by Jenny Nimmo
"I kept your supper warm," said Mrs. Torsson as Tancred entered the kitchen.
"What happened out there?" asked the father.
"There was a tree, Dad. A red tree; it was kind of singing, but not any sort of song I've ever heard before."
Mr. Torsson frowned. "I've heard of a red tree," he said thoughtfully "My mother told me a story when I was very young. Darned if I can remember it now. She said it was the Red King."
"Our ancestor!" said Tancred.
"My headache's gone!" murmured Mrs. Torsson.
Tancred smiled. "I'm going to see my friends tomorrow," he said.
“About time, too," said Mr. Torsson.
After supper, when Tancred was tidying his room, his mother appeared with a pile of clean clothes and sheets. She'd kept them hidden while he was in the grip of his storms, as she put it.
"You look so much better," she said. "Even your hair is lying down."
"I am better, Mom," said Tancred.
He had the best night's sleep he could remember. When he woke up, the mattress was still on his bed, and so were the sheets and blankets. He dressed quickly and had a very civilized breakfast with his family Mrs. Torsson even served his bacon and eggs on a china plate.
After breakfast Tancred walked down the hill to an imposing house set behind ornate iron gates. He opened the gates, marched up the gravel drive, and pressed the bell.
Lysander opened the door.
"Hi, Sander!" said Tancred.
“Am I glad to see you," said Lysander, and his huge smile almost split his face in two. " You coming to school, then?"
"You bet," said Tancred.
* * *
Charlie didn't know Tancred was back until he went to the King's room that evening. He had just put his homework on the table when Gabriel came running in.
"Guess what?" said Gabriel. "I've seen Tancred!"
Charlie could hardly believe it. "That's fantastic!" He said happily.
Asa limped into the room. His bandages were off but the scars on his hands were still red and painful. "What are you two smirking about?" he snarled.
"Just a bit of good news," said Charlie.
The room began to fill up. Emma took her place next to Charlie, and Billy came hopping in after Manfred. Dorcas was next, and then, at last, Lysander and Tancred arrived.
"Hi, Tanc!" said Gabriel and Charlie.
"Good to see you back," Emma added quietly.
Before Tancred could reply Manfred said, "Shut up, and get on with your homework. Tancred and Lysander, you're late!"
"Sorry pal," said Tancred with a grin.
"I'm not your pal," snapped Manfred.
This seemed to annoy Manfred even more. He scowled at Tancred, but couldn't think of anything else to say.
Billy Raven gazed sadly at Manfred. "So sorry to hear your girlfriend's ill," he said, obviously hoping to earn a few sweets. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect.
"What?" Manfred glared at Billy.
"Zelda," said Billy nervously.
"She's not my girlfriend," barked Manfred. "And I'd advise you to mind your own business, Billy Raven."
"Yes, Manfred."
Everyone put their heads down and began to work. In spite of the intense concentration in the room, Charlie was aware that, somehow, a weight had been lifted. There was a fresh and hopeful atmosphere. Now there are five of us, he thought. And only three of them. Dorcas was a puzzle. No one knew what her endowment was. Even when she was doing homework there was a smile on her face. Charlie liked to think that she was neither on one side or the other, but placed firmly in the middle.
He looked up at the painting of the Red King. Would the tree appear again? And could he go into this painting? Would he hear the Red King speak?
Manfred's voice cut into Charlie's thoughts. "Daydreaming won't get you anywhere, Bone. Get on with your work!"
"Yes, Manfred." Charlie was about to look away from the painting when he noticed a shadow fall behind the figure of the king. Gradually the shadow took shape. It became a face beneath a dark hood. And Charlie became convinced that this dark figure was blocking him. It would never let him hear the King's voice, or step any closer.
"Do you want detention, Bone?" shouted Manfred.
"No . . . no. Sorry Manfred. I was just thinking. My homework's a bit difficult today" Charlie fumbled with his books.
"Just get on with it," grunted Manfred.
Charlie kept his head down until the clock struck eight, and they were all released.
Tancred and Lysander caught up with him as he hurried away from the King's room.
