by Andrew Cope
‘Looks like we won’t be able to visit the castle, though,’ noted Ben. ‘That sign says “No public access”.’
‘And “Trespassers will be persecuted”,’ said Ollie, pointing to another sign.
‘Prosecuted,’ corrected Sophie. ‘And it says “Beware of the dogs”. You’ll have to be careful, Lara,’ she warned. ‘Don’t want you roughed up.’
Lara took her earphones out and snorted. I beg your pardon, young lady, she thought. I’m a super-trained secret agent. I’m a karate black belt, if you please. Other dogs need to beware of me!
The car heaved up the steep hill and stopped outside a large three-storey house. Dad pulled on the handbrake and the children piled out. Ben lifted the tailgate and out sprang Star and Spud, noses immediately to the ground.
Rabbits! So many rabbits! snuffled Spud.
By the time Lara and the pups arrived inside, Aunt Aggie had boiled the kettle and the kids were all sipping hot chocolate.
‘Here’s Lara,’ announced Ben. ‘We’ve told you about her but I think this is the first time you’ve met her.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Lara,’ said Aunt Aggie, as Lara rose and offered a paw to shake. ‘I’ve heard such a lot about you. And your adventures! And these two must be Spud and Star,’ she said, turning her attention to the puppies. She reached out and scratched behind Star’s ear, a satisfied doggie smile spreading across the puppy’s face.
The dogs warmed to Aunt Aggie instantly. She was a homely sort of woman who produced endless cakes and biscuits from the old-fashioned kitchen. The huge stove was always burning away and the air was filled with delicious smells that made Spud’s stomach rumble even more than usual. The floor tiles were cracked and loose and the rugs rather threadbare but the house felt lived in.
Plenty of character, thought Lara.
‘Lara and the puppies are to sleep in the kitchen. Next to the nice warm oven,’ she explained.
The children each had a bedroom of their own. Ben and Sophie had attic rooms with sloping ceilings. Theirs were the coldest rooms because the windows were old and twisted and so they wouldn’t shut properly. The February wind was howling around the clifftops, looking for a way in.
‘I’ve got a view of the sea!’ yelled Ben, peering out through the grimy glass. ‘Looks like there’s a storm brewing.’
‘And I’ve got the castle!’ yelled his sister from across the landing.
Ollie was to sleep in a large ground-floor room. It smelt musty and there were damp patches of mould on the walls but he didn’t care. This was an adventure and he was tingling with excitement. Besides, he had Lara and the puppies sleeping a few doors away.
Dad said his farewells and the children had tried to look sad but failed. They closed the door on the howling gale and went through to the lounge. Aunt Aggie had prepared tea that was wheeled in on a trolley. The TV reception was always so poor that it wasn’t worth watching, so Aunt Aggie lit a few candles and put a CD on.
‘Tell us the story of the smugglers’ gold,’ said Ben. ‘Lara’s a spy dog so you never know, she might be able to solve it.’
Ex-spy dog, reminded Lara with a serious stare. I’m now a mother of seven. Adventure is the last thing on my mind. I’m too exhausted for a start!
A distant rumble of thunder rolled across the sky and everyone looked at each other in alarm. ‘It’s going to be a wild night,’ said Aunt Aggie, listening as the wind howled around the chimney pots. ‘Exactly as it was two hundred years ago when the gold was shipwrecked.’
Star and Spud gulped and moved closer to their mum.
‘Well,’ began Aunt Aggie, ‘are you sitting comfortably?’
They all nodded, even the dogs. Ollie’s eyes were huge with excitement.
‘And feeling brave?’ Aunt Aggie pulled her cardigan tightly round her and looked up at the children, anticipation shining in her eyes. ‘Then I’ll begin.’
7. An Electric Shock
‘As you know, this house is called Smugglers’ Cottage,’ began Aunt Aggie. ‘So called because it was famous as a hideout for smugglers and pirates in the eighteenth century.’
Spud and Star cocked their heads to one side, hanging on every word.
Ollie’s mouth fell open. ‘Like in Pirates of the Caribbean?’ he asked.
