The previous (second) episode of this chapter was on the last update. I am afraid I uploaded it in a dreadful rush, without checking it first for spelling and grammar etc. As a result there was one rather large chronological error which I daresay some of you will have spotted. I don't believe, however, that it upsets the basic plot in any important way. There was also a typing error right at the end of the story. The boys presented themselves for their two hours revision at 5 p. m., not 8.
Timmy and Charlie found it unusually difficult to concentrate on their work that evening. Robbie was alarmed at their lack of attention. This, after all, was the first time he had taught them. He wasn't to know that the degree of their inattention was not typical. Neither did he know, of course, of the excitements earlier in the day and of the adventure they were hoping for later. It is not surprising, therefore, that he was somewhat concerned about the scale of the task he had been set in trying to prepare the boys for their common entrance examination. More than once, during that session, he found himself having to cast meaningful looks in the direction of the cabinet where the whacking slipper was kept. Fortunately, those glances were sufficient to bring the boys' minds back to their studies. Even so, for them, the time seemed to be dragging by far too slowly. They were just desperate for the lesson to be over so that they could race back to the island to relieve their new friends in the cave. What they dreaded above all was the possibility that the brigand would return to the cave before their arrival, giving the girls all the glory and kudos of following him and arranging for his apprehension.
Finally, the study clock chimed 7 times. The lesson was over. But they still had to make their difficult request for permission to be out late that night. Both had been giving considerable thought to that. They knew, of course, that they couldn't say where it was they really wanted to go. Both had their own ideas as to what they should say they wanted to do. But, by some strange telepathy, both knew that the task of putting it to Robbie was to be performed by Timmy. So, as the last chime rang out, Charlie remained silent and waited for Timmy to speak.
"Um, Robbie", he started hesitatingly, "Charlie and I wondered if we could be allowed out late tonight?" His first approach, he thought, should reveal nothing at all, just in case Robbie was inclined to grant permission without wanting details.
"How late do you want to be?" Robbie asked.
"Well, we thought something like 11 o'clock".
"11? That's incredibly late for 12 year olds. Where do you want to go?"
"Well, you know in the Geography syllabus there's that bit about wildlife in England?"
"Yes, what of it?".
"Well", Timmy took a deep breath at this stage. This was crunch time. "The thing is, there's this badger sett in Brickley Woods. We just thought it would be really helpful to us if we could go and observe it at night. I mean that would be a good thing to be able to say in an essay in the exam wouldn't it?"
"I don't know", said Robbie, "you've had a pretty full day already. Wouldn't it be better to leave that for another day?"
Timmy had guessed that Robbie might make a suggestion like that, and he was prepared for it.
"The trouble is that practically no one knows about it yet. But word's bound to get round. We don't want to go there and find hundreds of other people having the same idea and frightening off the badgers."
"I see that, but why do you have to stay till 11? Couldn't you get back by about 10?"
"Maybe, but if the badgers have only just come out just before 10 we really need to know we can stay a bit longer."
Robbie thought for a moment or two. The twins were looking up at him, their faces silently pleading to be granted their request. He liked them very much. He didn't want to disappoint them. He knew that they would not be holding their earlier punishment against him, but he guessed that a refusal now could well lead to a lingering feeling of injustice. On the other hand, 11 o'clock was certainly late for 12 year olds to be out and about on their own in the countryside. Then he thought of a compromise.
"Well, how would it be if I came with you? Then we'd know you were safe."
This, too, Timmy had thought of. "Wow, that's really kind of you Robbie, but wouldn't we get sort of better marks if we could say we did it entirely on our own. Anyway, I know that Sammy wouldn't want to go and it'd be a bit much leaving her all alone in the house."
The last bit, of course, was intended to get Robbie's mind working on what he might be able to achieve with the twins' incredibly attractive older sister if the two of them were allowed to spend a whole evening together, without risk of interruption. It had that effect. Robbie could certainly see benefits to him in the boys' plan. But he was still reluctant to make the final decision.
"Look, I don't mind you doing this, but I really think I'd better check with Sammy first. I mean, she must know what your parents would think of a plan like this. I'll go and ask her."
"We'll come too", Timmy said immediately. He knew that the chances of a refusal from Sammy would be higher if she could give it without her brothers being present.
So the three boys set off for the kitchen.
