laughter and the unusual solemnity shown by his four friends, and he was pleased to be able to forget any troubles and sniff for rabbits.
They had their suppers at eight o"clock and then turned on the radio to listen to a programme. „We"ll hear the news at nine," said Dick. „Just in case there might be any more."
But the nine o"clock news only repeated what had been said about the two planes in the six o"clock broadcast, and not a word more. Dick switched off and gazed down at the airfield below.
There were stil quite a lot of planes there, though some of them had taken off and flown away during the day. Julian trained his field-glasses on the field.
„Not so many men scurrying about now." he said. „Things are quietening down. My word -
what a shock it must have been for everyone there last night, to hear the planes revved up, and then flown away! They must have been amazed!"
„Maybe they didn"t hear them go, in the storm," said George.
„They must have," said Dick. „We heard them up here. Well, what about you girls turning-in? Dick and I don"t want to, in case we fal off to sleep - we"ve got to slip away about half past ten or we shan"t be down at the oak-tree at eleven."
„I wish you"d take Timmy with you," said George uneasily. „I don"t like Butterfly Farm - or the witch-like old woman there - or the man you met with dark glasses who wasn"t Mr Brent, or the son you haven"t seen."
„Don"t be an ass, George," said Julian. „We shall be back by twelve, I expect - and Timmy is sure to bark in welcome, so you"l know we"re safe."
The girls wouldn"t go to their tent to sleep, so they all sat and talked, and watched the sun slip behind the clear horizon. The weather was now perfect again, and there wasn"t a cloud in the sky. It was difficult to imagine the sweeping rain and howling wind of last night"s storm.
„Well," said Julian at last, looking at his watch. „Time we went. Timmy, look after the girls as usual."
„Woof," said Timmy, understanding perfectly.
„And you look after yourselves," said Anne. „We"ll come down a little way with you - it"s such a lovely evening."
They all set off together, and the girls went halfway to the Butterfly Farm and then turned back with Timmy. „Well, Tim - mind you bark at twelve, when they come back," said Anne.
„Though somehow I think that both George and I wil stil be awake!"
The two boys went on down the hil and round to the right across towards Butterfly Farm. It was almost dark now, though the June night was very clear and bright. „Better be careful we"re not seen," muttered Julian. „It"s such a clear night."
They made their way to the big old oak-tree that stood at the back of the Butterfly Farm.
Toby was not there - but in about two minutes they heard a slight rustling noise, and saw Toby, panting a little, as if he had been hurrying. Then he was close beside them.
„Sorry I"m a bit late," he whispered. „I say - did you hear the six o"clock news?"
„Yes - we were awful y sorry about it," said Julian.
„Well - as I stil don"t believe that Cousin Jeff stole the aeroplanes with Ray Wells, but that somebody else did, I wasn"t any more upset than before," said Toby. „If Jeff didn"t steal the plane, he wasn"t in it when it crashed, so he"s not drowned. See?"
„Yes. I see," said Julian, glad that Toby had taken the news in that way, but convinced himself that there wasn"t real y much hope.
„What are your plans?" whispered Toby. „There are lights in the cottage windows - and I don"t think any curtains are pulled. We could go and peep into each one and see exactly who is there!"
„Good idea," said Julian. „Come on - and, for goodness" sake, don"t make a noise. Single file, of course. I"l lead the way."
And silently and slowly they went round the oak-tree and down to the tumble-down cottage. What would they see there, when they looked through those lighted windows?
Chapter Sixteen
LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS
The three tiptoed
They had their suppers at eight o"clock and then turned on the radio to listen to a programme. „We"ll hear the news at nine," said Dick. „Just in case there might be any more."
But the nine o"clock news only repeated what had been said about the two planes in the six o"clock broadcast, and not a word more. Dick switched off and gazed down at the airfield below.
There were stil quite a lot of planes there, though some of them had taken off and flown away during the day. Julian trained his field-glasses on the field.
„Not so many men scurrying about now." he said. „Things are quietening down. My word -
what a shock it must have been for everyone there last night, to hear the planes revved up, and then flown away! They must have been amazed!"
„Maybe they didn"t hear them go, in the storm," said George.
„They must have," said Dick. „We heard them up here. Well, what about you girls turning-in? Dick and I don"t want to, in case we fal off to sleep - we"ve got to slip away about half past ten or we shan"t be down at the oak-tree at eleven."
„I wish you"d take Timmy with you," said George uneasily. „I don"t like Butterfly Farm - or the witch-like old woman there - or the man you met with dark glasses who wasn"t Mr Brent, or the son you haven"t seen."
„Don"t be an ass, George," said Julian. „We shall be back by twelve, I expect - and Timmy is sure to bark in welcome, so you"l know we"re safe."
The girls wouldn"t go to their tent to sleep, so they all sat and talked, and watched the sun slip behind the clear horizon. The weather was now perfect again, and there wasn"t a cloud in the sky. It was difficult to imagine the sweeping rain and howling wind of last night"s storm.
„Well," said Julian at last, looking at his watch. „Time we went. Timmy, look after the girls as usual."
„Woof," said Timmy, understanding perfectly.
„And you look after yourselves," said Anne. „We"ll come down a little way with you - it"s such a lovely evening."
They all set off together, and the girls went halfway to the Butterfly Farm and then turned back with Timmy. „Well, Tim - mind you bark at twelve, when they come back," said Anne.
„Though somehow I think that both George and I wil stil be awake!"
The two boys went on down the hil and round to the right across towards Butterfly Farm. It was almost dark now, though the June night was very clear and bright. „Better be careful we"re not seen," muttered Julian. „It"s such a clear night."
They made their way to the big old oak-tree that stood at the back of the Butterfly Farm.
Toby was not there - but in about two minutes they heard a slight rustling noise, and saw Toby, panting a little, as if he had been hurrying. Then he was close beside them.
„Sorry I"m a bit late," he whispered. „I say - did you hear the six o"clock news?"
„Yes - we were awful y sorry about it," said Julian.
„Well - as I stil don"t believe that Cousin Jeff stole the aeroplanes with Ray Wells, but that somebody else did, I wasn"t any more upset than before," said Toby. „If Jeff didn"t steal the plane, he wasn"t in it when it crashed, so he"s not drowned. See?"
„Yes. I see," said Julian, glad that Toby had taken the news in that way, but convinced himself that there wasn"t real y much hope.
„What are your plans?" whispered Toby. „There are lights in the cottage windows - and I don"t think any curtains are pulled. We could go and peep into each one and see exactly who is there!"
„Good idea," said Julian. „Come on - and, for goodness" sake, don"t make a noise. Single file, of course. I"l lead the way."
And silently and slowly they went round the oak-tree and down to the tumble-down cottage. What would they see there, when they looked through those lighted windows?
Chapter Sixteen
LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS
The three tiptoed
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