They found him slumped over the wheel unconscious, but breathing heavily and there was no sign of any serious injury. James took charge and first they righted the van and moved it off the road.

  "We can't leave Royal," he said. "And I can't take him to hospital first and upset Mrs. Flowerdew who is our responsibility. We must tell the police and get an ambulance at once. David and I will stay here and look after Mrs. F. and see that nobody runs into us, and you, Jon, must find a telephone. When you've told the police, ring the Dolphin and let your mother know we're on our way with this courageous old dear. Don't worry Mrs. Warrender... I know where we are now and there's a village at the bottom of this hill. If there's no call box or a policeman's house you'll have to knock up somebody who's got a telephone. Good luck."

  Jon was off almost before James had finished speaking and was in a call box within ten minutes. The police were brisk and efficient and promised help at once and an ambulance as soon as they could get one. Next Jon telephoned his mother and reassured her with the news that Mrs. Flowerdew was safe and well and that they were on the way home.

  "She's had a tough time, Mother. Would you mind asking the girls to get her room warm and ready because she'll have to be tucked up in bed as soon as she arrives? No time to tell you more now but you needn't worry. Sorry to be so late but you'll understand when we explain. And please tell Judith that her husband has got a wonderful story... Cheerio. See you soon."

  It seemed a long walk up the hill and he got back a few minutes before the police car arrived. David was looking after Mrs. Flowerdew and had wrapped her in his duffle coat, and James was in the Mini trying to get some sense out of Royal who was now conscious but obviously badly shocked.

  James explained to the police why he must get Mrs. Flowerdew home to Rye at once and told them briefly what they had overheard at Holford Court and that Royal had escaped from there.

  "No doubt you'll be able to get those two for abduction, but we don't know yet where Royal fits in. We'll all be available at Rye in the morning but I must get off now. O.K.?"

  An hour later they drove into Trader's Street. The snow was crisp and unbroken on the cobbles and there were lights in the windows of thirty-nine and shining on the sign of the wicked old dolphin next door. James sighed with relief, switched off the engine and turned to David.

  "The end of a perfect day, my friend," he said. "I have a feeling that we're going to get into trouble. Better leave all explanations to me... You're home, Mrs. Flowerdew!"

  "She's asleep on my shoulder," Jon whispered. "What to do?"

  Then the front door opened to disclose Judith, Penny and Peter all looking angry and anxious but very attractive in slacks and sweaters. James got out first.

  "Please, please don't argue or be mad with us now," he pleaded. "We can't bear it. We're all heroes and we're all O.K. and the police are on the trail of two villains and Mr. Royal is on his way to hospital but you, our loved ones, must get into bed the bravest lady I've ever met. Now, Mrs. Flowerdew, you really are home again."

  Penny ran forward as David and Jon helped her out of the car. She seemed refreshed by her sleep, and when she recognized the girls she straightened her shoulders and, arm in arm with the boys, she smiled and said:

  "How very nice to be home again, my dears. And how kind of you to greet me. I do hope nobody has been anxious on my account, but I have had a most interesting experience and been rescued by these three nice young men."

  12. Dickie Gets His Story

  But for a bar of light across the ceiling from a street lamp, it was dark when Dickie woke next morning. For a moment he wondered where he was and then realized that he was in Jon's bed in the Dolphin. He turned over and remembered the astonishing events of last evening, and was even more surprised that he had slept through the night and did not know whether Mrs. Flowerdew had come home.

  Jon's room had a window built out over the pavement so that you could see up Trader's Street, over the edge of the cliff at the end to the mouth of the river and the sea beyond Rye Harbour. Tradition maintained that this room was used by smugglers as a look-out - either for the sign of a friendly flashing lantern on the Marsh to say that contraband was on the way, or for Redcoats or Preventive Officers on the prowl.

