by Enid Blyton
The leader dog stood up and put his paws on Philip’s shoulders. He licked the boy’s face. It was a very wet lick, but Philip did not even turn away his face. That was the signal for all the other dogs to come round too. Quite forgetting Meier, they milled round Philip, trying to get near him, sniffing at him, giving him a lick when they got near enough.
He put down his hands. Meier would not dare to take a shot at him now in case he killed a dog! He ran his hands over their backs, patted their heads, rubbed their noses, and all the time he talked to them in the special voice he kept for animals.
Meier snapped out an order to the dogs. ‘Fetch them out! Get them! Bring them here!’
The dogs turned their heads automatically at his commanding voice. They hesitated. The leader looked at Philip. ‘Come with me,’ said Philip. ‘Come. You will find more friends in here.’
And, to Meier’s everlasting astonishment, the boy actually led all the dogs to the cave, where at least four of them squeezed in to lick Lucy-Ann, Jack and Dinah! They sniffed doubtfully at Bill and Johns, growled at Snowy and Kiki, and then, when Philip laid a hand on Bill’s arm and then on Johns’, they accepted them as friends too.
‘Philip! You’re a marvel!’ said Bill, in heartfelt admiration. ‘It’s magic you use – can’t be anything else!’
‘What a boy!’ said the stolid Johns, allowing his face to change its expression for once in a while, and show great admiration.
‘Meier’s shortly going to have a fit, I think,’ said Jack. ‘He just can’t understand all this!’
‘Fetch them out, I say! I’ll shoot the lot of you dogs, if you don’t obey orders!’ stormed Meier. ‘What’s come over you? Fetch them out!’
The dogs took absolutely no notice at all. Their leader had accepted Philip as master now, and they all followed his decision. What Philip said they would obey. They feared Meier, but they loved Philip.
Meier suddenly fired his revolver in a fury. He did not fire at the dogs, but over their heads. They jumped and growled, turning their heads towards him. Bill judged it was time to do something.
‘Philip! Will the dogs obey you? Will they go for Meier and Erlick? If they will – order them to! We’ll give that couple a taste of their own medicine!’
29
The tables are turned!
‘Right!’ said Philip. He pointed to the tree where Meier and Erlick were hiding behind its big trunk. ‘See, boys! Fetch them out! Bring them here! Fetch them for me, then!’
Before Meier or Erlick knew what was happening the pack of Alsatians was speeding joyfully to obey. The whole pack flung themselves on the two rogues, and bore them to the ground. There was no chance to use a revolver. In fact Meier’s gun rolled on the ground and was completely lost under the scrambling crowd of dogs.
‘Don’t hurt them! Bring them here!’ ordered Philip in excitement, proud of his power to give commands to the pack of dogs.
Bill and Johns were now out of the cave, and Jack followed. The girls did not come out yet. They didn’t want to! Lucy-Ann clutched Dinah’s arm till she squealed. Both girls watched what was happening, breathless with intense excitement.
The dogs began to drag the two men over to Philip. Erlick, the great ape-like fellow, a real bully if ever there was one, was screaming for mercy, a coward, like all bullies. ‘Call them off! I’ll surrender! Call them off, boy!’
Meier fought savagely, not seeming to care whether he was bitten or not. He could not find his revolver and was beside himself with amazement, anger and fear.
The dogs were trained not to bite unless commanded, but one or two of them gave him a well-deserved nip – a little repayment for his callousness in dealing with them in their training. The leader got hold of him by the slack of his trousers, and, looking rather ridiculous, Meier was brought to where the boys and the two men were standing watching.
Then Erlick was brought too, trying to stand, almost weeping with panic. He remembered a gun he had in his pocket, and he reached to get it, thinking it was his last chance of escape.
But Johns was on the spot. ‘Hands up,’ he said. ‘Any funny business on your part, Erlick, and the dogs can have you for all I care. Stand up, Meier, and put your hands up too.’
White with rage Meier put up his hands when the dogs allowed him to find his feet. He glared at the boys and Bill.
‘What did you do to the dogs?’ he snapped at Philip. ‘They’ve never turned on me before!’ He lapsed into a foreign language again and poured out streams of abuse.
