Chapter 6 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT?
That night Anne began to look rather scared as darkness fell. She was remembering the Face at theWindow!
'It won't come again, Ju, will it?' she said to her big brother half a dozen times.
'No, Anne. But if you like I'll come and lie down on George's bed instead of George tonight, and staywith you all night long,' said Julian.
Anne considered this and then shook her head. 'No. I think I'd almost rather have George and Timmy.
I mean - George and I - and even you - might be scared of Faces, but Timmy wouldn't.
He'd simply leap at them.'
'You're quite right,' said Julian. 'He would. All right then, I won't keep you company - but you'll see,nothing whatever will happen tonight. Anyway, if you like, we'll all close our bedroom windows andfasten them, even if we are too hot for anything - then we'll know nobody can possibly get in.'
So that night Julian not only closed all the doors and windows downstairs as he had done the nightbefore (except the tiny pantry window that wouldn't shut), but he also shut and fastened all the onesupstairs.
'What about Joan's window?' asked Anne.
'She always sleeps with it shut, summer and winter,' said Julian, with a grin. 'Country folk often do.
They think the night air's dangerous. Now you've nothing at all to worry about, silly.'
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So Anne went to bed with her mind at rest. George drew the curtains across their window so thateven if the Face came again they wouldn't be able to see it!
'Let Timmy out for me, Julian, will you?' called George. 'Anne doesn't want me to leave her, even totake old Timmy out for his last walk. Just open the door and let him out. He'll come in when he'sready.'
'Right!' called Julian, and opened the front door Timmy trotted out, tail wagging. He loved his lastsniff round. He liked to smell the trail of the hedgehog who was out on his night-rounds; he liked toput his nose down a rabbit-hole and listen to stirrings down below; and he loved to follow themeanderings of rats and mice round by the thick hedges.
'Isn't Timmy in yet?' called George from the top of the stairs. 'Do call him, Ju. I want to get into bed.
Anne's half-asleep already.'
'He'll be in in a moment,' said Julian, who wanted to finish his book. 'Don't fuss.'
But no Timmy had appeared even when he had finished his book. Julian went to the door andwhistled. He listened for Timmy to come. Then, hearing nothing, he whistled once more.'
This time he heard the sound of pattering footsteps coming up the path to the door. 'Oh there you are,Tim,' said Julian. 'What have you been up to? Chasing rabbits or something?'
Timothy wagged his tail feebly. He didn't jump up at Julian as he usually did. 'You look as if you'vebeen up to some mischief, Tim,' said Julian. 'Go on - up to bed with you - and mind you bark if youhear the smallest sound in the night.'
'Woof,' said Timmy, in rather a subdued voice, and went upstairs. He climbed on to George's bed andsighed heavily.
'What a sigh!' said George. 'And what have you been eating, Timmy? Pooh - you've dug up somefrightful old bone, I know you have. I've a good mind to push you off my bed. I suppose yousuddenly remembered one you buried months ago. Pooh!'
Timmy wouldn't be pushed off the bed. He settled down to sleep, his nose on George's feet as usual.
He snored a little, and woke George in about half an hour.
'Shut up, Timmy,' she said, pushing him with her feet. Anne woke up, alarmed.
'What is it, George?' she whispered, her heart thumping.
'Nothing. Only Timmy snoring. Hark at him. He won't stop,' said George, irritated. 'Wake up,Timmy, and stop snoring.'
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Timmy moved sleepily and settled down again. He stopped snoring and George and Anne fell soundasleep. Julian woke once, thinking he heard something fall - but hearing Timmy gently snoring againthrough the open doors of the two rooms, he lay down, his mind at rest.
If the noise had really been a noise Timmy would have heard it, no doubt about that. George alwayssaid that Timmy slept with one ear open.
Julian heard nothing more till Joan went downstairs at seven o'clock. He heard her go into the kitchenand do something to the kitchen grate. He turned over and fell asleep again.
He was wakened suddenly twenty minutes later by loud screams from downstairs. He sat up and thenleapt out of bed at once. He rushed downstairs. Dick followed him.
