Chapter 21 AN EXCITING FINISH
Up the heathery hill panted the five children and Timmy. Julian carried the frightened little pig, whowas not at all sure what was happening to him. He kicked and squealed² but nobody took any noticeof him - he would be of importance when they reached the caves, but not till then!
At last they reached the chalky roadway to the caves and pounded along it, the loose bits of chalkflying between their feet. They came to the entrance where the warning notice stood.
'Timmy!' called George as Julian put down the trembling little pig and held him tightly. 'Timmy -come here! Smell Curly - that's right - smell him all over - now follow, follow, follow! Smell wherehe went in the caves - and follow, Tim, follow!'
Timmy knew perfectly³ well what tracking meant and obediently smelt⁴ Curly thoroughly⁵, and then puthis nose to the ground to follow the scent⁶ of the pigling's footsteps. He soon picked it up, and beganto run into the first cave.
He stopped and looked back enquiringly. 'Go on, Tim, go on - I know this seems peculiar⁷ to youwhen we've got Curly here - but we want to know where he went!' called George, afraid that Timmymight think it was just a silly game and give up. Timmy put his nose to the ground again.
He came to the magnificent cave, full of the gleaming 'icicles', the stalactites and stalagmites, 85some of them looking like shining pillars. Then into the next cave, which, with its glowing rainbowcolours, had reminded Anne of a Fairyland cave. Then through the next cave they went -and came to the forking of the ways.
'Here we are - at the three tunnels,' said George. 'I bet Timmy won't go down the usual roped one thatall visitors would take ...'
As she spoke⁸ the words Timmy, nose to ground, still following the scent of the pigling's footsteps,took the left-hand, unroped way - and everyone followed, torches shining brightly.
'I thought so!' said George, and her voice began to echo round. 'Thought so, thought so, so, so ...'

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