‘A bit,’ nodded Aunt Aggie. ‘Chatterton Castle, which you drove past on the way here, was once owned by a wealthy family who were con artists, crooks and thieves. They worked with the smugglers to lure ships on to the rocks below this house.’ Aunt Aggie paused for effect. They could all hear the wind howling and the distant crash of sea on the rocks.
Ollie gulped and Star and Spud huddled even closer.
‘Legend has it that many men died on nights like this. The smugglers waved lights from the cliffs and the ships thought it was the signal for safety. But instead their ships were smashed into a thousand pieces.’ Aunt Aggie’s voice lowered to a whisper. ‘There was one particular boat that hit the rocks below. The story goes that it was crewed by pirates who –’
Suddenly, the lights went out and the children nearly jumped out of their skins. Star and Spud ran to Lara, each clutching a leg.
‘What’s happened to the lights?’ asked an alarmed Sophie.
The room was still lit by candles, shadowy flames dancing up the walls. The wind howled and the rain lashed down outside. There was a sudden crack of thunder and Ollie whimpered in alarm.
‘Don’t worry, Ollie,’ reassured Ben, giving his terrified younger brother a hug. ‘It’s just a power cut, that’s all.’
‘We’ve been having plenty of those,’ sighed Aunt Aggie. ‘This is a lovely place to live but on stormy nights like this we often lose the lights.’ She reached for the matches and struck one, curving her hand over it so it wouldn’t blow out. Soon three more candles were flickering away and the room took on an orangey glow.
‘Can you finish the story?’ asked Ben, the hairs on the back of his neck taut with anticipation. Everyone glanced at Ollie, who nodded bravely.
Aunt Aggie smiled. ‘OK, well, where was I? Yes, it was a ship laden with gold. More treasure than you can possibly imagine. On its way to Europe but now stranded on the rocks, with the sea lashing its decks.’
Ollie looked at Aunt Aggie’s candlelit shadow. Her head was large and distorted on the wall behind.
‘The smugglers couldn’t get near the wreck until the storm had died down.’ Aunt Aggie lowered her voice again. ‘Eventually, when they boarded the shipwreck, it was empty. No crew. No gold,’ she whispered. ‘No nothing!’
The room was silent except for the howling gale and Spud’s chattering teeth. A flash of lightning ripped open the sky and illuminated the room.
‘So where had the gold gone?’ asked Ollie.
‘Nobody knows,’ said Aunt Aggie mysteriously, thoroughly enjoying telling the story. ‘Legend says it was taken through secret tunnels to this house and then on to the castle. Nobody survived to tell the tale, yet the gold was gone. Ghost pirates…’ she said, her voice trailing away. ‘The locals told of ghost pirates spiriting the treasure away.’
Another clap of thunder sent Star under her mum’s tummy as a draught blew at the candles and they flickered as if to go out.
‘And the gold’s never been found?’ asked Ben.
‘Many people have come here looking,’ said Aunt Aggie. ‘They’ve even tried to get in and search this house but I’ve kept them away. The legend says there’s a series of tunnels. Maybe the gold’s down there somewhere,’ she said, pointing to the ground. ‘Under the castle. Or under this very house.’
‘Guarded by ghost pirates,’ gulped Ollie.
Star’s eyes blinked out from underneath Lara.
‘Ghost pirates,’ whined Spud. ‘They sound even worse than normal pirates!’
‘Don’t worry,’ assured Lara. ‘It’s only a story…’ At least, I think it is, she thought to herself.
Another flash of lightning lit the room, closely followed by the rum
ble of thunder. ‘I wouldn’t want to be out on the sea tonight,’ said Sophie. ‘Or living in that draughty old castle.’
‘The castle is the key,’ said Ben. ‘We spoke to one of the locals last time we were here and she said the treasure probably passed through this house but that the castle is the key. That’s why they call it the Castle Gold.’
‘And we can’t get in there,’ said Sophie, sounding a little relieved. ‘It’s closed to the public, isn’t it, Aunt Aggie?’
‘Yes, that’s right. And I doubt you’ll be allowed in,’ she said. ‘It’s been bought by an American fellow. Calls himself Lord Somebody or other. He’s closed it to the public. In fact, he’s pretty unpopular in the local community. Grumpy and horrible. He’s even put Rottweilers on guard so no one can sneak in.’
