“What’s wrong with them?” inquired Mr. Luffy. “I must say I find them very well-behaved and pleasant-mannered.”

Mr. Andrews stared at Mr. Luffy, and put him down as a silly, harmless old fellow who would probably help him to get Jock back if he went about it the right way.

“Now look here,” said Mr. Andrews. “I don’t know who you are, but you must be a friend of the children’s. And if so, then I’d better warn you they’re running into danger. See?”

“Really? In what way?” asked Mr. Luffy, mildly and disbelievingly.

“Well, there’s bad and dangerous places about these moorlands,” said Mr. Andrews. “Very bad. I know them. And those children have been messing about in them. See? And if Jock comes here, he’ll start messing about too, and I don’t want him to get into any danger. It would break his mother’s heart.”

“Quite,” said Mr. Luffy.

“Well, will you talk to him and send him back?” said Mr. Andrews. “That railway yard now — that’s a most dangerous place. And folks do say that there’s spook-trains there. I wouldn’t want Jock to be mixed up in anything of that sort.”

“Quite,” said Mr. Luffy again, looking closely at Mr. Andrews. “You seem very concerned about this — er — railway yard.”

“Me? Oh, no,” said Mr. Andrews. “Never been near the horrible place. I wouldn’t want to see spook-trains — make me run a mile! It’s just that I don’t want Jock to get into danger. I’d be most obliged if you’d talk to him and send him home, when they all come back from wherever they are.”

“Quite,” said Mr. Luffy again, most irritatingly. Mr. Andrews gazed at Mr. Luffy’s bland face and suddenly wished he could smack it. “Quite, quite, quite!” Gr-r-r-r-r-r-r!

He turned and went away. When he had gone for some time, and was a small speck in the distance, Mr. Luffy called loudly.

“He’s gone! Please send Jock here so that I can — er — address a few words to him.”

Four children appeared from their heathery hiding-place. Jock went over to Mr. Luffy, looking mutinous.

“I just wanted to say,” said Mr. Luffy, “that I quite understand why you want to be away from your stepfather, and that I consider it’s no business of mine where you go in order to get away from him!”

Jock grinned. “Oh, thanks awfully,” he said. “I thought you were going to send me back!” He rushed over to the others. “It’s all right,” he said. “I’m going to stay. And, I say — what about going and exploring down that tunnel after lunch? We might find that spook-train then!”

“Good idea!” said Julian. “We will! Poor old George — she’ll miss that little adventure too!”

Chapter Fifteen

George has an adventure

George had gone off with one fixed idea in her mind. She was going to find out something about that mysterious tunnel! She thought she would walk over the moorlands to Kilty Yard, and see what she could see there. Maybe she could walk right back through the tunnel itself!