  Jon always slept with the head of the bed right under the window so it was easy for Dickie to sit up and draw the curtains back. The light from the lamp outside was enough to see his wrist-watch. Half-past six.

  He wondered whether Mary was awake. He knew the way to Penny's room but hesitated before getting out of bed and putting on some clothes. Mrs. Warrender might take a poor view of twins wandering about her hotel at this time of the morning and he did not want to upset her. But Dickie, when awake, disliked inaction and, more than anything else, he now wanted to know what had happened last night after they had been sent off to bed like babies. Then he realized that there was nothing to stop him going out in the snow and seeing whether any of the others sleeping next door were awake. If they were not, he relished the idea of rousing them.

  So he put on some clothes and quietly closed the door behind him. But for a subdued humming the hotel was quiet. The lights were on in the corridors and outside each numbered room were one or two pairs of shoes. The noise was louder as he padded along the soft carpet and as he turned the corner on to the landing he saw Mary, leaning over the banisters and looking down into the hall. She could not have heard him but when he was a few yards away she turned and smiled.

  "Hello!" she whispered. "I was coming to wake you up but was scared that I might not know Jon's room. That noise down there is Vasson using his electric cleaner. I was going to surprise him and ask what happened after we came in here last night. You don't know do you, Dickie? No, I can see you don't. You look bleary-eyed and depressed. I'm worried about Mrs. Flowerdew too. Let's go and ask Fred. I'm fed up with not knowing what's going on.

  Dickie nodded and they went down the staircase together. Fred, in a green baize apron, walking into view when they had six steps to go, was so surprised to see them that he switched off the motor of the cleaner. The sudden, dramatic silence was broken by Mary.

  "Good morning, Fred, and very nearly a happy Christmas to you. We have come to ask your help."

  Fred regarded them suspiciously. He liked these two. They amused him and he appreciated their enterprise, good manners and loyalty to each other, but he was still cautious. Every time they had been here they had been up to something, and this morning he was tired because he had not had much sleep.

  "And the same to you both," he said gravely. "What do you want and why are you up so early? I got my work to do as you know very well and I got no time to spare for a chat this morning."

  Dickie decided correctly that it would pay to be journalistically brief.

  "Just tell us please, Fred, is Mrs. Flowerdew safe home and what happened? We've only just got up and we don't know a thing. Nobody tells us but we know you will."

  "No harm in telling. The old lady was brought home in his car by Mr. Wilson and your brother and Jonathan 'bout one o'clock. Far as I know she's O.K. but I dunno where she'd been. Mrs. Warrender told me somebody telephoned her 'bout midnight - Jonathan I reckon - and she went in next door with the two girls and Mrs. Wilson. The boss is in her room here now and you'll be in trouble if she catches you a' gossipin' with me. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson came in here late."

  "Thank you very much, but is that all the news you know, Fred?" Dickie asked.

  "There's been plenty of snow in the night and it's froze hard and I did hear that Mr. Royal had some sort of accident. And the other news is that I've got my work to do and you mustn't bother me any more... Where are you going now?"

  Mary tried to look as if she needed the help of a strong man. "Don't be cross with us please, Fred. We know you're our friend but we were turned away from our beds last night and nobody except you seems to care what happens to us and it's a long time to breakfast. May we sit downstairs in the warm while you're working, and presently when it's time for you to have a cup of tea p'raps we could join you?"

  Vasson fell for this as Mary knew he would.

  "Long as you don't interfere with my work you can sit down quiet by the fire here. It's been alight all night - we never lets it out - and I've just made it up. We'll see about that tea later."

  So they went into the lounge and sat down companionably on the great hearth at the back of which an enormous log was smouldering. It was warm here and as the sound of Vasson's cleaner hummed in the distance, Dickie explained what was in his mind.

  "Now that we know Mrs. Flowerdew is O.K. and that everybody else has forgotten about us, there's no reason why we shouldn't do something on our own is there, Mary?"

