A MORNING OF WORK
There was a dead silence after Mr Thomas had said those despairing words - "n.o.body knows where to look!" Where were Jeff and Ray lying, worried and anxious, knowing their planes to be stolen, picturing them in the hands of an alien country, being dismantled to discover the new and secret devices built into them!
"They must be absolutely furious to think how easily it was all done!" said d.i.c.k.
"Taken by surprise like that! Surely there must be someone on the airfield who was in the secret?"
"Bound to be," said Mr Thomas. "These things are carefully planned to the very last detail - and, of course, it was a bit of luck for the men to have a storm going on just at the time when they needed something to make their getaway unseen and unheard - unheard, that is, until the planes were actually up in the air, and then it didn"t matter!"
"Yes - the rain simply slashed down that night," said George, remembering.
"n.o.body would be out in it - even the guards on the airfield would be under shelter somewhere. It was a bit of luck for those fellows!"
"I expect they were delighted to look out of that tiny little window at the cottage and see a storm blowing up on the very night they wanted one!" said d.i.c.k.
"It beats me how Mr Gringle and Mr Brent never heard or suspected anything - with four strange men hanging about b.u.t.terfly Farm," said Julian.
"There can"t be anything in their heads but b.u.t.terflies or moths," said Toby. "I bet the police will have something to say to them!"
"The thing is - what"s to be done now?" said Julian, frowning. He turned to Mr Thomas, who was deep in thought. "What do you think, sir? Is there anything we can do?"
"I doubt it," said Mr Thomas. "The police have had reports of two men driving a closed van at a fast speed - the number was taken by two or three people who complained - and they think that it might have been one used to transport Jeff and Ray to some distant hiding-place - somewhere in a disused quarry - or in some deserted cellar. Likely places of that sort."
Everyone groaned. There certainly was absolutely nothing they could do, then - it would be impossible to hunt for miles for old quarries or other hiding-places! "Well - I must get on with my work," said Mr Thomas. "Where"s your mother, Toby? You"d better tell her about all this."
"She"s gone shopping," said Toby, looking at the clock. "She"ll be back just before dinner-time."
"I suppose Benny has gone with her," said Mr Thomas, going to the door. "Where"s Curly, his pigling? Surely he hasn"t taken him, too!"
"I expect he has," said Toby. He looked at the other four children, suddenly remembering something. "I say - aren"t you a bit short of food up at the camp?
Shall I get you some to take back with you?"
"Well - if it isn"t an awful bother," said Julian, apologetically. It seemed rather dreadful to think about food when probably Jeff and Ray were lying tied up somewhere, hungry and thirsty, with no chance of food of any sort.
"I"ll get some. You come with me, Anne, and say what you want," said Toby, and he and Anne went off together to the kitchen, and opened the door of the immense larder. Soon Anne was choosing what she wanted, trying to cheer up poor, downcast Toby at the same time.
"Can we stay and help you this morning, Toby?" asked Julian, when he and Anne came back. He knew that Toby had many jobs to do on the farm, although it was a holiday week - and he thought, too, that it would be good for the boy to have company that worrying morning.
"Yes. I"d like you to!" said Toby, brightening at once. "I told Dad I"d limewash the hen-houses today - it"s just the kind of day for that, nice and dry with a little breeze. You and d.i.c.k could help and we"d get them all done by dinner-time."
"Right. We"ll help you all morning, then we"ll go back to our camp and have a picnic lunch," said Julian. "If you"ve finished all the jobs you have to do, you could come back with us - and we could go on a hike or something this afternoon."
"Oh yes!" said Toby, cheering up considerably. "Come on, then - we"ll get the lime and find the brushes. Hey, Binky, come and help us - and you, too, Timmy."
"Wait a minute - can"t we help?" said George. "I can limewash hen-houses as well as anyone!"
"Oh, no, George - it"s a messy job - a job for boys not girls," said Toby, and went off with d.i.c.k and Julian, leaving George looking furious.
"Now you"ve offended George," said d.i.c.k, grinning. Toby was genuinely surprised. "Have I really?" he said. "Oh, of course - I forgot she doesn"t like to be girlish! Half a minute!" He ran back to the window of the sitting-room and called through it.
"Hie, George! What about doing a job for my mother? She never has time to weed her flower-garden and she is always upset because it"s so untidy. I suppose you and Anne couldn"t do something about that?"
"Yes, of course!" called Anne, going out of the dour. "Let"s find a trowel each, and something to put weeds in. George! Don"t look so gloomy! Let"s weed the whole bed and make it marvellous for Mrs Thomas. She"s so kind and generous, I"d like to do something for her."
"All right. So would I," said George, more graciously, and went with her cousin into the garden, "I wish little Benny was at home," said Anne, as she and George began their task a few minutes later, complete with trowels and two old tin pails for the weeds. "I"d like him running round us, asking questions in that dear little high voice of his.
