Free Five Go Down to the Sea by Enid Blyton Page A

tonight! They"d be on the rocks, and dashed to pieces in half an hour! The beach would be strewn with thousands of pieces of wreckage the next day."
    „We"d better wait a bit before we go," said Dick. „It"s real y very early. On a bright sunny evening the hil s would stil be full of daylight, but this stormy evening is very dark. Let"s light our candles and read."
    The wind became even stronger, and grew almost to a gale. It made a howling noise round the old farm-house, and sounded angry and in pain. Not a very nice night to go out on the hil s!
    „We"ll go now, I think," said Julian, at last. „It"s quite dark, and getting late. Come on."
    They hadn"t undressed, so they went down the stairs at once, and out of the back door as before, closing it silently behind them. They made their way through the farm-yard, not daring to shine their torches til they were well away from the house.
    They had had a quick look at the front door, when they had stood in the hall. It was locked and bolted! Mr Penruthlan was not out tonight, that was certain.
    They walked steadily through the gale, gasping when it caught them full in the face. They each had their warm jerseys on, for it was quite cold, and the wind blew all the time.
    Across the fields. Over one stile after another. Across more fields. The boys stopped once or twice to make sure they were right. They were relieved when they came to the great flock of sheep, and knew they must be near the shepherd"s hut.
    „There"s the hut," whispered Julian, at last. „You can just see its dark outline. We must go quietly now."
    They stole by the hut. Not a sound came from inside, and no candle-light showed through the cracks. Old Grandad must be fast asleep! Julian pictured Yan curled up with him on their bed of old sheepskins.
    The boys went quietly along. Now, they must make for the spot from which the old tower could be seen, and it must be the exact spot, for the tower could be seen from nowhere else.
    They couldn"t find it, or, if they had found it, and were standing on it, they were unable to see the tower far off in the darkness.
    „If it didn"t happen to be flashing a light, we wouldn"t know if we were looking in the right direction or not!" said Julian. „We"d never see it in the dark. Why didn"t we think of that?
    Somehow I thought we"d see the tower whether it was lighted up or not. We"re asses."
    They wandered about a little, continually looking in the direction where they thought the tower should be. But they saw nothing at al . What a waste of a long walk!
    Then Julian suddenly gave an exclamation. „Who"s that? I saw you there! Who is it?"

    Dick jumped. What was this now? Then someone sidled up against them both, and a voice spoke timidly.
    „It"s me, Yan!"
    „Good gracious! You turn up everywhere!" said Julian. „I suppose you were watching out for us."
    „Iss. Come with me," said Yan, and tugged at Julian"s arm. The two boys went with him, a few yards to the right, then higher up the hil . Then Yan stopped.
    The boys saw the distant light at once. There was no doubt about it at all! It flashed continual y, rather like a small lighthouse light. Each time it flashed they could see the faint outline of the tower.
    „It seems to be some kind of signal," said Julian. „Flash - flash-flash-flash - flash-flash - flash.
    My word, how weird. Who"s doing it, and why? Surely there are no wreckers nowadays!"
    „Grandad says it"s his old Dad," said Yan, in an awed voice. Julian laughed.
    „Don"t be sil y! Al the same, it"s a bit of a mystery, isn"t it, Dick? Could any ship out at sea be deceived and come near to the shore, and be wrecked? It"s a wicked night, just the night for great waves to pound a ship to pieces if it came near this coast."
    „Yes. Well, we shall hear tomorrow if there has been a wreck," said Dick soberly. „I hope there won"t be. I can"t bear thinking of it, anyway. Surely, surely there aren"t wreckers here now!"
    „If there are, they wil be creeping