A qualm of fear seized Christina, but she valiantly helped Susy to barricade the door with furniture. They heard the boys clamping up the stairs, then the shouts of the prisoners to be let loose, and the yell of triumph when the cupboard was unlocked, for the key had been left in the lock outside. Tramp, tramp, tramp up the stairs came the boys. It did not take many minutes to burst the door open, but Susy seized a can of water and deluged two boys with it before she let them approach her. Dawn seized hold of Christina with delight.
"Haul down the flag, fly our colours! The emerald isle for ever!"
Susy was too quick for them; she seized hold of the green flag and tore down stairs with it; two boys pursued her, but she outran them, and finally reached Puggy's camp in safety.
Meanwhile Christina was being marched downstairs by Dawn.
"You'll have to ride the pony, and I'll get up behind you," he announced.
His curls were flying in the wind, his cheeks flushed; he had the air of a conqueror!
"I don't think both of us can ride my pony," objected Christina shrinking back, as she was being hoisted up to the saddle.
"Prisoners are not allowed to speak!" said Dawn in a masterful way.
Poor Christina did not enjoy her ride. To begin with, she was obliged to ride astride, as it was a boy's saddle that had been put on her pony; then Dawn was clutching the reins, and making the pony gallop. If Christina had not learnt to ride by this time and to ride fairly well, she would not have been able to keep her seat.
"Don't go quite so fast!" she pleaded, but she might just as well have spoken to the wind.