‘Shut up,’ said Bill, who was now holding his own revolver in his hand. ‘You talk too much.’
‘Wipe your feet,’ said Kiki’s voice and she flew out of the hole and on to Jack’s shoulder. ‘Pooh! Gah!’
Meier glared at the parrot, recognizing the voice that had puzzled him for so long. If looks could have killed, certainly Kiki would have fallen dead at that moment. As it was she went off into one of her dreadful cackles, and Meier clenched the fists he was holding above his head, wishing that for one moment he could get hold of Kiki.
‘What do we do now?’ enquired Jack. ‘It’s a long way from home, Bill – and we’ve got no food to keep us going if we have to walk back.’
‘Effans and Trefor and David are not far off,’ said Bill. ‘I told them to stand by somewhere near this mountain with plenty of donkeys, in case we needed them. I wasn’t sure if the helicopter would fly very far with such a lot of you on board!’
‘ Oh! Will they really be near here?’ said Lucy-Ann, gladly. ‘Oh, Bill – you think of everything! Oh, good!’
‘Can we take the dogs back with us?’ asked Philip, who was still surrounded by furry bodies and wagging tails. ‘I could look after them till we get them away somewhere. I daresay you’d like them for the police force, Bill. They’re jolly well trained.’
‘Thanks for the offer,’ said Bill, with a grin. ‘I’ll accept it. And now – quick march! We’ll leave this surprising mountain behind, and I and a few others will come back to it later. I feel it wants a little cleaning up. And we’ll take that mad genius in charge before he does something dangerous. I wouldn’t put it past him to blow up the mountain.’
‘Good gracious!’ said Lucy-Ann, in alarm. ‘Well, let’s get away before he does!’
They set off at a smart walk. Meier and Erlick walked in sullen silence. They had their hands by their sides now, for Johns had searched them both, and they were now weaponless. Jack and the others began to feel a familiar feeling of emptiness under their belts.
‘I’m jolly hungry,’ announced Dinah. ‘Has Effans brought any food with him, do you think?’
‘Well, Mrs Evans was so upset to hear that you were lost, that she immediately did an enormous baking,’ said Bill, ‘and I believe two of the donkeys are laden with the results. So let’s hurry!’
‘Where are they?’ asked Jack.
‘In the Vale of Butterflies, waiting for us patiently,’ said Bill, with a grin. This was a most surprising thing to hear.
‘The Vale of Butterflies!’ cried Jack. ‘Why, we couldn’t find it! We began to think it was all Trefor’s make-up!’
‘Oh, no. It was really quite easy to find, if only David had known how to read a map,’ said Bill. ‘The name was on it in Welsh, so you wouldn’t have understood it. But I don’t believe David has ever learned to read a map properly! I shouldn’t have let him go off with you as guide.’
‘Did you find it then?’ asked Lucy-Ann.
‘Oh, yes. It’s on the way here, actually,’ said Bill. ‘David took a wrong road, that’s all – accidentally left the track. Anyway I told him to wait there with the donkeys, because I thought you’d rather like to see the butterfly valley, after having missed it and found a very strange mountain instead!’
‘Oh! Everything’s coming right!’ said Lucy-Ann joyfully. ‘The adventure is over, isn’t it, Bill? Well – it doesn’t seem nearly so bad now as it did!’
‘Poor Lucy-Ann!’ said Bill. ‘You do have ad
ventures thrust upon you, don’t you? Never mind, you’ll soon be back at the farm, enjoying Mrs Evans’ wonderful cooking!’
As soon as you came, things were all right,’ said Lucy-Ann happily. ‘It was super hearing you yell out, “Don’t forget Bill Smugs!” last night. Gosh, was it only last night? It seems years ago!’
They went through a narrow pass between two mountains, feeling hungrier and hungrier – and there below them was the Vale of Butterflies!
They stopped in delight. The valley was a froth of coloured butterflies, red, yellow, white, pink, blue, copper, brown! There were thousands there, fluttering in the sunlight, darting erratically to and fro, hovering, dropping down to the millions of flowers. These made a carpet of brilliant colour, and the children thought they had never seen such a lovely sight before.
‘Why are there so many butterflies, I wonder!’ marvelled Dinah.
