Chapter 13 OFF TO FIND GEORGE
Joan was the only one in the household who woke up reasonably early the next morning - but evenshe was too late to catch the milkman. She scurried downstairs at half-past seven, an hour later thanusual, tying up her apron as she went.
'Half-past seven - what a time to wake up!' she muttered, as she began to do the kitchen fire. Shethought of all the happenings of the night before - the queer evening with young Sid, Dick's 50capture of Jo - and Jo's extraordinary tale. She had had a look at Jo before she went down, halfexpecting that lively young rogue to have disappeared in the night.
But Jo was curled up like a kitten, her brown cheek on her brown paw, her hair, unusually bright andtidy, falling over her tightly-shut eyes. She didn't even stir when Joan scurried about the bedroom,washing and dressing.
The others were fast asleep, too. Julian woke first, but not till eight o'clock. He rememberedimmediately all that had happened, and jumped out of bed at once.
He went to Joan's room. He could hear Joan downstairs talking to herself as usual. He peeped roundthe open door of her bedroom. Thank goodness - Jo was still there.
He went and shook her gently. She wriggled away, turned over and buried her face in the pillow.
Julian shook her more vigorously. He meant to get her up and make her take them to where Georgewas as soon as possible!
Most miraculously everyone was down at half-past eight, eating porridge and looking rather subdued.
Jo had hers in the kitchen, and the others could hear Joan scolding her for her manners.
'Have you got to stuff yourself like that, as if the dog's going to come and lick your plate beforeyou've finished? And who told you to stick your fingers into the syrup and lick them? I've eyes in theback of my head, so just you be careful what you're doing!'
Jo liked Joan. She knew where she was with her. If she kept on Joan's right side and did what she wastold, Joan would feed her well and not interfere too much - but if she didn't, then she could expectsomething else she understood very well indeed - scoldings and a sharp slap. Joan was good-heartedbut impatient, and no child was ever afraid of her. Jo followed her about like a little dog when shehad finished her breakfast.
Julian came out into the kitchen at nine o'clock. 'Where's Jo?' he said. 'Oh, there you are. Now, whatabout taking us to where you father's caravan is? You're sure you know the way?'
Jo laughed scornfully. 'Course I do! I know everywhere round here for miles.'
'Right,' said Julian, and he produced a map, which he spread out on the kitchen table. He put a fingeron one spot. 'That's Kirrin,' he said. 'And here's a place called Ravens Wood. Is that the place youmean? How do you propose to get there - by this road, or that one?'
Jo looked at the map. It meant nothing to her at all. She gazed vaguely at the spot that Julian hadpointed to.
'Well?' said Julian, impatiently. 'Is that the Ravens Wood you mean?'
51
'I don't know,' said Jo, helplessly. 'The one I mean is a real wood - I don't know anything about yourson this map.'
Joan gave a little snort. 'Master Julian, maps are wasted on her. I don't expect she's ever seen one inher life! She can't even read!'
'Can't she?' said Julian, amazed. 'Then she can't write either.' He looked questioningly at Jo.
She shook her head. 'Mum tried to learn me to read,' she said, 'but Mum wasn't very good herself.
What's the good of reading, anyway? Won't help you to trap rabbits or catch fish for your dinner, willit?'
'No. It's used for other things,' said Julian, amused. 'Well - maps are no good to you, I can see.'
He rolled his map up, looking thoughtful. It was very difficult to know exactly how to deal with aperson like Jo, who knew so little of some things and so much of others.
'She'll know the way all right,' said Joan, scraping out a saucepan. 'They're like dogs, these folk -they can smell out any road they want.'
'Do you smell out your way like a dog?' asked Anne, curiously. She had come in to see what wasgoing on, and was quite willing to believe that Jo really could smell her way here and there, asTimmy did.
'No, I don't,' said Jo. 'I just know the way I have to go. And I don't go by the roads, either! They taketoo long to get to a place. I take the shortest way, see?'
'How do you know it's the shortest way?' asked Anne.
