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 eerie¹ and chilly² 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, upwards³ 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.

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