Five Go Down to the Sea (3 page)

„He"s a poor little thing," said the farmer"s wife. „He"s got no kith or kin except for his old great-gran-dad, and there"s more than eighty years between them! The old man is our shepherd. Do you see that hil over there, well, he"s got a hut on the other side, and there he lives, winter and summer alike, and that child with him."

„Surely he ought to go to school?" said Julian. „Perhaps he does?"

„No," said Mrs Penruthlan. „He plays truant nearly al the time. You ought to go and talk to his old great-grandad. His father was one of the Wreckers on this coast, and he can tell you some strange stories about those dreadful days."

„We"ll certainly go and talk to him," said Dick. „I"d forgotten that this Cornish coast was the haunt of Wreckers. They shone false lights to bring ships in close to shore, so that they would be smashed to pieces on the rocks, didn"t they?"

„Yes, and then they robbed the poor, groaning ship when she was helpless," said Mrs Penruthlan. „And it"s said they paid no heed to the drowning folk, either. Those were wicked days."

„How far is it to cycle to the sea?" said George. „I can see it from my bedroom window."

„Oh, it won"t take you more than ten minutes," said the farmer"s wife. „Go tomorrow, if you like. You all look very tired now. Why don"t you take a short walk and go to bed? I"l have a snack ready for you when you come in."

„Oh, we couldn"t possibly eat any more tonight, thank you," said Dick, hurriedly. „But the walk is quite a good idea. We"d like to see round the farm."

Mrs Penruthlan left them, and Dick looked round at the others. „A snack!" he said. „I never thought I"d groan at the thought. But I bet Mr Penruthlan wil want a jolly good snack when he comes in. Come on, let"s go up by those sheds."

They went off together, Timmy following behind with his four friends, their tails wagging amiably. It was stil a lovely evening, and a cool breeze came down from the hil s, making it lovelier stil . The children wandered round, enjoying the familiar farm sights, the ducks on the pond, a few hens stil clucking round, the grey sheep dotting the hil s. Cows were peaceful y grazing and an old farm horse came to a gate to stare at them.

They rubbed his velvety nose, and he bent down to sniff at Timmy, whom he didn"t know.

Timmy sniffed solemnly back.

They went into the barns and looked around, big, dark, sweet-smel ing places, stored with many things. Dick was sure that the biggest one would be the one used by the Barnies.

What fun!

„I bet they"l be pretty awful, but good fun, all the same," he said. „It must be grand to wander round the countryside with al your belongings done up in a parcel or two, and then amaze the country people with your songs and dances and acting. I wouldn"t mind trying it myself! I"m pretty good at a spot of conjuring, for instance!"

„Yes, you are," said Anne. „Wouldn"t it be fun if we could give a little show too, if the Barnies would let us join them just for one evening?"

„We wouldn"t be allowed to because we"re “furriners”," said Dick, grinning. „I say, what"s that, over there, behind that sack?"

Timmy at once went to see, and stood there barking. The others went over to look.

„It"s that kid Yan again," said Julian, in disgust. He pul ed the boy out from his hiding-place.

„What are you following us around for, you little idiot?" he demanded. „We don"t like it.

See? Go and find your old Grandad before you eat all the food Mrs Penruthlan gave you.

Go on, now."

He pushed the boy out of the barn, and watched him go into the next field. „That"s got rid of him," he said. „I think he"s a bit simple. We"ll go and see that Grandad of his one day and see if he real y has got anything interesting to say about the old Wreckers."

„Let"s go back now," said Dick, yawning. „I"ve seen enough of this place to know I"m going to like it a lot. I"m going to like my bed tonight too. Coming, Ju?"

They all felt the same as Dick. His yawn had set them yawning, too, and they thought longingly of bed. They made their way back to the farm, followed closely by Timmy at their heels, and the other four dogs a respectful distance away.

They said good night to the two Penruthlans, who were sitting peaceful y listening to their radio. Mrs Penruthlan wanted to come up with them but they wouldn"t let her.

They said good night to the farmer, who grunted „Ah!" without even looking at them, and went on listening to the radio programme. Then up the stairs they went, and into their rooms.

When Julian was in bed and almost asleep he heard a scrabbling noise outside his window. He half-opened his eyes, and listened. He hoped it wasn"t rats! If it was, Anne would probably hear them too, and be scared, and Timmy would hear them and bark the place down!

