Five Go Back to Kirrin Island

©2006 Enid Blyton Yahoo Group

Every once in a while, regular members of the Enid Blyton Yahoo Group join forces and write a Round Robin. If you've never heard of a Round Robin, well, in this case it's a brand new story written by a group of fans, with each member writing a chapter and making it up as they go along. Nobody knows where the story will lead; there's no plot to follow, and the direction of the next chapter is decided by the end of the last one. It's a lot of fun, and the result is either a wonderful new story—or a complete mess!

What follows is the Famous Five in a brand new exciting adventure. There are over 20 members uniting to write this story, so this section will grow one chapter at a time over the next few months...

Chapter 15: Adventures in the dark
by Channelle Marshall (April 24, 2006)

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Julian couldn't think what to do. The man in the boat could have a gun, and he couldn't let Anne and Dick be caught as well.

Someone else, however, wasn't so uncertain. Timmy had been growling softly at the boat, recognising the angry tone of the voices, and now he suddenly smelt that unique smell that belonged to his mistress. Before the three hidden children could stop him, Timmy had leapt over Penny's boat, ferociously growling, and lunged at the unsuspecting man, who fell back in horror and landed in the shallows of the cove with a splash. Timmy stood on all fours over him, snarling viciously.

"Quick, Dick," said Julian, jumping up from their hiding place. "We've got to rescue George and Sooty, before Pottersham comes back!"

Together they ran to the boat. "Anne, come and shine your torch so we can see." Julian demanded. "We've got to get them untied." With the light of Anne's torch they could see George and Sooty bound and gagged, lying at the bottom of the boat. They both looked shocked and amazed as their sudden rescuers quickly untied the ropes.

"Good old Timmy," George said. "Thank goodness you were here! But... what are you doing here, Julian? I thought you were going to find a passage to—"

"No time for explanations." interrupted Julian, talking in undertones so the spluttering man in the water couldn't hear them. "We've got to get out of here before Pottersham gets back. Where shall we hide? They obviously know the underground passage entrances!"

"In our old cave, of course," said Dick. "Come on, everyone, run."

They all took off away from the sandy inlet. When they were far enough away George whistled for Timmy, and he came racing up, giving George huge licks as if he hadn't seen her for days instead of a few hours.

"You were brilliant, Timmy," George praised, giving him a quick hug.

"But Julian," Anne whispered, afraid still after all the excitement, "what about Penny? We can't let the men catch her!"

"Blow!" Julian said, pausing briefly. "I forgot all about Penny for a minute. How mean of us. She'll be captured for sure if we don't get to her first. What should we do?"

"Split up!" said Dick. "If all of us are running around the men are bound to catch us. George, Anne and Sooty can continue on to the cave, and you and I, Ju, will find Penny and bring her there too. But... are we sure we can trust her?"

"Well, I really think we can," said George. "But I'd better go, Dick. I know the island best and we might need to move quickly to keep hidden."

"Are you sure you're up to it, old thing?" Dick said, not keen to miss out on the excitement.

"Of course," scoffed George. "Timmy, find Penny! You understand, don't you, Tim. Find PENNY!"

"Woof," barked Tim immediately, and turned to run back the other way. Julian and George quickly followed, as quietly as possible.

"Come on Dick," said poor Anne, still shivering in the night. "Let's get to the cave quickly. They'll never find us there!"

"All right, Anne," said Dick. "This way. I hope Julian and George find Penny quick! Do you know who the second man in the boat was, by any chance, Sooty? Everything happened back there so fast I never thought to look."

"Yes, it was that Professor Hayling your father introduced us to this morning," said Sooty. "He and Pottersham dragged us through that tunnel that lead from Arden Hall, and tied us up there for what seemed like hours! Finally they came back and took us out through Arden Hall and down to the beach. Apparently they don't want to use the tunnel between the quarry and Kirrin Island as they are worried somebody is watching it."

