4
a visit from bill – and a great idea
philip’s captor was remarkably quiet in his movements. he had captured philip with hardly asound, and as the boy had not had time to utter a single cry, nobody had heard anything at all.
philip struggled frantically, for he was half choked with the soft earth that his face was buried in.
he was twisted over quickly, and a gag of some sort was put right across his mouth. his wrists,he found, were already tied together. whatever could be happening? did this fellow think he wasbill? but surely he knew that bill was big and burly?
trying to spit out the earth in his mouth behind the gag, philip wriggled and struggled. but itwas of no use, for his captor was strong and merciless.
he was picked up and carried to a summer-house, quite silently. ‘and now,’ hissed a voice,close to his ear, ‘how many more of you are there here? tell me that, or you’ll be sorry. grunttwice if there are more of you.’
philip made no answer. he didn’t know what to do, grunt or not grunt. instead he groaned, forhis mouth was still full of earth, and it did not taste at all nice.
his captor ran his hands over him. then he got out a small pocket-torch, and flashed it once,very quickly, on philip’s gagged face. he saw the tuft of hair standing straight up on philip’sforehead and gave a gasp.
‘philip! you little ass! what are you doing out here, creeping about in the dark?’
with a shock of amazement and delight, philip recognised bill’s voice. gosh, so it was bill!
well, he didn’t mind his mouth being full of earth then. he pulled at the gag, making gurglingsounds.
‘shut up!’ whispered bill urgently, and he took off the gag. ‘there may be others about. don’tmake a sound. if you’ve anything to say whisper it right into my ear, like this.’
‘bill,’ whispered philip, his mouth finding bill’s ear, ‘there’s a man hidden in the bushes at ourfront gate. we spotted him there, and i slipped out to warn you if i could. be careful.’
bill undid philip’s wrists. the boy rubbed them tenderly. bill knew how to tie people up, nodoubt about that! good thing he hadn’t knocked him out.
‘the back door’s open,’ he whispered into bill’s ear. ‘as far as i know there’s nobody waitingabout at the back. let’s try and get into the house. we can talk there.’
very silently the two made their way back to the gap in the hedge that philip knew so well.
neither of them trod on the gravel, in case the slight crunch might warn any hidden watcher.
they squeezed through the gap slowly and carefully. now they were in philip’s own garden.
taking bill by the arm he led him slowly over the dark lawn, under the trees, towards the house.
there was no light in it anywhere now. mrs mannering had gone to bed.
the back door was still unlocked. philip pushed it open, and the two of them went in. ‘don’tput on the light,’ whispered bill. ‘we don’t want anyone to know that we’re awake here. i’ll lockthis door.’
they went cautiously upstairs. one of the stairs creaked loudly, and jack, who was waiting inthe bedroom, shot to the door. luckily he didn’t switch the light on.
‘it’s all right – it’s only me,’ whispered philip. ‘and i’ve got old bill.’
‘good egg!’ said jack in delight, and dragged them into his room. bill gave his hand a heartyshake. he was very fond of the whole family.
‘i must rinse my mouth out,’ said philip. ‘it’s full of earth still. i didn’t dare to do any spittingout in the garden, because of the noise. ugh! it’s horrible!’
‘poor philip!’ said bill remorsefully. ‘i didn’t know it was you, old fellow. i thought it wassomebody lying in wait for me, and i meant to get him, before he got me!’
‘you did it jolly well,’ said philip, rinsing his mouth out. ‘now where’s my tooth-paste? i reallymust clean my teeth! oh, blow!’
his hand, seeking for his tooth-paste in the dark, had knocked over a glass. it fell into the basinand smashed. it made a tremendous noise in the silent night.
‘go and warn the girls not to put their light on, if this has woken them,’ said bill urgently tojack. ‘quick! and see if it has waked aunt allie. if it has, warn her too.’
lucy-ann was awake, and jack just managed to stop her switching on the light. his mother didnot stir. her room was further away and she had not heard the sound of breaking glass. lucy-annwas astonished to hear jack’s urgent voice.
‘what’s up?’ she asked. anything gone wrong? are you or philip ill?’
‘of course not,’ said jack impatiently. ‘get your dressing-gown on, and wake dinah. bill’shere! but we’re not to put on any lights, see?’
something fluttered by his head with a low squawk. ‘oh, kiki! i wondered where you were,’
said jack. ‘what made you sleep in the girls’ room tonight? come along and see bill!’
lucy-ann awoke an astonished dinah. the two girls put on their dressing-gowns and went tothe boys’ room. kiki was already there, nibbling bill’s ear in delight, making soft noises in his ear.
‘hallo! hallo!’ said bill, when the girls crept softly into the room. ‘which is which? i can onlyfeel you. ah, this must be lucy-ann – i can smell your freckles!’