  "You mean try to find what the message said that is hidden in something? Find it and give it to Mrs. Flowerdew for a Christmas present?"

  "That's it. And the first place to search is that library, and I suppose we should take every book off the shelves and look behind as well as inside each one. We could hardly do that without the others knowing, could we?"

  Mary got up and held her hands to the flames flickering at each end of the big log. Then she turned and looked thoughtfully down at her twin. Dickie was frowning too and until his sister spoke they looked exactly alike.

  "It would be super if we could find it, Dickie. I was wondering whether 'hidden in' does mean inside a book, but I suppose that would be an obvious place to hide a document. Or behind a book if it was big enough... And how can we get into the library and do all that searching without the others knowing?... Dickie, I wonder if it could be behind the walls or behind a picture? We shall have to think of a way of getting into the library and having a quick look round. If the front door of thirty-nine isn't locked maybe we could have a quick look before breakfast? I bet the others are sunk in swinish sloth."

  "You've given us an idea, Mary. Didn't Jon, or somebody, tell us that there are cellars which were used by smugglers under most of the houses in Trader's Street? Or was it Fred? Let's ask him. The idea was that a smuggler on the run might get right up the street underground. Why don't we explore the Dolphin cellars now and see if there's a way through to thirty-nine? Maybe we could get right under the Flowerdew library----"

  Mary was on her way almost before he had finished speaking. They had often been in Vasson's workroom which opened on to the hotel yard and it was here, when he was off duty, that he had told them many stories about Rye and Romney Marsh. He seemed pleased to see them and produced two extra mugs so that they could share his early morning tea.

  "Did you know I'm going to be a journalist like Mr. Wilson?" Dickie began. "He's going to help me and has given me a sort of homework to do. I've got to write what he calls a 'piece' on smugglers. Will you help me, Fred? Mary is working with me but I've remembered what you told us about the cellars under the street here and we want to explore them. Now, before breakfast."

  "Not all of them, of course," Mary added hurriedly, "but would you allow us to look at your cellars and see if there's a way into number thirty-nine next door? Please Fred, and will you lend us that big electric lantern you've got there?"

  "What do you want to do under Flowerdews?"

  "We want to help her to find a treasure which her husband has hidden for her," Dickie said. "We were going to tell you, Fred, but you must swear not to tell the others. Not even Mrs. Warrender yet because we want to surprise them all."

  "I bet you do," Fred chuckled. "I never heard tell of a treasure, but like as not the old lady could do with one. If I lets you down there will you promise not to go farther than thirty-nine? Come to think of it, if you wait until this evening I'll come with you."

  They knew then that they had won and it was not difficult to persuade him that they must go now before the others were about. He knew how independent they were and also that they would keep their promise, so he agreed to open up the Dolphin cellars and to give them half an hour to explore before coming to fetch them.

  "And what will I do if Mrs. Warrender asks for you? She's often about by now."

  "If she does happen to ask for us, please say that we shan't be long, Fred. You can say that we are trying to help Mrs. Flowerdew with a bit of exploring and that you know where we are because we told you and that we are taking Macbeth to guard us. Poor little darling dog is asleep in my room. I'll fetch him now."

  Five minutes later they were under the Dolphin. On the left, at the foot of the stone steps was a locked iron grille which led into the wine cellars. Vasson switched on the light and showed them the rows of racks holding hundreds of bottles.

  "You can't go in there," he said. "Those cellars don't lead anywhere else. The smugglers passage which leads into your room at the top of the house but is now blocked up runs down the side of the wine cellars but not through them... Sure you want to explore the rest now you're down here? I don't reckon liddle dog thinks much of it."

  It was true that Macbeth was showing no enthusiasm for subterranean exploration. His tail was down and he was shivering as Mary stooped to comfort him.

  "Where does it lead to the right?" Dickie whispered. "Is there electric light all the way?"