Sammy's head was buried in a cookery book. She desperately wanted to impress Robbie with a gourmet meal, but she was having some difficulty in finding a suitable recipe for which she had all the necessary ingredients. There was, she knew, one hen pheasant hanging in the larder, just ready for cooking. It was the last of the bag from the last shoot of the season (the others had all been plucked and frozen and there wasn't enough time to defrost them). The trouble was that one hen pheasant could feed two, but there would not be enough meat on it for all four of them. She looked up as she heard the door opening.
"Hi", she said (a rather modern and informal greeting which she hoped demonstrated how up to date she was), "hope that wasn't dad's slipper I heard earlier?" The sound of her father's large slipper connecting with her brothers' small bottoms was one with which she was very familiar, and any doubts about the matter were anyway removed when she saw the boys in their running shorts. But she was always fascinated by the boys' complete lack of embarrassment when talking about their punishments, so she thought she'd ask the question.
"Fraid it was sis", said Charlie, "bloody hurt too, but have to admit we deserved it. So what are you doing?"
"Trying to find something nice to cook for your supper. I forgot to defrost a pheasant earlier, to go with the one in the larder. Just one, and a hen at that, is hardly going to be enough for you three greedy lads."
Timmy pounced.
"Hey don't worry, me and Charlie were thinking of going badger spotting tonight. We'll just take some bread and cheese with us. You and Robbie can have the pheasant."
Sammy's face instantly lit up. She had roasted pheasants countless times before and she knew that she could do it well. She was bound to impress Robbie. She also realised immediately that the boys' badger adventure would have the added advantage of ensuring that she and Robbie could settled down together on the sofa without prying 12 year olds spying on them.
"That's great", she said without waiting. "I'll knock you up a picnic."
Now it was time for Robbie to speak.
"Only thing is, Sammy", he said, "they want to be allowed to stay out till 11. What do you think your parents would say about that?"
That information cheered Sammy even more. Although, if pressed on the matter, she would have had to admit that she could hardly be certain that her parents would allow the boys out that late on their own, she had no hesitation in giving her answer.
"Oh, they'd think it was a wonderful idea. You know, country pursuits and all that. No problem. Ok boys, give me half an hour and I'll have a picnic for you."
They had already wasted several valuable minutes. They could certainly not afford another half hour.
"That's ok", this was Charlie, "we'll just grab some stuff from the larder. Don't want to miss anything. Come on Timmy, let's get changed".
The twins ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs, three at a time. In their room, they ripped off their skimpy shorts, pausing only for a second to check the bruising on their bottoms, grabbed their underpants and jeans, tugged them up and dashed downstairs again. They charged back into the kitchen, ran across to the larder, tore the door open, pulled down a large piece of Cheddar and a loaf of bread and headed straight for the door again.
"Bye", they both yelled as they continued their mad progress towards the back door.
Robbie and Sammy looked at each other in amazement. No doubt it would be interesting to see a badger sett at night, but surely not so interesting, to normal 12 year old boys, as to lead to this extraordinary haste. It was Sammy who spoke.
"So where do you think they are really going?".
"No idea, but I'm certain it's not to a badger sett."
"If you don't mind having dinner nearer nine than eight we could follow them a bit, just see what they are up to. What do you think?"
"I think", replied Robbie, "that my duties as their temporary lord and master probably mean I have no choice. Come on, let's get the bikes".
As Robbie and Sammy wheeled their bikes to the front of the house they could see the tail lights of the twins' bikes disappearing out of the long drive onto the road. They had turned right, the opposite direction to Brickley Woods. Sammy and Robbie grinned at each other at this confirmation of their suspicions. They quickly mounted their bikes and, without turning the lights on so as to avoid being seen by the twins, they cycled rapidly off.
The pace was pretty furious. There could be no doubt that the twins were in a desperate hurry to get wherever it was they were headed. But their pursuers had no difficulty in keeping up. Once, when one of the twins dropped something and they both stopped while he retrieved it, Sammy and Robbie were able to exchange a few quick words.
"Any idea now?", Robbie asked.
"They're headed for the coast. It'll be their precious island I reckon. Probably hoping for as much time as possible in the cave before the tide gets too high."
And then they were off again.
At last, the twins' cycles screeched to a halt beside the little jetty opposite the island. They threw the bikes down and sprinted along to the end of the jetty. Both jumped down into the rowing boat and, before Sammy and Robbie could get near them, started rowing as fast as they could in the direction of the island.
