‘If he’s not careful, I’ll hand the whole job over to him!’ said Julian, with a chuckle. ‘George, let’s talk about your plans for tonight. I think if you are going over to Kirrin Island to hide those papers you’ve planned to hide, you must take Timmy with you.’
‘Oh, I will!’ said George. ‘Not that there will be a single soul on the island, but I’d like old Tim just for company. I’ll take the papers straight to the island, land, and hide them.’
‘Where?’ asked Julian.
‘Oh, I’ll decide that when I’m there,’ said George. ‘Somewhere cunning! I know my own little island from top to bottom. And there those papers will stay until all danger is past. We’ll let Professor Hayling think he has hidden them somewhere himself, and forgotten where! It will be fun to row across to my island, at night, with Timmy.’
‘The thieves can make do with my figures and diagrams if they come to the tower room again,’ said Julian. ‘Don’t they look professional?’
They certainly did! Everyone looked at the neat figures and carefully drawn diagrams with admiration.
Timmy suddenly sat up and gave a deep growl again. Charlie the Chimp patted him as if to say, ‘What’s wrong, old boy?’ but Timmy took no notice and went on growling. He suddenly shot out of the tent, and there was a shout from someone outside. ‘Get off! Get down! GET DOWN!’
George swung back the tent opening. Mr Wooh was there, looking extremely frightened, as Timmy growled menacingly round his ankles. Charlie the chimp ran up to him on all fours, and, angry because Timmy was snarling at his friend, showed his teeth suddenly at the big dog. George was terrified. ‘Don’t let them fight!’ she cried, afraid that Timmy would get decidedly the worst of it. Charlie was jumping up and down in a most alarming way.
‘Charleee!’ said Mr Wooh in his deep voice. ‘Charleee!’
And Charlie stopped jumping up and down and making horrible noises, and leapt straight on to Mr Wooh’s back, putting his arms round his neck.
Mr Wooh bowed courteously to them all. ‘I trust I have not disturbed you, my friends,’ he said, in his foreign-sounding voice. ‘I now take a little walk with my friend Charleee. You come again to see our show, I hope. Yes? No?’
‘Probably,’ said Dick, noticing that the magician had taken a quick and interested look at Julian’s figures and diagrams. Julian covered them up immediately, as if he didn’t want the magician to see them. He had seen something in the man’s eyes that puzzled him. Could Mr Wooh possibly have had anything to do with the theft of the papers the night before? After all, he was a wizard at figures himself - he might be able to read the Professor’s figures and diagrams and understand them perfectly. Well - he wouldn’t gather much from the ones Julian was now doing - they were more or less nonsense made up by Julian himself to deceive anyone interested in the real ones.
‘I interrupt you? Pardon me!’ said Mr Wooh, and bowed himself politely away from the group in the tent. Charlie the Chimp followed him, hoping that Mischief would too, so that they could have a game. But Mischief didn’t want to. He didn’t like Mr Wooh.
‘Well, I didn’t realise that anyone from the circus would walk down the field so quietly, and be able to hear what we were saying inside the tent,’ said Julian, worried. ‘I didn’t like the look in his eyes. Dick - you don’t suppose he heard anything we were saying, do you?’
‘Would it matter?’ said Dick.
‘It might,’ said Julian. ‘Do you think he heard what George said about going over to Kirrin Island with the other papers - the valuable ones that the thieves didn’t see in the tower room last night? I wouldn’t let George go if I thought he had heard. In fact, I think she’d better not go. She might run into danger.’
‘Don’t be silly, Ju,’ said George. ‘I am going. And Timmy will be with me.’
‘You heard what I said, George. You are not to go!’ said Julian. ‘I’ll take the papers and hide them on the island. I’ll get them when it’s dark, fairly late. I’ll cycle over to Kirrin and untie the boat you keep there, and row over to the island.’
‘All right, Julian,’ said George, astonishingly meekly. ‘Shall we have a meal now? We’ve only to open the tins, and empty the tomatoes and lettuces out of the basket there. And the drinks are in that cool corner over there.’
‘Right,’ said Julian, glad that George had given way to him so easily. He would go across in George’s boat and find a good hiding-place. If danger was about, he could deal with it better than George could. After all, she was only a girl!
