by Angela Fish
Ben’s mum turned around from her seat in the front of the car. ‘Did you know, Ben, that there’s a lake at the top of the mountains? The only way to reach it is to climb up, but it’s very difficult. Not many people have done it.’
Ben opened his eyes wide and looked at Jess. He was remembering something that his gran had told him about a Wise Woman who lived in a cave in the mountains, on the far side of the valley. She was the one who had given Gran’s family the secret of becoming small, as a reward for helping her. She’d also given them a stone, called an adder stone, that she’d found on the shore of the magic lake, high in the mountains. It protected anyone who wore it, and Gran had put it on a piece of string and given it to Ben. He put his hand on his chest and he could feel the stone through his T-shirt. Was this the same mountain as the one they were going to? Was the lake that his mum had told him about the one where the adder stone came from? Ben wanted to tell Jess what he was thinking, but he decided to wait until they were at the cottage.
When they arrived, Dad unpacked the car and everyone helped to carry all the bags and boxes inside. The cottage was much bigger than Ben had thought it would be, and he and Jess had their own rooms on the top floor. From the windows they could see all of the back garden, the stream, and right across three fields. Beyond the fields were the mountains, and there were long shadows over the grass where the mountains blocked out the sun. Ben told Jess what he thought about the Wise Woman and the lake, but she wasn’t sure it could be the same place that his gran had talked about.
‘Don’t you think your gran would have said something, Ben?’ Jess asked.
‘Maybe,’ Ben shrugged his shoulders, ‘but she didn’t tell me everything the first time. Just a little bit at a time.’
Jess looked out of the window again. ‘It was your gran who wanted to come here for the holidays though, wasn’t it? Maybe there is something else you need to know.’
The next morning, after breakfast, Dad walked over the fields to the little shop in the village to buy a newspaper. When he came back he called out to Ben and Jess who were playing ball with Scoot in the garden.
‘Come and see what I found in the shop. They had postcards with pictures of the mountains and the lake. The real name of the lake is Spider Lake, and you can see why. Look. These pictures were taken from a helicopter.’ He held out the postcards.
‘Really, Dad?’ Ben said. ‘Spider Lake? Oh yes, I can see why. See, Jess, when you look down on the lake you can see all those little streams running into it.’
Jess looked closely. ‘Oh! There are eight of them and it really does look like a big spider.’
Ben and Jess looked at each other and then back at the postcard. They took it in to show Gran.
‘Ah. I wondered how long it would be before you found out,’ Gran said. ‘Yes, this is the same place that I told you about, but you must remember, it’s a secret place. If you go around telling lots of people what you know, then the Wise Woman might have to move away.’
‘But Gran,’ Ben asked, ‘how can the Wise Woman still be here?’
Gran smiled at him and winked. ‘Questions, questions. You saw for yourself how the magic rhyme worked to make you small, and how the adder stone kept you safe, didn’t you? So why shouldn’t the Wise Woman still be here?’
Ben thought for a moment. ‘You mean it’s magic again, don’t you? Do you think we’ll see her, Gran?’
‘Who knows, Ben.’ Gran said, ‘Who knows.’
3
The Mountain Path
For the first week of their holiday, Ben, Jess and Scoot explored the big garden and paddled in the stream. Dad made them a swing in one of the big trees and helped them to put up Ben’s tent next to the hedge by the kitchen door. They walked to the village with Dad, and Jess bought a present to take home for her mum. It was a scarf and it had birds printed all over it. The lady in the shop said that they were called peacocks and that there was a story that for a few evenings not long after a full moon, you could hear peacocks calling in the Dark Mountains. She said that no one had ever seen any of the birds, but a white owl had been seen many times. Ben remembered the feather that Gran had used when she had given him the power to make himself small. It was the same as the ones on Jess’s scarf. He thought that he’d have to ask Gran about that, as well
Ben’s dad had promised that he’d take Ben and Jess along the lane to the start of the mountain path. They hoped they could find the cave that Gran had talked about. So one sunny morning they set off. They crossed over the three fields at the back of the cottage and went through the gate into the lane. Scoot was very excited and kept running ahead of them and barking and wagging his tail. When a rabbit ran across the lane in front of them, Scoot was so surprised that he nearly tripped over. Ben and Jess laughed at him.
