Famous Five 19 Five Go to Demons Rocks (16 page)

‘What is it, Grandad, now?’ said a plump little woman, bustling in.

‘Look, Millie - am I seeing right - ain’t that the light-house lamp a-shining there?’ said Jeremiah.

‘Well - there’s a bright light shining out there high above Demon’s Rocks,’ said Millie.

‘But I never in my life saw the light-house lamp shining out before! And what’s that booming noise, Grandfather - like a wonderful great bell?’

“Famous Five 19 - Five Go To Demon's Rock” By Enid Blyton
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‘That’s the old bell in the light-house!’ said Jeremiah. ‘I couldn’t mistake that! Many’s the time I heard it booming out to warn ships off them Demon’s Rocks in the old days. Millie, it can’t be! It don’t hang there no more. And the light don’t shine no more. What’s happening?’

‘I dunno, Grandad,’ said Millie, scared. ‘Ain’t no one in the light-house, far as I know!’

Old Jeremiah smacked his hand down on the window-sill, knocking over a plant-pot.

‘There are folk there - three boys and two girls, and a monkey too - and a dog as well!’

‘Well, there now!’ said Millie. ‘And what would they be there for? Did they set the lamp agoing and sound that bell? BOOOOOM - there it goes again - enough to wake all the babies in Demon’s Rocks Village!’

Millie was right. It did wake all the babies, and the children - and amazed every man and woman in the place, including Ebenezer and Jacob. They had leapt to their feet when they had heard the bell, and were astounded to see the great light shining out steadily in the night.

They heard people hurrying by their cottage, on their way to Demon’s Rocks jetty. They heard Jeremiah’s big voice booming out too. ‘It’s they children up there in the lighthouse, a-banging that bell, and setting that light a-shining. Something’s wrong! It’s help they’re needing, folks! Something’s wrong!’

Ebenezer and Jacob knew quite well what was wrong! The children were locked in the light-house and couldn’t get out! They might be ill or hurt - or starving - but they couldn’t get out to fetch help. And now the whole village was aroused, and when the morning came, a boat would bob out on the great waves and find out what had happened!

Ebby and Jacob disappeared that night! It wasn’t Constable Sharp they feared - it was the people of the village! They slipped away in the dark and the rain, and were gone.

But you’ll be caught, Ebby, you’ll be caught, Jacob! And no one will be sorry for you. No one at all!

When daylight came, there were many people on the jetty, ready to go across to the light-house. The wind was so rough that great waves still rolled over the rocks on which the light-house stood. Soon a boat was launched, and Jeremiah, Constable Sharp and the village doctor went across, the boat careering from side to side like a mad thing, as the waves caught it.

They went up the steps to the light-house and banged at the door - and from the other side came Julian’s glad voice. ‘You’ll have to break down the door. Ebby or Jacob locked us in and took the key. We can’t get out, and we’re running short of food!’

‘Right. Stand back,’ shouted Jeremiah, ‘Constable and I are going to break in!’

Jeremiah was old but he was still hefty, and Constable Sharp was heftier still. The lock suddenly splintered under their enormous shoves, and the door flew wide open!

Jeremiah and the policeman shot inside and bumped into Julian and the rest, sending them flying. Timmy barked in astonishment and Mischief fled up the stairway!

Soon they were all in the living-room, and Julian was pouring out his story. Anne made tea and handed round steaming cups. Jeremiah listened open-mouthed, and the policeman busily took notes. The doctor, glad that no one was ill or hurt, sipped his tea and listened, too.

‘We didn’t know how to get out when we were locked in,’ said Julian, coming to the end of his long story. ‘So in the end we lighted the old lamp, and hung up the old bell, and struck it with the hammer. I could hardly stand in the gallery, though, there was such a wind! I struck it for half an hour, and then my brother here went on till he felt too cold.

The lamp didn’t burn all night - it went out early this morning.’

“Famous Five 19 - Five Go To Demon's Rock” By Enid Blyton
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‘But both bell and light did their job well, son,’ said Jeremiah, looking twenty years younger, he was so excited. ‘Ah, to think that old lamp shone again, and that old bell sounded - I thought I must be dreaming!’

