Charlie Bone and the Time Twister Part 16

Her fingers wrapped around the marble and it disappeared into her pocket.

"It's a Time Twister," Gabriel said quietly "It can take you back to how you were before."

"I know" She lowered her voice. "Cook told me. I thank you, Gabriel, from the bottom of my heart."

Her slight black figure whisked away so quickly Gabriel hardly saw where she went. He felt a lot better and ran lightly down to the bottom of the tower "You're late," said Fidelio, as Gabriel put his plate of chips on the cafeteria table.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder. The noise in the cafeteria was loud enough to drown his voice, but he had to be sure no one was listening. He sat between Charlie and Fidelio and, leaning forward, said, "They've got Henry!"

"What!" cried Charlie. Charlie.

" Shhh Shhh !" !" Gabriel looked around the room. No one was paying them any attention. "Mr. Pilgrim told me. I don't know how he knew" Gabriel looked around the room. No one was paying them any attention. "Mr. Pilgrim told me. I don't know how he knew"

"He's so peculiar he could say anything," said Fidelio.

"He seemed very sure," said Gabriel.

"Cook will know" Charlie stood up. "I'll take my plate into the kitchen and see if I can find her."

"Better go now," advised Fidelio. "There's a crowd around the counter, so no one will notice you."

Charlie walked toward the counter, and then quickly sneaked through the kitchen door.

It was very steamy in the kitchen and he kept walking into busy lunch ladies carrying pans of hot food and piles of plates. "You shouldn't be in here," one of them said sharply Charlie scurried to the back of the room where he found Cook. She was sitting with a bowl on her lap, peeling carrots. Her eyes were red and she looked very unhappy When When she saw Charlie she shook her head. she saw Charlie she shook her head.

"Is it true?" Charlie whispered. "Have they caught Henry?"

"It's true, Charlie," said Cook. "They've got him. How did you find out?"

"Mr. Pilgrim told Gabriel."

"Mr. Pilgrim?" Cook looked puzzled. "That's strange. But who knows these days."

"Do you know where they took him?" asked Charlie.

"I can't be sure. But sometime after midnight I midnight I saw Zelda and Manfred come through the garden door." saw Zelda and Manfred come through the garden door."

"That means he's in the castle."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Cook shook her head again. " There's There's some nasty dungeons in that place, but the ruin is so big 1 wouldn't know where to start looking. Mind you, the cats probably know where he is. They'll take care of him." some nasty dungeons in that place, but the ruin is so big 1 wouldn't know where to start looking. Mind you, the cats probably know where he is. They'll take care of him."

"What can they do if Henry's locked up?" said Charlie. "I've got to get him out, Cook."

"Someone must, that's for sure. You'd better get back now; Charlie. We'll think of something. We mustn't give up hope."

Charlie had no intention of giving up hope. He sneaked back into the cafeteria, took a cookie from the counter, and joined his friends at their table.

"It's true," Charlie told them. "Cook thinks he's in the dungeons."

"Then we'll get him out," said Fidelio confidently "We've got to find him first," Gabriel reminded them.

"Come on, let's start now," said Fidelio. "We've got half an hour before the next lesson."

They stacked their plates and went out into the garden. The snow had melted and the sun shone down from a bright blue sky It It all looked very promising - until they reached the ruin. all looked very promising - until they reached the ruin.

When they went through the great arch, they found Mr. Weedon Weedon in the courtyard. He was nailing several thick planks across the entrance to one of the five pa.s.sages. in the courtyard. He was nailing several thick planks across the entrance to one of the five pa.s.sages.

"Buzz off Charlie Bone," said the gardener. "I'm busy."

"We won't get in your way" said Charlie.

"I said buzz off," shouted Mr. Weedon Weedon . "The place is getting dangerous. Why do you think I'm doing this?" . "The place is getting dangerous. Why do you think I'm doing this?"

They had a very good idea why Mr. Weedon Weedon was blocking an entrance into the ruin. They left the courtyard quickly was blocking an entrance into the ruin. They left the courtyard quickly "That's obviously the way to the dungeons," said Gabriel. "Now what are we going to do?"

The three friends walked around the field in gloomy silence. Olivia came running up and asked why they looked so miserable. When she heard about Henruy Henruy she was stunned. she was stunned.

