9 COLIN’S STRANGE TALE

CHAPTER NINE COLIN'S STRANGE TALE 'OPEN THE window!' said Janet, putting down her cards. 'It's Colin! What's happened?' Peter opened the window, and Colin climbed in. He was panting. 'Thanks,' he said. 'I didn't like to come to the front door or the back, in case your mother saw me and asked me what was up. So I tapped at the window. I saw you inside, playing cards.' 'What's happened?' said Peter. 'You're dirty, and your hand's bleeding.' 'Oh, that's nothing,' said Colin. 'Listen! You know I left you to go and find somebody to

shadow, don't you?' 'Yes,' said everyone. 'Well, I didn't see anyone at first,' said Colin, 'and it began to rain and I was pretty fed up. So I chose to shadow the very first

person I saw.' 'Who was that?' said Jack. 'A young man with a dog,' said Colin. 'I thought he must be taking it out for an evening walk. It didn't seem to like the walk very much. It kept whining and pulling away from the man, and I thought it might smell me, following quietly along some way behind, but it didn't seem to. I couldn't see what the dog was like at first, because it's a dark evening and raining. Then, when the man and the dog walked beneath a street lamp, I saw it.' 'What was it?' asked Janet. 'It was a bull-terrier,' said Colin. 'A beauty. A real beauty. My mother's friend breeds them, so I know a good one when I see it. Well, I shadowed the man and the dog, and it was really pretty easy, because the man was so much taken up with the dog, having to drag it along, that he hadn't time to notice I was following him!'

'Go on. What happened to get you so excited?' said Peter, impatiently. 'I'm coming to that,' said Colin. 'I followed them down Hartley Street and across Plain Square, and into a little dark alley that led between some big buildings. I went down the alley cautiously, because I couldn't see my way very well, and daren't put on my torch.' 'Was the man there?' asked Jack. 'Let me tell my story in my own way,' said Colin. 'I'm just coming to the strange part. I went right down the alley, and just as I was nearly at the end, I heard the man coming back. I knew it was him because he has the same kind of quick dry cough my grandpa has, and he was coughing as he came.' 'What did you do?' said Janet, as he stopped for breath. 'I squashed myself into a doorway,' said Colin, 'and the man walked right by without seeing me. But he hadn't got the dog with

him. So I wondered where he had put it, and why he had gone down there and come straight back again. So I went to the end of the alley myself and switched on my torch.' 'And was the dog there?' asked Pam. 'No,' said Colin. 'The alley led into a little yard, surrounded entirely by high walls. It was a messy place, full of rubbish. I flashed my torch all round, expecting to see the dog somewhere, tied up, perhaps, or even in a kennel, but there wasn't a sign of it!' 'Where was it, then?' asked Janet, after a pause. 'That's what I don't know,' said Colin. 'I looked absolutely everywhere for that dog. I listened for him, I called softly, but no, not a growl, not a whine, not a movement. And when I tell you that there was no way out of that yard except by that narrow alley, you'll guess how puzzled I was. I mean, a dog can't just disappear can it?'

'Woof!' said Scamper, exactly as if he was saying 'No!' 'I hunted all over that horrible yard,' said Colin. 'That's why I'm so dirty. And I cut my hand on some wire. But I tell you, there was no sign of that lovely bull-terrier, and no door or gate or anything for him to get out of. Then where was he? What had that man done with him, and why? It just beats me. I just had to come back and tell you.' 'There's something funny about this,' said Peter. 'I vote we go to that yard tomorrow and explore it. If there is some hiding-place there for a dog, we'll find it!' 'What a pity George isn't in this too,' said Janet. 'Peter, do go to that hotel and tell that young man he's got to go and tell George's parents they're to let him join the Secret Seven again. He'll be so upset when he knows we may be mixed up in something odd again and he won't be there to share in it.'