‘Tufty! And Bill!’ said Jack, his voice breaking in a great gasp of joy and relief. Oh, the delight of hearing a familiar voice after so many hours of lonely darkness! The joy of seeing Philip, his tuft of hair sticking up from his forehead as usual! And Bill, with his familiar grin, his twinkling eyes, and his good dependable feeling of grown-upness – Jack was glad to have a grown-up to help him. Children could meddle in things to a certain extent – but there often came a time when you had to lean on the grown-ups.
He gave a gulp, and Bill patted him on the back. ‘Fine to see you, Jack. I bet you’ve got plenty to tell us.’
‘I have,’ said Jack. He took out his handkerchief and blew his nose hard. Then he felt better. ‘Where are the girls?’
‘Safe at home,’ said Philip. ‘We missed you somehow down in the mines yesterday, Jack, and we got taken prisoner, but we escaped, got up the shaft-hole, found our boat and sailed away in the half-dark. I went to find old Bill, and here he is. We couldn’t come in his boat because it was smashed by someone – and Joe’s boat was gone too.’
‘Well – how did you come then?’ asked Jack in astonishment.
‘There’s a way under the sea from Craggy-Tops to here,’ said Philip. ‘What do you think of that? We found it in an old book about Craggy-Tops. It took us ages to come. It was very weird. I didn’t like it much. But here we are.’
Jack was really amazed to hear how they had come. He questioned them eagerly. But Bill had a few questions to ask Jack. ‘This is all much more important than you think, Jack,’ he said. ‘Let’s sit down. I’ve got an idea you can solve a big mystery for me.’
27
A lot of things are made clear
‘I’ve got some weird things to tell you,’ said Jack eagerly. ‘First of all, what do you think I found? A cave absolutely chock full of money – paper money – notes, you know. Well, I should think there must have been thousands and thousands of pounds’ worth there – you’ve simply no idea.’
‘Ah,’ said Bill Smugs, in a voice full of satisfaction. ‘Ah! Now that really is news. Fine, Jack!’
‘Then I saw a lot of machines at work,’ went on Jack, pleased to find that his news was so intensely interesting to Bill. ‘And an engine. I thought it was to smelt or roast the copper, or whatever they have to do with it, but one of the machines looked like a printing-press.’
‘Ah-ha! said Bill, with even greater satisfaction in his voice. ‘This is wonderful news. Amazing! Jack, you’ve solved a five-year-old mystery – a mystery that has been puzzling the Government and the whole of the police for a long time.’
‘What mystery?’ asked Jack.
‘I bet I know,’ put in Philip excitedly. ‘Bill, that machinery is for printing false paper money, isn’t it? – counterfeit notes – dud money. And the money, in notes, that Jack found, is stored there after being printed. It will be taken from this island and used by the crooks or their masters.’
‘You’ve just about hit it,’ said Bill. ‘We’ve been after this gang for years – couldn’t find where they had their printing-outfit installed – couldn’t make out where the money appeared from. It’s excellently done – only an expert can tell the difference between a real bank-note and these dud ones.’
‘Bill! So the men aren’t working the copper mines then!’ cried Jack, in astonishment. ‘We were wrong about that. They chose these old mines, not to work any copper in them, but to hide their printing machines, and to do all their work in safety. How clever! How awfully clever!’
‘Very smart indeed,’ said Bill grimly. ‘All they needed was a go-between – someone who could sail out to the island with food for them, and other necessities – and take away back to the Boss, whoever he is, stacks of the dud notes. Well – it was the go-between that gave the show away, really.’
‘Who’s the go-between?’ asked Jack interestedly. ‘Anyone we know?’
‘Of course,’ said Bill. ‘I should have thought you would have guessed at once – Joe.’
‘Joe!’ cried the two boys, and in a flash they saw how everything fitted in, where Joe was concerned.
‘Yes – he had a boat, and he had only to say he was going fishing in it, in order to get over to the island and back,’ said Philip. ‘He could go at night too, if he wanted to. Those signals Jack saw were from the men on the island – and it was Joe up on the cliff, signalling back, that night Jack met him there.’