Sammy and Robbie were both out of breath. Neither had ever cycled such a distance so fast. They both panted for a few moments and then Robbie spoke.
"So what do we do now? Is there any way your parents would have let them go to the island this late?"
"Of course not. It's far too dangerous."
"I feared you'd say that. Bloody hell, that means I'll have to slipper them again. What an earth can they be thinking of?"
Sammy had no answer.
As they both stared glumly out to sea trying to decide what to do, they heard footsteps on the lane behind them. They turned and saw the figure of a boy who was also looking out to sea. He was walking in their direction. But it was a moment or two before Robbie recognised him.
"Good God, it's Clayton", he blurted out.
The approaching boy turned towards the voice and instantly recognised Robbie.
"Blimey, Taylor. What a strange place to meet."
Sammy looked from one to the other in bafflement. The newcomer was younger than Robbie. She guessed, accurately, that he was 14. He was strikingly good-looking, tall, slim and athletic with a mop of dark curly hair. Robbie remembered his manners.
"Sorry, Sammy this is Clayton. He's in the first year at Upton. We're in the same house. Clayton, this is Sammy Hardman. Stupid of me, I know, but I'm not sure I know your Christian name?"
"It's Adam".
"OK Adam, well its hols so you can call me Robbie".
"Thanks", Adam considered it a very great privilege to be on first name terms with a boy who, in the next school year, would be a prefect.
"So what are you doing Adam?"
"Sounds silly, but I'm trying to find my sisters. They're only 12, they're twins by the way, and if they don't get back home pretty quick they're going to be in awful trouble. I thought I'd better find them and warn them to get home before Papa gets the hairbrush out. What are you doing?"
"Well", Robbie replied for them both, "you're never going to believe this, but we are hot on the trail of two 12 year old boys, Sammy's brothers. I'm tutoring them for common entrance. They went off tonight saying they were going somewhere called Brickley Woods, to look at badgers. We didn't believe them, so we followed. Sure enough, they came here. They've just rowed over to the island there."
"Bloody hell, sorry Sammy", Adam exclaimed (those were still the days when schoolboys would refrain from swearing in front of older girls unless they knew them really well), "are they called Timmy and Charlie?".
"They certainly are", said Sammy who was becoming more amazed by the second, "have you met them?".
"No, but Jo and Sandy told me they'd met identical twin boys called Timmy and Charlie. They wouldn't say where it was or what they were doing. Said it was all top secret. Crikey, you don't think the girls are on the island too do you?"
"Well, it's beginning to look that way", said Robbie, "those boys never fail to surprise me. Who'd have thought it, secret assignations with girls at their age."
"Well, whatever it is they're doing", volunteered Adam, "my sisters are going to have the sorest bums in the country if dad ever finds out. What can we do?"
All three remained silent as they realised none had any ideas at all. Finally, Robbie came up with a suggestion.
"Either of you have any idea whether we might be able to find a boat to go out there ourselves?".
Adam, who was, of course, a newcomer to the area, could make no suggestions. But Sammy did know of a boat, moored a few hundred yards away, which belonged to a family friend who, she was sure would not object to their borrowing it. They were about to set off to find it when they heard a splash from somewhere between the island and where they stood. They stared out and, very dimly, the shape of a rowing boat, heading in their direction, came into view. They waited, in case the four 12 year olds might be returning. Adam had a torch with him, but the boat was still too far away for it to be useful yet. Gradually, it came closer. Then Adam shone the beam onto it. The immediate reaction of the occupants of the boat was to stop rowing. The shore party could see that there were two small people in the boat. They were obviously talking together, about what they should do. After a few moments they seemed to have decided that there was no option but to continue. Soon they were close enough for Adam to identify them.
"Thank God for that. It's Jo and Sandy". He shone the torch onto his own face so that they could see that he was there. They must have been reassured, because their rowing became faster and more certain. In about four or five more minutes they arrived at the jetty to be pulled out by Adam and, to them, two strangers.
The introductions were soon made. Then Robbie started his interrogation. At first, they were not prepared to say anything. Sammy was becoming more and more concerned about what her brothers were up to. Robbie might not be prepared to threaten these two girls, but she certainly was.
"Look girls, it's the last thing I want to do but if you won't say what's going on we''ll just have to take you home and tell your parents everything we know. I gather from what Adam was saying earlier that that could have pretty painful results for you."
