11 An unexpected meeting
　　They went back into the castle and up the wide stone stair. Dinah felt a little uncomfortable andkept close to the others. So did Tassie. They went down the wide corridor and looked into roomafter room to find the one with the plank¹.
　　‘Golly! Don’t say it’s gone!’ said Jack², after they had looked into about six rooms. ‘This is odd.
　　I’m sure the room wasn’t as far along as this.’
　　But it was – for in the very next room they saw the edge of their plank on the stone sill. Theyhurried over to it. It was dark in that room. They all wished heartily³ they had a torch, anddetermined to bring both torches and candles with them next time!
　　Jack went across first, with Kiki clutching his shoulder, murmuring something about putting thekettle on. He got across safely, and then caught hold of the rope on the other side. He helpedLucy-Ann across, then Dinah and then Tassie. Lucy-Ann slipped hurriedly down the cliffside,followed by Dinah. Tassie leapt down like a goat, without even touching⁴ the rope.
　　Then came Philip, and poor little Button was left behind, yelping⁵ shrilly⁶.
　　‘You go your own way and join us outside the castle!’ called back Philip. Button jumped up tothe sill but kept falling back. He could not reach it. The children heard him barking away byhimself as they made their way down the tunnel-like passage into the sunshine.
　　‘I may have to go back for Button, you know, if he doesn’t come after us,’ said Philip. ‘Icouldn’t really leave him behind. But foxes are so sharp – I bet he’ll come rushing after us in aminute.’
　　‘Keep a good lookout⁷ then,’ said Jack, ‘because we want to know where he gets in and out, sothat we can use the place ourselves.’
　　But it wasn’t any good keeping a lookout, for suddenly Button was at their heels, leaping up atPhilip, making yelping sounds of happiness and love. Nobody saw him come. Nobody knew howhe had got out of the castle!

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