There seemed nothing to say, and Mary fought back the horrid tight lump in her throat, and tried hard not to cry out as her twin's fingers gripped her own fiercely. Then she put the shivering Macbeth on his lead and looked back where she believed Hatchholt to be. But although in this direction, the mist was not quite as thick, the track was only just visible. For a moment she felt that she must run blindly down that little path... on and on until she found something or someone who would spirit her away from this beastliness and put them all safe by the wood fire at Witchend. And when she thought of Witchend and Mummy and David and Agnes the lump crept up into her mouth almost, and the tears scalded her eyes. Dickie's voice was funny, too, when he said, "Are you frightened, twin?"

"Not... not 'zactly frightened, Dickie," Mary gulped. "Just something in my throat. This old fog, I 'spect."

"I am," said Dickie. "I don't think you're saying truth, Mary. I hate it."

"Well," said Mary. "I couldn't let you be it by yourself. P'raps I am a bit too."

This cheered Dickie considerably. "That's all right, then," he said. "If we're both frightened it's not so bad. What shall we do?"

"I don't know yet, Dickie, what's best to do, but this is the biggest adventure we've ever had, and I know we've got to be specially brave."

He felt for her hand and squeezed it again. Then he shivered and could feel Mary shaking too,,

"Dickie," she said after a little. "I don't think it's a good idea just to stand here. Which way shall we go?"

Then Dickie was sensible.

"If we try and go to Hatchholt it's a long way, and we shan't know whether we're going the right way 'cos this part of the mountain is so big. Let's go back to Appledore. It's not far, and we'll know we're right because it will be downhill soon through the wood... I 'spect that Mrs. Thurston's a witch, but John would help us, and I think that's the best thing to do."

"Come on, then," said Mary. "I'm hungry too."

"Gosh!" said Dickie. "So am I. We didn't have any tea after all, and now she'll have to give us supper, p'raps."

So slowly and carefully, with Dickie in front, they went back the way they had come. Even in sunlight the little path had been nearly invisible with the heather so high, but now, when they could only see a few yards ahead, they kept losing it altogether.