And Curly, his pigling, running about like a funny little pig-puppy!"
"Yes. I like Benny, too," said George, pulling up a handful of weeds. "My word - there are more weeds than flowers in this bed."
"Let"s take Benny up to the camp with us this afternoon, if Toby comes," said Anne. "Then Toby can take him back with him when he goes. I love little Benny - I could look after him while you and the boys go hiking this afternoon."
"All right," said George, torn between wanting to stay with Anne and little Benny and his pig and going with the boys. "Help - I"ve been stung by a most vicious nettle!"
All the children worked hard that morning. The hen-houses had been scrubbed down and well and truly lime-washed. Now they were drying quickly, the doors flung open to sun and wind. The girls had practically cleared the big flower-bed of weeds and were feeling rather pleased with it - and with themselves too!
There came the sound of a car at about a quarter to one. "That must be Mrs Thomas coming back from her shopping," said George. "Quick, let"s finish this bed before she sees us - we"ve only about ten minutes" more work."
"Benny will soon come running to see what we are doing," said Anne. "And little Curly, too. My word - I"ve just filled my ninth pail of weeds!"
The three boys came by just then, swinging their empty pails and carrying their big brushes. Timmy came, too, with quite a few white patches on his coat! "Hallo, girls!" said d.i.c.k. "My word you"ve done a fine job on that bed - you can actually see the flowers now!"
The girls sat back, pleased. "Yes, it looks a bit better," said Anne, pushing back her hair. "Your mother"s home, I think, Toby. We"d better go now, because you"ll soon be having your dinner, and we"ll be as hungry as hunters by the time we get back to our camp."
"Right," said Toby. "Here, I"ll take those pails of weeds for you - and the trowels!"
"Oh - thanks," said George. "d.i.c.k, Anne and I will go off to the camp now, with Timmy, and take the salad and stuff that wants washing under the spring - you bring the rest of the food, will you?"
"Of course," said d.i.c.k. "You take one basket, and we"ll take the other."
They went off with Toby. Anne and George went to look for Mrs Thomas, but she had gone into the dairy and was not to be seen.
"Never mind - she"ll be busy," said Anne. "We"ll go off straight away and get our lunch ready."
They went off to the farm-gate and up the path on to the steep slopes of Billyc.o.c.k Hill, the basket between them. Soon they were out of sight.
The boys washed their hands under a pump in the yard. Toby had gone to see his mother and to tell her what the police had said - but his father had already told her.
She was very worried indeed.
"Poor Jeff! Poor Ray!" she said. Then she looked round as she heard the footsteps of d.i.c.k and Julian. "Oh," she said, "I thought it was Benny. Where is he?"
"Benny - well, he was with you, wasn"t he?" said Toby. "You didn"t leave him in the car, did you?"
"What do you mean, Toby?" said Mrs Thomas, looking startled. "I left Benny here at the farm. I didn"t take him with me - I never do when I have a lot of shopping, he gets so bored!"
"But, Mother - I"ve not seen him all morning!" said Toby. "He"s not at the farm.
I"ve not seen him for hours!"
"Oh, Toby!" said his mother, looking frightened. "Toby, what"s happened to him then? I thought you"d look after him, as you usually do!" "And I thought he"d gone with you," groaned Toby. "d.i.c.k - Julian have you seen Benny, or Curly?"
"No - we haven"t set eyes on him this morning!" said d.i.c.k. "Gosh - where"s he got to? He may have gone up Billyc.o.c.k Hill to try and find our camp - I know he wanted to."
"Toby - the horse-pond!" said Mrs Thomas, looking pale. "Go there - he may have fallen in. Look in the loft of the barn, too - and go into the machinery shed. Oh, Benny, Benny, where are you?"
She turned to d.i.c.k and Julian, standing anxiously beside her. "Go up to your camp," she said. "Hunt and call all the way. He may be lost on the hill-side. My little Benny! Perhaps his pigling "runned away" again, as he so often tells us - and he followed and got lost! Oh, dear, whatever shall I do?"
Chapter Twenty
A PECULIAR MESSAGE
Toby raced off to the horse-pond, very frightened. The pond was deep in the middle and Benny couldn"t swim. d.i.c.k and Julian went off hurriedly through the farm-gate up to Billyc.o.c.k Hill, calling as they went.
"Benny! Benny, where are you? Benny!"
They toiled up the steep, heathery slopes, looking for any sign of the small boy, but there was none. They were both anxious, Benny was such a little wanderer, and his pig made such a good excuse for going long distances!
"Benny! BENNY!" they called, and sometimes the echo came back to them, calling the name, too.
"Perhaps he will be at the camp," said d.i.c.k. "I know he wanted to visit it. He may be there, the little monkey - with Curly, too."