All eyes fell on Lara. She’d encountered a few baddie dogs in her time and usually came out on top, even when she was outnumbered. No way, she thought, glaring at her audience. I’m an ex-spy dog. I don’t solve crimes or get into adventures any more. I’m a family pet. End of story.
‘Maybe there’s a way,’ murmured Ben. ‘It’s worth looking into.’
Aunt Aggie got up and shuffled off to the kitchen to find more candles. Little did Lara know that the story was just about to begin!
8. Intruder!
Without a TV or computer the children spent the evening playing a board game. Aunt Aggie had a stack of them in the cupboard.
The grandfather clock struck nine and Ollie did one of his famously noisy yawns. ‘I see why they call them bored games,’ he said, stretching his neck and arms.
‘Yes, come on, you lot,’ said Ben, the yawning spreading like wildfire. ‘Early night. Maybe the storm will have blown over tomorrow and we can explore the coast. Maybe even ask Lord Whatsisface if we can visit his castle?’
The children got into their pyjamas and brushed their teeth. Aunt Aggie made three hot-water bottles and each of the children took a candle with them to their bedrooms. Lara settled Star and Spud into the basket by the oven and went to tuck the children in.
She started in the attic rooms where Sophie was tucked up tightly, her eyes peeping from behind the duvet. ‘Ghost pirates,’ she said. ‘I’m sure I can hear them tunnelling, Lara. Listen.’
Lara cocked her head. The gale was howling around the chimney pots and rain was lashing at the windows.
There is a banging sound, she agreed. A clunk, clunk, like someone hammering. Probably just something blowing in the wind, she thought, planting a doggie lick on the girl’s cheek.
She trotted through to Ben, who was just getting into bed. Night night, mate, she woofed, allowing him to pat her back. See you for brekkie. Full English with extra sausages, I hope! she slurped.
Lara trotted down the stairs to Ollie’s room. The hammering sound was louder but Ollie didn’t seem to be bothered. The flame on his candle was dancing in the draughty room, eerie shadows licking the walls. ‘Night night, Lara,’ whispered Ollie.
His pet blew out the candle and licked the youngest Cook child goodnight. Night night, sleep tight, she thought. Don’t let the ghost pirates bite!
Ollie tossed and turned, thoughts of ghostly pirates keeping him awake. He listened to the howling wind and counted the seconds between the lightning and thunder.
Four seconds. That’s four miles away, he thought, using the method Ben had taught him. Ollie flicked the light switch near his bed but there was still no power. His curtain was blowing in the draught. All of a sudden there was a scraping at his window, like someone’s long nails on a blackboard and Ollie disappeared under his duvet. His heart was thumping.
It’s just branches in the wind, he told himself.
Scrape, scrape. There it was again. Ollie peeped out from under his duvet, expecting to see ghost pirates opening the window. He lay still, his eyes peering into the blackness. Then, from the other side of the room he could hear a door squeaking open.
My wardrobe, he panicked. Do pirates live in wardrobes? He could just make out the dark wooden door opening. There was the slightest creak and then a soft thud as someone’s feet landed on the carpet.
Ollie lay frozen with terror. He tried to cry out for Aunt Aggie and Lara but his voice was stuck in his throat. A flash of lightning split the sky and he saw the black shape of a person walking across the room. Then another flash lit up the room, revealing a man with a huge nose and scary-looking face.
Maybe this is a ghost pirate and he’s not real, Ollie hoped. He slid back down beneath the safety of his duvet. Go away, go away, pirate man, he repeated to himself, too terrified to speak.
The floor creaked and finally Ollie dared to inch back the duvet just as more lightning brightened the room.
The man was gone.
9. Secret Tunnel
Star and Spud came bounding into Ollie’s room. Spud jumped on to the bed and Star stood with her paws on the mattress.
‘Morning, Ollie,’ woofed Spud, burrowing under the duvet to find a face to lick.
A bleary-eyed Ollie surfaced, his hair as wild as last night’s storm. He looked around the room. Daylight was creeping in through the window but his room remained dark and gloomy. He could smell bacon. The storm was gone and so was the wardrobe pirate.
‘Brekkie time, fella,’ woofed Star. ‘Everyone’s waiting for you, lazybones.’
‘Smell that bacon,’ swooned Spud.