‘I suppose because there are so many varieties of food-plants,’ said Bill. ‘This valley is apparently as famous for flowers as for butterflies, but because it is so much off the beaten track, it is rarely visited. I’ve no doubt the pack of dogs would have kept trippers away, anyhow!’
‘There’s Effans – and the donkeys!’ cried Philip. ‘Hey, Effans! Hallo, Trefor – and David!’
Dapple moved to greet Snowy, who ran in delight to his friend. Effans beamed. Trefor’s blue eyes shone. Only David did not greet them eagerly. He kept his eyes on the ground and seemed ashamed.
‘He got it hot and strong from Mrs Evans when he arrived back alone with the donkeys chasing after him,’ explained Bill. ‘I also had a few words to say to him, as you can imagine! So he now feels he can’t look anyone in the face. It won’t do him any harm to feel like that for a while. He behaved foolishly!’
‘Poor David!’ said Lucy-Ann. ‘I expect he’s sorry now,’ and she spoke to the old man kindly. He looked at her gratefully.
‘It’s good to see you again, indeed to gootness it is, whateffer!’ said Effans in his singing voice.
‘Whateffer, whateffer!’ shouted Kiki in delight. ‘Look you, look you, whateffer!’
‘That bird!’ said Effans in great admiration. ‘Look you, it iss a marvel, that bird. I would give ten pounds for a bird like that, whateffer!’
‘She’s not for sale,’ said Jack, stroking Kiki. ‘No, not for a million pounds. Where’s the food, Effans? We’re starving!’
‘All explanations after the meal!’ said Bill to Effans. ‘We’ll have a talk then, Effans, whilst the children go mad over the butterflies! Meier, Erlick, keep over there. Philip, tell the dogs to look after them.’
Effans stared in surprise at the two sullen men. Meier glared back. Erlick was full of self-pity, and had even begun to reproach Meier for his carelessness in letting them be captured. Meier looked at Erlick as if he could snap at him like the dogs.
‘A pretty couple,’ said Bill. ‘I think we’ll turn our backs on them. They spoil the view’
Joyfully the children settled down to the finest picnic they had ever had. Mrs Evans had indeed surpassed herself. There was roast chicken, tender tongue, spiced ham, hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, potted meat, fresh fruit, home-made lemonade which Effans had cleverly left cooling in a near-by stream, and so many other eatables that the boys despaired of even being able to taste them all!
They sat there on the hillside, the carpet of bright flowers spread at their feet – unbelievably brilliant in colour! And the butterflies!
‘They’re like flying flowers!’ cried Lucy-Ann in joy. ‘Hundreds of them! Thousands of them! What are they, Philip?’
‘Fritillaries, painted ladies, commas, peacocks, ringlets, coppers, skippers, heaths . . .’ reeled off Philip. ‘My word, what a paradise of butterflies! I really will never forget this all my life long!’
It was a wonderful picnic – wonderful food, gorgeous butterflies, brilliant flowers – and plenty of laughter and jokes! Kiki was quite mad, and when she saw how Johns and Effans admired her, she showed off tremendously. She gave them her whole repertoire of noises, and Effans laughed till he choked.
The stolid Johns munched away, keeping his eyes on Kiki, and occasionally giving a slight smile at her more outrageous sayings.
‘Indeed to gootness, whateffer! Wipe your feet and blow your nose. Pifflebunk! Pardon!’
Snowy wandered round, taking titbits from everyone. The dogs watched from a distance, feeling certain that their friend Philip would not forget them. It was a very good thing that Mrs Evans had provided so much, because with two prisoners and ten dogs every scrap of food would be needed!
Bill, Johns and Effans exchanged news when the children had gone to wander through the clouds of butterflies. Effans listened gravely. Trefor and David tried to understand, but most of what Bill said was beyond their English. Effans told them the story in Welsh later.
‘They are brave children, look you,’ said Effans. ‘Very brave children, whateffer!’
30
The end of it all!
They had to sleep out in the open that night. Effans gave the children the rugs he had brought, because all their sleeping things had been left behind in the cave, on the mountain-side. The prisoners slept apart, guarded by the dogs. It was very warm, and Snowy got pushed off by everyone when he tried to cuddle down first on top of Philip, then on Jack, and then on the girls.
