“I wish I’d seen the face,” sighed George. “They’re my glasses, too — and I never saw the face!”

“Well, you can keep on looking and see if it comes back,” said Dick, handing over the glasses. “It may do.”

So Anne, George, and Jo took turn and turn about, gazing earnestly through the field-glasses — but they saw no face. In the end it got so dark that it was quite difficult to make out the tower, let alone the window or a face!

“I tell you what we might do,” said Julian. “We could go and see over the castle ourselves tomorrow. And we could go up into that tower. Then we should certainly see if there’s a face there.”

“But I thought we were leaving tomorrow,” said Dick.

“Oh — yes, we did think of leaving, didn’t we?” said Julian, who had quite forgotten this idea of his in his excitement. “Well — I don’t feel as if we can go before we’ve explored that castle, and found the explanation of the face.”

“Of course we can’t,” said George. “Fancy seeing a thing like that and rushing off without finding out about it. I couldn’t possibly.”

“I’m going to stay anyhow,” announced Jo. “I could stop with my Uncle Alfredo, if you go, and I’ll let you know if the face comes again — if George will leave me her glasses.”

“Well, I shan’t,” said George, with much determination. “If I go, my glasses go with me. But I’m not going. You will stay now, won’t you, Julian?”

“We’ll stay and find out about the face,” said Julian. “I honestly feel awfully puzzled about it. Hallo, who’s this coming?”

A big figure loomed up in the twilight. It was Alfredo, the fire-eater. “Jo! Are you there?” he said. “Your aunt invites you to supper — and all your friends too. Come along.”

There was a pause. Anne looked expectantly across at Julian. Was he still going to be high-and-mighty and proud? She hoped not.

“Thanks,” said Julian, at last. “We’d be pleased to come. Do you mean now?”

“That would be nice,” said Alfredo, with a little bow. “I fire-eat for you? Anything you say!”

This was too tempting to resist. Everyone got up at once and followed the big Alfredo over the hillside to his caravan. Outside there was a really good fire, and on it was a big black pot that gave out a wonderful smell.

“Supper is not quite ready,” said Alfredo. The five children were relieved. After their big tea they didn’t feel ready even for a meal that smelt as good as the one in the pot! They sat down by it.

“Will you really eat fire for us?” asked Anne. “How do you do it?”

“Ah, very difficult!” said Alfredo. “I do it only if you promise me not to try it by yourselves. You would not like blisters all over your mouth inside, would you?”

Everyone felt certain that they wouldn’t. “I don’t want you to have blisters in your mouth, either,” added Anne.