'Look at this! The master's study - turned upside down - those drawers ransacked! The safe's open,too. Mercy me, who's been here in the night - with all the doors locked and bolted, too!'
Joan wailed loudly and wrung her hands as she gazed at the untidy room.
'I say!' said Dick, horrified. 'Someone's been searching for something pretty thoroughly! Even got thesafe open - and wrenched the drawers out.'
'How did he get in?' said Julian, feeling bewildered. He went round the house, looking at doors andwindows. Except for the kitchen door, which Joan said she had unlocked and unbolted herself assoon as she came down, not a window or door had been touched. All were fastened securely.
Anne came down, looking scared. 'What's the matter?' she said. But Julian brushed her aside.
How did that burglar get in? That was what he wanted to know. Through one of the upstairswindows, he supposed - one that somebody had opened last night after he had fastened it.
Perhaps in the girls' room?
But no - not one window was open. All were fastened securely, including Joan's. Then a thoughtstruck him as he looked into George's room. Why hadn't Timmy barked? After all, there must havebeen quite a bit of noise, however quiet the thief had been. He had himself heard something and hadawakened. Why hadn't Timmy, then?
George was trying to pull Timmy off the bed. 'Ju, Ju! There's something wrong with Timmy. Hewon't wake up!' she cried. 'He's breathing so heavily, too - just listen to him! And what's the matterdownstairs? What's happened?'
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Julian told her shortly while he examined Timmy. 'Somebody got in last night - your father's study'sin the most awful mess - absolutely ransacked from top to bottom, safe and all. Goodness knows howthe fellow got in to do it.'
'How awful!' said George, looking very pale. 'And now something's wrong with Tim. He didn't wakeup last night when the burglar came - he's ill, Julian!'
'No, he's not. He's been doped,' said Julian, pulling back Timmy's eyelids. 'So that's why he was solong outside last night! Somebody gave him some meat or something with dope in - some kind ofdrug. And he ate it, and slept so soundly that he never heard a thing - and isn't even awake yet.'
'Oh, Julian - will he be all right?' asked George anxiously, stroking Timmy's motionless body.
'But how could he take any food from a stranger in the night?'
'May be he picked it up - the burglar may have flung it down hoping that Timmy would eat it, saidJulian. 'Now I understand why he looked so sheepish when he came in. He didn't even jump up andlick me.'
'Oh, dear - Timmy, do, do wake up,' begged poor George, and she shook the big dog gently. Hegroaned a little and snuggled down again.
'Leave him,' said Julian. 'He'll be all right. He's not poisoned, only drugged. Come down and see thedamage!'
George was horrified at the state of her father's study. 'They were after his two special books ofAmerican notes, I'm sure they were,' she said. 'Father said that any other country in the world wouldbe glad to have those. Whatever are we to do?'
'Better get in the police,' said Julian, gravely. 'We can't manage this sort of thing ourselves. And doyou know your father's address in Spain?'
'No,' wailed George. 'He and Mother said they were going to have a real holiday this time - no lettersto be forwarded, and no address left till they had been settled somewhere for a few days.
Then they'd telegraph it.'
'Well, we'll certainly have to get the police in, then,' said Julian, looking rather white and stern.
George glanced at him. He seemed suddenly very grown-up indeed. She watched him go out of theroom. He went into the hall and rang up the police station. Joan was very relieved.
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'Yes, get in the police, that's what we ought to do,' she said. 'There's that nice Constable Wilkins, andthat other one with the red face, what's he called - Mr. Donaldson. I'll be making some coffee forthem when they come.'
She cheered up considerably at the thought of handing out cups of her good hot coffee to twointerested policemen, who would ask her plenty of questions that she would be only too delighted toanswer. She bustled off to the kitchen.
The four children stared silently at the ruins of the study. What a mess! Could it ever be cleared up?
Nobody would know what was gone till Uncle Quentin came back. How furious he would be.
'I hope nothing very important has been taken,' said Dick. 'It looks as if somebody knew there wassomething valuable here, and meant to get it!'
'And has probably got it,' said Julian. 'Hallo - that must be the police! Come on - I can see it will be along time before we get our breakfast this morning
That night Anne began to look rather scared as darkness fell. She was remembering the Face at theWindow!
