“You mind you don’t lose that,” said Philip. “That’s our most precious possession at the moment, Jack — your tin-opener.”
“Don’t worry. I shan’t lose it,” said Jack, and began to open a tin. Kiki watched with her head on one side. She liked these tins. They had most exciting things inside, she considered.
Soon they were all sitting eating hungrily, looking out of the cave entrance to the sparkling waterfall not far off. It was nice to sit there munching away, with that lovely view outside, the soft moss beneath them, and the warm sun on their bare legs.
“We do seem to have some adventures,” said Jack. “It’s most peculiar the way we can’t seem to keep out of them. I do hope Bill and Aunt Allie aren’t worrying too much about us. If only we could get word to them!”
“We can’t,” said Philip. “We’re stuck here all alone, with no means of getting into touch with anyone as far as I can see — except those two men. I’m blessed if I can see what to do. Thank goodness we’ve got plenty of food.”
“We’d better go back to that bush where we dumped the rest of the tins and fetch them along here as soon as we can,” said Jack. “What we’ve brought won’t last us more than today. Will you two girls be all right if Philip and I go along and get what we can? We shan’t be able to bring them all at one go. We must make several journeys.”
“Yes, we shall be quite all right here,” said Dinah, giving Kiki the last bit of salmon out of her tin. “You set off this afternoon. You can leave Kiki here to guard us.”
Chapter 11
THE CAVE OF ECHOES
IT was very early in the afternoon. The boys knew they would have plenty of time to go to the bush where their tins were hidden and fetch them to the cave. Perhaps between them they could carry one sack.
“We’d better go now,” said Jack. “We’ll have to keep a sharp look-out for those men, because they were going to have a jolly good look round, and we don’t want them to spot us. Now, you’re sure you girls will be all right?”
“Quite,” said Dinah lazily. She felt glad she was not going to go all the way back to that bush and then drag a heavy sack to the cave. She lay back on the moss. It was so very very soft, and springy too.
Jack slung his field-glasses round him. They might be useful in trying to spot any men from far off. He and Philip slid through the green fronds of fern. Jack called back to the girls, raising his voice high.
“If you should happen to spot anyone near here, remember to untie the string that ties back these ferns at once, see?” he said. “Then they will swing back and the cave will be completely hidden. Lucy-Ann, see that Kiki doesn’t follow us.”
Lucy-Ann had Kiki on her shoulder, where Jack had just put her. She put her hand round the bird’s ankles and held her. Kiki knew then that she was not supposed to go with Jack and Philip and she gave a dismal squawk.
“What a pity, what a pity!” she said gloomily, and raised up her crest fiercely. But Lucy-Ann would not let her go. She held her until Jack and Philip were out of sight. Then she lowered her hand and Kiki flew off her shoulder and out of the cave. She perched on a rock looking for Jack.
“Down the well,” she said grumpily. “Blackbirds down the well.”
“No, blackbirds in a pie,” said Lucy-Ann. “What a bird you are for getting things mixed up, Kiki!”
“Poor Kiki!” said Kiki, and cracked her beak loudly. “Poor Kiki!”
She flew back into the cave. Dinah was fast asleep, stretched out on the green moss, her mouth open. Kiki flew over and put her head on one side, looking at Dinah’s open mouth. Then she plucked up a bit of moss with her curved beak.
“Kiki! Don’t you dare to put that into Dinah’s mouth!” cried Lucy-Ann, knowing Kiki’s mischievous ways. “You’re a bad bird!”
“Wipe your feet,” said Kiki crossly, and flew to the back of the cave. Lucy-Ann turned over on her tummy and watched her. She didn’t trust Kiki in this mood.
The sun poured into the cave. It felt breathless in there. Lucy-Ann thought it would be a good idea to untie the fronds and let them swing together, to keep out the sun. So she pulled the bit of string that Jack had shown her and at once the ferny curtain descended, and the cave was lost in a dim green twilight, rather exciting to be in.