After about fifteen minutes, the lane became narrower and it wasn’t flat any more. Dad said that this was the start of the mountain path and that it would become steeper and steeper until they came to the foot of the Dark Mountains, and then they couldn’t walk any further. They had a rest and drank some water. Then they went a little further up the path until they came to some bushes. Gran had said that the cave was behind these bushes, so Dad pulled some branches back and Ben switched on his torch.
‘Look, Ben.’ Dad said. ‘Shine your torch beam up a bit.’
Ben did what his dad had said and he could see the opening of the cave. It looked very dark and cold, and there was water dripping from the roof.
‘YUK!’ Jess said. ‘I don’t think I’d like to go in there. What about you, Ben?’
Ben grinned. ‘Not really, but it might be a good adventure.’
Dad dropped the branches. ‘Now then, you two. You stay away from the cave, and after Mum and I go back home you’re not to go off on your own and get into trouble like last year. If you want to go outside the garden, Gran has to be with you. Is that clear?’
‘Yes Dad, we promise.’ Ben looked at Jess and he tried to wink but he couldn’t quite do it.
Jess put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing, but this time she really didn’t want any more of Ben’s adventures.
‘Come on,’ Dad called to them. ‘Time to go back now. Gran said that if we turn left just after that big rock back along the path, we should find a good place for a picnic. It’s a flat space and there are some big stones that are good for tables. If it’s not too overgrown with brambles she said she’ll bring you up next week after Mum and I go back home.’
They found the place and decided that it was good for picnics, then they went back to the cottage and had a barbecue in the garden. By the time they went to bed, they were so tired that they didn’t talk any more about the cave, or anything else.
4
The Picnic
The next morning was Saturday and Ben’s mum and dad were going home. Dad said that he’d come back the next weekend to bring Gran, Ben, Jess and Scoot home as well. Dad told Ben, ‘Don’t forget, no going off on your own, and keep Scoot on his lead when you’re outside the garden.’
‘What about the picnic place?’ Ben asked. ‘Will it be all right to let him run around there?’
Dad said that it was, but to make sure that they could see Scoot at all times. Mum gave Ben and Jess a big hug and said she’d telephone Gran later.
After they’d gone, Ben asked Gran when they could to go up to the picnic area. She said that it looked as if the weather wasn’t going to be very good for a few days, so maybe it would be better wait until the next sunny day and go then.
Gran was right. The rain started about an hour after Mum and Dad had left. Ben and Jess played cards for a while and then they sat at the kitchen table and drew pictures of the cave and the lake. Ben tried to draw a peacock but he didn’t think it looked right. He asked Jess if he could copy it from the scarf she’d bought, so she fetched it from her room
. When Gran saw what Ben had drawn, she smiled.
‘Do you remember the feather, Ben?’ she asked. ‘It came from the same place as the adder stone, you know.’
Ben nodded his head. ‘I thought it might have. So the story that the lady in the shop told us was true? There are peacocks up at the lake?’
‘Well, I don’t know for sure,’ Gran said, ‘but we can listen for them calling, if you like.’
Ben remembered that he’d seen a full moon on the night before their holiday started. ‘The shop lady said the birds could be heard not long after a full moon,’ he told Gran, ‘but it was a week ago I saw it. Do you think we’re too late?’
Gran rubbed her chin. ‘I don’t think so. We can try, anyway. We can open your bedroom window and listen for a while.’
It rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday. Ben and Jess tried listening for the peacocks but it was so windy that they couldn’t keep the window open for long. Ben was sure that they’d missed their chance to hear the birds, but Jess said they’d try again next night.
