26 Going into hiding
　　They filed in silently. The last man shut the door, and wedged in a bit of wood by the lock to keepit from swinging. The courtyard was beginning to get light, because the moon was rising, though itwas behind the clouds most of the time.
　　‘I’ll just go and see if Tassie is under my gorse bush,’ whispered Jack¹. ‘We’ll have to find outthe latest news from her, and she’ll have to escape with the girls too, as soon as possible. She canguide them back to Spring Cottage.’
　　The men waited in the shadows with Bill whilst Jack went over to the crag. He climbed up tothe gorse bush. A loud voice hailed him.
　　‘Put the kettle on! How many times have I . . .’
　　‘Shut up, Kiki,’ whispered Jack, in a panic. He heard someone stirring in the bush and called ina low voice.
　　‘Is that you, Tassie? It’s Jack, back again!’
　　Tassie crawled out of the bush, full of joy, for she had been feeling frightened and lonely.
　　‘Oh, Jack! Did you come up that awful watery² tunnel like I did? Did you get help?’
　　‘Yes – Bill Smugs is here – with some of his men,’ whispered Jack. ‘You and the other twogirls must go down to Spring Cottage. Philip and I are going to wait and see what happens – if Billwill let us!’
　　‘But how can you get the girls?’ asked Tassie. ‘You know they are down in the hidden room,with Philip.’
　　‘Easy,’ said Jack. ‘We’ll just pull the spike³ in the wall at the back of the hall, and get them out!
　　Then, Tassie, you and they must hurry off as quickly as you can.’
　　‘I’d like to stay with Philip,’ said Tassie obstinately⁴. ‘And anyway, there’s going to be adreadful storm. I don’t want to go down the hillside with thunder and lightning all round me.’
　　‘Well – you’ll have to do as Bill tells you,’ said Jack. ‘Maybe you’ll get down before the stormcomes. Are the girls all right, Tassie?’
　　‘Yes, but rather tired of it,’ said Tassie. ‘Oh, Jack, Kiki made a simply awful noise last nightafter you had gone, and the men heard her – and they shot at her! I was really frightened!’

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