"Sander's told me everything," Tancred told Charlie. "I hope I can help with your cousin's problem."
"You bet you can," said Charlie. "Somehow I've got to get into the ruin. It must be on Saturday when I'm not being watched."
"That means you'll have to get in from the other side." Lysander looked doubtful. "It's very dangerous, Charlie. There's a deep gorge with a river at the bottom. You'll have to scale the cliffs and they're almost sheer."
Charlie didn't like the sound of it. "Maybe I could get in through a window in one of the towers, if there was a distraction." He looked at Tancred.
“A storm?" asked Tancred.
"That would be great."
"Do you want me to keep the wand, Charlie?" Lysander made a sweeping movement in the air.
"I think it would be safer with you," said Charlie.
"What are you three doing?" Dr. Bloor came marching up to them. "You shouldn't be lurking about here. Hurry along now."
"Yes, sir," said the three boys.
They dared not say anything more to one another. With a quick grin, Charlie left the older boys and walked up to his dormitory.
That night Charlie found it difficult to sleep. He was haunted by thoughts of falling down steep cliffs and drowning in fast-flowing rivers. Next morning he was so preoccupied he nearly went clown to breakfast in his pajamas. Luckily Fidelio was waiting for him.
"You'll be in trouble if you go down like that."
"I can't think properly I keep wondering what'll happen to Henry if we don't get him out."
"We will get him out," said Fidelio, though he sounded much less confident than usual.
Later that day something happened that changed their mood entirely When they went to the cafeteria for lunch, they were surprised to see Cook behind the counter.
As Charlie came up to get his portion, Cook bent her head over a pan of macaroni and said in an undertone, "I've had a message from Mr. Onimous. You're to go to the Pets' Café at two o'clock on Saturday"
"Why?" said Charlie.
"Move up, Charlie," Billy Raven whined from the line. "We're hungry."
Fidelio stepped back onto his foot.
"Ouch!" yelled Billy.
"So sorry Billy," said Fidelio in a loud voice.
Taking advantage of the noise, Cook murmured quickly "It's going to be all right. Mr. Onimous has the answer." She raised her voice and said, "Here you are, Charlie. Macaroni without the peas."
"Yippee!" said Fidelio, joining Charlie at his table. "Something for us veggies, at last." He lowered his voice. "I heard what Cook said, so cheer up, Charlie! All will be revealed on Saturday."
The next day was Friday During the first break, Charlie and Fidelio managed to pass on Cook's message to Tancred and Lysander. Gabriel had already been told, and he passed the news on to Emma and Olivia. After all, it was they who had found Henry.
"You'll have to bring a pet," Gabriel warned the girls. "I can lend you a gerbil each; I've got plenty to spare."
"Actually" said Olivia. "I've got some very nice rabbits."
Emma accepted the offer of a gerbil.
That evening, Charlie wrapped the painting of Skarpo in his pajamas. He put it carefully at the bottom of his bag and then piled the rest of his clothes on top.
Billy Raven sat on his bed watching Charlie pack. The others had already left and the two boys were alone.
/>
"Why are you taking that painting home again?" asked Billy.
"Because I want to," said Charlie. He used to feel sorry for Billy all on his own in the creepy academy every weekend. But he was sure that spying had brought the orphan a great many rewards; bars of chocolate, late-night hot cocoa, fur-lined boots, and powerful flashlights, to name but a few.
"I'll be off, then," said Charlie, zipping up his bag. "Have a good weekend, Billy"
"I don't think you will," said Billy.
What did he mean? Charlie was too distracted by his own plans to worry about Billy's spiteful little digs. He rushed down to the hall where Fidelio was waiting for him. The two boys were the last to leave.
On Friday afternoons, Dr. Bloor and Manfred always waited in the hall until the last pupil left the building. As Charlie and Fidelio walked toward the tall double doors, Dr. Bloor stepped in front of them.
"I want to see what's in your bag," the headmaster said to Charlie.
"My bag, sir?" Charlie was very glad he'd given Skarpo's wand to Lysander.
"Your bag, Bone. Empty it!"
"Here, sir?"
"Right here!"
"He'll miss the bus, sir," said Fidelio.