Yes, Julian, she is - but, as you’ve often said, she’s just as brave as a boy. Don’t be too sure about tonight!
Chapter Fourteen
LADDERS - AND A LOT OF FUN!
The children stared after Mr Wooh and the chimpanzee. They saw Charlie pick up two empty buckets, one in each strong paw, and race off to the right with them.
‘Where’s he going?’ said Anne, astonished at the rate he was running along.
‘I bet he’s going to get some water from the stream in those pails, and take them to whoever washes down the horses,’ said George. She was right! Charlie soon came back again, walking this time, holding a heavy pail of water in each hand!
‘Well, I must say that chimpanzee is jolly useful!’ said Dick. ‘Look - there’s Madelon who trains those beautiful horses that paraded round the ring last night - she’s wearing old trousers this morning, she looks quite different. There - Charlie has set the pails of water down beside her. I bet that as soon as she wants any more water, he’ll be off again to the stream!’
‘I rather like old Charlie,’ said Anne. ‘I didn’t at first - but now I do. I wish he didn’t belong to Mr Wooh.’
Julian stood up, looking down at the paper on which he had so carefully written lines of small figures and drawn many peculiar diagrams. ‘I somehow feel this isn’t much good now,’ he said. ‘I think Mr Wooh must have guessed it was all a make-up as soon as he saw it. He gave himself away a bit, though - I saw him looking at the paper in a rather startled way, as if he’d seen something very like it very recently indeed!’
‘So he had, the wretch, if he’d sent someone up to get my Dad’s papers out of the tower room!’ said Tinker. ‘I say - what about having a look round the circus, to see if we can spot a ladder anywhere - one tall enough to reach the tower room!’
‘Good idea!’ said Dick. ‘Come on - we’ll go now. Chuck that drawing-board and diagram paper over our fence, Ju. I hardly think it’s worth your while to finish it.’
The Five, with Tinker and Mischief, wandered down the field to where the circus was encamped. Dick spotted a ladder, lying in the grass, and nudged Julian.
‘Julian! See that? Would it reach the tower?’ Julian walked over to it. It certainly was very, very long - but would it be long enough? No - he didn’t think it would. Still - he might as well find out who owned it. At that moment up came the Boneless Man, walking perfectly. He grinned at the children - and then suddenly put all his double-joints to work, bent his knees into peculiar positions, twisted his head round so that he was looking over his own back, and then bent his double-jointed arms the wrong way, so that he looked very peculiar indeed!
‘Don’t! I don’t like it!’ said Anne. ‘You look so queer and strange! Why are you called the Boneless Wonder? You aren’t boneless - you just make yourself look as if you were, with all those queer double-joints of yours!’
The Boneless Man seemed suddenly to lose all his bones, and crumpled up on the grass in a funny heap. The children couldn’t help laughing. He didn’t look as if he had any bones at all then!
‘Er - can you climb ladders if you’re double-jointed?’ asked Julian, suddenly.
‘Of course!’ said the Boneless Man. ‘Run up them backwards, forwards, sideways - any way you like.’
‘Is that your ladder, then?’ asked Dick, nodding his head towards the ladder in the grass.
‘Well - I use it, but so does everyone else!’ said the Boneless Man, turning his he
ad the wrong way round, so that it seemed as if it was put on back to front. It was odd to speak to someone whose head did that - one minute they were talking to his face, the next to the back of his head!
‘I wish you wouldn’t do that,’ said Anne. ‘It makes me feel giddy.’
‘Do you use that ladder to put the flag on the top of the circus tent?’ asked Dick. ‘It doesn’t look long enough for that.’
‘It isn’t,’ said the Boneless Man, turning his head the right way round, much to Anne’s relief. ‘There’s a much longer one over there - it takes three men to carry it, it’s so heavy - but the centre circus pole is very tall, as you see. One man couldn’t possibly carry the long ladder.’
The children looked at one another. That ruled out the very long ladder too, then. If it needed three men to carry it, Jenny would certainly have heard a lot more noise last night!
‘Are there any more ladders in the circus camp?’
‘No - just the two. Why? Thinking of buying one?’ said the Boneless Man. ‘I must go. The Boss is beckoning to me.’ Off he went, walking in a most peculiar fashion, using his double joints for all he was worth!
