Julian and Dick went off together, with Anne’s torch. George kept hers. Timmy pressed close against her, astonished at the thick mist that had so suddenly swirled up and around them.

“That’s right. Keep close to us and keep us warm, Tim,” said George. “It’s jolly cold now. This mist is damp!”

Julian stumbled along, keeping a look-out for the gypsies. He could see nothing of them, but then, if they had been only two feet away he could not have seen anything of them in the mist! It seemed to get thicker and thicker.

I know what old Ben meant now, when he said that it had damp fingers, thought Julian, feeling little touches like fingers on his face, hands and legs as the mist wreathed itself round him.

Dick nudged him. “Here we are,” he said. “The lines are broken here. The engine should be just over there, a yard or two away.”

They stepped cautiously away from the lines. The big gorse-bush could not be seen, but it could be felt! Julian felt thorns pricking his legs, and knew he was beside it.

“Shine your torch here, Dick,” he whispered. “That’s right. There’s the cab of the engine, see? Now let’s circle the bush, and we’ll come to the funnel.”

“Here it is,” said Dick, in a few moments. “Look! Now then, let’s do a bit of work, shoving these packets down. Gosh, what a lot of them there are! I hope the funnel will take them all.”

They spent ten minutes ramming the packets into the wide funnel. Down they went to the bottom! More and more followed and then, at last, the final one was shoved in and rammed down.

“That’s the lot,” said Dick, relieved. “Now we’ll pack some sand in. Gosh, isn’t this bush full of prickles! It’s really spiteful!”

“The packets almost fill the funnel,” said Julian. “Hardly any room for sand. Still, we can put in enough to hide the money all right. There that’s done. Now pull this gorse-branch over the top of the funnel. My word, I never knew a bush so set with spines! I’m scratched to bits!”

“Can you hear anything of the gypsies?” asked Dick, in a low voice, as they prepared to go back to the lines.

They listened. “Not a thing,” said Julian. “It’s my belief they’re scared of this mist, and are lying low till it clears.”

“They may be in the quarry,” said Dick. “Waiting there in safety. Well, long may they be there! They won’t get the money now!”

“Come on,” said Julian, and walked round the bush. “It’s just about here that we step out to get to the lines. Take my arm. We mustn’t get separated. Did you ever see such a mist in your life? It’s the thickest fog I ever knew. We can’t even see our feet in the light of the torch now.”

They took a few steps and then felt about for the rails. They couldn’t feel even one. “A bit farther, I think,” said Julian. “No, this way.”