Chapter 11 A MOST EXCITING TALK
The boys were busy hammering and sawing and the girls sat and waited till the noise died down.
Snippet was there, leaping about ridiculously with little bits of wood in his mouth, and Nosey thejackdaw had suddenly taken a fancy to the shavings that now covered the floor, and ran aboutchacking, and picking them up.
Outside the hens clucked and squawked, and not far off the ducks quacked¹ loudly. 'Those are the kindof noises I like to hear,' said Anne, settling herself on a sack in a corner. She raised her voice andshouted above the hammering to Dick. 'WANT ANY HELP, DICK?'
'No thanks,' said Dick. 'We'll just finish this job, then sit down and have a rest, and listen to what youhave to say. You sit and watch our wonderful carpentering! Honestly, I'd make pounds a week if Itook it up!'
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'Look out - Nosey has got your nails again!' shouted George. Timmy leapt up as if he was going tochase Nosey, and the jackdaw promptly² flew up to a crossbeam, and sat there chacking with laughter.
Timmy thought him a very exasperating³ bird indeed. He lay down again with a thump⁴.
At last the boys had finished the job they were on, and sat down, rubbing their hands over their wetforeheads. 'Well, now you can tell us your news,' said Dick. 'Good thing we got rid of that little pestof a Junior - I might have hammered a few nails into him by mistake if he'd come worrying us thisafternoon.' He imitated Junior's whining⁵ drawl. 'Aw, shucks, Pop, lemme come with yew⁶!'
Outside, his ear to the hole, Junior clenched⁷ his fists. He would willingly have stuck a few nails intoDick at that moment!
George and Anne began to tell the four listening children what old Mr. Finniston had told them thatmorning. 'It's about Finniston Castle,' said Anne. 'The old castle that gave the village its name - andthe farm as well. The old fellow who told us about it is called Finniston, too - and will you believe it,he's a descendant of the Finnistons who lived in the castle centuries ago!'

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