22
　　The enemy
　　The three children, accompanied by Huffin and Puffin, made various journeys to and from SleepyHollow with food, rugs and clothes. Philip brought back a pile of rugs from the boat and thrustthem down the hole entrance. They descended¹ on poor Horace and enveloped² him. He was verymuch startled, but glad to find in a moment or two that his captors were actually offering himsomething warm and soft to lie on.
　　He arranged them underneath³ himself. Ah, that was more comfortable. He began to thinklongingly of all the things he would do to those children, once he got free.
　　At last everything was in the motor-boat, ready for the early start. It was now getting dusk.
　　Philip, Lucy-Ann and Dinah came and sat beside Jack⁴.
　　‘I suppose one or other of must keep watch over the hole all night, in case Horace escapes?’
　　whispered Philip. Jack nodded.
　　‘Yes. We can’t risk his getting out, just as we’ve got everything set. You take first watch, Philip.
　　We won’t ask the girls to watch, because I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t enjoy hitting Horace goodand hard if he popped his head out.’
　　‘I would!’ said Dinah indignantly. ‘Lucy-Ann is kind, but I’m not.’
　　Lucy-Ann said nothing. She felt sure she wouldn’t like to hit Horace hard. Anyway the boysdecided that only they should keep watch, so that was all right.
　　The sun had gone down into the sea. The sky was pricked⁵ with the first few stars. The childrenlay about comfortably on the heather, talking in low voices. There was no sound from Horace.
　　Perhaps he was alseep.
　　Philip’s three rats, which had suddenly begun to look very grown-up, came out to sniff⁶ theevening air. Dinah removed herself at once. Huffin and Puffin regarded the rats with fixed⁷ eyes.
　　Kiki yawned and then sneezed. Then she coughed in a very hollow manner.

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