Chapter 16 AILY CHANGES HER MIND
Aily leapt out of Julian's arms as quickly and surely as a cat, when she heard that it might be Morgancoming. She looked round the room like a hunted thing, and then darted¹ to the bunk²-beds. With anamazing leap, she was up on one of the top ones in a trice, and pulled a rug over her. She layabsolutely still. The lamb looked up in surprise and bleated⁴.
Then it too leapt up the bunks⁵, as sure-footed as a goat, and cuddled down with its little mistress.
Only Dave the dog was left below, whining⁶ miserably⁷. 'Gosh!' said Dick, amazed at these incrediblysudden happenings. 'Look at that! Did you ever see such leaping! Shut up barking, Tim. We want tohear if Morgan is coming. Ju - where shall we hide Aily's dog? He mustn't be seen - or heard either!'
Julian lifted the dog up to the top bunk and put him with the other two there. 'That's about the onlyplace where he'll keep quiet!' he said. 'Aily - lie quite still till we tell you everything is safe.'
There was no reply from the bunk - not a word or a bark or a bleat³. Then Timmy began to bark loudlyagain, and ran to the door.
'I'm going to lock the door,' said Julian. 'I'm not having Morgan and his dogs in here, hunting forAily! My guess is that he knows she's escaped from her mother's - or maybe she ran off when hescolded her - and thinks she went to her father, the old shepherd! He's got to get hold of her, to stopher from spreading what she knows!'
'Well - for goodness sake don't let those dogs in here!' said George, desperately⁸. 'I can hear thembarking away in the distance.'
'Quick - let's sit round the table with the cards, and pretend to be playing a game!' said Dick,snatching the cards from a shelf. 'Then if Morgan looks in, he'll think everything is normal - andwon't guess we've got Aily here. I bet he'll be sly enough to try and peep in without us seeing him -hoping to spot Aily if we've got her!'

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