“Yes, I think we ought,” said Julian. “Aunt Fanny, would you like to wake Joanna and get something hot ready, in case we find George is tired out and cold? We’ll go down to the beach and look. It will soon be daylight now. The eastern sky is just beginning to show its first light.”

“Well go and dress then,” said Aunt Fanny, still looking very worried indeed. “Oh, what a dreadful family I’ve got — always in some scrape or other!”

The three children began to dress. Timmy watched them, waiting patiently till they were ready. Then they all went downstairs and out of doors. Julian turned towards the beach, but Timmy stood still. He pawed at Dick and then ran a few steps in the opposite direction.

“Why — he doesn’t want us to go to the beach! He wants us to go another way!” cried Julian, in surprise. “All right, Timmy — you lead the way and we’ll follow!”

Chapter Nineteen

A meeting with martin

Timmy ran round the house and made for the moor behind. It was most extraordinary. Wherever was he going?

“This is awfully queer,” said Julian. “I’m sure George can’t be anywhere in this direction.”

Timmy went on swiftly, occasionally turning his head to make sure everyone was following him. He led the way to the quarry!

“The quarry! Did George come here then?” said Dick. “But why?”

The dog disappeared down into the middle of the quarry, slipping and sliding down the steep sides as he went. The others followed as best they could. Luckily it was not as slippery as before, and they reached the bottom without accident.

Timmy went straight to the shelf of rock and disappeared underneath it. They heard him give a short sharp bark as if to say “Come on! This is the way! Hurry up!”

“He’s gone into the tunnel under there,” said Dick. “Where we thought we might explore and didn’t. There must be a passage or something there, then. But is George there?”

“I’ll go first,” said Julian, and wriggled through the hole. He was soon in the wider bit and then came out into the part where he could almost stand. He walked a little way in the dark, hearing Timmy bark impatiently now and then. But in a moment or two Julian stopped.

“It’s no good trying to follow you in the dark, Timmy!” he called. “We’ll have to go back and get torches. I can’t see a foot in front of me!”

Dick was just wriggling through the first part of the hole. Julian called to him to go back.

“It’s too dark,” he said. “We must go and get torches. If George for some reason is up this passage, she must have had an accident, and we’d better get a rope, and some brandy.”

Anne began to cry. She didn’t like the idea of George lying hurt in that dark passage. Julian put his arm round her as soon as he was in the open air again. He helped her up the sides of the quarry, followed by Dick.