I wonder if I could possibly see it tonight, in the light of the full moon, thought Jack. He slipped off the mattress without waking Philip, and went to the window. He stared out.
The sea was silvery bright in the moonlight. Where rocks cast shadows, deep black patches lay on the sea. The waters were calmer than usual, and the wind had dropped. Only a murmur came up to Jack as he stood at the window.
Then he stared in surprise. A sailing-boat was coming over the water. It was still a good way out, but it was making for the shore. Whose boat was it? Jack strained his eyes but could not make out. A sailing-boat making for Craggy-Tops in the middle of the night! It was queer.
I’ll wake Tufty, he thought, and went to the mattress. Tufty! Philip! Wake up and come to the window.
In half a minute Philip was wide awake, leaning out of the narrow window with Jack. He too saw the sailing-boat, and gave a low whistle that awoke Kiki and brought her to Jack’s shoulder in surprise.
Is it Jo-Jo in the boat? wondered Philip. I can’t tell if it’s his boat or not from here. Anyway, let’s get down to the shore and watch it come in, Freckles. Come on. I’m surprised that Jo-Jo should be out at night, when he’s always telling us about ‘things’ that wander around the cliff in the dark but probably it isn’t Jo-Jo.
They put on shorts and jerseys, and their rubber shoes, and made their way down the spiral stair. They were soon climbing down the steep cliff path. Under the moon the sailing-boat came steadily in, the night wind behind it.
It is Jo-Jo’s boat, said Philip at last. We can see it plainly now. And there’s Jo-Jo in it. He’s alone, but he’s got a cargo of some sort.
Maybe he’s been fishing, said Jack. Let’s give him a fright, Philip.
The boys crept up to where the boat was heading. Jo-Jo was furling the sail. Then he began to row to the shore, towards the little harbour where he always tied up his boat. The boys crouched down behind a rock. Jo-Jo brought the big boat safely in, and then tied the rope to the post. He turned to pull out whatever cargo he had and at that very moment the boys jumped out at him, giving Red Indian whoops and rocking the boat violently.
Jo-Jo was taken unawares, lost his balance and fell into the water, going overboard with a terrific splash. He came up at once, his face gleaming in the moonlight. The boys did not like the expression on it. Jo-Jo climbed out of the water, shook himself like a dog, and picked up a thick rope-end.
Golly he’s going to lick us, said Jack to Philip. Come on we must run for it.
But the way to the house was barred by the big powerful body of the black man, swinging his rope-end.
Now I’ll show you what happens to boys who come spying around at night, he said between his teeth. Jack tried to dodge by, but Jo-Jo caught hold of him. He swung the rope-end into the air and Jack gave a yell. At the same moment Philip charged Jo-Jo full in the middle, and the black man gasped for breath, and let go of Jack. The boys sped off over the beach at once, heading away from the steep cliff path that led to the house. Jo-Jo was after them immediately.
The tide’s coming in, gasped Jack, as he felt water running over his ankles. We must turn back. We’ll be caught by the tide and pounded against the rocks.
We can’t turn back. We shall be licked black and blue by Jo-Jo, panted Philip. Jack make for that cave. We can perhaps creep up that secret passage. We simply must. I really don’t know what Jo-Jo mightn’t do if he was in a rage. He might even kill us.
Quite terrified now, the boys floundered into the cave, the waves running round their ankles. Jo-Jo came splashing behind them. Ah he had got those boys now! Wait till he had done with them! They wouldn’t leave their beds again at night!
The boys found the hole in the floor of the cave they were looking for and disappeared down it into the darkness of the secret passage. They heard Jo-Jo breathing heavily outside in the upper cave. They hoped and prayed he would not slip down the hole too.
He didn’t. He stood outside by the entrance, waiting for the boys to come out. He had no idea there was a secret passage there. He stood, panting heavily, the rope-end in his hand. A big wave covered his knees. Jo-Jo muttered something. The tide was coming in rapidly. If those boys didn’t come out immediately they would be trapped there for the night.
Another wave ran up, almost as high as the black man’s waist. It was such a powerful wave that Jo-Jo at once left the cave entrance and tried to make his way back across the beach. He could not risk being dashed to pieces against the cliff by the incoming tide.
Those boys can spend the night in the caves, and I’ll deal with them tomorrow morning early, thought Jo-Jo grimly. As soon as the tide goes down in the morning I’ll be there and they’ll be mighty sorry for themselves when I’ve finished with them.
But the boys were not shivering inside the cave. They were once more climbing up the secret passage, this time in complete darkness. The passage was terrifying enough but not nearly so alarming as Jo-Jo.
They came at last to the trap-door and pushed it open. They clambered out on to the rocky cellar floor, and shut the trap-door.
Take my hand, said Jack, shivering as much with cold as with fright. We’ll make our way towards the door as best we can. Come on. You know the direction, don’t you? I don’t.
Philip thought he did, but he found that he didn’t. It took the boys some time to find the cellar door. They felt all round the rocky walls of the cellar, and at long last, after falling over boxes of all kinds, they came to the door. It was not locked. Thank goodness they had taken away the key. Philip pushed at the door and it opened.
The pile of boxes on the other side fell over with a terrific crash that echoed all round the cellar. The boys stood listening to see if anyone would hear and come. But nobody did. They piled up the boxes again as best they could and crept up the cellar steps and into the moonlit kitchen.
They wondered where Jo-Jo was. Was he still waiting for them at the entrance to the caves?
Jo-Jo was not. He had made fast his boat, removed several things from it, and then had climbed the cliff path to the house. He had gone to his bedroom, just off the kitchen, gloating over the thought of the two boys shivering in the caves, when a terrific noise came to his ears.
It was the pile of boxes overturning down in the cellar, but Jo-Jo did not know that. He stood in his bedroom, rooted to the ground. What was that noise? He did not dare to go and find out. If he had, he would have seen two figures stealing through the moonlit kitchen towards the hall. He would have seen them scurrying up the stairs as quietly as mice.
Soon the boys were on their mattress, glad to be there safe and sound. They chuckled when they thought of Jo-Jo waiting in vain for them. And, down in his bedroom, Jo-Jo chuckled to think of how he would wait outside the cave the next morning, rope-end in hand, and give those two boys a good hiding.
They all fell asleep at last.
Jo-Jo was up first, piling driftwood on the kitchen fire. He did his jobs, and then tied the rope-end round his waist. It was time he went down to the beach and caught those boys. The tide would soon be down low enough for them to come out.
Then he stopped still in the greatest astonishment for into the kitchen, as bold as brass, came all four children, chattering away loudly.
What’s for breakfast? Golly, I’m hungry.
Did you have a good night, boys? We did.
Fine. We must have slept all the night through. These words were from Philip. Jack joined in, delighted to see the amazement and wonder on Jo-Jo’s black face. Yes, we slept like logs. Even if Kiki had done her imitation of a railway express, I don’t think we’d have waked up.
What’s for breakfast, Jo-Jo? asked Dinah. Both the girls knew about the boys’ adventure the night before, and were entering into the fun of puzzling Jo-Jo. He evidently still thought the boys were down in the caves.