‘We feel sure this hole that Timmy found the other day, leads down to the sea, and under the sea-bed to Kirrin Island,’ said Martin. ‘Yes, I know it sounds too mad to be true – but Mr. Curton’s got an old map which clearly shows there was once a passage under the sea-bed. If there is – well, the fellows across on the island can escape down it, after making all preparations for the island to be blown up. See?’ ‘Yes,’ said Julian, taking a long breath. ‘I do see. I see it all very clearly now. .1 see something else too! Timmy has found his way from the island, using that same passage you have just told us about – and that’s why he’s led us back here — to take us to the island and rescue Uncle Quentin and George.’ There was a deep silence. Martin stared at the ground. Dick and Julian thought hard. Anne sobbed a little. It all seemed quite unbelievable to her. Then Julian put his hand on Martin’s arm.
‘Martin! You did right to tell us. We may be able to prevent something dreadful. But you must help. We may need those spades of yours – and I expect you’ve got torches too.’ We haven’t We don’t want to waste time going back and getting them – so will you come with us and help us? Will you lend us those spades and torches?’ ‘Would you trust me?’ said Martin, in a low voice. ‘Yes, I want to come and help you. And if we get in now, my guardian won’t be able to follow, because he won’t have a torch. We ‘can get to the island and bring your unde and George safely back.’ ‘Good for you!’ said Dick. ‘Well, come on then. We’ve been talking far too long. Come on down again, Ju. Hand him a spade and torch, Martin.’ ‘Anne, you’re not to come,’ said Julian, to his little sister. ‘You’re to go back and tell Aunt Fanny what’s happened. Will you do that?’ ‘Yes. I don’t want to come,’ said Anne. ‘I’ll go back � now. Do be careful, Julian!’ She climbed down with the boys and then stood and watched till all three had disappeared, into the hole. Timmy, who had been waiting impatiently during the talking, barking now and again, was glad to find that at last they were going to make a move. He ran ahead in the tunnel, his eyes gleaming green every time he turned to see if they were following. Anne began to climb up the steep side of the quarry again. Then, thinking she heard a cough, she stopped and crouched under a bush. She peered through the leaves and saw Mr. Curton. Then she heard his voice.
‘Martin! Where on earth are you?’ So he had come to look for Martin and go up the tunnel with him! Anne hardly dared to breathe. Mr. Curton called again and again, then made an impatient noise and began to climb down the side of the quarry.
Suddenly he slipped! He clutched at a bush as he passed, but it gave way. He rolled quite near Anne, and caught sight of her.’ He looked astonished, but then his look became one of fear as he rolled more and more quickly to the bottom of the deep quarry. Anne heard him give a deep groan as at last he came to a stop.
Anne peered down in fright. Mr. Curtin was sitting up, holding one of his legs and groaning. He looked up to see if he could spy Anne. .
‘Anne!’ he called. ‘I’ve broken my leg, I think. Can you fetch help? What are you doing here so early? Have you seen Martin?’ ‘ ‘ Anne did not answer. If he had broken his leg, then he couldn’t go after the others! And Anne could get away quickly. She climbed carefully, afraid of rolling down to the bottom and having to lie beside the horrid Mr. Curton.
‘Anne!’ Have you seen Martin? Look for him and get help for me, will you?’ shouted Mr.’ Curton, and then groaned again.
Anne climbed’ to the top of the quarry’ and looked down. She cupped her hands round her mouth and shouted loudly: ‘You’re a very wicked man. I shan’t fetch help for you. I simply can’t bear you!’ ‘Arid, having got, all that off her chest, the little girl shot off at top speed over the moor.
‘I must tell Aunt Fanny. She’ll know what to do! Oh ‘I hope the’ others are safe. What shall we do if the island blows up? I’m glad, glad, glad I told Mr. Curton be was very wicked man.’ And on she ran, panting. Aunt Fanny would know what to do!
Chapter Twenty
EVERYTHING BOILS UP!
Meanwhile the three boys and Timmy were having a strange journey underground. Timmy led the way without faltering, stopping every now and again for the others to catch up with him.
The tunnel at first had a very low roof and the boys had to walk along in a stooping position, which was very tiring indeed. But after a bit the roof became higher and Julian, flashing his torch round, saw that the walls and floor, instead of being made of soil, were now made of rock. He tried to reckon out where they were.
‘We’ve come practically straight towards the cliff,’ he said to Dick. ‘That’s allowing for a few turns and twists. The tunnel has sloped down so steeply the last few hundred yards that I think we must be very far underground indeed.’ It was not until the boys heard the curious booming noise that George had heard in the caves, that they knew they must be under the rocky bed of the sea. They were walking under the sea to Kirrin Island. How strange, how unbelievably astonishing! ‘It’s like ‘a peculiarly vivid dream,’ said Julian. ‘I’m not sure I like it very much! All right, Tim — we’re coming. Hallo – what’s this?’ They all stopped. Julian flashed his torch ahead and saw a pile of fallen rocks. Timmy had managed to squeeze himself through a hole in them and go through to the other side, but the boys couldn’t.
‘This is where the spades come in, Martin!’ said Dick, cheerfully. ‘Take a hand!’ By dint of pushing and shovelling, the boys at last managed to move the pile of fallen rocks enough to make a way past. ‘Thank goodness for the spades!’ said Julian.
They went on, and were soon very glad of the spades again, to move another heap of rock. Timmy barked impatiently when they kept him waiting. He was very anxious to get back to George.
Soon they came to where the tunnel forked into two. But Timmy took the right-hand passage without hesitation, and when that one forked into three, he again chose one without stopping to think for one moment ‘Marvellous, isn’t he?’ said Julian. ‘All done by smell! He’s been this way once, so he knows it again. We ‘should be completely lost under here if we came by ourselves.’ ‘Martin was not enjoying this adventure at all. He said very little, but labored on after the others. Dick guessed he was worrying about what was going to happen when the adventure was over. Poor Martin. All he wanted to do was to draw — and instead of that he had been dragged into one horrible job after another, and used as a cat’s-paw by his evil guardian.
‘Do you think we’re anywhere near the island?’ said Dick, at last. ‘I’m getting tired of this!’ ‘Yes, we must be,’ said Julian. ‘In fact I think we’d better be as quiet as we can, in case we come suddenly on the enemy!’ So, without speaking again, they went as quietly as they could — and then suddenly they saw a faint light ahead of them. Julian put out his hand to stop the others.
They were nearing the cave where George’s father had his books and papers — where George had found him the night before. Timmy stood in front of them, listening too. He was not going ‘to run headlong into danger! They heard voices, and listened intently to see whose they were. ‘George’s — and Uncle Quentin’s,’ said Julian at last. And, as if Timmy had also satisfied himself that those were indeed the two voices, the dog ran ahead and went into the lighted cave, barking joyfully.
‘Timmy!’ came George’s voice, and they heard something overturn as she sprang up. ‘Where have you been?’ ‘Woof,’ said Timmy, trying to explain. ‘Woof!’ And then Julian and Dick ran into the cave followed by Martin! Uncle Quentin and George stared in the very greatest amazement.
‘Julian! Dick! And Martin! How did you get here?’ cried George, whilst Timmy jumped and capered round her.
‘I’ll explain,’ said Julian. ‘It was Timmy that fetched us!’ And he related the whole story of how Timmy had come into Kirrin Cottage in the early morning and had jumped on his bed, and all that had happened since.