Ollie swung his legs out of bed and pulled his dressing gown tight. He ventured towards the wardrobe, eyeing it suspiciously. He got halfway and turned back. ‘I’ve got to get my slippers,’ he said to the puppies. ‘And the floor’s cold. Can you open the wardrobe and have a look for me?’
No probs, thought Star, trotting across the room to the large brown wardrobe. Ollie got back in bed and pulled the duvet up to his chin.
Spud joined his sister. It was a big wardrobe and the puppies had to work as a team. Both stood on their hind legs and scratched at the door. Spud levered his paw behind the panel.
‘After three,’ he woofed. ‘One…’ Ollie pulled the duvet higher. ‘Two…’ he drew his feet up so he was in a ball. ‘Three…’
The wardrobe door creaked open. Ollie could see dark corners but there was no ghost pirate. Spud and Star took a slipper each and dropped them at the foot of Ollie’s bed.
There you go, Your Lordship, thought Spud. Now can we have our sausages?
Ollie put his slippers on and walked over to the wardrobe, regarding it warily. He closed the door and turned the key. There was a satisfying click as the door locked and he immediately felt better. ‘No more baddies,’ he muttered to himself as he followed the two puppies out of the room.
Ollie joined his sister and brother at the table and they chatted noisily to Aunt Aggie.
‘You’re quiet, Ollie,’ noted his aunt. ‘Did you sleep OK? Or did the storm keep you awake?’
‘Not the storm,’ said Ollie. ‘Something was scratching at my window and then there was a man in my room.’
Everyone went quiet, except for Spud, slurping his beans.
‘What?’ said Aunt Aggie, alarmed. ‘In the cottage? Are you sure, Ollie? I did wonder if that story was a good idea,’ she added, turning to look sternly at Ben.
‘He came out of my wardrobe,’ insisted Ollie. ‘He had dark clothes and a big nose.’
Aunt Aggie looked at Sophie and frowned.
‘No, he doesn’t always make stories up,’ said Sophie, reading her aunt’s thoughts.
‘I’m not making it up,’ glared Ollie. ‘It really happened. And I was so scared that I hid under my blanket, and when I looked again he was gone.’
‘Oh dear. I think I might have overdone the ghost stories,’ chirped Aunt Aggie. ‘And with the candles and storm – it can make your imagination go wild.’
‘My imagination is fine,’ declared Ollie. ‘I know what I saw.’
Spud finished slurping his beans as Ollie left the table and trudged through to the lounge.
Lara trotted after hi
m. ‘There really was a man in my room, Lara,’ he told his pet, tearing off a piece of his toast.
I believe you, smiled Lara kindly. Sometimes dreams can seem very real. The spy dog decided she’d sleep at the foot of Ollie’s bed that night. Hopefully it’ll reassure him, she thought.
Lara and the children set off for a walk into the village. Aunt Aggie had given them some money to buy lunch and the plan was to walk along the cliff, towards the castle.
‘I’ll stay here and bake a cake for afternoon tea,’ she smiled. ‘You can go and see if Lara can sniff out the treasure!’
Star and Spud were a bit put out at being left behind. Lara had been firm with them. ‘You are too young to be out all day,’ she woofed. ‘Get some rest this morning. Snuggle up in the basket and maybe we’ll take you out later.’
‘But, Mum,’ whined Star, ‘staying in is so boring.’
‘We want to help find the gold,’ complained Spud.
Lara stood her ground. ‘We’re walking a long way,’ she woofed. ‘I promise I will take you out this afternoon,’ she said, ‘providing you prove you can behave for Aunt Aggie. That means no fighting or arguing. And you can practise your numeracy homework, please,’ she said, prodding Spud in the chest.
The puppies lay for a while, sulking at the unfairness of it all. ‘They get to do all the exciting stuff and we’re just supposed to sleep! Or do homework!’ grumbled Spud.
‘Maybe we can have an adventure all of our own,’ woofed his sister. ‘Why don’t we check out Ollie’s story? You know, the tapping on the window. And the man in the wardrobe.’
Spud’s eyes lit up. ‘Great idea, sis!’
The puppies gambolled into Ollie’s bedroom, noses to the carpet.
‘There is a strange whiff,’ barked Star. ‘A sort of musty smell.’
