by Paul Moxham
“Well,” Joe said, “there’s only the lighthouse left. If they’re not in there, I don’t know where they would be.”
“With it being low tide, it’s the best time to get across.” Will stood up and walked away.
The others followed him, the lights from the torches bobbing to and fro as they walked.
~
The moon shone brightly as the children arrived at the rocks. Since it was almost a full moon, they could see even without using their torches that the rocks had no water over them. In fact, the water was so low that even some of the sand was visible.
Joe was the first one to step onto the rocks and the others followed him. The rocks probably hadn’t had water on them for over an hour so they weren’t slippery, but walking across them was still somewhat perilous as they were jagged in places.
When they arrived at the lighthouse, Joe went to the door and twisted the handle. Nothing happened. “I wonder why it’s locked.”
Sarah’s green eyes gleamed. “Goodness, the paintings must be in there!”
“Not necessarily,” Will said. “It could have been locked by whoever last operated it. If they let everyone in there, the place would be damaged in no time.”
“I still think the paintings are in there,” Sarah said.
“Well, we can’t prove it either way.” Joe gazed upwards at the railing that went around the little platform at the top of the lighthouse. “If we could somehow get up there we could get in.”
“What about using a rope?” Amy suggested.
Joe shook his head. “You couldn’t throw a rope that far up. Besides, it would need to support your weight as you climbed, so it would also need to grip onto something. No, I’m afraid that’s out of the question.”
Will tried to open the door himself. When that didn’t work, he pushed against it. But that didn’t work either.
The girls shivered as a big wave smashed against the rocks nearby, covering them in a stream of spray.
“Let’s move on,” Amy said. “There’s no use standing here if we can’t get in.”
“So what do you suggest we do?” Joe asked.
Amy shrugged. “I don’t know. But I’m getting tired of walking around.”
“Let’s head back to the campsite,” Will suggested. “I can’t think of anywhere else we can search for the paintings, and from there we can keep watch for the men.”
“If we follow the men when they return, they might lead us to where they’re hiding the paintings,” Joe said.
“Exactly,” Will said.
Chapter 19: Keeping Watch
It didn’t take as long to set up camp as it had the other night since they only had one tent and half of their belongings.
Joe suggested that Will take the first watch while he and the girls got some sleep. Will was happy to do that, so he took the binoculars and a torch and walked up the hill.
As the girls climbed into the tent, Joe decided to start a fire to keep warm. After warming his hands, an overwhelming tiredness came over him so he lay down.
After sleeping for a while, Joe was shaken awake by Will. He groggily stood up “Did you see anything?”
“Not a single thing.” Will handed the torch and binoculars to Joe and lay down beside the fire.
As Joe climbed up the hill, he was glad that it wasn’t too far away, though it still felt like a trek in the middle of the night. Reaching the top, he turned off his torch and sat down. Peering upwards, he saw that the moon had gone behind a cloud.
A cold breeze was blowing across the island and he stood up and paced back and forth to keep warm. He did this for ten minutes and sat down. Peering through the binoculars, he looked towards the inlet. Nothing out of the ordinary could be seen. He had no idea when the men would return. For all he knew, they could be gone for a day or even two days.
He put the binoculars down and thought about everything that had happened in the last two days. It had been an action packed time, but also scary. It wasn’t as though he was scared now, but when he had been searching for Sarah in the water, that had been scary. He was glad that they weren’t going to build another raft, for the same thing might happen again.
He thought about what his parents would say when they learnt about everything that had happened. They wouldn’t be happy but, if the men were caught, they would be proud of them.
He didn’t know how long he sat staring up at the stars but, as his eyelids began to close and he got sleepy, he thought that he would head back down the hill. He hurried down and found the fire almost out and Will fast asleep. He put some more wood on the fire and went to wake the girls.
Peering in the tent, he saw his sisters peacefully sleeping and decided that he would take the next shift. They were younger than him and, especially after the swimming drama, Sarah needed all the sleep that she could get. And if he woke Amy, Sarah might also wake.
After walking back to the fire, he decided to lie down and warm up for a few minutes before heading back to his post. He lay down, closed his eyes, and before he knew what hit him, he was fast asleep.
He woke as the first rays of sunshine appeared over the horizon. Stumbling to his feet, he realised he had been asleep for hours. But before he could be annoyed with himself, he heard a noise in the sky.
Looking towards the sound, he spotted a seaplane as it flew over the island. He shook Will awake before calling to the girls who were still sleeping inside the tent.
As the girls scrambled out, Joe looked up at the sky again, but the seaplane had vanished from view. He could still hear it though, so it was somewhere close by.
“What is it?” Amy said.
“A seaplane. If we climb to the top of the hill we might be able to see it land.” Joe hurried towards the hill, the others racing after him. Puffing and panting, they arrived at the top of the hill in time to see the seaplane in the inlet as it taxied across the water.
“They must have a big operation,” Will stated.
“Why do you say that?” Amy asked.
“Because it would cost a ton of money to buy that machine, not counting the petrol that they would use—” Will said.
