"I've got no papers or maps of any sort with me," he shouted as the house shook again, "and if I had they belong to us and to my mother and are nothing to do with you."

"You little liar!" Valerie screamed and stepped towards Jon with her hand raised as if to strike him. "You have got them. You told me you'd got them when I met you."

"I didn't say anything actually," Jon replied. "And I wish now I'd told you right out that I hadn't brought any papers... Anyway, it doesn't matter what you say or do, because even if there were any papers they are nothing to do with you!" and in his excitement he got quite red in the face and went close to Valerie and yelled at her. Miss Ballinger snarled something at the girl which sounded like "fool" and then David broke in.

"And what have you done with my brother and sister? Where are they? We've come to take them home."

"Yes, and where's Penny?" Jon added. "Penny! Penny!" he yelled suddenly, but the noise outside was too great for him to be heard outside the room. Miss Ballinger turned to Slinky.

"Go outside," she said, "and see how things are. Let me know at once if everybody else on the beach has left."

Grandon, with bent, shamed head, slipped past the boys and obeyed his orders.

"Now sit down you two and I'll be quick with what I've got to say. Give me those papers or promise me on your honour that you will give them all to me with any other information you may have found out in the morning and you shall go home at once with Penny and the twins."

"Are they in the house, then?" Jon demanded.

"Never mind where they are, but you can be sure they are safe with me and in my care and they can be exchanged for the papers I need - the papers and map which will lead me to the treasure."

"But you can't do that! How dare you! You can't keep them here like that! Why! Why, it's kidnapping, and you can go to prison for it. Let them out at once and we'll all go home. We'll walk if you like, but we're going home and you can't stop us."

"But I am stopping you?... You cannot go now and I have the others safe and they cannot go either. And in an hour they say the sea will be through the bank... You see, Jonathan, I need those papers and I intend to have them. Neither do I intend to be interfered with by a gang of rude, unruly and ill-mannered children... Give me your promise, Jonathan - your word of honour for you both - and you can go home with the others at once."

Before Jon could answer the door crashed open and Slinky shouted excitedly: