“I left him behind to look after Father,” said George. Joanna stared at her in surprise. She knew how passionately fond of Timmy George was.

“You’re a very good girl — sometimes!” she said. “See now — if you’re still hungry because your father has eaten most of your lunch, you go and look in the biscuit tin. I made you some of your favourite ginger biscuits this morning. You go and find them.”

That was always Joanna’s way! If she thought anyone was upset, she offered them her best and freshest food. George went off to find the biscuits.

“You’re a kind soul, Joanna,” said George’s mother. “I’m so thankful we left Timmy there. I feel happier about the master now.”

“What shall we do this afternoon?” said Dick, when they had finished munching the delicious ginger biscuits. “I say, aren’t these good? You know, I do think good cooks deserve some kind of decoration, just as much as good soldiers or scientists, or writers. I should give Joanna the OBCBE.”

“Whatever’s that?” said Julian.

“Order of the Best Cooks of the British Empire,” said Dick grinning. “What did you think it was? “Oh, Be Careful Before Eating”?”

“You really are an absolute donkey,” said Julian. “Now, what shall we do this afternoon?”

“Go and explore the passage in the quarry,” said George.

Julian cocked an eye at the window. “It’s about to pour with rain,” he said. “I don’t think that clambering up and down the steep sides of that quarry in the wet would be very easy. No — we’ll leave that till a fine day.”

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said Anne suddenly. “Do you remember that old map of Kirrin Castle we once found in a box? It had plans of the castle in it — a plan of the dungeons, and of the ground floor, and of the top part. Well, let’s have it out and study it? Now we know there is another hiding-place somewhere, we might be able to trace it on that old map. It’s sure to be on it somewhere — but perhaps we didn’t notice it before!”

The others looked at her, thrilled. “Now that really is a brilliant idea of yours, Anne,” said Julian, and Anne glowed with pleasure at his praise. “A very fine idea indeed. Just the thing for a wet afternoon. Where’s the map? I suppose you’ve got it somewhere safe, George?”

“Oh yes,” said George. “It’s still in that old wooden box, inside the tin lining. I’ll get it.”

She disappeared upstairs and came down again with the map. It was made of thick parchment, and was yellow with age. She laid it out on the table. The others bent over it, eager to look at it once more.

“Do you remember how frightfully excited we were when we first found the box?” said Dick.

“Yes, and we couldn’t open it, so we threw it out of the top window down to the ground below, hoping it would burst open!” said George.