Part 15 (2/2)

'Ugly fellows,' said Mrs Mackie. 'And one had the yellowest teeth I ever saw. Bad-tempered chaps, both of them. They came up here at night, and we were afraid our chickens would go. They swore they weren't after our chickens - but what else would they be up here at night for?'

'I can't imagine,' said Julian. He was sure that the two men Mrs Mackie spoke of were Lou and Tiger Dan. Why did they wander about in the hills at night?

He went off with the food. When he got near the camping-place, d.i.c.k called to him excitedly.

'Hey, Julian! Come and look through the gla.s.ses. n.o.bby's out in his boat with Pongo, and I simply can't make out what it is they're both waving.'

Julian took the gla.s.ses and looked through them. Far down the hill, on the surface of the lake, floated n.o.bby's little boat. In it was n.o.bby, and with him was Pongo. Both of them were waving something bright red.

'Can't see what they're waving - but that doesn't matter,' said Julian. The thing is - what they're waving is red, not white. Red for danger. He's warning us.'

'Golly - I didn't think of that. What an idiot I am!' said d.i.c.k. 'Yes - red for danger. What's up, I wonder?'

'Well, it's clear we'd better not go down to the camp today,' said Julian. 'And it's also clear that whatever danger there is, is pretty bad - because both he and Pongo are waving red cloths - doubly dangerous!'

'Julian, you're jolly sharp,' said George, who was listening. 'You're the only one of us who tumbled to all that. Double-danger. What can it be?'

'Perhaps it means danger down at the camp, and danger here too,' said Julian, thoughtfully. 'I hope poor old n.o.bby is all right. Tiger Dan is so jolly beastly to him. I bet he's had a beating or two since last night.'

'It's a shame!' said d.i.c.k.

'Don't tell Anne we think there is double-danger about,' said Julian, seeing Anne coming back from the spring. 'She'll be scared. She was hoping we wouldn't have an adventure these hols - and now we seem to be plunged into the middle of one. Golly, I really think we ought to leave these hills and go on somewhere else.'

But he only said this half-heartedly, because he was burning to solve the curious mystery behind Lou's behaviour and Dan's. The others pounced on him at once.

'We can't leave! Don't be a coward, Ju!'

'I won't leave. Nor will Timmy.'

'Shut up,' said Julian. 'Here comes Anne.'

They said no more. Julian watched n.o.bby for a little while longer. Then the boy and the chimpanzee drew in to the sh.o.r.e and disappeared.

When they were all sitting together on the ledge, Julian proposed the plan he had been thinking out the night before.

'I'd like to find out what there is about this place that attracts Lou and Dan,' he said. There is something not far from here that makes the men want to get rid of us. Now suppose we four and Timmy go off down the hill and pa.s.s the camp, and yell out to n.o.bby that we're all - all of us - going to the town for the day - and you three do go, but I slip back up the hill - maybe Lou and Dan will come up here, and if I'm in hiding I shall see what they're up to!'

'You mean, we'll all four pretend to go to town - but really only three of us go, and you get back and hide,' said d.i.c.k. 'I see. It's a good idea.'

'And you'll hide somewhere and watch for the men to come,' said George. 'Well, for goodness' sake don't let them see you, Julian. You won't have Timmy, you know! Those men could make mincemeat of you if they wanted to.'

'Oh, they'd want to all right. I know that,' said Julian grimly. 'But you can be sure I'll be jolly well hidden.'

'I don't see why we can't have a good look round and see if we can't find the cave or whatever it is the men want to come to,' said d.i.c.k. 'If they can find it, we can, too!'

'We don't know that it is a cave,' said Julian. 'We haven't any idea at all what attracts the men up here. Mrs Mackie said they were up here last year, too, and the farmer had to drive them away. They thought the men were after the chickens - but I don't think so. There's something in these hills that makes the men want to get us away.'

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