"It's no use pretendin' any more. We know who you are. You're Uncle Micah's Charles, aren't you? The one that ran away to America and broke his father's heart. You are, aren't you? Yes, we thought you were Uncle Charles. Now isn't it lucky we found you, 'cos your poor father is pinin' away for you... It's no use your wriggling about like that. You just got to listen to me, and I tell you he's pining all the time. He walks about these mountains at night and sits in the Devil's Chair and all the people - except us and Aunt Carol - think he's a wizard. Aunt Carol? That's funny! She's your new mother, I s'pose. What fun for you... There! That's better for the ankle. Shall we wash the blood away now? I've never been so bloody before. It's squelching in my sandal. What shall we wet so that we can wash it? I don't wear much acksherly. I've only got a vest on under this shirt and I never seem to have a hankie."

"Use mine," suggested Uncle Charles, "or would you like to tear up my shirt?"

"That would be fun," Mary agreed, "but wouldn't it be more sensible if we made it into a signal of distress... you know, like a raft?..."

Before he could answer Dickie's voice came excitedly from above:

"Come up, Mary. I can hear voices. I can't see anybody yet, but there's somebody coming."

Mary whirled round and put her hands on Uncle Charles' shoulders.

"I knew it!" she squealed. "It's Mackie that's rescued us. I knew he would. Now listen. PROMISE me, Uncle Charles, promise me, please, and SWEAR, too, that you'll do what we say when we're rescued. Don't say who you are till I say. I've made such a lovely plan, so PLEASE don't ask questions, but promise. Will you, darling, DARLING Uncle?"

Dickie was still calling urgently from above, but for once she had no time for her twin. Her urgent little face was a few inches from Charles's, and in her excitement she was trying to shake him.

"Promise me," she urged. "Promise!"

The laughter died out of his eyes and he dropped a kiss on her curls.

"I promise," he whispered. "You're a grand kid, Mary. Now go up with Dickie and shout like fun, and when you can see who it is let me know."

But before she was on the platform the cave was filled with a peculiar humming.

"There's a lot of people coming," Dickie called. Then, "And something's happening to these wires up here. They're moving."

Charles heaved himself to his feet. "Come down," he roared. "Quickly, Dickie! Down here. Right off the platform. And you, Mary."

But Dickie was so excited that he did not seem to hear.

"I'll see who they are in a sec," he called. "I wonder if they've brought a crane?"