Chapter 9 DICK SURPRISES THE OTHERS
　　Dick began his tale - but it really was very difficult to hear it because they couldn't walk four abreast,as there was no path to follow.
　　In the end Julian stopped and pointed¹ to a thick clump² of heather. 'Let's go and sit there and hearDick's story properly. I keep missing bits. No one can hear us if we sit here.'
　　They sat down and Dick started again. He told about the old woman who was afraid her son would beangry if she let them stay the night. He told about his bed in the straw.
　　'And now here comes the bit I think must have been a dream,' he said. 'I woke up to hear a scratchingnoise on the wooden walls of the barn...'
　　'Rats or mice?' said George, and Timmy leapt up at once, of course. He was sure she had said thewords to him!
　　'I thought that too,' said Dick. 'But then I heard a gentle tap-tap-tapping on the window.'
　　'How horrid,' said Anne. 'I shouldn't have liked that at all.'
　　'Neither did I,' said Dick, 'But the next thing I heard was my name being called! ''Dick! Dick!''
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　　Just like that.'
　　'It must have been a dream then,' said Anne. 'There was no one there who knew your name.'
　　Dick went on. 'Well, then the voice said - ''Dick! I know you're there, I saw you go in!'' And it toldme to go to the window.'
　　'Go on,' said Julian. He was puzzled. No one in the world but Anne could have known that Dick wasin the barn - and it certainly wasn't Anne out there in the night!
　　'Well, I went to the window,' said Dick, 'and I saw, rather dimly, of course, a wild-eyed lookingfellow. He couldn't see me in the darkness of the barn. I just mumbled³, ''I'm here,'' hoping he wouldthink I was whoever he wanted.'
　　'What did he say next?' asked George.
　　'He said something that sounded stuff and nonsense,' said Dick, 'He said it twice. It was ''Two-Trees.
　　Gloomy Water. Saucy⁴ Jane.'' And he said ''Maggie knows.'' Just like that!'
　　There was a silence. Then George laughed. 'Two-Trees! Gloomy Water! Saucy Jane - and Maggieknows about it! Well, it must have been a dream, Dick! You know it must. What do you think,Julian?'
　　'Well - it does sound a bit nonsensical to have someone come in the middle of the night and call Dickby name and give him a strange message that doesn't mean a thing to him!' said Julian. 'It soundsmore dream-like than real. I'd say it was a dream too.'

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