"I thought Alfred Bolo had the package?" Dick said. "Why would Professor Hayling think Pottersham had left it on the island?"

"Apparently Bolo gave the package back to Pottersham after he'd studied it—whatever 'it' is—and Pottersham must have hidden it on the island, goodness knows where," said Sooty.

"What a shame that Pottersham and Professor Hayling will get away with the package after all," said Anne. "It's a pity we don't know where it is."

Dick stopped suddenly, making Anne and Sooty bump right into him. "Brilliant, Anne!" he said. "We don't know where it is, but Pottersham does! We've just got to get to him before he gets back to the boat. I wonder if we can do it? We don't have Tim to attack him; we might have to knock him out or something. Sooty, you and I will try and find Pottersham. Anne, look—there's the shaft entrance to the cave. You'll be safe there. And don't worry, nobody else knows about the secret way between the underground tunnels and the cave. When Julian and George get back with Penny, tell them what we're doing. Oh, and tell them to send Timmy to help, I feel we'll need him! He'll be able to follow our scent all right!"

"Oh, do be careful, Dick," Anne said. "I really don't want to wait here alone... but we must get that package if we can."

"Just stay hidden," said Dick. "We'll be as quick as we can."

Dick and Sooty ran off towards the castle, stumbling a little as they shared the light of Dick's torch. Sooty didn't have one of course, and Anne wasn't keen to be left alone without a torch.

"I'm sure Pottersham went this way, when he left the boat," said Dick. "He must have hidden the package somewhere near the castle. How are we going to distract him long enough to get the package and get away again? Any ideas, Sooty?"

"Well, isn't there a well shaft you hid in once? Couldn't we push him down there?" asked Sooty.

"A bit difficult to lure him into the middle of the courtyard—plus it's a pretty deep well, he might get seriously hurt with a fall like that. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but we can't actually hurt him." Dick thought for a minute. "I think we're better off trying to sneak up on him and knock him out with some wood, perhaps something left over from when the tower was blown up? Or at least distract him until George sends Timmy to help."

They were very near the castle now and crept quietly closer. "I can't see him anywhere. Perhaps he's in the underground tunnel, using the entrance in the only intact room. Come on!"

They crept quietly into the room and looked up into the old chimney shaft. Sure enough, the entranceway was open. Pottersham must be down there. "We'll wait," said Dick. "When he comes out we'll follow him and wait for an opportunity to get the package."

Meanwhile George and Julian had followed Timmy around the rocks. Penny shouldn't be difficult to find as they could easily see her coil, glinting in the torchlight. They rounded a bend and found her squatting intently over her quadrant. She didn't even hear them approach and was startled with Julian whispered her name.

"Penny... Sshhh, sorry we didn't mean to give you a fright! We've got to get out of here!"

"Julian! George—you're here after all! What do you mean, Julian? I can't leave, I've got to finish my experiments before the tide turns."

"There's no time," said George urgently. "Pottersham and Professor Hayling captured our friend Sooty and I. They brought us here to collect some package, and when Pottersham finds out we've escaped they'll be after us! You too, as they've seen your boat on the beach. We know too much now, they can't let us escape! Professor Hayling may be after us already, although I doubt he'll be wanting to run into Timmy again in a hurry!"

"Wh-what's this?" Penny stammered, trying to take in everything George had said. "But Professor Hayling wouldn't—" Suddenly Penny paused. "What was the other name you said?"

"Pottersham," said Julian urgently. "Jeffrey Pottersham."

"Not the scientist-turned-traitor who escaped from prison a couple of days ago? How can that be?" Penny looked astounded, then alarmed. "And you say he's here? With Professor Hayling? What's going on?"

"We don't have time to discuss it all now," said George. "We've got to get to safety with the others. Come on, we'll tell you everything when we're there!"

