GOOD OLD SECRET SEVEN by Enid Blyton

09 AN EXCITING TIME!

Itwasn't until they came to what seemed to be a dark kitchen-like place, with ahuge stone sink in one corner, that they found anything at all exciting. Jacksuddenly stopped and pointed.

The others looked, and saw what appeared to havebeen a fire, made of sticks, half-burnt through. Pam gave a little cry as shebent over them.

'Why ... thesticks are still warm! It's not long since this fire was lighted!'

'Sh!' said everyone, looking over their shoulders, feeling that whoeverhad lighted that fire, might still be about.

Peter felt the twigs. Yes, they were certainlystill warm - and what was more, it looked as if someone hadstamped out the little fire in a hurry, for it was curiously flattened!

Talk in loud voices about ordinary things,'commanded Peter, in a whisper. 'And keep your eyes open.'

They followed Peter up some steps to a stone benchin a crumbling recess in the wall. A newspaper had been left there, and theypounced on it.

'Whatdate is it? It might tell us whether anyone has been here recently,' saidColin. He shook it open.

'No, nouse,' he said. 'Look ... it'sdated 16th September ... agesago!'

'Left by some visitor, probably ... maybe trippers were still visiting the castle then,' said Peter. 'Comeon...  let's have another look round.'

To their great disappointment they could findnothing of any use at all. A few cigarette ends ; one or two dead matches -  apaper bag that had once held sweets. 'No ... I can't say that these are any help,' said Peter.

'Ivote we sit down and have our biscuits,' said George, at last, tired of huntingin every corner. 'I'm filthy dirty ... justlook at my hands!'

'I say ... doyou suppose these steps go down to the dungeons?' called Barbara. Everyoneturned to see where she was. She stood below a big hand-printed notice. It said'the dungeons. unsafe. descent forbidden.'

'Yes. Look at the notice, ass,' said Peter. 'Well ... we don't go down those steps, that's certain! I don't particularly wantan old wall to fall on top of me!'

'Let's have our biscuits sitting on the old stonebench here,' said Jack. 'It will just about take us all. What a castle! Thethings that must have happened here!'

Theyall sat down, crowding on to the uneven bid scat. It felt very cold and hard!Soon they were munching their biscuits, and drinking their lemonade out of thelittle bottles.

'Do you really think anyone's here besides us ... hiding somewhere?' said Pam, in a whisper.

'Quite likely,' answered Peter, also in a whisper.'Probably down in the dungeons! Nobody in their sense would go down there, withthat danger notice up!'

'I don't like to think of someone hiding down inthat horrible dark dungeon,' said Barbara, a picture of a dreadful damp,smelly, black place coming into her mind. 'I do hope to goodness we don't hearany noises coming from there.'

'Don't be a fathead,' said George. 'Nobody's downthere ... why should?'

He stopped very suddenly, as a curious noisesuddenly came to his ears. Everyone heard it, and stiffened in fright.

It sounded a little like a very unhappy owl,'Ooooo!' it wailed. 'Ooo-oo-OOOOOOO!'

Pam clutched Barbara and made her jump. 'What isit? Did you hear?'

'Shut up,' said Peter, sharply, 'listen, everyone.Someone's down in those dungeons.'

'Oooh-ah-oooh-eeeee!' wailed the voice.

Pam gave such a shriek that everyone leapt totheir feet. She tumbled down from the seat and ran howling down the stonepassage to the hall.

Jack went after her, and the others were justcollecting their bags and bottles when another noise made them jump. It, too,came from the dungeons.

'Bang! Bang-bang! Bang!'

'Quick ...run!' shouted Peter, clutching Janet, and pushing her in front of him. 'Back toour bikes!'

'Is that someone shooting?' asked Barbara,fearfully, as they ran, hearing a few more 'bangs' coming from the dungeons.

'Goodness knows!' said Peter. 'Gosh, look howscared the jackdaws are now ... andwhat a row they are making! Whatever can be going on in that castle?'