“But aren’t some paintings worth a lot of money?” Sarah interrupted.
“Yes, but what I’m saying,” Will said, “is that this isn’t something which these men do from time to time. They must be getting a whole lot of money to keep this operation going, which means that we have to be extra careful. I hate to think what would happen to us if they caught us.”
“Let’s get a closer look,” Amy suggested as she saw the men lowering a dinghy into the water. Without waiting for a response, she hurried down the hill.
By the time the children arrived at the beach, the dinghy was beached on the sand and the men had disappeared from sight.
“Where do you think they’ve gone?” Sarah asked.
“I don’t know, but the only reason someone would land here would be to deliver information, bring something, or take something,” Joe said. “And since we know paintings are being taken, it would seem most logical if they came here to take the paintings away to sell them.”
From the shelter of the bushes, the children watched as the pilot emerged from the trees. He was carrying a number of rolled-up objects.
“They must be the paintings,” Will said.
Reaching the dingy, the man took the oars and rowed. When he got to the seaplane, he climbed out and disappeared inside with the objects. A few moments later, he stepped back into the dinghy and rowed back to the shore. After pulling the dinghy up against the sand, he headed in the direction of the wood.
Will waited till he was sure that the man had disappeared into the trees before he spoke. “I just thought of something.”
“What?” Sarah asked.
“One of us could hide aboard that seaplane and, when it lands, tell the police about what is happening on this island,” Will said.
Joe nodded. “That could work.”
“But we don’t have any i
dea of where the machine will fly to,” Amy said.
“Anywhere is better than here. We haven’t seen any boats pass close by, except for that sole police boat and, with the Lazy Lucy sunk, we have to take a chance. But we have to make a decision fast.” Will looked at the others. “Can anyone think of a better suggestion?”
Joe thought for a moment. “No, but who would go?”
“It should be me or you,” Will said. “And, since I thought of the plan, I’ll go.” He stood up and looked at Joe. “I’ll need you to come with me so you can row the dinghy back.”
“What can I do?” Amy asked.
“I’ll need you and Sarah to head for the cabin and keep watch. Let us know the moment you see someone coming,” Will said.
As the girls raced off, the boys headed for the dinghy. Climbing in, Will took the oars and rowed as hard as he could. The seaplane wasn’t a great distance away, so it didn’t take too long to get there.
“Good luck,” Joe said as Will stepped onto the machine.
“Thanks, I’ll need it,” Will replied. “Oh, it might be helpful if you listen to the men from time to time. If I do get captured, the pilot is likely to contact them somehow.”
Joe nodded. “Let’s hope that never happens.”
Will turned and disappeared inside the machine. Joe grabbed the oars and rowed back. Glancing back towards the beach, he spotted the girls racing in his direction.
As the dinghy touched the sand, Amy yelled out. “Hurry!”
Joe followed the girls towards the nearest bush and lay down just seconds before the pilots emerged from the wood and walked across the sand.
As the men rowed towards the seaplane, Joe looked at the girls. “That was close.”
“I hope Will found a good place to hide,” Sarah said.
“We’ll soon find out,” Amy said. “If they start the engines and fly away, we’ll know they didn’t see him.”
The children waited anxiously as the men got ready to depart. The engines started and the propellers spun around. A moment later, the seaplane taxied across the water, gathering speed as it did so. It rose above the water, climbed, and banked to the right.
Chapter 20: Destination Unknown
Will felt a bump as the machine hit the water. It taxied for a minute or so before it stopped and the engines were switched off.
Not daring to move, Will listened carefully. With any luck, the men would leave and come back for the paintings later. That way, he could take the paintings and show them to the police.
While he was thinking, the men’s voices suddenly got louder. Will held his breath. He could hear them close by and he heard objects being moved. Then, he heard the footsteps move away and, a moment later, the plane tipped slightly. He assumed it was the men stepping off and, as the voices got quieter, he realised he was right.
He waited a bit longer before he peeled back the rug and stood up. He knew they would be on water, but he didn’t know if it would be a lake or the sea.
The cabin windows were so dirty that he had to take the rug and wipe a spot clean before he could see through them. Once this was done, he dropped the rug and peered through.
The plane was moored against a pier by the side of a large lake. He couldn’t see anyone for a moment, and he wondered where the men had disappeared to.
He then heard a car as it spluttered to life. Looking towards the cabin, he saw dust spiral into the air as a vehicle roared down a dirt track.
Satisfied that both men were probably in the car, he looked around the machine. The paintings were missing, just as he had expected. Unfortunately, there was nothing else that the police would be interested in, so he hurried to the front of the plane.
After opening the door, he stepped onto the pier and looked around. He noticed that the wood encircled almost the entire lake. It looked like a very desolate spot.
Even though the sun was shining, a cold breeze was blowing across the lake. Rubbing his hands together in an attempt get keep warm, he walked quickly towards the wood.
Arriving at the dirt track that the vehicle had gone down, he started walking along it. After a while, he was glad to see it joined with a bigger road.
