11 The prisoner

CHAPTER ELEVEN The prisoner PETER SWITCHED on his torch, his hand trembling as he did so. What were they going to see? What they saw was so surprising that both boys gave a gasp of amazement. They were looking down on a beautiful horse, whose pricked ears and rolling eyes showed that he was as scared as they were! 'A horse!' said Jack, feebly. 'It's a horse!' 'Yes– that squealing was its frightened whinny– and thudding was its hooves on the stone floor when it rushed about in panic,' said Peter. 'Oh, Jack– poor, poor thing! How wicked to keep a horse down here like this! Why do they do it!'

'It's such a beauty. It looks like a racehorse,' said Jack. 'Do you suppose they've stolen it? Do you think they're hiding it here till they can change it to another colour, or something– horse thieves do do that, you know– and then sell it somewhere under a different name?' 'I don't know. You may be right,' said Peter. 'I'm going down to him.' 'Aren't you afraid?' said Jack. 'Look at his rolling eyes!'

'No, I'm not afraid,' said Peter, who was quite used to the horses on his father's farm, and had been brought up with them since he was a baby. 'Poor thing– it wants talking to and calming.' Peter went down the steps, talking as he went. 'So you're Kerry Blue, are you? And a beautiful name it is, too, for a beautiful horse! Don't be frightened, beauty. I'm your friend. Just let me stroke that velvety nose of yours and you'll be all right!' The horse squealed and shied away. Peter took no notice. He went right up to the frightened creature and rubbed his hand fearlessly down its soft nose. The horse stood absolutely still. Then it suddenly nuzzled against the boy and made funny little snorting sounds. 'Jack, come on. The horse is friendly now,' called Peter. 'He's such a beauty. What brutes

those men are to keep a horse down in a dark cellar like this. It's enough to make it go mad!' Jack came down the steps. He stroked the horse's back and then gave an exclamation. 'Ugh! He feels sticky and wet!' Peter shone his torch on to the horse's coat. It gleamed wetly. 'Jack! You were right! Those men have been dyeing him!' cried Peter. 'His coat's still wet with the dye.' 'And that's the horrid smell we smelt– the dye being boiled up ready to use,' said Jack. 'Poor old Kerry Blue! What have they been doing to you?' The horse had a mass of straw in one corner and a rough manger of hay in another. Oats were in a heavy pail. Water was in another pail. 'Well, if we want a bed, we'll have to use the straw,' said Peter. 'And have oats for a feed!' 'We shan't need to,' said Jack. 'I bet old

Colin and George will come and look for us soon. We'll shout the place down as soon as we hear them!' They settled down on the straw to wait. Kerry Blue decided to lie down on the straw too. The boys leaned against his warm body, wishing he didn't smell so strongly of dye. Up in the field, where the snow was now rapidly melting, Colin and George had been waiting impatiently for a long time. They had seen Jack and Peter disappear over the gate, and had had a difficult time holding Scamper back, because he wanted to follow them. They had stood there quietly for about half an hour, wondering whenever Peter and Jack were coming back, when Scamper began to growl. 'He can hear something,' said Colin. 'Yes– a car– coming down the lane. I do hope it's not those men again. Jack and Peter will be caught, if so!' The car had no trailer-van behind it this

time. It stopped at the gate of the old house and two men got out. Scamper suddenly barked loud, and was at once cuffed by Colin. 'Idiot!' hissed Colin. 'Now you've given us away!' One of the men came to the field gate at once. He gazed at the six snowmen. 'Come and look here!' he called to the other man, who went to stand beside him. How Colin and George trembled and quaked! 'What? Oh, we saw the snowmen there last night. Don't you remember?' he said. 'Some kids have been messing about again today and built a few more. Come on. That dog we