Dinah didn’t wake. Lucy-Ann lay on her tummy again, thinking of all that had happened. The noise of the waterfall came in, rather muffled now, for the curtain of fronds was very thick.
“Kiki,” said Lucy-Ann. “Kiki, where are you?”
There was no answer from Kiki. Lucy-Ann tried to make out where the parrot was. She must be sulking because Philip and Jack hadn’t taken her with them. Silly old Kiki!
“Kiki! Come over here!” said Lucy-Ann. “Come and talk to me. I’ll teach you ‘Three little kittens have lost their mittens.’ ”
Still there was no answer from Kiki, not even a squawk. Lucy-Ann wondered why. Even if Kiki sulked she would usually talk back if anyone spoke to her.
She peered towards the back of the cave. No Kiki there. She looked at the ledge on which their goods were neatly arranged. No Kiki there.
Well, where was she, then? She hadn’t flown out between the fern-fronds, that was certain. She must be somewhere in the cave!
On the rocky ledge was a torch. Lucy-Ann felt for it and took it into her hand. She switched it on and flashed it round the cave. Kiki was nowhere to be seen. She was not even perched up anywhere in the low roof of the cave. How very mysterious!
Lucy-Ann now felt quite alarmed. She awoke Dinah, who sat up, rubbing her eyes, cross to be awakened.
“What’s the matter?” she said. “I was having such a lovely snooze.”
“I can’t find Kiki,” said Lucy-Ann. “I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Don’t be so silly. She’s gone out of the cave after Jack, I expect,” said Dinah, even crosser. She lay down again and yawned. Lucy-Ann shook her.
“You’re not to go to sleep again, Dinah. I tell you, Kiki was here a little while ago — at the back of the cave — and now she’s gone. Absolutely vanished.”
“Well, let her — she’ll come back all right,” said Dinah. “Leave me alone, Lucy-Ann.”
She shut her eyes. Lucy-Ann didn’t like to say any more. Dinah could be so fierce when she was cross. The little girl sighed and wished the boys were back. What had happened to Kiki?
She got up and walked across the moss to the back of the cave. The rock was folded in on. itself there, and there was a space behind one of the folds. Lucy-Ann looked cautiously into the dark space, expecting to see Kiki hiding there, ready to cry “Bo” at her, as she sometimes most annoyingly did.
But Kiki wasn’t there. Lucy-Ann flashed her torch up and down the little hidden corner, and suddenly her torch came to a stop, focussed on one place.
“Why — there’s a hole there!” said Lucy-Ann in surprise. “That’s where Kiki must have gone!”
She clambered up to the hole, which was about shoulder-high. It was just big enough for her to squeeze through. She expected to drop down into another cave the other side, but she didn’t. The hole went upwards slightly, a round, narrow tunnel. Lucy-Ann felt sure Kiki must have disappeared into this queer, dark little tunnel.
“Kiki!” she yelled, and flashed her torch in front of her. “Where are you, idiot? Come back!”
No sound from Kiki. Lucy-Ann squeezed herself right into the round tunnel, wondering how long It was. It was almost as round as a pipe. Maybe water had forced its way through at one time, but now it was quite dry. Lucy-Ann could not hear any sound of the waterfall once she was in the tunnel, though she listened hard. It was very quiet there.
“KIKI!” she yelled. “KIKI!”
Dinah heard the yell in her dreams and awoke with a jump. She sat up crossly again. But this time Lucy-Ann was not in the cave with her. Now it was Dinah’s turn to feel scared. She remembered that Lucy-Ann said that Kiki had suddenly disappeared. Now it seemed as if Lucy-Ann had too. The fronds of fern were hanging over the entrance. Lucy-Ann would not have pushed out through them without telling Dinah she was going out.
Dinah examined the cave well. No Lucy-Ann. Oh, goodness, now what had happened to her and Kiki?