Jo shrugged her thin shoulders. All this was very boring to her.
'Where's that other boy?' she said. 'Isn't he coming? I want to see him.'
'She's just crazy on Dick,' said Joan, taking up another saucepan. 'Here he is - now you can go andlick his boots if you want to, young Jo!'
'Hallo, Jo!' said Dick, with one of his amiable grins. 'Ready to take us travelling?'
'Better go at night,' said Jo, staring at Dick.
'Oh, no!' said Dick. 'We're going now. We're not going to be put off like that. Now, Jo, now!'
'If my Dad sees us coming he'll be mad,' said Jo obstinately.
'Very well,' said Dick, looking at Julian. 'We'll go by ourselves. We've found Ravens Wood on themap. We can easily get there.'
'Pooh,' said Jo, rudely. 'You can get there all right - but it's a big place, Ravens Wood is - and nobodybut me and Dad knows where we hide the caravan there. And if Dad wants to keep 52George quite safe, he'll take her to our hidey-hole in the middle of the wood, see? You can't gowithout me.'
'Right. Then we'll get the police to take us,' said Julian, quite cheerfully. 'They will help us to combthe wood from end to end. We'll soon find George.'
'No!' cried Jo, in alarm. 'You said you wouldn't! You promised!'
'You made a promise too,' said Julian. 'It was a bargain. But I see you're not really to be trusted.
I'll just get on my bike and ride down to the police-station.'
But before he could go out of the room Jo flung herself on him and clung to his arm like a cat.
'No, no! I'll take you. I'll keep my promise! But it would be best to go at night!'
'I'm not putting things off any more,' said Julian, shaking Jo off his arm. 'If you mean what you say,you'll come with us now. Make up your mind.'
'I'll come,' said Jo.
'Hadn't we better give her another pair of shorts or something?' said Anne, suddenly seeing atremendous hole in Jo's grubby shorts. 'She can't go out like that. And look at her awful jersey.
It's full of holes.'
The boys looked at it. 'She'd smell a bit better if she had clean clothes,' said Joan. 'There's that oldpair of shorts I washed for George last week, and mended up. Jo could have those. And there's an oldshirt of hers she could have, too.'
In five minutes' time Jo was proudly wearing a pair of perfectly clean, much-mended shorts ofGeorge's, and a shirt like the one Anne had on. Anne looked at her and laughed.
'Now she's more like George than ever! They might be sisters.'
'Brothers, you mean,' said Dick. 'George and Jo - what a pair!'
Jo scowled. She didn't like George, and she didn't want to look like her.
'She's even got George's scowl!' said Anne. Jo turned her back at once, and Joan then got the benefitof the scowl.
'My word, what an ugly creature you are!' said Joan. 'You be careful the wind doesn't change -you might get your face stuck like that!'
'Oh, come on,' said Julian, impatiently. 'Jo! Do you hear me? Come along now and take us to RavensWood.'
'Jake might see us,' said Jo, sulkily. She was determined to put off going as long as she could.
53
'Yes, he might,' said Julian, who hadn't thought of that. 'Well - you go on a long way ahead, and we'llfollow. We won't let Jake know you're leading us anywhere.'
At last they set off. Joan had packed them up a meal in case they wanted one. Julian slipped thepackage into a bag and slid it over his shoulder.
Jo slipped out the back way, went down to the bottom of the garden and made her way out to the lanethrough a little thicket. The others went out of the front gate and walked up the lane slowly, watchingfor Jo to appear.
'There she is,' said Julian. 'Come on. We must keep the little wretch in sight. I wouldn't be surprised ifshe gave us the slip even now!'
Jo danced on in front, a good way ahead. She took no notice of the others behind, and they followedsteadily.
Then suddenly something happened. A dark figure strode out from the hedge, stood in front of Jo,and said something to her. She screamed and tried to dodge away. But the man caught hold of herand firmly pulled her into the hedge.