"That's awful. How are we going to rescue him?"

"We don't know yet," said Gabriel.

Charlie found it difficult to concentrate on any of his lessons. Teachers shouted at him and badgered him. Twice he went to the wrong cla.s.sroom. If Fidelio hadn't kept an eye on him, he would have been sent to the head boy and that was something he definitely wanted to avoid.

There was a very bad atmosphere in the King's room that night. Lysander stared gloomily at his books, Bindi Bindi had a terrible cold, Emma worked away, silent and studious, and had a terrible cold, Emma worked away, silent and studious, and Asa Asa grunted and fussed whenever he had to turn a page with his bandaged hand. grunted and fussed whenever he had to turn a page with his bandaged hand.

Tancred's empty chair seemed to hold a huge emptiness that kept drawing attention to itself itself , almost as if a ghost were sitting there. , almost as if a ghost were sitting there.

The only happy person in the room was Zelda, who kept whisking everyone's books across the table. When she stared at Tancred's chair it whizzed around in circles, until even Manfred lost his temper.

"Stop doing that," he snarled at Zelda. "It's not clever. It's just stupid."

"It's called telekinesis!" Zelda retorted. "If you don't mind, darling!" "If you don't mind, darling!"

"I don't care what it is," barked Manfred. "It's getting on my nerves. So shove it."

Zelda made a face and went back to her homework.

Charlie would have found this funny if he hadn't been so worried. The minutes ticked by so slowly he was sure someone had tampered with the clocks. He looked at the painting of the Red King, hanging above Tancred's chair. What would you have done? What would you have done? Thought Charlie. Thought Charlie.

The mysterious dark eyes gazed out at him. The circlet on the king's head glittered as if it were real gold. Shadows moved in the folds of the deep red cloak. Then unbelievably the tall figure began to change shape and color, until Charlie became convinced he was looking at a red and gold tree. Why can't I hear him? Why can't I hear him? he he wondered. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the tree had gone. wondered. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the tree had gone. My mind's My mind's playing playing tricks, tricks, he thought. he thought.

By the time eight o'clock came around, Charlie could hardly contain himself He rushed out of the King's room with Gabriel loping behind him.

"Have you thought of something?" Gabriel whispered as they hurried up to the dormitory "I haven't got a real plan," Charlie admitted, "but I'm going to the ruin tonight, whatever happens."

"I'll come with you."

"No," said Charlie. "It's best if only one of us goes. You can keep an eye on things in the dormitory."

"I don't like it," said Gabriel. "Anything could happen out there."

" Asa's Asa's injured. He won't be so dangerous." Charlie sounded a lot more confident than he felt. injured. He won't be so dangerous." Charlie sounded a lot more confident than he felt.

When Fidelio heard Charlie's plan, naturally he wanted to go with him.

"No," said Charlie. "Two of us will attract attention. I think I should go on my own. Henry's my relation."

Billy Raven came into the dormitory and watched the three boys sitting on Charlie's bed.

"You look as if you're plotting something," said Billy "We're plotting your downfall," Fidelio told him.

Billy scowled. "You think you're so clever, Fidelio Gunn."

The dormitory began to fill up with boys getting ready for bed and the three friends said no more to one another.

When the cathedral clock struck eleven, Charlie put his blue cape over his bathrobe, and slipped on his socks and shoes. Tiptoeing in heavy shoes wasn't easy, but Charlie managed to creep out of the dormitory without making too much noise. He was beginning to feel rather excited about the adventure ahead. He was certain that he would eventually find Henry And And then he turned a corner and walked straight into then he turned a corner and walked straight into Lucretia Lucretia Yewbeam Yewbeam . .

"Where are you going?" the matron demanded.

"I think I was sleepwalking," said Charlie.

"Rubbish. What's that you've got?"

"Nothing." Charlie held Cook's flashlight behind his back. Charlie held Cook's flashlight behind his back.

"Give it to me. Now!" Now!"

Charlie reluctantly handed over the flashlight.

" Hm Hm , interesting," , interesting," Lucretia Lucretia turned the flashlight over in her hand. "Where did you get it?" turned the flashlight over in her hand. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it at home."

"Did you now? Well, it's confiscated. Go back to bed."

"But I can't see without my flashlight."

"Then, sleepwalk. Go on!"