‘What about the acrobats?’ said Julian. ‘They must be used to climbing and clambering everywhere. I wonder if any of them could have climbed the wall?’
‘I don’t think so,’ said Tinker. ‘I had a good look at it this morning - and although there is a kind of creeper climbing up the wall, it stops half-way - and above that there’s just the stone wall. Even an acrobat would have to have some help up the tower wall!’
‘Could the clowns have found a way?’ said George. ‘No - I suppose they’re not as good even as the acrobats at climbing. I don’t believe the thief could have been anyone from the circus after all. Look - what’s that on the ground over there - outside that tent?’
They all went over to see. It looked like a pile of dark-grey fur. George touched it with her toe. ‘Oh - I know what it is - the donkey-skin!’
‘Golly - so it is!’ cried Tinker in delight, and picked it up - or tried to. It was much too heavy for him to hold up all of it.
In a trice Dick and George were inside that donkey-skin! Dick had the head, and found that he could see quite well where he was going, for the donkey-neck had neat eye-holes in it - the head itself was stuffed with paper. George was the back legs, and kicked up her feet and made the donkey look extremely lively. The others roared with laughter.
Someone shouted loudly. ‘Hey - you leave that donkey-skin alone!’
It was Jeremy. He came running up, looking furious. He had a stick in his hand, and hit out at the donkey’s hind parts, giving poor George a good old whack, and making her yell.
‘Hey! Stop that, it hurt!’
Tinker looked furiously at Jeremy. ‘How dare you do that?’ he shouted. ‘Dick and George are in the donkey-skin. Put down that stick!’
But Jeremy gave the donkey’s hind legs another whack and George yelled again. Tinker gave a shout too, and flung himself on Jeremy, trying to get the stick out of his hand. The boy struggled, holding on to the stick, but Tinker gave him a straight blow on the chest, and down he went!
‘Ha! I said I’d knock you down sometime, and I have!’ yelled Tinker. ‘Get up and fight. I’ll teach you to hit a girl!’
‘Now stop it, Tinker,’ said Julian. ‘How could he have known George was inside? Come out of the skin, you two idiots, before old Grandad comes up. He looks as if he’s on his way now!’
Jeremy was up now, and danced round Tinker with doubled fists. Before either boy could exchange a blow, Grandad’s great voice came to them.
‘NOW THEN! STOP IT!’
Jeremy swung his fist at Tinker, who dodged, and then in his turn hit out at Jeremy, who ran back - straight into old Grandad, who at once clutched him.
By this time George and Dick were out of the donkey-skin, looking rather ashamed of themselves. Old Grandad grinned at them, still holding on to the furious Jeremy. ‘Fight’s off,’ said Grandad to Tinker and Jeremy. ‘If you want to go on, either of you, you can fight me, not each other.’
However, neither of the boys wanted to take on old Grandad. He might be old, but he could still give some mighty slaps, as Jeremy very well knew. They stood staring at one another, looking rather sheepish.
‘Go on - shake hands and be friends,’ said Grandad. ‘Quick, now, or I’ll do a little fighting myself!’
Tinker held out his hand just as Jeremy held out his. They shook, grinning at one another. ‘That’s right!’ said old Grandad. ‘No harm done. No bones broken. You’re quits now, so no more knocking each other about.’
‘Right, Grandad,’ said Jeremy, giving him a friendly punch. The old man turned to Dick and George. ‘And if you want to borrow that donkey-skin, you’re welcome,’ said old Grandad. ‘But it’s manners to ask the owner’s permission first.’
‘Yes, sir. Sorry, sir,’ said Dick, grinning. He wondered what Professor Hayling and Jenny would say if he and George did borrow it, and galloped into Hollow House at top speed. But no - he decided reluctantly that Jenny might be scared stiff and give notice, and that would never do. She wouldn’t at all like being chased by an apparently mad donkey, nor would Professor Hayling.
Grandad went off, and Julian spoke to Jeremy, who wasn’t quite sure whether to go or to stay. ‘We saw old Charlie carrying pails of water for the horses,’ he said. ‘My word, isn’t he strong!’