‘Yes, it was,’ said Jack, remembering. ‘And when he went off shopping in the car he’d take some of that counterfeit money with him, I guess, and deliver it to his bosses, whoever they were. No wonder he would never take us out in the car with him, or in the boat. He was afraid we might suspect something.’
‘Do you remember those boxes and crates down in the second cellar, behind that door he kept hidden by piled-up boxes?’ said Philip. ‘Well, I bet those didn’t belong to Aunt Polly. I bet they were Joe’s stores, waiting to be taken across to the island next time he went in his boat.’
‘His tales about “things” wandering on the cliffs at nights were only stories to frighten us and keep us from going out at night, and finding out anything he was doing,’ went on Jack. ‘Gracious, how everything fits in now, doesn’t it?’
‘It certainly seems to,’ said Bill, in an amused voice. He had been listening to this conversation with great interest.
‘Why did you come to this coast, to live in that tumbledown shack?’ asked Jack suddenly. ‘Were you really a bird-watcher?’
‘Of course not,’ said Bill, laughing, ‘I didn’t bargain on meeting a real bird-lover when I told you I was a birdwatcher. You nearly tripped me up lots of times. I had to read up a whole lot about birds I wasn’t in the least interested in, so that you wouldn’t suspect I didn’t know much about them, Jack. It was really very awkward for me. I couldn’t tell you what I really was, of course – a member of the police force, detailed to keep an eye on Joe and see what he was up to.’
‘How did you know Joe was up to anything?’ asked Philip.
‘Well, he’s pretty well known to the police,’ said Bill. ‘He has been mixed up in the counterfeiting of banknotes before, and we wondered if he had anything to do with this big-scale printing that was going on somewhere, we didn’t know where. We thought it just as well to watch him, once we knew where he was. He has a mighty fine way of disappearing. He’s been with your aunt for five years now, as odd-job man, and nobody ever suspected he was a fellow with a very bad record. But one of our men spotted him in town one day and found out where he worked. Then down I came, this summer, to keep a quiet eye on him.’
‘What a hornet’s nest you’ve stirred up!’ said Jack. ‘Bill – did we help at all?’
‘A lot,’ said Bill, ‘though you didn’t know it. You made me certain that Joe was the go-between. You made me sure that it was the Isle of Gloom he kept going to. So I went there myself one day, and explored the mines a little way. That was when I dropped my pencil, I expect. But I must say I didn’t find anything that made me suspect there were men in the mines, doing their illegal bank-note printing on hidden machines.’
‘But we found out about it,’ said Jack proudly. ‘What are you going to do about it, Bill?’
‘Well,’ said Bill, ‘last night I spoke over the radio to my chiefs. I told them I was pretty certain what was going on here, and that I was going over to the island to rescue someone from the mines, and would they get busy, please, and begin to clear the matter up?’
‘What will they do?’ asked Jack, thrilled.
‘I shan’t know till I get back and report,’ said Bill. ‘We’d better go now, I think. We’ll go back through the sea passage, the way Philip and I came.’
‘I suppose it was Joe who smashed your boat up,’ said Philip. ‘He must have suspected something. I think he knew you were our friend.’
‘Joe is a remarkably clever rascal,’ said Bill, getting up and stretching himself. ‘All the cleverer because he pretends to be stupid. Come along.??
?
‘Bill – I want to get Kiki,’ said Jack suddenly. ‘I can’t leave her here. The men will kill her – or she’ll die of starvation or fright. Can’t we go and get her?’
‘No,’ said Bill. ‘There are more important things to be done.’
‘Let’s get her, Bill,’ said Philip, who knew that Kiki was to Jack what a dog was to other people. ‘We’ve only got to get out the map, find that main passage, and then slip along to the caves there. Jack will know where the cell is where Kiki got locked in. I think it sounds like the same one the girls and I were imprisoned in.’
‘Well – we’d better be quick then,’ said Bill doubtfully. ‘And mind – no noise at all. We don’t want to attract attention.’
They spread out the map, traced out where they were, and where the main passage was, and set out. It was not long before they were walking down the wide passage, silently and carefully.