'It won't come again, Ju, will it?' she said to her big brother half a dozen times.
'No, Anne. But if you like I'll come and lie down on George's bed instead of George tonight, and staywith you all night long,' said Julian.
Anne considered this and then shook her head. 'No. I think I'd almost rather have George and Timmy.
I mean - George and I - and even you - might be scared of Faces, but Timmy wouldn't.
He'd simply leap at them.'
'You're quite right,' said Julian. 'He would. All right then, I won't keep you company - but you'll see,nothing whatever will happen tonight. Anyway, if you like, we'll all close our bedroom windows andfasten them, even if we are too hot for anything - then we'll know nobody can possibly get in.'
So that night Julian not only closed all the doors and windows downstairs as he had done the nightbefore (except the tiny pantry window that wouldn't shut), but he also shut and fastened all the onesupstairs.
'What about Joan's window?' asked Anne.
'She always sleeps with it shut, summer and winter,' said Julian, with a grin. 'Country folk often do.
They think the night air's dangerous. Now you've nothing at all to worry about, silly.'
22
So Anne went to bed with her mind at rest. George drew the curtains across their window so thateven if the Face came again they wouldn't be able to see it!
'Let Timmy out for me, Julian, will you?' called George. 'Anne doesn't want me to leave her, even totake old Timmy out for his last walk. Just open the door and let him out. He'll come in when he'sready.'
'Right!' called Julian, and opened the front door Timmy trotted out, tail wagging. He loved his lastsniff round. He liked to smell the trail of the hedgehog who was out on his night-rounds; he liked toput his nose down a rabbit-hole and listen to stirrings down below; and he loved to follow themeanderings of rats and mice round by the thick hedges.
'Isn't Timmy in yet?' called George from the top of the stairs. 'Do call him, Ju. I want to get into bed.
Anne's half-asleep already.'
'He'll be in in a moment,' said Julian, who wanted to finish his book. 'Don't fuss.'
But no Timmy had appeared even when he had finished his book. Julian went to the door andwhistled. He listened for Timmy to come. Then, hearing nothing, he whistled once more.'
This time he heard the sound of pattering footsteps coming up the path to the door. 'Oh there you are,Tim,' said Julian. 'What have you been up to? Chasing rabbits or something?'
Timothy wagged his tail feebly. He didn't jump up at Julian as he usually did. 'You look as if you'vebeen up to some mischief, Tim,' said Julian. 'Go on - up to bed with you - and mind you bark if youhear the smallest sound in the night.'
'Woof,' said Timmy, in rather a subdued voice, and went upstairs. He climbed on to George's bed andsighed heavily.
'What a sigh!' said George. 'And what have you been eating, Timmy? Pooh - you've dug up somefrightful old bone, I know you have. I've a good mind to push you off my bed. I suppose yousuddenly remembered one you buried months ago. Pooh!'
Timmy wouldn't be pushed off the bed. He settled down to sleep, his nose on George's feet as usual.
He snored a little, and woke George in about half an hour.
'Shut up, Timmy,' she said, pushing him with her feet. Anne woke up, alarmed.
'What is it, George?' she whispered, her heart thumping.
'Nothing. Only Timmy snoring. Hark at him. He won't stop,' said George, irritated. 'Wake up,Timmy, and stop snoring.'
23
Timmy moved sleepily and settled down again. He stopped snoring and George and Anne fell soundasleep. Julian woke once, thinking he heard something fall - but hearing Timmy gently snoring againthrough the open doors of the two rooms, he lay down, his mind at rest.
If the noise had really been a noise Timmy would have heard it, no doubt about that. George alwayssaid that Timmy slept with one ear open.
Julian heard nothing more till Joan went downstairs at seven o'clock. He heard her go into the kitchenand do something to the kitchen grate. He turned over and fell asleep again.
He was wakened suddenly twenty minutes later by loud screams from downstairs. He sat up and thenleapt out of bed at once. He rushed downstairs. Dick followed him.