Jeremy grinned, glad to be friends again, and to be able to stay with the Five and Tinker. They wandered all round the field together, looking at the magnificent horses and at Dead-Shot Dick doing a little practising at shooting and then watched one small acrobat practising amazing jumps and somersaults.
Mischief the monkey came with them. He was absolutely at home with everyone in the circus now, man, woman or animal. He leapt on to the horses’ backs, and they didn’t mind! He pretended to help Charlie the Chimp to carry one of the pails of water. He ran off with Dead-Shot Dick’s cap. He went into the chimp’s cage and cuddled up in the straw with him, scrabbling about as if the cage belonged to him. He even went into Grandad’s tent and came out with a small bottle of lemonade! He couldn’t get the top off, and took it to Charlie, who was watching near by! Charlie promptly forced it off with his strong front paws - and then, to Mischief’s disgust, tipped up the bottle, and drank the lot!
Mischief was very angry indeed. He ran to Charlie’s cage, which was open, and sent the straw flying everywhere. Charlie sat outside his cage, and enjoyed the fun, grinning happily.
‘Come out, Mischief!’ called Tinker. ‘You’re making a nuisance of yourself!’
‘Let him be,’ said one of the acrobats, who was standing near by. ‘Old Charlie enjoys a bit of temper - when it’s someone else’s! Look at him sitting grinning there.’
They watched for a few seconds more, to make sure that Mischief wasn’t annoying the big chimpanzee, and then turned to watch Monty and Winks, the clowns, having an argument, which ended in Monty throwing water over Winks, and Winks emptying a basket of rubbish over Monty. What a pair!
When they turned to see if Mischief was still annoying Charlie, they saw that the little monkey had left the cage, and was tearing down the field to the fence. He leapt up, and over, and disappeared.
‘He must think it’s dinner-time,’ said Tinker, looking at his watch. ‘And golly, so it is. Buck up everyone, Jenny will be in a fine old fury if we’re really late - it’s hot dinner today.’
Away they all went in a hurry. Hot dinner! Over the fence, then, and up the garden at top speed. They mustn’t keep a hot dinner waiting - or Jenny either!
Chapter Fifteen
A HAPPY DAY - AND A SHOCK FOR JULIAN
Tinker and the Five were two minutes late for their dinner. Jenny was just taking it in, looking a little grim, as she had not been able to find the children anywhere. ‘Ah - here you are at last!’ she said. ‘I looked down the garden but you were nowhere to be seen. It’s a good thing you came
in when you did - five minutes more, and I’d have taken the dinner back again.’
‘Dear Jenny, you know you wouldn’t,’ said Tinker, giving her a sudden squeeze that made her squeal. ‘Oh, how good it smells! Mmmmm-Mmmmm!’
‘You and your Mmmmms!’ said Jenny, pushing Tinker away. ‘And I’ve told you before, that I don’t mind a gentle hug, but those squeezes of yours take all my breath away. No, Tinker, keep away from me - another squeeze like that and I’ll feel like a lemon!’
Everyone laughed at that. Jenny did say the most amusing things. Anne felt sorry that she hadn’t offered to stay and help her with the dinner. Oh dear - the time went so tremendously quickly, once they were all out together.
The talk at dinner-time was very lively. So was Mischief the monkey! He took bits from everyone’s plate and handed some of them down to Timmy, who was lying under the table as usual. Timmy appreciated these titbits very much!
‘Well! I didn’t see a single ladder in the circus camp that was tall enough to reach up to the tower room,’ said George.
‘No. If there was one, it was jolly well hidden,’ said Dick. ‘Pass the mustard, someone!’
‘In front of you, ass,’ said Julian. ‘I must say I’m beginning to wonder if Mr Wooh had anything to do with the stealing of your father’s papers, Tinker. I can’t somehow see him climbing high ladders - he’s so - so...’
‘Polite and proper,’ said Anne. ‘Actually, I can’t think of anyone in the circus who would either want the papers, or is nasty enough to steal them. They’re all so nice.’
‘I still think Mr Wooh is the most likely one,’ said Julian. ‘He’s interested in complicated figures and clever inventions. But all the same, I’m beginning to think I’m wrong. He could NOT have got up to the tower room, as there is no ladder long enough - and I really doubt if he’d dare to take a ladder into the courtyard, and risk putting it up to the tower. He might so easily be caught.’