George cut her own ropes with Sniffer’s exceedingly blunt knife. Then she cut Anne’s. Oh, what a relief to lie down properly, and not to have to sit up all the time and feel the knots at the back!

“Now do remember, if we hear anyone coming, we must tie the ropes loosely round us,” she said. “We will stay here till we know it’s day, and perhaps we can find out if the mist is still about, or if it’s gone. If it’s gone, we’ll go.”

They fell asleep on the sandy floor, both glad to lie down flat. Nobody came to disturb them, and they slept on and on, tired out.

Where were the boys? Still under the bush, half-sleeping, half-waking, for they were cold and uncomfortable. They hoped the girls were now safely at home. They must have gone right down the railway, and made their way back to the stables, thought Julian, every time he awoke. I do hope they are safe, and Timmy too. Thank goodness he is with them.

But Timmy wasn’t with them, of course. He was padding across the misty moor all by himself, puzzled, and with a badly-aching head. Why had George sent him to Henry? He didn’t like Henry. He didn’t think that George did, either. And yet she had sent him to find her. Very strange!

Still, George had given him his orders, and he loved her and always obeyed her. He padded over the heather and grass. He didn’t bother about keeping to the railway line. He knew the way back without even thinking about it!

It was still night, though soon the dawn would come. But the mist was so thick that even the dawn would not be able to break through it. The sun would have to remain hidden behind the thick swathes of mist.

Timmy came to the stables. He paused to remember which was Henry’s bedroom. Ah yes, it was upstairs, next to the room that Anne and George had had.

Timmy leapt into the kitchen through a window left open for the cat. He padded upstairs and came to Henry’s room. He pushed at the door and it opened.

In he went and put his paws on her bed. “Woof,” he said in her ear. “Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Chapter Nineteen

Good old Tim!

Henry had been fast asleep and snoring. She awoke with a tremendous jump when she felt Timmy’s paw on her arm and heard his sharp little bark.

“Ooh! What is it?” she said, sitting up straight in bed and fumbling for her torch. She was quite panic-stricken. She switched on the torch with trembling fingers and then saw Timmy, his big brown eyes looking at her beseechingly.

“Why, Timmy!” said Henry, in amazement, “Timmy! Whatever are you doing here? Have the others come back? No, they couldn’t have, not in the middle of the night! Why have you come then, Timmy?”