They had had a very long talk with Bill and told him all their adventures down to the last detail. Bill had marvelled at their accidental discovery of the strange mountain and its even stranger secret. He had examined the ‘wings’ which Philip had given to Johns to take care of for him.
‘I shall take those back to school with me next term!’ Philip said. ‘Won’t the boys stare! I bet some of them will want to try them!’
‘Well, all I can say is I should discourage anyone from jumping off the school roof or anything like that, and trusting to these wings,’ said Bill drily. ‘I have a feeling that the ingenious brain behind these things is failing a little – the old “king” will never discover how to make the wings he so much wants to make. But he certainly has invented some remarkable things. I have had a talk with Meier, and he has told me why he believed in Monally – that’s the “king’s” real name.’
‘Why did he believe in him?’ asked the children curiously.
‘Well, apparently he has, at one time or another, produced the most remarkable inventions,’ said Bill, ‘and Meier has backed him and made a great deal of money out of them. How he came to find this mountain, and the rare metal in its heart, which the “king” wanted for his latest idea of conquering the pull of the earth, I haven’t been able to find out yet. Some dirty work of some sort, I expect.’
‘What are you going to do about everything?’ asked Jack.
‘Well – the paratroopers will be sent back home. The soldiers will be questioned and also sent back. I have a feeling there’s something strange about them too. The “king” will be taken into safety,’ said Bill. ‘I shall send two or three scientists to the mountain to let them report on what they find there. I shouldn’t be surprised if they advise us to destroy everything in it. The “king” has been meddling with dangerous things. With no one there to keep a guiding hand on them there might be a vast explosion.’
‘It’s a good thing we discovered it, isn’t it?’ said Lucy-Ann.
‘A very good thing,’ said Bill. And it’s an even better thing you left that note with Dapple. If it hadn’t been for that I’d never have found you.’
‘What happened?’ asked Jack.
‘I came along to find you, complete with donkeys, after David’s rush home,’ said Bill. ‘Instead I found only Dapple – and the note, which talked of very peculiar things indeed, and made me smell a very large rat.’
‘Go on,’ said Philip, interested.
‘Well, I snooped round but couldn’t find my way in through the roofless cave,’ said Bill. ‘So the only thing to do was to start finding out about helicopters. If someb
ody could land on that mountain-top, then so could I!’
‘Good old Bill!’ said Jack.
‘And then,’ said Bill, ‘I found when I began making enquiries about all the helicopters in this country, who owned them and so on, that other people were also making enquiries about a few of them! Some of the helicopters had been flying off in suspicious circumstances, nobody knew where. So the police were even then enquiring into the matter – and I joined them, hotfoot!’
‘And what did you find?’ asked Dinah.
‘I found a young pilot, with a terrific scar across his face!’ said Bill. Ah – you know him, I see. And he spilt the beans, as we say! Told us he was worried about paratroopers jumping without proper parachutes and so on. And so, when he went on holiday, I took his place on the next helicopter trip – and hey presto, there I was on the top of the mountain!’
‘Oh, Bill – it was heavenly to see you!’ said Lucy-Ann.
Bill had told them all about Mrs Mannering too – how anxious she had been - how her hand had healed very well – and how she had begged in vain to be allowed to come with Effans and the others to meet the children, with the donkeys.
It was a long time before the children could go to sleep that night, for the day had been so exciting. The dogs lay and snoozed, one eye on the prisoners. The donkeys lay peacefully together. Snowy, sent off by each of the children, wandered off to Dapple and lay down beside him. Dapple was very pleased.
They got back to the farmhouse by dinner-time the next day, for Bill had got them all up very early the next morning. Mrs Mannering ran out in joy. She had been very worried indeed.
Mrs Evans followed. ‘Indeed to gootness, it’s grand to see you, whateffer! To think what you have been through, look you – as much danger as in war-time! It’s glad we are to see you back!’
‘It’s well they are looking, too,’ said Effans, in his up-and-down voice, beaming. And that bird, indeed, she is funnier than ever!’
‘Whateffer, look you!’ mimicked Kiki, also in a singsong voice, and Effans went off into guffaws, imitated by Kiki. The two of them sounded so jolly that everyone else began to laugh too!