Prince Paul was in his tower, looking out. When he saw them he waved in delight. At once Jack began to send a message, holding out first one letter and then another. He spelt out quite a long message. Prince Paul hung half out of his window and waved as each word came to an end, to show that he had read it.
“To-night look out for the rope-ladder,” Jack spelt out.
Prince Paul made three letters with his fingers, one after the other. “YES,” he spelt out. They were difficult letters to make with his fingers, and Jack, who was looking at Paul through the field-glasses, would hardly have known what they were if Paul hadn’t nodded his head all the time to show that he meant yes.
“Cheer up,” Jack spelt out next. Paul waved and nodded again, then suddenly disappeared into the room. Jack at once came away from his window and pulled the others from it too.
“Somebody’s come into Paul’s room,” he said. “He went away from the window so quickly. Yes - there’s dear Mr. Diaz looking across to our tower. Oh no, Mr. Diaz, you won’t see us! We’re much too sharp for you!”
The others laughed. The dinner-bell went at that minute and they all rushed downstairs, only to be sent up again because in their excitement they had quite forgotten to wash their hands and do their hair.
“Sorry, Dimmy.” they said, when they arrived down clean at last. “We were doing something exciting and quite forgot to tidy ourselves.”
“And what was this exciting thing you were doing?” asked Dimmy, ladling great helpings of garden peas on to their plates.
“It’s a secret,” said Jack. “A great big exciting secret, Dimmy! Wouldn’t you love to know it?”
“I would,” said Dimmy. “One of these days you will have to tell me.”