Monday was quite a good day, but everywhere outside was still very wet so Gran said they’d wait for a better day for their picnic. Ben took Scoot for a run around the garden in the evening, and just as they were crossing the stream, Scoot stopped very suddenly and Ben nearly fell over him.
‘Why did you do that, Scoot?’ Ben rubbed the dog’s ears. ‘What’s the matter?’
Scoot was shivering and he had his nose in the air and his ears were up. He wasn’t barking but he was making a funny squeaking kind of noise. Ben laughed at him and starting walking back to the cottage, but Scoot stayed where he was and squeaked even louder. Ben stopped and looked at the place where Scoot’s nose was pointing. It was the Dark Mountains. What could Scoot hear? Suddenly, Ben knew what it was. It was the peacocks calling. He was sure of it.
Ben ran up the path and pushed open the back door. ‘Jess! Gran! Scoot can hear the peacocks. Quick, let’s go upstairs.’
They all went into Ben’s room and opened the window wide. Ben leaned out as far as he could. ‘I can hear them, Gran,’ he whispered. ‘It’s a funny noise, but I think it’s them. You try.’
Gran leaned out and closed her eyes. For a moment she couldn’t hear anything but then, as a breeze blew in through the window, she heard the birds as well. Then Jess tried, but she wasn’t quite sure what she was listening for. She could certainly hear something, but it sounded a bit like a cat crying!
They went downstairs and Gran made them all some hot chocolate. No one said anything for a while, and then Ben asked, ‘What does it mean, Gran? Is the Wise Woman still here? If she is, how can we find her?
‘I think you’re right,’ Gran nodded. ‘She probably is still here, but we can’t find her. If she wants us to see her, she’ll find a way to make us meet. Now, no more questions, or you two won’t be able to sleep. Why don’t we all have an early night and then perhaps we can go up to the picnic place for the whole day tomorrow. What do you think?’
Ben and Jess grinned at each other.
The next morning the sun was shining and there were only a few fluffy white clouds in the sky. Ben opened the door to the garden to let Scoot have a run around while Gran made breakfast. Then Ben and Jess helped to make the sandwiches and Gran packed everything into the picnic bag.
‘Are you going to take your rucksack, Ben?’ Gran asked. ‘You might need your notebook and pencil in case there’s anything interesting up there for you to draw. You can pack Scoot’s ball as well and his little water bowl. Is there anything else you can think of?’
Ben rubbed his forehead. ‘I don’t think so. Maybe we could take the cards? We can play on the big stones, and we’ll take our reading books as well. We’re going to swap when I’ve finished mine. Jess has finished hers already.’
‘Good idea,’ Gran said. ‘Could you carry my newspaper as well, please? Oh, you might want to pack your torch too. I remember my father telling me about a ring of big stones next to the picnic place that looks a bit like a small castle. You and Jess could play the explorers and dragon game.’
An hour later they were on the mountain path. Ben had kept Scoot on the lead but as soon as they reached the picnic place, he let Scoot run free. The dog rushed around for a while, exploring everywhere and barking at everything. Gran found a good place to sit down and Ben spread out the blanket. Jess and Ben threw the ball for Scoot, and then everyone was tired and needed a rest. Gran told Ben that they would look for the rock castle after they’d eaten, so Ben and Jess played cards and then Ben finished reading his book.
5
Where’s Scoot?
Jess helped Gran to lay out the food on one of the flat rocks and Ben gave Scoot some biscuits and filled his bowl with water. After they’d eaten, Gran took them to the far corner of the picnic place where there was a tall tree. Just behind the tree they could see the big stones. They were bigger than Ben, so when he and Jess went amongst them it was just like being in a castle without a roof. Scoot loved it and kept rushing in and out until Gran said that he was making her dizzy!
‘Do you have your torch, Ben?’ Gran asked. ‘If you shine the beam along the bottom of the rocks, you might see some little frogs or toads. There’s supposed to be a pond somewhere close by and my father said that he and his brother used to come here a lot to see the little creatures. Now, I’m going back to read my paper. You can play here for a while but you’re not to go anywhere else. Come back when you’ve finished your game. Shall I take Scoot back with me, or will you look after him?’