Bill heard the clattering and banging noise. The machines were at work again. He looked grim and listened intently. Yes – that was a printing-press all right.
Just as they were coming to the cell cave in which Kiki was imprisoned, they heard sounds of voices. They crouched against the wall, hardly daring to breathe.
‘That’s Jake,’ whispered Philip, his mouth close against Bill’s ear.
There were three men, and they were at the door of the cell where the parrot was. They were listening in astonishment. A voice came from the cell, raised high, and the words could be heard.
‘Don’t sniff, I tell you! Where’s your handkerchief? How many times have I told you to wipe your feet? Poor old Kiki, poor, poor old Kiki! Put the kettle on!’
‘The boy’s gone mad,’ said Jake, to the other two men. Evidently they still thought they had shut Jack up in the cave.
‘Pop goes the weasel!’ announced Kiki dramatically, and then made a noise like a runaway engine going through a tunnel and whistling.
‘He’s off his head,’ said Olly, amazed.
There came a terrific screech, and the third man spoke suddenly.
‘That’s a parrot. That’s what it is. The boy has got his parrot in there.’
‘Open the door and we’ll see,’ said Olly. Jake put the key into the lock. The door swung inwards. Kiki at once flew out with a screech that made everyone jump. The men flashed their lamp into the cave.
It was empty. Jake turned fiercely on Olly. ‘You fool! You put the parrot in there and let the boy escape. You deserve to be shot.’
Olly stared into the empty cave. It was true. Only the parrot had been there. ‘Well,’ said Olly. ‘I expect the kid is lost for ever in these mines now, and will never be heard of again. Serves him right.’
‘We’re fools, Olly,’ said Jake bitterly. ‘First we let those other children trick us, and then the boy.’
They left the door open and went off towards the lighted cave. Jack gave a gasp. Kiki had suddenly flown on to his shoulder, and was making the most affectionate noises. She pretended to bite his ear, she made clicking noises meant to represent kisses, and altogether behaved in a most excited and delighted way. Jack scratched her head, and felt just as delighted himself.
‘Now, come along, for heaven’s sake,’ said Bill, in a low voice. They left the passage and walked quickly away, their torches shining brightly. They had not gone very far before they distinctly heard someone else coming.
‘It’s somebody from the main shaft, I should think,’ said Jack, in a low voice. They put out their torches and waited. The person came nearer, heavy-footed. His torch shone brightly. They could not see what he was like at all. They tried to slip back into a little blind passage, but Jack stumbled and fell, making a noise. Kiki screeched.
A torch dazzled them, and a voice came sharply out of the darkness. ‘Stand where you are or I’ll shoot!’
Bill put out a hand to make the boys stand still. There was something in that voice that had to be obeyed. The owner of it would not hesitate to shoot.
The three of them stood blinking there in the passage. Jack recognised the voice, and so did Philip. Who was it?
And then, in a flash, they knew. Of course they knew.
‘It’s Joe!’ cried Jack. ‘Joe, what are you doing here?’
‘A question I’m going to ask you, all three of you,’ said Joe, in a cold, grim voice. The light from his torch rested full on Bill’s face. ‘So you’re here too,’ said Joe. ‘I smashed your boat – but I reckon you found the old way under the sea-bed, didn’t you? You think yourself mighty clever, all of you – but you’ve been just a bit too clever. There’s a nasty time ahead of you – a – very – nasty – time.’
28
Trapped
The light gleamed on a revolver held by Joe. Bill felt angry with himself. If he hadn’t agreed to go back for that wretched parrot, this would never have happened. Joe was tough. He was not likely to be fooled as easily as Jake had been.
Turn round, hold your hands above your heads and walk in front of me,’ ordered Joe. ‘Ah – there’s that parrot. I owe it quite a lot – well, I’ll pay me debt now.’
Jack knew Joe meant to shoot Kiki and he gave the parrot a blow that surprised her very much. Kiki rose high into the air in indignation, screeching, lost in the darkness. ‘Keep away, Kiki, keep away!’ yelled Jack.
Kiki remained lost in the darkness. Something warned her that Jack did not want her near him. She sensed danger. She followed the little company, keeping well behind Joe, flying from place to place as silent as a bat.