  "Only in the first cellar and it's switched on for you now. Sure you want to go on or will you wait for me to come with you tonight?"

  Dickie was tempted. The light in this first cellar did not do much to dispel the gloom. Beyond the shadows, in the far corners, there might be an unknown maze of passages and secret chambers which had never been lit by daylight.

  "There wouldn't be rats, would there, Fred?" Mary asked in a small voice.

  "No, lass, there would not. And if there were your liddle dog would be after 'em... Now see what I've brought you. There's enough in the battery of this lantern to last for hours and here's a bit o' white chalk and you can mark the walls as you go just to be sure you know the way back... If you don't want to go now, nobody else will know, will they? I shan't tell 'em."

  "O.K. Fred," Dickie said firmly. "We'll go and thanks for helping us. I won't forget to put you in my story and we won't go farther than the next lot of cellars and we won't be more than half an hour, we promise. It's just that we want to help Mrs. Flowerdew now..."

  "Get along with you!" Fred laughed. "You want to do summat on your own as usual and surprise 'em all. Not to worry. I'll be after you if you don't turn up soon. If I'm not in my room when you come up just leave a note saying, 'Safe back. Found a million pounds,' and I'll know you're O.K... . I'll leave this light on and the door at the top o' steps will be unlocked... Sure you're O.K.?"

  They nodded, and to Fred's surprise Mary shook his hand as if she was not going to see him for years. Then they stood still until the sound of his steps on the stairs died away and they knew that he had closed but not locked the door at the top. They knew too that, except for the faithful Macbeth, they were now alone.

  "If we don't do something soon my teeth will chatter," Mary said. "I've got Mackie on the lead so he can't escape so let's move and get it over."

  "O.K., O.K.," Dickie said loudly. "No need to whisper. We said we'd do it and we will... You take the chalk and mark the old trail and I'll take the torch and go first... Good old Fred! He's on our side."

  "He always was," Mary agreed fervently, and she was not really scared any more because she knew that he would never have allowed them to do this if there had been any real danger.

  Like so many things we worry about before they happen, their journey into the cellars of the next house was not really frightening. As on many other occasions they were together and Macbeth did plenty of sniffing around and showed no signs of alarm. The air was fresh but not too cold and the brick walls were dry. The floor was uneven, and in the two smaller cellars which led out of the main chamber there were some old trunks and other junk. Mackie investigated these relics, and when they had satisfied themselves that there was nothing else of interest, the beam of Fred's big torch picked out a brick archway. When they moved closer they saw that this had once been closed with a door which now hung, half rotting, from its hinges. The passage beyond smelled stale and when Mary touched the rough walls they were damp.

  "Can you see the end, twin? I don't like this much. I suppose this will lead us to the Flowerdew cellars and if we can't find anything quickly let's go back. My teeth have started again. I can't help it."

  What Dickie hated most was the silence. He did not mind the dark particularly, but when they stopped or were not talking, the quiet was something you could almost feel. And, of course, they were now completely cut off from the friendly world upstairs where Fred would be about his duties and the guests at the Dolphin would be waking up, and Mrs. Warrender might already be asking awkward questions.

  He tried not to think of these things as the passage turned sharply to the right before leading into another cellar. Mary felt for his hand as they stood side by side and looked at what their light showed. This cellar was smaller than any of those under the Dolphin and contained a lot more rubbish. In one corner a flight of wooden steps led up to a doorway which had been bricked up and in another was a pile of rotting trunks.

  "There's some letters painted on one of those," Mary whispered through chattering teeth. "Keep the light steady, Dickie."

  He led her nearer until they were able to decipher the name C. J. FLOWERDEW in faded white paint.

  "We're in the right place anyway," Dickie said, and swung the beam into another corner. Then, "Look, Mary. See what I see? That's an iron ladder fixed against the wall."

  They ran across and the beam showed them a hinged trapdoor in the ceiling and to the right of it a cavity in the wall.

 

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