Chapter 17 LONG AFTER MIDNIGHT!
　　A rat suddenly shot out from a corner of the shed, and tore across to the open trapdoor. Timmy gavea bark and leapt after it. He just stopped himself from taking a header through the trapdoor by slidingalong on all four feet and coming to a stop at the entrance.
　　He stood up and looked down the hole, his head cocked to one side.
　　'Look, he's listening,' said Anne. 'Is there someone coming, those men, perhaps, with the smuggledgoods?'
　　'No, he's only listening for the rat,' said Julian.
　　'I tell you what we'll do! We'll shut the trapdoor and pile sacks and boxes and everything on top of it!
　　Then when the men come up, they'll find themselves trapped. They won't be able to get out.
　　If we can get the police in time, they'll be able to catch them easily.'
　　'Good idea!' said Dick. 'Super! How mad those two men will be when they come to the trapdoor andfind it shut! They can't get out the other way because the tide's up.'
　　'I'd like to see Mr. Penruthlan's face when he sees the trapdoor shut, and feels a whole lot of thingspiled on top of it!' said Julian. 'He'll make a few more of his peculiar¹ noises!'
　　'Ooh - ah - ock,' said Dick, solemnly. 'Come on, help me with the trapdoor, Ju, it's heavy.'
　　They shut the big trapdoor and then began to drag sacks, boxes and even some kind of heavy farmmachine on top of the trapdoor. Now certainly nobody could open it from underneath².
　　They were hot and very dirty by the time they had finished. They were also beginning to feel verytired. 'Phew!' said Dick. 'I'm glad that's done. Now we'd better go to the farm-house and showourselves to Mrs. Penruthlan.'
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　　'Oh dear, do we tell her about her husband, and how he's mixed up in this horrid³ business?' saidAnne. 'I do so like her. I expect she's very worried about us, too.'
　　'Yes. It's going to be a bit difficult,' said Julian, soberly. 'Better let me do most of the talking.
　　Come on, we'll go. Don't make too much row or we'll set the dogs barking. I'm surprised they haven'tyelled their heads off already!'
　　It was rather surprising. Usually the farm-dogs barked the place down if there was any unusual noisein the night. The five children and Timmy left the machine-shed and made their way towards thefarmhouse. George pulled at Julian's arm.
　　'Look,' she said, in a low voice. 'See those lights up in the hills? What are they?'

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