"I hope so," said Julian, soberly. "But it"s a long way for his small legs to go. I don"t see how he could possibly find the way without someone to guide him - he has never been there yet!" "Well, maybe the girls spotted him on their way up," said d.i.c.k. "My word - this is a day, isn"t it? - n.o.body knows where Jeff and Ray are - and n.o.body knows where little Benny is either! I don"t call this a very good holiday!"
"Exciting - but decidedly worrying," said Julian. "Why do we always run into something like this? We never seem to have a really peaceful time!"
d.i.c.k glanced sideways at Julian and gave a fleeting smile. "Would you like a really peaceful time, Ju?" he said. "I don"t think you would! Come on - let"s shout again!"
They came to the camp at last, not having seen a sign of Benny or the pigling. He was not at the camp either, that was quite clear. The girls and Timmy were alone.
They were horrified when they were told about Benny. Anne went pale. "Let"s go and look for him at once," she said. "We must!"
"Well, can you make some sandwiches very quickly?" asked d.i.c.k. "We"re all hungry, and it won"t take a minute. We can munch them as we go. Let"s make a plan of campaign while you"re cutting them."
George and Anne set to work with the sandwiches. Anne"s finger were all thumbs, she was so shocked to hear that.little Benny was missing. "Oh, I hope nothing"s happened to him!" she said. "Missing all the morning - for hours! Poor Mrs Thomas!"
"The sandwiches are ready," said George. "Now, what"s the plan, Julian? We all separate, I suppose, and quarter the hill, shouting all the time?"
"That"s it," said Julian, beginning on his sandwiches hungrily, and slipping some tomatoes and radishes into his pocket. "You go round that side, Anne and George, one of you high up on the hill, and one lower down, so that your shouts cover as much distance as possible. And d.i.c.k and I will do the same on this side. We"ll go down to b.u.t.terfly Farm, too, in case he has wandered there."
They all set off, and soon the hill echoed to stentorian shouts. "BENNY! BE- ENNY! BENNY! Coo-ee, Benny! Coo-ee!"
Over the heather scrambled the four, with Timmy excitedly leaping about, too. He knew that Benny was lost, and he was sniffing for some smell of the small boy - but his sharp nose could find nothing.
Julian went to b.u.t.terfly Farm and searched all about, but there was no sign of the boy there. In fact, there was no sign of anyone, not even old Mrs Janes. She had gone off somewhere, and the two men were out b.u.t.terflying as usual. In fact, George and Anne saw them as they searched their side of the hill, and called to them. "Have you seen anything of a small boy and a little pig?"
The two men were curt and unhelpful. "No. No sign at all."
"I suppose they"re annoyed because they still think the boys broke the gla.s.s of their b.u.t.terfly House!" said George "Well, I wish they would hunt for Benny instead of b.u.t.terflies."
It was two hours before Benny was found, and the Five had almost given up looking for him. They had met together as they came round the hill, and were standing in despair, wondering what to do next, when Timmy suddenly p.r.i.c.ked up his ears. Then he barked - an excited little bark that said as plainly as possible, "I"ve heard something interesting."
"What is it then, Tim, what is it?" cried George at once. "Go find, go find!"
Timmy trotted off, his ears well p.r.i.c.ked. He stopped every now and again and listened, then went on again. The children listened, too, but they could hear nothing - no call, no groan, no whimper.
"Why - he"s going downhill towards the caves," said Julian at last. "The caves!
Why didn"t we think of those? But how could that tiny little fellow have found the way there - it"s a long and complicated way from Billyc.o.c.k Farm?"
"He might have followed Curly, the pig," said Anne, "We always thought that he only pretended that the pig ran away, so that he could wander where he liked and blame it on the pig. But this time the pig might really have "runned away"!"
"Let"s hope it"s Benny that Timmy can hear," said Julian. "I must say I can"t hear a single sound and I"ve got pretty sharp ears!"
And then the next minute they all heard something - a small, tired voice calling high and clear - "Curly! Curly! I want you!"
"BENNY!" yelled everyone and leapt ahead so fast that the heathery ground shook beneath their trampling feet.
Timmy was there first, of course, and when the four children came up, they saw him gently licking the golden-haired little boy, who had put his arms round the dog"s neck in delight. Benny was sitting just outside the entrance of the caves, all by himself - his pigling was not there.
"Benny! Oh, Benny darling, we"ve found you," cried Anne, and knelt down beside him. He looked up at the others, not seeming at all surprised to see them. "Curly runned away," he said. "He runned right away. Curly"s gonned in there," and he pointed into the caves.
"Thank goodness you didn"t follow him!" said George. "You might never have been found! Come along - we must take you home!"
But as soon as she lifted up the child he began to kick and scream. "No! No! I want Curly! I want Curly!"
"Darling, he"ll come along when he"s tired of the caves," said Anne. "But your Mummy wants you now - and your dinner is waiting for you."
"I"m hungry," announced Benny. "I want my dinner - but I want Curly, too. Curly!
Curly! Come here!"