"This is none of your business, Gunn," barked Dr. Bloor. "Run along."
Fidelio didn't move. "I'll wait for Charlie, sir," he said.
Charlie opened his bag and turned it upside down. Clothes, shoes, and books lay in a pile on the floor. Manfred bent down and shook out every item of clothing and every book. Even Charlie's sneakers were investigated. As the head boy picked up Charlie's pajamas, the painting fell out.
"There's only this!" Manfred held the painting out to Dr. Bloor.
Ah. A very fine work," said Dr. Bloor. "Nothing else? Look in the bag, Manfred!"
Manfred felt inside Charlie's bag. He ran his hands along the lining, shook the pockets, and lifted the board at the bottom.
"Please, sir. We're going to miss the bus," Fidelio said bravely.
"Then you'll have to walk, won't you?" snapped Manfred. "Nothing here, Dad." He threw the bag at Charlie. “All right, you two. Get out of here."
The two boys just managed to catch their bus, but as it traveled around the city Charlie suddenly began to have doubts about his uncle. Suppose he were still in the hospital? Suppose his sisters had done something even worse? Paton had looked so ill when Charlie last saw him. How could he possibly recover in time to help Henry?
Charlie ran down Filbert Street dreading more sad news.
When his mother opened the door of number nine, Charlie's worst fears were confirmed.
"What's happened?" breathed Charlie.
"Nothing, love." His mother kissed his cheek. "I just took the day off. Had some shopping to do."
Charlie stepped into the hall. "Is Uncle Paton . . .?"
"He's up in his room. A bit sore, but nothing serious."
"Wow!" Charlie dropped his bag and rushed upstairs.
For the first time in his life, he burst into his uncle's room without knocking. Paton was sitting at his desk.
"Hello, Charlie!" said Paton.
For a moment Charlie didn't know what to say He was so relieved, so overjoyed, in fact, to see his uncle. A hug would have been appropriate, he thought, but Uncle Paton might be embarrassed.
"I'm so, so glad you're better," said Charlie at last.
"Me, too. You should see my bruises. They're very impressive."
Charlie could see a cut and a large bruise on his uncle's forehead where the bandage had been. "Your head looks very er, colorful."
Paton laughed. "That's nothing. The others are works of art!" He patted the arm of his rather shabby velvet jacket. Lowering his voice, he added, "They didn't finish me off, though."
"Do you think they really meant to?" asked Charlie.
Paton shrugged. "Who knows? With sisters like mine, anything is possible."
"Uncle Paton, I've got a lot to tell you," Charlie said gravely.
"I'll bet you have. Run along and have your tea and then we'll discuss!"
Charlie went down to the huge Friday spread Maisie provided to make up for the academy's meager rations.
"Doesn't your uncle look grand? Considering," said Maisie.
"Did they find out who did it?" Charlie asked tentatively "I mean, will they be sent to prison?"
"It was a hired car," Amy Bone told him. "And the driver was a blonde in dark glasses. That's all they know."
A wig, thought Charlie. Uncle Paton knows, but he can't prove a thing.
He bolted his tea as fast as he could and ran up to see his uncle again. Paton had actually cleared a space on his bed for Charlie to sit down. He had never been invited to sit in his uncle's room before. The candles had been lit and the oil lamp gave the room a cozy glow.
Charlie told his uncle everything from the moment he’d discovered Henry's capture, to his escape from the sorcerer. Paton did not interrupt, though he gave a low whistle when Charlie described Olivia's night with the giant tollroc.
“And a friend of yours now keeps the wand you found?"
"Lysander," said Charlie. "I trust him. He saved me from Skarpo."
"But you have the book? You'll have to use Welsh to command that wand, you know It's the only language it will understand."
Charlie nodded. He'd already learned some words, and repeated them to his uncle. "Symuda'r gareg yma!"
"Move that rock." Uncle Paton nodded approvingly "But it's pronounced like this, Charlie. "Sumidar gareg umma!"
"I'll practice," said Charlie. "It's lucky that Miss Ingledew found the Welsh dictionary. It was lying in the gutter after your accident."