Jo and Sandy looked at each other. Sandy, involuntarily, stroked her slim jeans clad bottom. But still they remained silent.
Adam then spoke.
"Look, this is just so stupid. I don't blame you Sammy for wanting to tell on the girls, but I'd rather we didn't. Look, I vote that Robbie and I row out there and check it for ourselves. Jo and Sandy can go home and pretend they've been playing in the fields or something."
Funnily enough, it was that that changed the twins' minds. They looked at each other questioningly and then both nodded. Sandy spoke for them.
"Well, I suppose if you're going out there we might as well tell you."
And so, at first hesitantly and then with more confidence, they told the story. Not quite all of it. They loyally left out the bit about the secret access to the cave, but they said enough to fill their listeners with alarm. They were horrified at the thought of two small boys intending to take on an armed desperado entirely unaided. All were agreed that it was total madness. Robbie made the plan.
"Right", he said in the tone of one who knows he has got to take charge, "this what we do. Adam and I will row out there together (you don't have to Adam but I would be grateful for your support)". Adam was certainly not keen to be left out and nodded vigorously. "Sammy and the girls can go and ring the police and then wait for them here."
Jo and Sandy made an attempt to remonstrate, but their older brother was having nothing of it.
"Look you two, you're bloody fools. If you don't go along with this I'll bloody well whack you myself."
The girls reluctantly agreed to do what they were told.
Sammy suggested going to the Claytons' house to make the call. But the twins were adamantly against that. Not only would that definitely lead to a vigorous application of hairbrush on two young bottoms (something they now feared was inevitable anyway), but ti would also almost certainly deprive them of the opportunity of seeing the adventure to its end. It was agreed that they could us a public call box.
So the girls walked off to the village and Adam and Robbie embarked in the rowing boat.
"I don't know about your sisters Adam, but those two boys are in deep trouble."
"You wouldn't sneak on them would you?", Adam asked in a horrified tone.
Robbie then explained the full nature of his appointment as tutor to the twins.
"You see", he concluded, "it's really like being a prefect. It's not sneaking at all."
Adam immediately got the point and realised that Robbie's duty would require him to deal with the boys.
"So how are you going to play it?"
"Well, if it's possible, I'd like to get it over and done with as soon as we find them. Fortunately, I'm wearing my gym shoes so I can give them a good slippering. Trouble is I've already given the little idiots three each earlier this afternoon. I mean this obviously calls for six, but six a few hours after three is a bit much".
Adam, who was certainly no novice himself when it came to being on the receiving end of corporal punishment and whose sympathy naturally went out to the twins, spoke up in their defence.
"I can see they've got to be whacked, but surely you could get away with four. I mean four after three would be pretty bad."
Robbie was pleased to have an excuse to be as lenient as possible.
"I think you're right Adam. OK, four it is".
Robbie, of course, had never been to the island before. Adam, like his sisters, was not allowed there. But, like his sisters, he had had no hesitation in breaking his father's rule. He had explored the island about three weeks earlier and knew exactly how to find the cave.
Timmy and Charlie were deep in the cave, hidden behind a large rock, with their eyes fixed on the entrance to the sea. It was pitch black. They kept hearing strange noises. Although neither would ever have admitted it, they were both terrified out of their skins. It had begun to dawn on them that they had got themselves in very deep water. Secretly, they were both praying that the felon would not return on their watch. They had been there about half an hour when they heard voices from outside the cave. "Oh no", both thought at the same time, "there's more than one of them". Timmy was holding the pistol in his clammy right hand. He lifted it up and pointed it, very shakily, at the entrance. The voices were louder. Just as the newcomers turned into the cave, the boys both recognised one as being Robbie. Timmy lowered the gun. They edged tighter behind the rock, in the hope of avoiding detection. But that hope was short-lived.
"Timmy, Charlie", Robbie called out. "We know you're here. So you'd better come out now, if you don't want to be in even more trouble than you already are."
They looked at each other and slowly nodded. The game was well and truly up. To be honest, however, neither was really distraught at Robbie's arrival. Both guessed, quite rightly, that their punishment would not be gentle, but both were also greatly relieved to have another ally, or two it seemed, to support them. Slowly, they stood and walked out.
Robbie's voice sounded cold and harsh. There was no doubt that he was genuinely angry. Adam's torch was shining in the twins' faces. They were trying to look brave and unconcerned, but they were not carrying it off.
