"Come and see us, dear J's," Mary begged. "And thank you for looking after us. Just ask for Seven Gates and come an' see us... Mackie says thank you, too. He likes spam."

"I wish I had more time to ask you things," Dickie said. "I believe you're Commandos acksherly."

Jerry and Jake stood side by side at the mouth of the cave and saluted.

"S'long, youngsters! Be good."

"And I'd stay in bed at night. Just try it for a change."

And as they ambled off down the track a whistle sounded from the heights and even as the twins watched the hillsides came alive with men until the valley was filled with khaki shadows.

The stranger sat down in the sun with his back to a rock and motioned the twins down beside him.

"Say, kids," he began. "Tell me about this house where you're staying. 'Nine Doors,' did you say it was called? And you said something about an old man. Is he still there? Is he well?... And his wife? Tell me about her?"

Dickie and Mary managed to catch each other's eye and a meaning look passed between them.

"Well," said Dickie. "We don't know what to tell except that she's very nice to us, but..."

"But we don't think she'll be very nice when we get back unless you come with us and 'splain," Mary added. "But we've told you that already."

"I guess I'll be with you when you ride up," the stranger smiled. "I'll make it right for you. Don't worry. Now, tell me again what happened last night."

So again they told their story, missing out the bits that would require awkward explanations and romancing a little too. But they didn't tell the story well, for somehow they both felt a little uneasy. The adventure itself seemed unreal now, and when they looked round at the strange valley and behind them at a hole in the mountain and beside them at a handsome swashbuckling cowboy, they could hardly believe that they were both awake.

Once or twice, Mary had the odd feeling that the stranger knew what they were trying to tell him before they had spoken, and when Dickie was talking about the big stone that rocked, she was astonished to hear their new friend say quietly, almost to himself - "It still rocks, then." Then, sharply, "I mean, how much did it rock?"

"Oh, quite a lot. An' when we both pushed - just to try it, if you know what I mean - it gave a sort of crunch and a groan and over it went, an' there we were."

"And the old man? Where was he? Did you say he was in front of you all the time?"