Free Five Get Into Trouble by Enid Blyton Page A

do,' said Julian. 'Al I know is this — you captured Dick, my brother, this evening in Middlecombe Woods — thinking he was Richard Kent — well, he's not, he's my brother Dick. And if you don't set him free at once, I'll tel the police what we know.'

    'And dear me — how do you know all this?' asked the man. 'Were you there when he was captured, as you cal it?'

    'One of us was,' said Julian, bluntly. 'In the tree overhead. That's how we know.'

    There was a silence. The man took out a cigarette and lighted it. 'Well, you're quite mistaken,' he said. 'We've no boy held prisoner here. The thing is ridiculous. Now it's very, very late — would you like to bed down here for the night and get off in the morning? I don't like to send a parcel of kids out into the middle of the night. There's no telephone here, or I'd ring your home.'

    Julian hesitated. He felt certain Dick was in the house. If he said he would stay for the night he might be able to find out if Dick was real y there or not. He could quite wel see that the man didn't want them tearing off to the police. There was something at Owl's Dene that was secret and sinister.

    'I'l stay,' he said at last. 'Our people are away — they won't worry.'

    He had forgotten about Richard for the moment. His people certainly would worry! Stil , there was nothing to do about it. The first thing was to find Dick. Surely the men would be mad to hold him a prisoner once they were certain he wasn't the boy. Perhaps Rooky, the ruffian who knew Richard, hadn't yet arrived — hadn't seen Dick? That must be the reason that this man wanted them to stay the night. Of course — he'd wait til Rooky came —
    and when Rooky said, 'No — he's not the boy we want!' they'd let Dick go. They'd have to!

    The man called for Aggie again. She came at once.

    'These kids are lost,' said the man to her. 'I've said I'l put them up for the night. Get one of the rooms ready — just put down mattresses and blankets — that's all. Give them some food if they want it.'

    Aggie was evidently tremendously astonished. Julian guessed that she was not used to this man being kind to lost children. He shouted at her.

    'Well, don't stand dithering there. Get on with the job. Take these kids with you.'

    Aggie beckoned to the four children. George hung back. 'What about my dog?' she said. 'He's stil outside, whining. I can't go to bed without him.'

    'You'l have to,' said the man, roughly. 'I won't have him in the house at any price, and that's flat.'

    'He'll attack anyone he meets,' said George.

    'He won't meet anyone out there,' said the man. 'By the way — how did you get in through the gates?'

    'A car came out just as we got there and we slipped in before the gates closed,' said Julian. 'How do the gates shut? By machinery?'

    'Mind your own business,' said the man, and went down the passage in the opposite direction.

    'Pleasant, kindly fel ow,' said Julian to George.

    'Oh, a sweet nature,' answered George. The woman stared at them both in surprise. She didn't seem to realize that they meant the opposite to what they said! She led the way upstairs.

    She came to a big room with a carpet on the floor, a smal bed in a corner, and one or two chairs. There was no other furniture.

    'I'l get some mattresses and put them down for you,' she said.

    'I'l help you,' offered Julian, thinking it would be a good idea to see round a bit.

    'Al right,' said the woman. 'You others stay here.'

    She went off with Julian. They went to a cupboard and the woman tugged at two big mattresses. Julian helped her. She seemed rather touched by this help.

    'Well, thank you,' she said. 'They're pretty heavy.'

    'Don't expect you have many children here, to stay, do you?' asked Julian.

    'Well, it's funny that you should come just after . . .' the woman began. Then she stopped and bit her lip, looking anxiously up and down the passage.

    Just after what?' asked Julian. Just after the other boy came, do you mean?'

    'Sh!'