When Mr. Sterling heard the twins were missing and that they might be lost on the mountain, he said just three words - "Wait for me." In three minutes he returned strangely disguised in rubber boots, a long nondescript raincoat and a little tweed hat with two trout flies stuck in the band.

Bill looked at him a little doubtfully. "It's jolly good of you Mr. Sterling, but we'll be out for an hour or two. Won't be too much for you, will it? Young Peter wants to come."

Mr. Sterling actually snorted in disgust at the suggestion that he was an old man, but all he said was: "If those youngsters are on the top in the mist they'll be cold and tired now. We'll put some more coal on the fire and make the place a bit snug for them... Now, let's be going."

Meanwhile, Peter had slipped on her jodhpurs again and saddled an indignant and sleepy Sally. The moon was up now and they could see quite a long way, but not until they got to the top did Bill order them out into a long line, with the two horsemen at each end.

"Go slowly," he said, "and search the hollows particularly carefully. Keep in touch with each other and we'll make for the Witchend valley first and meet up with the others. Remember that if the children are up here they may well be so exhausted that they've gone to sleep somewhere. George and Peter mustn't go too fast, but you can both search a much larger radius, as you're mounted. I'll stay in the middle of the line. It wouldn't be a bad idea to call and whistle just in case they are asleep somewhere. Right; spread out. Your pony is fresh, Peter, so you take the far side. Good luck!"

So Peter touched Sally with her heel and the little hill pony kicked up her heels and was away. The heather was bathed in white moonlight, and the night was now very still as she galloped over towards the cairn on the summit. Peter had forgotten how bored and lonely she had been, for this was one of the greatest adventures she had ever had. Pity David was not here, too. She pulled Sally in a little and looked back at the others. Bill Ward waved an arm as if to indicate that she could search behind the line as well, so she turned the pony and trotted back a little way towards the track to Appledore. Twice she stopped and shouted, "Dickie! Mary! Where are you?"