"What the hell do you think you're playing at?", Robbie barked at them.
Neither responded.
"Jo and Sandy eventually told us everything." Robbie suddenly remembered to introduce his companion, "this is Adam, he's their brother and he's at Upton as it happens. Anyway, you are incredibly lucky that you're only going to end up with ultra sore backsides. Have you any idea how stupid you've been?"
Charlie summoned up the courage to speak.
"I know Robbie. I'm really sorry. We thought it was such a good idea at the time, but I can see now it wasn't."
"Me too", muttered Timmy.
Robbie couldn't stay angry for long, in almost any circumstances. It was particularly difficult to stay angry with these two.
"OK", his voice was gentler again, "well let's get this over and done with and then work out we are going to do next. Come on, drop those jeans". He bent down and untied and removed one of his shoes.
The twins were actually feeling very guilty. The enormity of what they had done had sunk in. As always, their minds worked in unison. Both, having quickly undone and pulled down their tight jeans, eased their underpants down as well. They knew they deserved what was coming and both wanted to make it clear to Robbie that they did.
Robbie turned to Adam.
"Look, I know you're not the type to help someone punish another boy, but I'm afraid I'm really going to need you to shine your torch on them while I beat them. Is that OK?"
Adam hesitated. He knew that these two boys were very much in need of the punishment, but it also went entirely against the grain to help. Timmy came to his rescue.
"Don't worry Adam, we're going to get the slipper whatever you do. Much better get it now than wait till we're somewhere light. We don't mind, do we Charlie?"
"Course not".
Charlie then shuffled out, jeans and underpants round his ankles, towards the centre of the cave. He turned his back to Robbie and Adam and smartly bent over in the time honoured manner. His feet were six inches apart, his legs were straight and he was clutching his ankles. Adam stood a little to the left and carefully shone the torch on the small round bottom. The marks of the earlier slippering were clearly visible. Adam, something of an expert in these things, immediately recognised the work of an expert. Loathe though he had been to give active assistance to Robbie, he would, if he were honest, have had to say that he found the scene he was witnessing somewhat exciting. But he also felt considerable sympathy for the younger boy. He knew exactly what would be going on in Charlies mind. The dread of the pain, the fear of somehow not being able to take it as a boy should, the longing for it to be over, but the feeling, at the same time, that it would be wonderful if it could be delayed just a little. It was difficult to make out Robbie in the gloom, but he could tell that the sixteen year old had taken a few paces back. "Bloody hell, poor boy", he thought, "its going to be a run up job."
Robbie had, indeed, decided to take a run up. If he had been going to give the boys six, he would not have done so. But he thought it important to impress on them, even though they were only to get four, that this was a very serious punishment. He stood still for a moment. It was a most strange sight, he thought, to be there in the total dark with just one small, slim, slightly round boys bottom visible.
Charlie was waiting patiently, gripping his ankles ever tighter as he felt his legs beginning to shake. He, too, was aware that Robbie had stepped back and he, too, knew what that meant. He had heard often about public school beatings and about prefects taking long run ups. Now he was going to experience it at first hand. But, even in predicaments like this, he liked to try and look on the bright side. "At least", he said to himself, "its not the cane". The wait seemed interminable. But then his tutor spoke.
"Very well boys, as you are well aware, I ought to be giving you six each. That was certainly my intention as we rowed out here. But, luckily for you, Adam was with me. He persuaded me that four would be enough, on top of the three I gave you earlier. That is what you are going to get. But before you start being too pleased with yourselves, you might like to contemplate the fact that I have every intention of making this the most painful punishment either of you has ever had."
Charlie gripped tighter. He tried looking between his legs, but it was too dark. All he could see was a sort of shadow where Robbie must be standing. But then he heard the first pace. Robbie must have covered five paces, he thought, as the rubber soled shoe slammed into his bottom. That stroke was the closest he got, I think, to shouting out in shock and pain. It did not help that his bottom was already bruised. Although the pain had gone, it was easy to revive. And Robbie had certainly done that. Adam gasped, the torch shook slightly. But he held it firm again. Timmy, who had shuffled forward, and to the side, so that he could see his brothers fate, winced in sympathy, and in anticipation of what would soon be happening to him.