‘He can stay with us,’ Ben said. ‘He’d only try to find us again if you took him.’
So Gran went back to the blanket, and Ben and Jess and Scoot looked for frogs and played a game about dragons, and knights who rode horses.
‘Shall we go back?’ Jess asked. ‘I’m bored with the dragon game now.’
‘All right,’ Ben said, ‘but can I just draw a picture of the rock castle? Perhaps we can make a model of it for our art project when we go back to school.’
Ben began to draw and Jess sat down with her back against one of the big rocks. She thought about the peacocks and wondered if they’d hear them again. There were some little yellow and brown flowers growing next to the rock and Jess thought that she’d make a bracelet, like a daisy chain, from them but when she tried to pick them the stems were too hard so she gave up.
‘Finished!’ Ben jumped up. ‘Ready to go, Jess? Come on, then. Where’s Scoot?’
‘He was sitting next to me,’ Jess said. ‘I didn’t see him go off. He must have gone back inside the castle. Sorry, Ben.’
‘That’s all right.’ Ben looked inside the castle. ‘He’s always running off and hiding at home. That’s why it’s so good that we have the big hedge and the gate in the back garden.’
Ben called to Scoot but he didn’t come. Jess looked all around the outside of the castle, but there was no sign of the dog. Where could he be? Ben called again and whistled as loud as he could. His dad had taught him how to do it, although he still wasn’t very good at it. He wished that he’d brought Scoot’s special training whistle with him. That’s how Dad had found Ben and Jess when they’d been lost in the Dark Woods.
‘Listen,’ Jess said, and she caught hold of Ben’s arm. ‘Can you hear that? It sounds like Scoot barking but from far away.’
‘You’re right.’ Ben turned his head away from the castle. ‘It’s coming from over there, back up the mountain path.’ He looked frightened. ‘Oh no, Jess. What if he’s gone near the cave? Quick, we’ll have to catch him before he gets into trouble.’
‘Shall we tell your gran?’ Jess asked. ‘Maybe we’d better. We’re supposed to stay here.’
‘No,’ Ben said. ‘Let’s try to find Scoot ourselves, first. We won’t take long. Anyway, Gran said we could stay here as long as we wanted to.’
; Jess wanted to say that Gran had meant for them to stay only at the rock castle, but she didn’t because she knew that Ben wouldn’t listen.
They found the entrance to the cave and Scoot’s barking was much louder now. They knew that the dog had gone inside, and Jess began to feel sick. She guessed that Ben would want to follow Scoot, but the cave was so dark and scary that she didn’t want to go anywhere near it.
Ben called to Scoot again and again but the dog just kept on barking. ‘I’m going to have to go after him,’ Ben said. ‘You can stay here if you like, Jess, then you can fetch Gran if I get stuck.’
Jess nodded her head and Ben crawled under the branches and into the cave. Jess could see his torch beam flickering over the walls and she could hear the plip-plop of the water from the roof as it dropped to the floor. She crossed her fingers and hoped that Ben would find Scoot quickly.
Ben walked into the cave very carefully. The floor was bumpy and there were pools of water everywhere. He shone his torch beam along the walls and could see that there were lots of little passageways in the rock. He listened again and could hear Scoot barking. It seemed to be coming from somewhere at the back of the cave. Ben was now quite wet from the water dropping onto him from the roof of the cave, and he felt really cold, but he kept going forward until he knew that Scoot was very near. He shone the torch beam again and saw that the back wall of the cave wasn’t solid. There was a big piece of rock leaning up against it, and there was a small gap at the bottom.
Ben pushed the torch into the gap, then turned and shouted out to Jess. ‘Jess, there’s an opening here into a tunnel. I think Scoot’s gone through it. I can just about squeeze through as well, but I can’t see how far the tunnel goes. I’ll shout back to you all the time, but if I don’t come back in five minutes, will you fetch Gran, please?’
