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"Dick! A
"Well, why don't they let Julian and George come up and tell us then?" whispered Dick. "There's something wrong, I know there is. I do wish we could get to Julian and George and find out what has happened."
The two men came into the courtyard. They were angry. "Where have those kids got to?" said Jake. "Their boat is still in the cove, so they haven't got away. They must be hiding somewhere. We can't wait all day for them."
"Well, let's take some food and drink down to the two we've locked up," said the other man. "There's plenty in that little stone room. I suppose it's a store the children brought over. We'll leave half in the room so that the other two kids can have it. And we'll take their boat with us so that they can't escape."
"Right," said Jake. "The thing to do is to get the gold away as quickly as possible, and make sure the children are prisoners here until we've made a safe getaway. We won't bother any more about trying to buy the island. After all, it was only the idea of getting the ingots that put us up to the idea of getting Kirrin Castle and the island."
"Well-come on," said his companion. "We will take the food down now, and not bother about the other kids. You stay here and see if you can spot them while I go down."
Dick and A
After what seemed a very long time to the hidden children, the first man came back. Then the two talked together, and at last went off to the cove. Dick heard the motor-boat being started up.
"It's safe to get out now, A
They climbed out and stood warming themselves in the hot summer sunshine. They could see the motor-boat streaking towards the mainland.
"Well, they're gone for the moment," said Dick. "And they've not taken our boat, as they said. If only we could rescue Julian and George, we could get help, because George could row us back."
"Why can't we rescue them?" cried A
"No- we can't," said Dick. "Look!"
A
"It's quite impossible to get down the steps," said Dick. "They've made sure we shan't do that! And you know we haven't any idea where the second entrance is. We only know it was somewhere near the tower."
"Let's see if we can find it," said A
"Blow!" said Dick. "How I do hate to think of poor old Julian and George prisoners down below, and we can't even help them! Oh, A
A
"Dick! I suppose- I suppose we couldn't possibly climb down the well, could we?" she asked. "You know it goes past the dungeons- and there's an opening on the dungeon floor from the well-shaft, because don't you remember we were able to put in our heads and shoulders and look right up the well to the top? Could we get past that slab, do you think- the one that I sat on just now, that has fallen across the well?"
Dick thought it all over. He went to the well and peered down it. "You know, I believe you are right, A
"Oh, Dick- do let's try," said A
"Well," said Dick, 'I'll try it- but not you, A
"You will be careful, won't you?" said A
"Good idea," said Dick. He went to the little stone room and got one of the ropes they had put there. He wound it round and round his waist. Then he went back to A
"Well, here goes!" he said, in a cheerful voice. "Don't worry about me. I'll be all right."
A
"Ladder's still going strong, A
"Yes," shouted A
"I think it does!" yelled back Dick. Then he gave a loud exclamation. "Blow! It's broken just here. Broken right off. Or else it ends. I'll have to use my rope."
There was a silence as Dick unwound the rope from his waist. He tied it firmly to the last but one rung of the ladder, which seemed quite strong.
"I'm going down the rope now!" he shouted to A
A
Dick slid down the rope, holding on to it with hands, knees and feet, glad that he was so good at gym at school. He wondered if he was anywhere near the dungeons. He seemed to have gone down a long way. He managed to get out his torch. He put it between his teeth after he had switched it on, so that he might have both hands free for the rope. The light from the torch showed him the walls of the well around him. He couldn't make out if he was above or below the dungeons. He didn't want to go right down to the bottom of the well!
He decided that he must have just passed the opening into the dungeon-caves. He climbed back up the rope a little way and to his delight saw that he was right. The opening on to the dungeons was just by his head. He climbed up till he was level with it and then swung himself to the side of the well where the small opening was. He managed to get hold of the bricked edge, and then tried to scramble through the opening into the dungeon.
It was difficult, but luckily Dick was not very big. He managed it at last and stood up straight with a sigh of relief. He was in the dungeons! He could now follow the chalk-marks to the room or cave where the ingots were- and where he felt sure that George and Julian were imprisoned!
He shone his torch on the wall. Yes- there were the chalk-marks. Good! He put his head into the well-opening and yelled at the top of his voice.
"A