They arranged them in the corners of the little room, and thought that it would be most exciting to spend the night there.
"The two girls can sleep together on this pile of rugs," said Julian.
"And we two boys will have this pile." George looked as if she didn't want to be put with Anne, and classed as a girl.
But Anne didn't wish to sleep alone in her corner, and she looked so beseechingly at George that the bigger girl smiled at her and made no objection. Anne thought that George was getting nicer and nicer!
"Well, now we'll get down to business," said Julian, and he pulled out his map.
"We must study this really carefully, and find out exactly under what spot the entrances to the dungeons are.
Now— come around and let's do our best to find out!
It's up to us to use our brains— and beat that man who's bought the island!"
They all bent over the traced map.
It was quite dry now, and the children looked at it earnestly.
It was plain that in the old days the castle had been a very fine place.
"Now look," said Julian, putting his finger on the plan of the dungeons.
"These seem to run all along under the castle— and here— and here— are the marks that seem to be meant to represent steps or stairs."
"Yes," said George.
"I should think they are. Well, if so, there appear to be two ways of getting down into the dungeons.
One lot of steps seems to begin somewhere near this little room— and the other seems to start under the tower there.
And what do you suppose this thing is here, Julian?"
She put her finger on a round hole that was shown not only in the plan of the dungeons, but also in the plan of the ground floor of the castle.
"I can't imagine what that is," said Julian, puzzled.
"Oh yes, I know what it might be!
You said there was an old well somewhere, do you remember?
Well, that may be it, I should think.
It would have to be very deep to get fresh water right under the sea— so it probably goes down through the dungeons too.
Isn't this thrilling?"
Everyone thought it was.
They felt happy and excited.
There was something to discover— something they could and must discover within the next day or two.
They looked at one another.
"Well," said Dick, "what are we going to start on?
Shall we try to find the entrance to the dungeons— the one that seems to start round about this little room?
For all we know there may be a big stone we can lift that opens above the dungeon steps!"
This was a thrilling thought, and the children jumped up at once.
Julian folded up the precious map and put it into his pocket. He looked round.
The stone floor of the little room was overgrown with creeping weeds.
They must be cleared away before it was possible to see if there were any stones that looked as if they might be moved.
"We'd better set to work," said Julian, and he picked up a spade.
"Let's clear away these weeds with our spades— scrape them off, look, like this— and then examine every single stone!"
They all picked up spades and soon the little stone room was full of a scraping sound as the four of them chiselled away at the close-growing weeds with their spades.
It wasn't very difficult to get the stones clear of them, and the children worked with a will.
Tim got most excited about everything.
He hadn't any idea at all what they were doing, but he joined in valiantly.
He scraped away at the floor with his four paws, sending earth and plants flying high into the air!
"Hi, Tim!" said Julian, shaking a clod of earth out of his hair.
"You're being a bit too vigorous.
My word, you'll send the stones flying into the air too, in a minute.
George, isn't Tim marvellous the way he joins in everything?" How they all worked!
How they all longed to find the entrance to the underground dungeons!
What a thrill that would be.
Chapter Twelve EXCITING DISCOVERIES
SOON the stones of the little room were clear of earth, sand and weeds.