"It was very lucky. She's a remarkable woman, Miss Ingledew."
"Are you . . . friends again?" Charlie asked tentatively.
Paton went slightly pink. "I believe so." Then he gave a light cough and asked, "So what's your next plan?"
"Tomorrow me and my friends are meeting at the Pets' Café. Mr. Onimous sent a message. He says he has the answer. But I don't know what that means. How can he rescue Henry?"
"The Pets' Café," Paton murmured. "The Pets' Café." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully "Aha! I should have remembered." He gave a delighted chuckle. "There's an old passage, long forgotten. It's mentioned in one of these." He tapped a pile of books on his desk. "It leads underground, from somewhere in the old city walls, right into the center of the ruined castle. No one knows where it starts, but I'll bet you anything Mr. Onimous knows. He has a wonderful, underground, burrowing look about him."
"It's in the Pets' Café!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Without a doubt," said Paton. "Charlie, get a bag packed. Tell your mother you're coming to the coast with me on Saturday night."
"I don't understand," said Charlie.
"Tomorrow you're going to get Henry out of that pit. You'll bring him back to the Pets' Café, and there he'll have to stay until nightfall. You'll come back here and tell me that all is well, and together we'll drive to the café and collect our poor lost relation."
“And where will we take him?"
"Ah — you'll have to wait and see."
CHAPTER 17
AMBUSHED!
On Saturday morning, Benjamin Brown crossed Filbert Street to number nine. He had done this every Saturday for as long as he could remember. Runner Bean, as usual, raced across the road in front of him.
When Benjamin rang the bell he had to wait at least a minute before Charlie opened the door.
"Oh!" said Charlie, when he saw Benjamin. "It's you!"
"Of course, it's me," said Benjamin. "Why are you so surprised?"
Charlie felt guilty He had completely forgotten about Benjamin.
"Come upstairs," he whispered. "I've got a lot to tell you."
Benjamin stepped inside. "Where's your grandma? She'll be cross about Runner."
"It's OK. She's gone out. She had a plotting look on her face. I dread to think what she's up to."
It took Charlie a long t
ime to tell Benjamin everything that had happened. Benjamin sat motionless on the bed with his mouth open and his eyes getting wider and wider.
"Phew!" he said, when Charlie had finished. "You are going to let me come to the Pets' Café, aren't you?"
Charlie didn't see how he could leave Benjamin out. "Of course. And Runner Bean might be useful."
"Mom wants you to come to our place for lunch. We can sneak out the back afterward. And then your grandma won't know where you are."
Charlie thought this an excellent idea. His mother was at work so he ran down to tell Maisie where he was going, and then the two boys walked over to number twelve.
That afternoon, everything went according to plan until they reached Frog Street. Runner Bean gave a low growl and Benjamin saw a woman in red boots disappear around a corner. High Street was full of shoppers, so he didn't get a clear view, but the figure looked very familiar.
"I reckon your auntie's been following us," said Benjamin, "the one with the red boots."
" Venetia!" said Charlie.
Before walking down Frog Street he scanned the crowds for a glimpse of the Yewbeam aunts. There was a chilly wind and a lot of people were wearing hats and head scarves. He couldn't see any of his aunts or his grandmother.
"We'll have to risk it," he told Benjamin.
They dashed down Frog Street with Runner Bean bounding ahead of them.
"Welcome, Charlie Bone," said Norton, the bouncer, as the two boys entered the café. "It's all right, your friend over there is looking after your pet for you."
Charlie had forgotten about bringing a pet. He was glad to see Gabriel waving at him from a dark corner.
As he made his way toward Gabriel he saw that all the others had reached the café before him. They were sitting around one of the largest tables. Olivia had a white rabbit on her lap, and its mate was sitting on Tancred. Gabriel had his usual assortment of gerbils, one of which was sitting on Emma's shoulder. Lysander had brought a parrot in a cage and Fidelio was holding a startled-looking cat.
"She's deaf," Fidelio explained. "On account of the noise in our house, but her eyesight's terrific."
The cat bristled when it saw Runner Bean, but the big dog ignored her and ran over to a group of dogs by the window.
