called Philip Mannering,’ said Philip. ‘I came to find Bill Smugs,but he isn’t here.’
　　‘Who did you say?’ said the voice.
　　‘Bill Smugs. But he’s not here,’ repeated Philip. ‘I say, who are you? Doyou want me to leave a message for Bill? I expect he’ll be back some time.’
　　‘How long has he been gone?’ asked Y2.
　　‘Don’t know,’ said Philip. ‘Wait – I can hear someone. Here he comes, Ido believe.’
　　Joyfully⁴ the boy put down the tiny telephone receiver. He had heard thelow sound of whistling outside, and footsteps. It must be Bill.

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