Julian flashed his torch on the man. He was a giant-like fellow with flaming red hair. His eyebrows were red, too, and he had a red beard that partly hid a cruel mouth. Julian took one look into the man’s eyes and then no more.

“He’s mad,” he thought. “So this is Red Tower. What is he? A scientist like Uncle Quentin, jealous of uncle’s work? Or a thief working on a big scale, trying to get important papers and sell them? He’s mad, whatever he is.”

Red was looking closely at the two boys. “So you think I have your cousin,” he said. “Who told you such a stupid tale?”

Julian didn’t answer. Red took a threatening step towards him. “Who told you?”

“I’ll tell you that when the police come,” said Julian boldly.

Red stepped back.

“The police! What do they know? Why should they come here? Answer me, boy!”

“There’s a lot to know about you, Mr. Red Tower,” said Julian. “Who sent men to steal my uncle’s papers? Who sent a note to ask for another lot? Who kidnapped our cousin, so that she could be held till the papers were sent? Who brought her here from Simmy’s old caravan. Who…?”

“Aaaaaah!” said Red, and there was panic in his voice. “How do you know all this? It isn’t true! But the police — have they heard this fantastic tale, too?”

“What do you suppose?” said Julian, wishing with all his heart that the police did know, and that he was not merely bluffing. Red pulled at his beard. His green eyes gleamed as he thought quickly and urgently.

He suddenly called loudly, turning his head up to the hole in the ceiling. “Markhoff! Come down!”

Two legs were swung down through the hole, and a short burly man leapt down beside the two startled boys.

“Go down the cliff. You will find a boat in the cove, somewhere — the boat we saw these boys coming in,” said Red sharply. “Smash it to pieces. Then come back here and take the boys to the yard. Tie them up. We must leave quickly, and take the girl with us.”

The man stood listening, his face sullen. “How can we go?” he said. “You know the helicopter is not ready. You know that.”

“Make it ready then,” snapped Red. “We leave tonight. The police will be here — do you hear that? This boy knows everything — he has told me — and the police must know everything too. I tell you, we must go.”

“What about the dog?” said the man.

“Shoot it,” ordered Red. “Shoot it before we go. It’s a brute of a dog. We should have shot it before. Now go and smash the boat.”

The man disappeared round the rocky corner that led into the cave of bats. Julian clenched his fist. He hated to think of George’s boat being smashed to bits. Red stood there waiting, his eyes glinting in the light of the torches.