The scrabbling noise came again. Julian spoke softly to Dick. „Dick! Are you awake? Did you hear that noise at the window?"

No answer. Dick was sound asleep, dreaming that he had a puncture in his foot and couldn"t walk til it was mended! Julian lay and listened. Yes, there it was again, and now surely there was someone trying to peep in at the tiny window?

He slid out of bed and went to the side of the window. Thick ivy grew outside. Somebody was stil there for Julian could see the leaves shaking.

He put his head suddenly out of the window, and a scared face, quite close to his, stared in fright.

„Yan! What do you think you"re doing?" said Julian, fiercely. „I"l spank you if you go on like this, staring and peeping! What"s so queer about us?"

Yan was terrified. He suddenly slithered down the ivy like a cat, landed with a slight thud on the ground and then ran off into the twilight at top speed.

„I hope he"s not going to follow us around al the time," thought Julian, getting into bed again. „I"l teach him a lesson if he does. Blow him! Now he"s made me wide awake!"

Rut it wasn"t long before Julian was sleeping as soundly as Dick. Neither of them stirred until a cock outside their window decided that it was time the whole world woke up, and crowed at the top of his voice.

„Cock-a-doodle-DOO!"

The boys woke with a jump. The early sun streamed into the room, and Julian glanced at his watch. How early it was! And yet he could hear movements downstairs that told him Mrs Penruthlan was up and about, and so was her giant of a husband.

He fel asleep again, and was awakened by a loud knock at his door, and Mrs Penruthlan"s voice. „It"s half past seven, and breakfast wil be on the table for you at eight.

Wake up!"

How lovely to wake in a strange place at the beginning of a holiday, to think of bathing and biking and picnicking and eating and drinking, forgetting all about exams and rules and punishments! The four children and Timmy stretched themselves and stared at the sunshine outside. What a day!

Downstairs breakfast awaited them. „Super!" said Dick, eyeing the bacon and fried eggs, the cold ham, and the home-made jam and marmalade. „Mrs Penruthlan, your seven children must have been very sorry to marry and leave home. I feel, if I"d been one of them, I"d have stayed with you for the rest of my life!"

The first three days at Tremannon Farm were lazy, uneventful days, full of sunshine, good food, dogs - and of little Yan.

He really was a perfect nuisance. The four children seemed to have a real fascination for him, and he trailed them everywhere, following them bare-footed. He turned up behind hedges, along lanes, at their picnicking places, his dark eyes watching them intently.

„What"s the good of tel ing him to go?" groaned Julian. „He disappears behind one hedge and appears out of another. You"d think he"d get bored, doing this shadowing business all the time. What"s the point of it, anyway?"

„No point," said George. „Just curiosity. What I can"t understand is why Timmy puts up with him. You"d think he"d bark or growl or something, but he"s quite sil y with Yan, lets him play with him, and roll him over as if he was a mad puppy."

„Well, I"m going to find this Great-Grandad of his tomorrow, and tell him to keep Yan with him," said Julian. „He"s maddening. I feel I want to swot him like a gnat, always buzzing round us. Gosh, there he is again!"

So he was. A pair of dark eyes were gazing round a tree-trunk, half hidden by a sheaf of leaves. Timmy bounded up to him in glee, and made such a fuss of Yan that George was quite disgusted.

„Timmy! Come here!" she cal ed, imperiously. „Don"t you understand that you ought to chase Yan away when he comes and not encourage him? I"m ashamed of you!"

Timmy put his tail down and went to her. He sat down beside her with a bump. Dick laughed.

„He"s sulking! He won"t look at you, George! He"s turning his head away on purpose!"

Julian chased Yan away, threatening him with all sorts of things if he caught him, but the boy was as fast as a hare, and seemed suddenly to disappear into thin air. He had a wonderful way of vanishing, and an equal y remarkable way of appearing again.

„I don"t like that kid," said Julian. „He makes me shiver down my back whenever I see him suddenly peeping somewhere."

„He can"t be a bad kid, though, because Timmy likes him so much," said Anne, who had great faith in Timmy"s judgment. „Timmy never likes anyone horrid."

„Well, he"s made a mistake this time, then," said George, who was cross with Timmy. „He"s being very stupid. I"m not pleased with you, Timmy!"