'It was Jake!' said Dick. 'I'm sure it was Jake. He was watching out for her. Now what do we do
Joan was the only one in the household who woke up reasonably early the next morning - but evenshe was too late to catch the milkman. She scurried downstairs at half-past seven, an hour later thanusual, tying up her apron as she went.
'Half-past seven - what a time to wake up!' she muttered, as she began to do the kitchen fire. Shethought of all the happenings of the night before - the queer evening with young Sid, Dick's 50capture of Jo - and Jo's extraordinary tale. She had had a look at Jo before she went down, halfexpecting that lively young rogue to have disappeared in the night.
But Jo was curled up like a kitten, her brown cheek on her brown paw, her hair, unusually bright andtidy, falling over her tightly-shut eyes. She didn't even stir when Joan scurried about the bedroom,washing and dressing.
The others were fast asleep, too. Julian woke first, but not till eight o'clock. He rememberedimmediately all that had happened, and jumped out of bed at once.
He went to Joan's room. He could hear Joan downstairs talking to herself as usual. He peeped roundthe open door of her bedroom. Thank goodness - Jo was still there.
He went and shook her gently. She wriggled away, turned over and buried her face in the pillow.
Julian shook her more vigorously. He meant to get her up and make her take them to where Georgewas as soon as possible!
Most miraculously everyone was down at half-past eight, eating porridge and looking rather subdued.
Jo had hers in the kitchen, and the others could hear Joan scolding her for her manners.
'Have you got to stuff yourself like that, as if the dog's going to come and lick your plate beforeyou've finished? And who told you to stick your fingers into the syrup and lick them? I've eyes in theback of my head, so just you be careful what you're doing!'
Jo liked Joan. She knew where she was with her. If she kept on Joan's right side and did what she wastold, Joan would feed her well and not interfere too much - but if she didn't, then she could expectsomething else she understood very well indeed - scoldings and a sharp slap. Joan was good-heartedbut impatient, and no child was ever afraid of her. Jo followed her about like a little dog when shehad finished her breakfast.
Julian came out into the kitchen at nine o'clock. 'Where's Jo?' he said. 'Oh, there you are. Now, whatabout taking us to where you father's caravan is? You're sure you know the way?'
Jo laughed scornfully. 'Course I do! I know everywhere round here for miles.'
'Right,' said Julian, and he produced a map, which he spread out on the kitchen table. He put a fingeron one spot. 'That's Kirrin,' he said. 'And here's a place called Ravens Wood. Is that the place youmean? How do you propose to get there - by this road, or that one?'
Jo looked at the map. It meant nothing to her at all. She gazed vaguely at the spot that Julian hadpointed to.
'Well?' said Julian, impatiently. 'Is that the Ravens Wood you mean?'
51
'I don't know,' said Jo, helplessly. 'The one I mean is a real wood - I don't know anything about yourson this map.'
Joan gave a little snort. 'Master Julian, maps are wasted on her. I don't expect she's ever seen one inher life! She can't even read!'
'Can't she?' said Julian, amazed. 'Then she can't write either.' He looked questioningly at Jo.
She shook her head. 'Mum tried to learn me to read,' she said, 'but Mum wasn't very good herself.
What's the good of reading, anyway? Won't help you to trap rabbits or catch fish for your dinner, willit?'
'No. It's used for other things,' said Julian, amused. 'Well - maps are no good to you, I can see.'
He rolled his map up, looking thoughtful. It was very difficult to know exactly how to deal with aperson like Jo, who knew so little of some things and so much of others.
'She'll know the way all right,' said Joan, scraping out a saucepan. 'They're like dogs, these folk -they can smell out any road they want.'
'Do you smell out your way like a dog?' asked Anne, curiously. She had come in to see what wasgoing on, and was quite willing to believe that Jo really could smell her way here and there, asTimmy did.
'No, I don't,' said Jo. 'I just know the way I have to go. And I don't go by the roads, either! They taketoo long to get to a place. I take the shortest way, see?'
'How do you know it's the shortest way?' asked Anne.
