“I’m sure I must be dreaming,” thought Dick, and put the paper into his pocket. He lay back in his straw, cuddling in deep, because he had got cold by the window. He lay and thought for a while, puzzling over the curious happenings, and then he felt his eyes closing.

But before he was quite asleep, he heard cautious footsteps again! Was that fellow back once more? This time someone tried the door - but the wooden stick was in the hasps. Whoever it was outside shook the door and the stick fell out at once. The man shook the door again as if thinking it had stuck, and then opened it. He came inside and shut the door behind him.

Dick caught a quick glimpse of him. No - this wasn’t the same man as before. This was a man with a head of thick hair, Dick hoped and prayed that he wouldn’t come over to the straw.

He didn’t. He sat down on a sack and waited. He talked to himself after a while, but Dick could only make out a word or two.

“What’s happened?” he heard. “How much longer do I wait?” Then there was a mumble and Dick could not catch a word.

“Wait, wait - that’s all I do,” muttered the man, and he stood up and stretched himself. Then he went to the door and looked out. He came back and sat down on the sack again.

He sat still and quiet then, and Dick found his eyes closing once more. Was this part of a dream too? He didn’t have time to think it out because he was suddenly in a real dream, walking along ringing bells and seeing trees in twos everywhere round him!

He slept heavily all night long. When morning came he awoke suddenly and sat up. He was alone in the barn. Where had the second visitor gone? Or could it all have been a dream?

Chapter Seven

In the morning

Dick stood up and stretched himself. He felt dirty and untidy. Also he was very hungry. He wondered if the old woman would let him buy some bread and cheese and a glass of milk.

“Anne must be hungry too,” he thought “I wonder if she’s all right.” He went cautiously outside and looked up at the tiny window of the loft where Anne had spent the night. Her anxious face was already there, watching for Dick!

“Are you all right, Anne?” called Dick, in a low tone. She pushed open the tiny window and smiled at him.

“Yes. But I daren’t go down because that son is downstairs. I can hear him shouting at the deaf old woman every now and again. He sounds very bad-tempered.”

“I’ll wait for him to go out to his work then, before I go and see the old woman,” said Dick. “I must pay her something for letting you sleep up in that loft - and perhaps I can persuade her to let us have something to eat.”