The three of them were soon shut in the now familiar cave. Joe, who had shouted for Jake, locked the door himself. Then the prisoners heard them going off.
‘Well, we’re in a pretty pickle now, I’m afraid,’ said Bill. ‘Why in the world did I agree to go back for that parrot? We may all lose our lives because of that, and these fellows may escape scot-free with their thousands of false bank-notes, to spread them all over the country. We really are up against it now.’
‘I’m sorry I asked you to go back for Kiki,’ said Jack humbly.
‘I’m as much to blame as you,’ said Bill, lighting a cigarette. ‘Golly, it’s hot down here.’
After what seemed to be an endless time, the door was opened again, and Joe came in, with Jake, Olly and two or three more men behind him.
‘We just want to say a fond goodbye to you,’ said Joe, his face gleaming in the lamp-light. ‘We’ve finished up our business here. You came in at the end, Bill Smugs the cop, too late to do anything. We’ve got all the notes we’ll ever be able to use now.’
‘So you’re clearing out, are you?’ said Bill quietly. ‘Smashing up the machines to hide your tracks – taking away all your stores and your packets of dud notes. You won’t escape so easily. Your machines will be found all right, smashed or not, and your . . .’
‘Nothing will ever be found, Bill Smugs,’ said Joe. ‘Not a thing. The whole of the police force can come to this island, but they’ll never find anything they can trace back to us – never!’
‘Why?’ asked Bill, unable to conceal his surprise.
‘Because we’re flooding the mines,’ said Joe, smiling wickedly and showing his teeth. ‘Yes, Bill Smugs, these mines will soon be flooded – water will pour into every tunnel, every passage, every cave. It will hide our machines, and all traces of our work. I am afraid it will hide you too.’
‘You’re not going to leave us here, surely,’ said Bill. ‘Leave me, if you like – but take the boys up with you.’
‘We don’t want any of you,’ said Joe, still in the same horribly polite tones. ‘You would be in the way.’
‘You couldn’t be as cruel as that!’ cried Bill. ‘Why, they’re only children.’
‘I have my orders,’ said Joe. He did not seem at all the same stupid, grumpy fellow that the boys knew before – he was a different Joe altogether, and not at all a pleasant one.
‘How do you propose to flood the mines?’ asked Bill.
‘Easily,’ replied J
oe. ‘We have mined part of the passage through which you came from Craggy-Tops, under the sea-bed. When we are safely above ground, you will hear the muffled roar of a great explosion. The dynamite will blow a hole in the roof of that under-sea passage – and the sea will pour through. As you will guess, it will rush into these mines, and fill them up to sea level. I am afraid you will not find things very pleasant then.’
Jack tried to stand up to show Joe that he was not afraid, but his knees wouldn’t hold him. He was afraid, very much afraid. And so was Philip. Only Bill kept a really brave front. He laughed.
‘Well – do your worst. You won’t escape so easily as you think. More is known about you and this gang and its bosses than you imagine.’
One of the men said something to Joe. He nodded. The boys felt certain that the time was soon coming when the sea-bed was due to be blasted open – and then the waters would roar down and find their way into every nook and cranny.
‘Well – goodbye,’ said Joe, grinning and showing his teeth again.
‘See you soon,’ replied Bill, in just as polite a tone. The boys did not say anything. Kiki, out in the passage, gave a cackling laugh.
‘I should have liked to kill that bird before I left,’ muttered Joe, and went out of the cave with the others. He slammed the door and locked it.
There was the sound of retreating footsteps and then silence. Bill looked at the boys.
‘Cheer up,’ he said. ‘We’re not dead yet. We’ll give those fellows time to get some distance away, and then I’ll open this door and out we’ll go.’
‘Open the door? How?’ asked Jack.
‘Oh, I’ve my little way,’ grinned Bill, and pulled out a queer collection of files and spindly keys. After a minute or two he set to work on the door, and in a very short time it was swinging open.
‘Now for the shaft,’ said Bill. ‘Come on, before it’s too late.’
They made their way to the main passage and then half walked, half ran towards the big shaft. It took some time to get there.