Charlie turned back and felt his way along the dark pa.s.sages. He had almost reached his dormitory door when he fell over something and crashed onto the floorboards. Picking himself up, Charlie groped in the darkness until he found what had tripped him up. A body lay sprawled across the pa.s.sage.

Whoever it was, lying so still, still, had a mop of hair and seemed to be a bit taller than Charlie. had a mop of hair and seemed to be a bit taller than Charlie.

"Fidelio," breathed Charlie. "Fidelio, wake up!"

Charlie tapped his friend's cold forehead and shook his arm, gently at first and then desperately "Wake up! Wake up!"

The body didn't stir.

Charlie ran into the dormitory and found Gabriel's bed.

"Gabriel," he whispered harshly "Gabriel, help me!"

Gabriel grunted and sat up. "What's going on?"

"Fidelio's lying in the pa.s.sage," said Charlie. "I can't wake him up."

Gabriel grabbed his flashlight, swung his feet to the floor, and followed Charlie into the pa.s.sage. Between them they managed to lift Fidelio and carry him back to his bed. Fidelio slept on. He was limp and cold and barely breathing. Gabriel shone his flashlight on Fidelio's face. His eyes were wide open but they stared out with a blank, fixed expression.

"He's been hypnotized," gasped Charlie. "We can't leave him like this till morning, he may never wake up."

Gabriel went to the bathroom and came back with a mug of cold water. "Sorry about this," he said under his breath. He poured the water over Fidelio's head.

With a shiver and a moan, Fidelio opened his eyes even wider and looked up at Charlie. "What happened?" he said.

"You tell us," said Charlie. "I found you in the pa.s.sage."

"I tried to follow you," mumbled Fidelio. "Manfred caught me. He held a flashlight up to his face. And made me look at him. And made me look at him. His eyes were horrible - like coal, black and shiny" His eyes were horrible - like coal, black and shiny"

"You were hypnotized," said Charlie. "Do you feel OK now?"

"Sleepy Got to get some sleep."

"Me, too," said Gabriel. "Night, you two." "Night, you two."

Charlie got into bed. He took a long time drifting off to sleep. He was worried. Now even his friends were being watched. Someone was determined to stop him from rescuing Henry.

At the other end of the dormitory Billy Raven lay wide awake. When he was quite sure that everyone else was asleep, he got out of bed. it it was time to see Mr. Ezekiel. He knew it was no use waiting for was time to see Mr. Ezekiel. He knew it was no use waiting for Blessed Blessed . The old dog was an enemy now and Billy was a little sorry about this. "Couldn't be helped," he muttered, wrapping himself in his new blue bathrobe. . The old dog was an enemy now and Billy was a little sorry about this. "Couldn't be helped," he muttered, wrapping himself in his new blue bathrobe.

The powerful beam from his new flashlight helped him to find his way quickly through the building, but once he was in the gaslit gaslit pa.s.sages of the west wing, Billy turned off his flashlight. Almost as soon as he did this, he tripped over an empty jam jar. Something else lived in Ezekiel's shadowy regions, and occasionally it threw jam jars down the rickety steps that led to the attic. Billy wasn't sure if it was a pa.s.sages of the west wing, Billy turned off his flashlight. Almost as soon as he did this, he tripped over an empty jam jar. Something else lived in Ezekiel's shadowy regions, and occasionally it threw jam jars down the rickety steps that led to the attic. Billy wasn't sure if it was a ghost, ghost, or something worse. He ran toward Ezekiel's room, but as he approached it, he heard several angry shouts. Billy put his ear to the door. or something worse. He ran toward Ezekiel's room, but as he approached it, he heard several angry shouts. Billy put his ear to the door.

"Someone's hiding it!" screeched Ezekiel. "One of those wretched children." "One of those wretched children."

"The children were all at home," said a voice, "except for Billy of course."

Billy stiffened. He recognized the voice of Miss Yewbeam Yewbeam , the matron. , the matron.

"I want it," growled the old man. "I must have it."

"Calm down, Ezekiel. There are other ways of getting rid of the boy"

"Has Charlie got the painting?"

"Oh, yes," said the matron. "We made sure of that."

"You think he'll be tempted to go in?" Ezekiel's voice had turned sly and eager.

"I'm sure of it. But who knows if he'll fetch the dagger."