Penny started to follow them, then slowed. "But my experiments... Okay, okay I'm coming. I don't understand all of this, but it certainly sounds serious. I just hate wasting all this work. I'll have to start again to keep the right sequence."

"Shh," Julian whispered. "We don't want them to know where we're hiding! It's not far." As fast as they could they continued around the rocks to the secret opening of the cave. It was so cleverly hidden, nobody would know it was there even if they were standing right beside it. It could only be seen by standing directly in front of it. They stumbled along for several minutes, then Julian said, "It must be here somewhere! George—how far away now? I've lost my bearings in the dark!"

"We're nearly there," said George. "Just a little further along. See now, Julian, behind that jutting out piece of cliff?"

They entered the cave so suddenly and quietly that poor Anne, who had been huddled as still as a mouse in the opening waiting for them, nearly screamed in terror as Timmy leapt on her and gave her a lick. "It's all right, Anne, it's only us," said George. "Where are the others?"

Anne quickly explained how they'd realised that Pottersham and Professor Hayling would get away with the package, and how Dick and Sooty had decided to try and get it themselves. "And he wants you to send Timmy as soon as possible, George!" Anne said.

"I'll go too," said George.

"No," Julian intervened. "Too many of us running around and we'll never get away without them seeing where we're going. Timmy will be fine, George, you know that."

George only hesitated a second longer. "Well, okay then. Tim, find Dick. Find Dick, Tim." Timmy listened to his mistress and once more set off into the night. He quickly trotted around the rocks and up onto the sandy beach. He could hear Hayling muttering in the motorboat but ignored him as his keen nose picked up the scent of Dick and Sooty. He raced after their trail, tailing them right to the castle room, where they still waited in the dark. Dick was certainly glad to feel the dog brush up against him.

"Tim! You've come! Thank goodness. Pottersham's been an awful long time in the tunnel, Sooty—he's bound to be coming out soon! Quiet now."

Sure enough, a couple of minutes later they heard a scrabbling noise as Pottersham clambered out of the small opening in the chimney shaft. He dropped down to the ground and set off immediately for the beach.

"NOW, Tim—get him!" shouted Dick, and Timmy needed no further bidding. He leapt at the surprised and horrified Pottersham, knocking him to the ground with a ferocious snarl that made even Sooty shiver. In a panic Pottersham dropped his torch and the package, raising his arms to protect himself from this mad creature who attacked him in the dark. Dick grabbed the package at once.

"On guard, Timmy, stay until we call," said Dick, and he and Sooty took off towards the hill. They raced like there were a hundred escaped prisoners behind them and were at the shaft in no time at all. Dick yelled for Tim, knowing that the wind would carry his voice to Timmy's sharp ears, and then slid quickly down into the cave, landing with a bump on an unfortunate Sooty, who had jumped down first.

"Oof," said Sooty, trying to catch his breath, "you squashed all the breath right out of me, Dick!"

"Sooty! Dick!" said George, emerging from the darkness. "Where's Timmy? You didn't leave him behind did you? Dick—where IS he?"

"Calm down, George," said Dick, climbing off the squashed Sooty. "He'll be here any minute. He was guarding Pottersham while Sooty and I got away with this!" Dick waved the neatly wrapped package in the others' faces.

Before anyone could exclaim in excitement at Dick's success, a hairy body flung itself down the shaft and into the cave, and poor Sooty was once again squashed flat on the sandy floor of the cave. "Tim!" squealed George.

"Shhh!" everyone hissed at once.

"Smashing," Julian said. "Brilliant that we have the package and Pottersham and Professor Hayling don't! And they wont have a hope of finding us here. We're the only ones who know about this cave, aren't we, George. Er... are you okay, Sooty?"

"Fine," huffed Sooty. "Are we... going to... open it?"

"Of course we are!" said Dick.

"And then you have to explain to me what's going on," said Penny. "This is all very peculiar, I have to say."

"Right," said Julian. "Package first, then explanations! Whatever could it be?"

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