‘you can’t smell freckles,’ said lucy-ann, giggling. ‘but you’re right, it is me, all the same.
oh, bill, where have you been so long? you didn’t answer any of our letters at all.’
‘i know,’ said bill. you see – i was on a peculiar job – hunting down a gang of rogues – andthen, before i knew what was happening, they got wind of what i was doing – and began to huntme down! so i had to go into hiding, and keep dark.’
‘why – would they have kidnapped you or something, bill?’ asked lucy-ann, scared.
‘oh, there’s no knowing what they would have done to me,’ said bill airily. ‘i should certainlyhave disappeared for good. but here i am, as you see.’
‘so that’s what that man at the front gate was there for – hoping to get you,’ said philip. ‘whyhave you come to see us now, bill? do you want us to do anything?’
‘well,’ said bill, ‘i’ve got to disappear for some time, and i wanted to see your motherparticularly, to give her a few things to keep for me – just in case – well, just in case i didn’t turnup again. i’m what is called a “marked man” now, as far as this particular gang is concerned. iknow too much about them for their own comfort.’
‘oh, bill – but where are you going to disappear to?’ asked lucy-ann forlornly. ‘i don’t likeyou to disappear into the blue. can’t you tell us?’
‘oh – i’ll probably lead the simple life somewhere in the wilds,’ said bill. ‘till these fellowshave given up hunting for me, or get themselves caught, i don’t want to disappear – don’t thinkthat! i’m not afraid of any of them, but my chiefs can’t afford to let anyone get hold of me. so i’vegot to vanish completely for a time – and not even get into touch with you or my family.’
there was a silence. it wasn’t nice to hear all this, told in a low voice in the darkness ofmidnight. lucy-ann groped for bill’s hand. he squeezed her fingers.
‘cheer up! you’ll hear from me again some day – next year, or the year after. i shall take somekind of disguise – become a miner somewhere in the wilds of alaska – or – or a lonelyornithologist on some desolate island – or . . .’
jack gave a gasp. something clicked in his mind as a really brilliant idea slid into place there.
‘bill! oh, bill! i’ve thought of something grand!’
‘sh! not so loud!’ said bill. and just take kiki on your shoulder now, will you, before shenibbles away the whole of my left ear.’
‘listen, bill,’ said jack urgently. ‘i’ve thought of something. we had a great disappointmenttoday – i’ll tell you about it first.’
‘go on, then,’ said bill, thankful that kiki was no longer on his shoulder.
‘i don’t expect you know, but we’ve all had measles pretty badly,’ said jack. ‘that’s why we’renot back at school. well, the doctor said we ought to go away for a change, and aunt alliedecided we could go on a bird-watching expedition, with dr johns and his party, to some lonelycoasts and islands off the north of britain – you know, places that only birds live on, and onlybird-lovers visit.’
‘i know,’ said bill, listening intently.
‘well, dr johns got hurt in an accident today,’ said jack. ‘so we can’t go because there isnobody to take us. but – why can’t you take us – disguised as some bird-man or other? – thenwe’d have a perfectly glorious holiday, you’d be able to get off into the unknown without anyoneknowing – and we could leave you behind there when we come back – quite safe!’
there was silence. all the children waited breathlessly for bill’s answer. even kiki seemed tobe listening anxiously.
‘i don’t know,’ said bill at last. ‘it’s too much like using you as a smoke-screen – and if myenemies saw through the smoke – well, things wouldn’t be too good for you or for me either. idon’t think it’s possible.’
the mere thought of bill’s turning the wonderful idea down made the children moreenthusiastic and urgent about it. they each had a few words to contribute.
‘we were so disappointed not to go – and now this does seem a way – and after all, it wouldonly be for about two weeks, as far as we’re concerned. we’d be going back to school then.’
‘you’re awfully good at disguises. you could easily look like an ornithologist – sort of earnest,and always peering into the distance for birds, and with field-glasses over your shoulder . . .’
‘nobody could possibly know. we’d all be absolutely safe up in the northern seas, so wild anddesolate, with you. think of may up there – the sea so blue, the birds all soaring and gliding, thesea-pinks out all over the place . . .’
you’d be safe, bill – no one surely would ever dream of hunting for you in a place like that.
and oh, we do want that kind of holiday. we’ve felt mouldy after measles.’
‘not so loud,’ whispered bill. ‘i’ll have to talk things over with your mother first – even if ithink it’s all right myself. it’s a bold idea – and i don’t think it would occur to anyone for onemoment that i would go off openly like that. and i must say that a holiday with you four – andkiki too, of course – is just what i’m needing at the moment.’
‘oh, bill – i believe you’ll do it!’ said lucy-ann, hugging him with ecstasy. ‘what a lovelyending to a horrid day!’