Robbie paced back. He was taking his time. This was not the rapid fire he had used before. He was going to make sure that the pain really sunk in with each blow.
Adam stared at the bright red splodge which was now on top of the darker bruising. He thanked the stars that it was it dark and that no one would see the bulge which he could feel beginning to form at the front of his trousers. This was far from being the first time that he had noticed that a well executed walloping could have this effect. It was something that had troubled the lad (in all other respects an entirely "normal" hetero_s_e_x_ual) often before. He was now used to it but, even so, it didnt normally manifest itself quite so dramatically as he felt it doing this time.
Suddenly there was a pounding of feet and another smash of rubber on boys flesh. Charlie was not so shocked this time. The impulse to cry out was not so great. But the pain was appalling. Already, he thought, the pain was worse than any he had felt before.
Timmy gulped. The thought uppermost in his mind was his terror that he would not be as stoical as his brother when his turn came. But he was also beginning to understand that he was about to get a whacking which would be in a totally different league from the many he had borne before in his young life. It may surprise you to know this, but there was no feeling of injustice in his mind (or in Charlies for that matter). Both boys considered, even at that moment, that Robbie was being entirely fair. But that didnt make the ordeal any easier.
The third and fourth were no less powerful than the first two. The pauses between them were just as long. The pain ..., I was about to say that the pain was just as bad. But the cumulative effect made it even worse. At the end, Charlie felt as though he had sat on a red hot slab of metal. His buttocks were throbbing in agony. Robbie made him wait a full thirty seconds before allowing him to stand. Those thirty seconds were the most painful of Charlies life. But, at last, he heard Robbies now soft voice telling him to stand. He jumped up. Both hands flew to his bottom. He didnt so much rub as just clutch the burning cheeks. Unashamedly, Adam allowed the torch to play on them for a moment before shining it at Timmy, who was now taking his place.
The whole performance was now repeated. I will not describe it again. The only difference, I suppose, was that Timmy, having watched his brothers chastisement, was more prepared for the ferocity of the thrashing. But, to the observer, all looked the same. Once more, when it was all over, Adam continued to allow the torch light to play on the freshly beaten bottom. But only for a few seconds. Then, reluctantly, because the sight was not unattractive to him, he swung the torch away.
There was silence for a few moments. Robbie was glad of the dark. He was, I think, the closest of the four boys to tears. It surprised him that he had found the experience so upsetting. Logic told him that they would, over the next few years of their lives (especially once they got to Upton) have to take more painful beatings than the ones he had just given. But he still regretted having had to do it. He knew the sudden depression would lift soon. But it was good that the others could not see his distress.
Charlie, who had had more time to get over it, was the first to speak.
"I thought it was bad enough earlier. But that was out of this world. Bloody hell, my bums on fire."
The tone of his voice was one of admiration, not of distress. Robbie understood it and, in an instant, his sadness went. Adam assisted the process with his own contribution.
"Just wait till I tell the boys at school. You are going to be the most dreaded swisher of your year."
Robbie knew that these tributes to his prowess as a punisher would have to be brought to an end. There was still about an hour before the tide would rise to a level at which access to the cave would become impossible. And there was the ever present fear of the arrival of the mysterious man who had hidden the gun earlier in the day. Urgent decision now needed to be made. The most important was to decide whether to stay in the cave and await developments, or to head back to the mainland and leave it all to the police. He knew that the latter course would be the most sensible, but he, just like the twins, had a spirit of adventure in him and he was sorely tempted to stay in the cave. Then he remembered his obligations as the boys temporary guardian, and he knew what he had to do.
"Look, Im sorry lads, Id love to stay here and see this thing through, but I really think we ought to go. Just look at the logistics. Theres only one way out and in. If we stay here and your mysterious crook comes back, theres no escape. If he sees us, hes going to go for us. Wed have to get past him and theres no guarantee we all would."
Timmy and Charlie were now, once again, in brave adventurous moods. They were determined, if at all possible, to stay. Now that they had Adam and Robbie there they felt their previous terror evaporate. As so often before, they did not need to voice their thoughts for each to understand what was going through the others mind. It was apparent from what Robbie had just said that he was not aware of the secret exit. Both smiled as they realised that Jo and Sandy had not broken their word. But they knew the secret would now have to be revealed. Timmy explained everything. Taking the torch, he showed Robbie and Adam the stone slab and the ladder beyond it. Robbie quickly took it in. The leader in him came out again.