‘We’ll be after that Ebenezer and Jacob,’ said the policeman, shutting his notebook,

‘And it seems to me you’d all best go home, young sir. This weather’s going on for a bit -

and there’s nothing to keep you here, is there?’

‘Well,’ said Julian, ‘actually there is something to keep us here. You know the old wreckers’ lost treasure you told us about, Jeremiah? Well - we’ve found it!’

Jeremiah was so astounded that he couldn’t say a word! He goggled at Julian, and opened and shut his mouth like a fish. Julian took some golden coins out of his pocket and showed them to the policeman and the doctor, and to Jeremiah.

‘There you are!’ he said. ‘We know where there are thousands of these - they are in iron-bound boxes and chests down in one of the tunnels in the rock. What do you think of that? We can’t leave here till we’ve given the treasure into the hands of the police! It belongs to the Crown, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes, it does,’ said Constable Sharp, gazing at the bright gold coins. ‘But you’ll get a fine reward, young man - all of you will! Where’s this treasure? I’d better get it straight away.’

‘Well - you have to go down the foundation shaft of the light-house,’ said Julian, gravely, but with a twinkle in his eye, ‘and crawl under the archway at the bottom, and then make your way down the tunnel - but be careful the sea doesn’t catch you - and then when you come to...’

The policeman stopped scribbling down what Julian was saying, and looked startled.

Julian laughed.

‘It’s all right - Dick and I will fetch it ourselves today, and give it to you, complete with every single gold coin,’ he said. ‘We don’t need to go down the shaft - there’s another way in - the way you took us, Jeremiah. We’ll go this morning, for a last excitement. And then - home! Perhaps you would kindly telephone to Kirrin Garage for a car to fetch us at twelve o’clock, Constable?’

‘Oh good!’ said Anne. ‘An adventure is always exciting but I’ve really had enough at the moment! This was such a bad-weather one! Oh, Constable, look out - that monkey has pulled out your whistle!’

So he had - and what is more he blew it - PHEEEEEEEEEE. Jeremiah almost jumped out of his skin, and Mischief received a slap that almost made him jump out of his skin too!

‘Good-bye, Jeremiah,’ said Julian. ‘It’s been fine meeting you - and thanks for coming to rescue us. We’ll see you again some day. Come along Constable - we’ll go and find the treasure with you now.’

‘I don’t think I’ll come,’ said Anne, who really didn’t like dark, smelly tunnels and caves.

‘I’ll do the packing.’

‘Timmy and I will help you,’ said George, who knew that Anne wouldn’t like to be left alone in the light-house.

The boys went off with Jeremiah, the doctor and Constable Sharp, rowing over the rocks to the jetty. The doctor and Jeremiah said good-bye at the jetty, and the three boys and Mischief took Constable Sharp to find the treasure. They had to push their way through quite a crowd of people, who had collected on the quay, anxious to know why the light had shone out from the light-house in the night, and why the bell had sounded.

“Famous Five 19 - Five Go To Demon's Rock” By Enid Blyton
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‘Make way, please,’ said the policeman, politely. ‘Everything is all right. These children were locked in the light-house and couldn’t get out. Make way, please. There is no need for any excitement!’

‘No - that’s all over now - isn’t it, Ju?’ said Dick. ‘Whew - it was just a bit too exciting, at times! I shall be quite glad to be at Kirrin Cottage again, with peace and quiet all around us.’

‘You’ve forgotten that Uncle Quentin and his friend will still be there,’ said Julian, with a grin. ‘There’ll be plenty going on while they’re around! I’m afraid they won’t be at all pleased to see us back!’

Oh yes they will, Julian - especially when they hear the exciting story you have to tell!

You’ll have some fun showing round a gold coin or two. Timmy is to have one hung on his collar, as a reward for guarding you so well - how proud he will be!

Well, good-bye to you all! Good-bye, Julian, and Dick, and a good journey home! Good-bye, Anne and George - and Tinker too, and Mischief, you funny little monkey!

And good-bye, dear old Timmy, best of friends. How we wish we had a dog like you!

See you all again some day!