The Rescue of the Prisoners
It was arranged that Mike and Paul should be rescued that night through the secret passage - if only the entrance at the other end could be used and was not too old or stiff!
“Jack and I went right along the passage to the Old House tower,” said George. “There’s an iron ladder there like ours. I reckon it leads up to the top room, to the fireplace.”
“We had better plan everything carefully,” said Dimmy. “George and Jack had better rescue the boys, and bring them safely back here. Then I and the girls will prepare plenty of food and take it down to George’s boat. We will wait there for you.”
“Yes, we shall need plenty of food on the secret island,” said Nora. “There are wild raspberries there, and wild strawberries, but that’s about all, unless we catch rabbits and fish as we did last year when we lived there!”
“You’ll only be there a day or two until we can find out about Prince Paul and get someone to take charge of him till he goes back to his own land,” said Dimmy. “I will stay behind here - and George will return to me, too, so that I shall be able to deal with the folk at the Old House. I shall simply say that you have all gone away.”
“Dimmy, let’s get the food ready for to-night,” said Peggy eagerly. “We only need food - we don’t need saucepans or kettles, or beds or anything like that - everything is neatly stored away in the dry caves on the secret island, ready for when we went there again. But we shall need plenty of food for five people.”
So the two girls and Dimmy began to pack up all kinds of food. There was a joint of meat, two dozen tarts, a tin of cakes of all kinds, a tin of biscuits, some tins of soup and fruit, potatoes and peas from the garden, and a basket of ripe plums. Cocoa was put into the box of food, and tins of milk. Nora remembered the sugar, and Peggy thought of the salt. It was really exciting packing everything up.
George carried the big box down to the boat and stowed it there. Jack followed with two baskets. Dimmy hurriedly stuffed a box of black currant lozenges into one basket, in case any of them caught cold that night.
“I think that’s everything,” said Dimmy. “You must wear your coats to-night, for the weather is a bit colder. Good gracious me, what an adventure this is! I never thought I’d have such a time at my age!”