'Look at this! The master's study - turned upside down - those drawers ransacked! The safe's open,too. Mercy me, who's been here in the night - with all the doors locked and bolted, too!'
Joan wailed loudly and wrung her hands as she gazed at the untidy room.
'I say!' said Dick, horrified. 'Someone's been searching for something pretty thoroughly! Even got thesafe open - and wrenched the drawers out.'
'How did he get in?' said Julian, feeling bewildered. He went round the house, looking at doors andwindows. Except for the kitchen door, which Joan said she had unlocked and unbolted herself assoon as she came down, not a window or door had been touched. All were fastened securely.
Anne came down, looking scared. 'What's the matter?' she said. But Julian brushed her aside.
How did that burglar get in? That was what he wanted to know. Through one of the upstairswindows, he supposed - one that somebody had opened last night after he had fastened it.
Perhaps in the girls' room?
But no - not one window was open. All were fastened securely, including Joan's. Then a thoughtstruck him as he looked into George's room. Why hadn't Timmy barked? After all, there must havebeen quite a bit of noise, however quiet the thief had been. He had himself heard something and hadawakened. Why hadn't Timmy, then?
George was trying to pull Timmy off the bed. 'Ju, Ju! There's something wrong with Timmy. Hewon't wake up!' she cried. 'He's breathing so heavily, too - just listen to him! And what's the matterdownstairs? What's happened?'
24
Julian told her shortly while he examined Timmy. 'Somebody got in last night - your father's study'sin the most awful mess - absolutely ransacked from top to bottom, safe and all. Goodness knows howthe fellow got in to do it.'
'How awful!' said George, looking very pale. 'And now something's wrong with Tim. He didn't wakeup last night when the burglar came - he's ill, Julian!'
'No, he's not. He's been doped,' said Julian, pulling back Timmy's eyelids. 'So that's why he was solong outside last night! Somebody gave him some meat or something with dope in - some kind ofdrug. And he ate it, and slept so soundly that he never heard a thing - and isn't even awake yet.'
'Oh, Julian - will he be all right?' asked George anxiously, stroking Timmy's motionless body.
'But how could he take any food from a stranger in the night?'
'May be he picked it up - the burglar may have flung it down hoping that Timmy would eat it, saidJulian. 'Now I understand why he looked so sheepish when he came in. He didn't even jump up andlick me.'
'Oh, dear - Timmy, do, do wake up,' begged poor George, and she shook the big dog gently. Hegroaned a little and snuggled down again.
'Leave him,' said Julian. 'He'll be all right. He's not poisoned, only drugged. Come down and see thedamage!'
George was horrified at the state of her father's study. 'They were after his two special books ofAmerican notes, I'm sure they were,' she said. 'Father said that any other country in the world wouldbe glad to have those. Whatever are we to do?'
'Better get in the police,' said Julian, gravely. 'We can't manage this sort of thing ourselves. And doyou know your father's address in Spain?'
'No,' wailed George. 'He and Mother said they were going to have a real holiday this time - no lettersto be forwarded, and no address left till they had been settled somewhere for a few days.
Then they'd telegraph it.'
'Well, we'll certainly have to get the police in, then,' said Julian, looking rather white and stern.
George glanced at him. He seemed suddenly very grown-up indeed. She watched him go out of theroom. He went into the hall and rang up the police station. Joan was very relieved.
25
'Yes, get in the police, that's what we ought to do,' she said. 'There's that nice Constable Wilkins, andthat other one with the red face, what's he called - Mr. Donaldson. I'll be making some coffee forthem when they come.'
She cheered up considerably at the thought of handing out cups of her good hot coffee to twointerested policemen, who would ask her plenty of questions that she would be only too delighted toanswer. She bustled off to the kitchen.
The four children stared silently at the ruins of the study. What a mess! Could it ever be cleared up?
Nobody would know what was gone till Uncle Quentin came back. How furious he would be.
'I hope nothing very important has been taken,' said Dick. 'It looks as if somebody knew there wassomething valuable here, and meant to get it!'
'And has probably got it,' said Julian. 'Hallo - that must be the police! Come on - I can see it will be along time before we get our breakfast this morning
