She sat up. “That can’t be the children,” she thought. “They’re camping down in the field. Oh my goodness me, I hope it’s not a burglar — or someone trying to steal the Professor’s secrets. He’s got papers all over the place. Thank goodness he keeps most of them in that tower of his!”

She listened and then lay down again. But soon she heard another little noise, and sat up, scared. “It sounds as if it comes from the tower,” she thought, and got out of bed. No — there was no light in the tower — no light anywhere, that she could see. The moon was behind a cloud. She’d just wait till it slid out and lighted up the courtyard below, and the tower. There! That was another little noise. Could it be the wind? No, it couldn’t. And now, what was that? It sounded just like someone whispering down there in the courtyard.

Jenny felt really frightened, and began to shake. She must go and wake the Professor! Suppose it was someone after his precious papers? Or his wonderful new invention!

The moon swung out from behind the cloud and Jenny peered cautiously out of the window again. She gave a loud scream, and staggered back into her room, still screaming. “There’s a man! Help! Help! He’s climbing up the wall of the tower! Professor! PROFESSOR HAYLING! Come quickly! Thieves, robbers, help, help! Get the police!”

There came a long slithering sound, and before Jenny dared to look out again, the moon had gone behind another cloud, and she could not see a thing in the sudden darkness. There was a deep silence after the slithering noise, and Jenny couldn’t bear it. She rushed out of her bedroom, yelling at the top of her voice. “THIEVES! ROBBERS! SIR, COME QUICKLY!”

The Professor woke with a jump, threw off his bedclothes and rushed out into the passage, almost colliding with Jenny. He clutched at her, thinking she was the thief, and she screamed again, sure that one of the intruders had got hold of her. They struggled together, and then the Professor realised that he wasn’t holding a thief, he was holding poor, plump Jenny!

“JENNY! What on earth are you doing, waking up the whole household!” said the Professor, switching on the passage light. “Have you had a bad dream — a nightmare?”

“No, sir, no sir,” panted Jenny, out of breath with her struggle. “Sir, there’s robbers about. I saw one climbing up the tower wall — and there must have been others below. I heard them whispering, sir. Oh, I’m that scared! What shall we do? Can you telephone for the police, sir?”

“Well,” said the Professor, doubtfully. “Are you quite sure, Jenny, that you didn’t have a nightmare? I mean — if there really are robbers, I’ll certainly telephone — but it’s rather a long way for the police to come out here, and…”