"OK, well wait till the police come. I will be behind that rock where you were. You three will go behind the slab, so you can make a quick exit if necessary. Ill have the gun. Ive done a fair amount of shooting in the cadets. From now on, we have total silence. No one speaks unless I give the permission."
The twins wanted to stay nearer the action with Robbie, but there was something in his voice that warned them to do what they were told. Adam felt the same. The three of them vaulted over the slab and crouched below it, waiting.
Sammy had made the call to the police. She had been told that an officer would meet her at the jetty. She had suggested that more than one might be a good idea. But she had been told that only one was available. She, Jo and Sandy returned to the jetty to wait. Although it seemed to be an age, the officer did actually arrive quite quickly. He was driving a Morris Minor patrol car. To the girls, he seemed to be ancient, but he was only in his late fifties. He was large and rather ponderous looking. He slowly climbed out of the car and ambled towards the three girls.
"So whats all this my dears, murderers in caves I hear". And he chuckled.
For the umpteenth time, the twins explained all that had happened. The PC, for that was his rank, listened patiently. A younger man, he thought to himself, might be more impatient with these fantasists, but he had daughters of his own and he knew that the best thing was to humour girls. That was not to say that he did not think that it would be a jolly good thing if their father put them across his knee later that night and warmed their pretty little bottoms for them. But for the meantime, he would play along with their silly fantasy.
"Very well then", he solemnly announced, "we will wait here for your boyfriends to come back and then we will decide what to do about your murderer".
Sammy was incensed. "You dont mean to say, officer, that you are proposing just to stay here while my brothers and their tutor are stranded on that island with a dangerous criminal bout?".
PC Baker was slightly taken aback by her tone. She was obviously from the local county set he thought. No fear of the police, expected them all to run and jump at her command. Well, she would meet her match in him.
"Young lady, I have been in the force for longer than you have been on this earth. I will ask you not to tell me how to do my job".
Sammy changed tactics. She tried pleading. But he would not budge. In the end, she announced that if he wasnt going to do anything, she would. She was going to row over to the island and bring her brothers back herself.
PC Baker was a bit shaken by that, but he had no intention of giving into a scrap of a girl. She might believe what these 12 year olds had said, but he knew it was a pack of lies and he was _d_a_m_n_ed if he was going to put himself out by getting into a nasty little rowing boat and going out to the island.
"Please yourself Miss. But Im staying right here."
Jo and Sandy had listened in silence to all this. Now they broke that silence.
"Were coming too", said Jo.
"Yes" said Sandy.
"Im not sure thats wise" said Sammy. "Why dont you stay here with this nice officer. Im sure hell look after you."
But they would have none of it, and PC Baker was not at all attracted to the idea of having to nursemaid these two infants.
"They wont come to any harm with you", he said blithely.
Sammy reluctantly agreed to take them. All three set off to her friends boat down the lane.
The crossing went without incident. They pulled the boat up next to the boys one and carefully made their way, with the help of one small torch, to the cave.
They tiptoed in. They had no way of knowing whether the brigand had returned. As their shapes became visible against the slightly lighter background of the sky, Robbie realised that three people were approaching. He peered forward, gun in hand. But it was only a matter of moments before he realised who they were.
"Sammy" he whispered, "have you got the police with you?"
The girls crept forward, torch now on again, until they saw Robbie coming out from behind the rock. Sammy quickly explained the position, with emphasis on the particular lack of support from PC Baker.
Robbie now had to make a quick decision. Should they all flee, or should they stay until the tide was up. He was just about to pronounce when he heard a noise outside. He put his finger to his mouth. They all listened. Yes, there it was again. It was a little way away, but it was undoubtedly the sound of footsteps. And they were approaching the cave. There was no time to be lost. He whispered to JO and Sandy.
"Quick, over the slab, the boys are there. And stay absolutely silent".
They didnt argue. With remarkable agility they vaulted over and joined the other twins. Sammy was horrified.
"But theyll be cornered there if he finds them", she whispered.
"No they wont. No time to explain. Quick behind this rock".
The two of them snuggled closely together. They were just in time. Suddenly the shape of a man loomed up against the back drop of the night sky. He had his back to them and he was dragging something in.
AUTHORS NOTE
You will have to wait for the next episode to learn what happened next. Do email me if you want me to stop this story (or even if you dont mind it)