„Let"s go down to the sea and bathe," said Dick. „We"ll go on our bikes and Yan won"t be able to pop up and watch us there."

They took their bicycles and rode off to the coast. Mrs Penruthlan made them sandwiches and gave them fruit cake and drinks to take with them. They saw Yan watching them from behind a hedge as they went.

They took the road to the sea. It was no more than a narrow lane, and wound about like a stream, twisting and turning so that they couldn"t get up any speed at all.

„Look - the sea!" cried Dick, as they rounded one last bend. The lane had run down between two high, rocky cliffs, and in front of them was a cove into which raced enormous breakers, throwing spray high into the air.

They left their bicycles at the top of the cove, and went behind some big rocks to change into bathing things. When they came out, Julian looked at the sea. It was calm beyond the rocks, but over these the waters raged fiercely and it was impossible to venture in.

They walked a little way round the cliffs, and came to a great pool lying in a rocky hol ow.

„Just the thing!" cried George and plunged in. „Gosh, it"s cold!"

It should have been hot from the sun, but every now and again an extra large wave broke right into the pool itself, bringing in cooler water. It was fun when that happened.

The four of them swam to their hearts" content, and Timmy had a fine time too.

They picnicked on the rocks, with spray flying round them, and then went to explore round the foot of the cliffs.

„This is exciting," said George. „Caves, and more caves, and yet more caves! And cove after cove, al as lovely as the one before. I suppose when the tide"s in, all these coves are shoulder-high in water."

„My word, yes," said Julian, who was keeping a very sharp eye indeed on the tide. „And a good many of these caves would be flooded too. No wonder Mrs Penruthlan warned us so solemnly about the tides here! I wouldn"t want to try and climb up these cliffs if we were caught!"

Anne looked up and shivered. They were so very steep and high. They frowned down at her as if to say „We stand no nonsense from anyone! So look after yourself!"

„Well, I"m blessed! Look there, isn"t that that tiresome little wretch of a Yan?" said Dick, suddenly. He pointed to a rock covered with seaweed. Peeping from behind it was Yan!

„He must have run al the way here, and found us," said Julian, in disgust. „Well, we"ll leave him here. It"s time we went. The tide"s coming in. It"l serve him right to find us gone as soon as he arrives. He must be mad!"

„Do you think he knows about the tide?" said Anne, looking worried. „I mean, knows that it"s coming in and might catch him?"

„Of course he knows!" said Julian. „Don"t be sil y. But we"ll wait and have our tea at the top part of the cove, if you like. That"s the only way back, if he wants to escape the tide, short of climbing the cliff, which no one would be mad enough to try!"

They had put aside some cake and biscuits for their tea, and they found a good picnicking place at the top of the cove where they had left their bicycles. They settled down to munch the solid fruit cake that Mrs Penruthlan had given them. There was no doubt about it, she was a wonderful cook!

The tide swept in at a great rate, and soon the noise of enormous waves pounding on the rocks grew louder. „Yan hasn"t appeared yet," said Anne. „Do you think he"s al right?"

„He must be having a good old wetting if he"s stil there," said Dick. „I think we"d better go and see. Much as I dislike him I don"t want him to be drowned."

The two boys went down the cove as far as they could, peering round the cliff to where they had seen Yan hiding. But how different it all looked now!

„Gosh, the beach is gone already!" said Julian, startled. „I can see how easily anyone could get caught by the tide now, see that last wave, it swept right into that cave we explored!"

„What"s happened to Yan?" said Dick. „He"s nowhere to be seen. He didn"t come out of the cove; we"ve been sitting there al the time. Where is he?"

Dick spoke urgently, and Julian began to feel scared too. He hesitated. Should they wade over the rocks a little way? The next wave decided him. It would be folly to do any such thing! Another wave like that and both he and Dick would be flung off the rock they were standing on!

„Look out, here comes an even bigger one!" yelled Julian, and the two boys leapt off their rock and raced back up the cove. Even so, the wave lapped right up to their feet.

They went back to the girls. „Can"t see him anywhere," said Julian, speaking more cheerfully than he felt. „The whole beach is covered with the tide now, more than covered. The lower caves are ful too."

„He - he won"t be drowned, wil he?" said Anne, fearfully.