Jo shrugged her thin shoulders. All this was very boring to her.
'Where's that other boy?' she said. 'Isn't he coming? I want to see him.'
'She's just crazy on Dick,' said Joan, taking up another saucepan. 'Here he is - now you can go andlick his boots if you want to, young Jo!'
'Hallo, Jo!' said Dick, with one of his amiable grins. 'Ready to take us travelling?'
'Better go at night,' said Jo, staring at Dick.
'Oh, no!' said Dick. 'We're going now. We're not going to be put off like that. Now, Jo, now!'
'If my Dad sees us coming he'll be mad,' said Jo obstinately.
'Very well,' said Dick, looking at Julian. 'We'll go by ourselves. We've found Ravens Wood on themap. We can easily get there.'
'Pooh,' said Jo, rudely. 'You can get there all right - but it's a big place, Ravens Wood is - and nobodybut me and Dad knows where we hide the caravan there. And if Dad wants to keep 52George quite safe, he'll take her to our hidey-hole in the middle of the wood, see? You can't gowithout me.'
'Right. Then we'll get the police to take us,' said Julian, quite cheerfully. 'They will help us to combthe wood from end to end. We'll soon find George.'
'No!' cried Jo, in alarm. 'You said you wouldn't! You promised!'
'You made a promise too,' said Julian. 'It was a bargain. But I see you're not really to be trusted.
I'll just get on my bike and ride down to the police-station.'
But before he could go out of the room Jo flung herself on him and clung to his arm like a cat.
'No, no! I'll take you. I'll keep my promise! But it would be best to go at night!'
'I'm not putting things off any more,' said Julian, shaking Jo off his arm. 'If you mean what you say,you'll come with us now. Make up your mind.'
'I'll come,' said Jo.
'Hadn't we better give her another pair of shorts or something?' said Anne, suddenly seeing atremendous hole in Jo's grubby shorts. 'She can't go out like that. And look at her awful jersey.
It's full of holes.'
The boys looked at it. 'She'd smell a bit better if she had clean clothes,' said Joan. 'There's that oldpair of shorts I washed for George last week, and mended up. Jo could have those. And there's an oldshirt of hers she could have, too.'
In five minutes' time Jo was proudly wearing a pair of perfectly clean, much-mended shorts ofGeorge's, and a shirt like the one Anne had on. Anne looked at her and laughed.
'Now she's more like George than ever! They might be sisters.'
'Brothers, you mean,' said Dick. 'George and Jo - what a pair!'
Jo scowled. She didn't like George, and she didn't want to look like her.
'She's even got George's scowl!' said Anne. Jo turned her back at once, and Joan then got the benefitof the scowl.
'My word, what an ugly creature you are!' said Joan. 'You be careful the wind doesn't change -you might get your face stuck like that!'
'Oh, come on,' said Julian, impatiently. 'Jo! Do you hear me? Come along now and take us to RavensWood.'
'Jake might see us,' said Jo, sulkily. She was determined to put off going as long as she could.
53
'Yes, he might,' said Julian, who hadn't thought of that. 'Well - you go on a long way ahead, and we'llfollow. We won't let Jake know you're leading us anywhere.'
At last they set off. Joan had packed them up a meal in case they wanted one. Julian slipped thepackage into a bag and slid it over his shoulder.
Jo slipped out the back way, went down to the bottom of the garden and made her way out to the lanethrough a little thicket. The others went out of the front gate and walked up the lane slowly, watchingfor Jo to appear.
'There she is,' said Julian. 'Come on. We must keep the little wretch in sight. I wouldn't be surprised ifshe gave us the slip even now!'
Jo danced on in front, a good way ahead. She took no notice of the others behind, and they followedsteadily.
Then suddenly something happened. A dark figure strode out from the hedge, stood in front of Jo,and said something to her. She screamed and tried to dodge away. But the man caught hold of herand firmly pulled her into the hedge.
'It was Jake!' said Dick. 'I'm sure it was Jake. He was watching out for her. Now what do we do
