While they were away David took out his clasp-knife and prised up a square of turf between the roots of the pine tree, and disclosed a rusty old tin. In this were kept the secret documents of the Lone Pine Club - the rules, the log-book and the signatures in blood made by the original members last summer. Then he sat back on his heels and pulled from his jacket the note which Peter had scribbled in the wood by the Minsterly road.

They soon got the fire burning, and while Dickie was hoisted into the crow's nest in the tree, Mary unpacked the haversack. But Tom Ingles must have been learning some woodcraft, for not even the sentry's sharp eyes spotted him as he came through the wood, and it was Macbeth who put his head on one side and whined as, clear and loud, through the stillness of the afternoon, came the mournful cry of the peewit. This was the secret warning signal of the Lone Piners which Tom had taught them all last summer.

David looked up from the fire and Macbeth barked and wagged his tail - he knew this whistle - as Dickie scrambled to the ground and ran out to meet their friend.

Tom Ingles, although only a few weeks younger than David, was smaller and slighter. His friendship for the Mortons and Peter was the best thing that had happened to him, and although he pretended sometimes that the Club was "all right just for the kids," he was secretly very proud of his membership.

"Hello, David. Hello, Mary. How's things?" he said, as he came into the clearing. "Did you hear me call and have you heard from Peter? I came as soon as I could, but Uncle's always finding me something to do... Oh, sorry, Mackie! Didn't I speak to you...?"

Then they all sat down round the fire and David balanced the kettle across the two stones of the fireplace before taking out Peter's letter again.

"It came this morning," he said, "but I thought we'd read it together."

When he had finished it - and it didn't take long - they all began to speak together.

"Poor old Peter," said David. "How beastly for her not to like where she's going."

"I tell you what," was Dickie's contribution. "We'll all jolly well go and rescue her. Let's start now. Bet she's afraid of those old Stiperstones..."

"She said to warn me," said Tom. "Wonder what she meant?"

"She says she's going to send us another message and we've got to be ready," Mary broke in. "That's the important thing for us... Now you see, David, why we wanted to see that letter earlier. We guessed she'd want us to help, didn't we, twin?"

David tied up the muslin bag containing the tea and dropped it into the kettle of boiling water.