Suddenly, he heard a noise. It was a car heading towards him along the main road. The noise of the engine got louder as it approached and Will waved his arms.
The vehicle whizzed past, the driver obviously not seeing him. Will raced onto the road and waved his hands at the disappearing car. He hoped that the driver would glance in his rear-view mirror and stop, but this did not happen.
As the vehicle rounded a bend and disappeared from view, Will put his hands down. He had been just a few seconds too late.
With his hands in his pockets, he went down the road in the direction that the car had come from. He knew it was still relatively early, but he hoped there would be more cars coming soon.
Will continued walking for ten minutes until he had reached an intersection. Except for that very first one, he hadn’t even heard a vehicle, let alone seen one.
He walked up to the signpost and stared at the names of the towns in disbelief. They didn’t at all look like British names! He had assumed he was in England or Scotland, but now he knew he wasn’t. He suddenly saw a name that he recognises and gasped. He was in France!
He should have realised that it was the obvious place. A painting could be stolen at night in London and be sold at noon in Paris before it was even discovered to be missing.
Hearing a noise, he turned around and saw a car coming towards him. Smiling, he stepped out into the middle of the road and waved his arms to and fro.
The vehicle slowed down and Joe hurried over to the driver’s side. “Do you speak English?”
“Yes, why?” the man said, speaking English with a thick French accent.
Will’s face broke into a smile. “I need to go to the police station. Can you take me there?”
The man frowned. “Why do you want to go there?”
“I need tell the police about some men who are stealing paintings,” Will said.
The man looked shocked for a moment or two, but then he smiled. “Climb in the back and I’ll drive you to the nearest town.”
“Thanks heaps.” Will opened the passenger side door and saw that there was a person sitting in the back. He stared into the man’s eyes and froze. It was the pilot of the seaplane!
Startled, Will stepped backwards. Before the man could say anything, he turned and raced away. He heard a door open as the man yelled out. “Hey! Come back!”
Will looked back and saw that both men had climbed out of the vehicle and were hurrying towards him. He could see that the expressions had now changed and he regretted having told them why he wanted the police.
However, there was nothing he could do about it now. He arrived at the wood and ran though the trees, his mind in a whirl. How could he have been so stupid? He should have made sure that they weren’t the pilots before he told them his tale.
Will could hear twigs snap and branches break as the two men chased him through the wood. Unfortunately, the wood wasn’t really thick enough to lose his pursuers. He continued on for three or so minutes, but still they chased him.
Glancing around, he saw they were gaining ground. He would have to leave the wood and try another tactic. Heading towards the road, he was soon at the edge of the trees. Pausing for a moment, he caught sight of some cows that were grazing in the field opposite.
He tore across the road to the fence. Climbing through it, he glanced back to see if the men were still following him, which they were. He ran past the cows, most of which took little notice of him, but then he caught sight of a bull that was looking at him.
Slowing down, he looked away and tried to hide behind the various cows that he passed. But when there were no more cows, he saw that the bull was still there. And it was closer.
Seeing that the fence was just up ahead, he knew what he had to do. Pausing for a moment to get his breath back, he saw that the m
en were closing in.
They started shouting, and Will realised they hadn’t even noticed the bull. As the animal looked towards the men, he knew this was his one and only chance.
He ran towards the fence just as the bull trotted towards the men. Will didn’t look back as he ran, but when he heard a number of shouts, he knew that they had seen the bull.
However, he didn’t stop running. He knew that as soon as the bull wanted to, the animal could charge after him, so he ran like the wind. Not until he climbed through the fence did he pause and look across the field.
As he did so, a shot was heard and the bull, which was quite close to one of the men, turned around and bolted. Will assumed that the other man, who had reached the fence, had fired a gun into the air to scare the animal away.
As the second man limped towards his friend, Will knew that he would never have a better chance to escape. With a newfound respect for bulls, he gazed around at the surrounding area and saw that there was a field of corn growing quite close by, just across a small stream.
There was a road on the other side of the field and, even better, what looked like a vehicle was parked on the edge of it.
Hoping that help was not far away, Will walked to the stream, jumped over it, and hurried through the corn field. He glanced back from time to time, but couldn’t hear or see anyone. Maybe, just maybe, the chase was over.
As Will walked between the plants which were just below his height, he was tempted to pick some corn as he was hungry, but he resisted the temptation and continued on.
Will hadn’t glimpsed his pursuers since the incident with the bull so, as he reached the other end of the field and walked towards the vehicle beside the road, he relaxed.
He caught sight of an old man and his dog sitting in the car and was just about to wave at them when a noise startled him. Looking left, he saw dust swirl around as a car roared down the road.
Will paused for just a moment as the car stopped and out climbed his pursuers. They saw him at once and gave chase.
Will turned and raced back into the corn. He knew that the men would soon overtake him, so he would have to try something else. He quickly dropped to the ground and began crawling. It was hard on his hands and knees but, if he could confuse the men, he might get lucky and escape.
