The Flight To Adventure

Chapter 10 A wonderful find

Soon the stars filled the sky. An owl hooted and wind whispered something in the trees overhead.But the four children did not see the stars, nor they heard the owl or the wind.They were very tired out, so they slept soundly.
Lili slept too, her head under her wings.She awoke once or twice, when she heard the owl hooting.Than she put her head back under her wings and was once again asleep soon.
They woke up late in the morning, by the noises Lili made as she was trying to catch Charles lizard 'Dragon'.
The boys woke up first.Jack immediatley got up and saw the spiral of smoke arising from down the valley,  just like yesterday.
"Those fellows are up and about already" he told Charles.
They woke up the girls, who were surprised to notice that they had slept so soundly through out the night and had not even stirred.
"Let's have some breakfast, though we have only cakes and biscuits left I'm afraid." Said Clara.
Unfortunately they were all so hungry that they devored  all the cake, biscuits and choclates hungrily.Now they had no food left.
"We will have to do something about  the food.Even if it means eating your lizard Charles." Said Jack.
"She wouldn't even make a mouthful" laughed Charles.Than he said" Hello,  listen to that everyone"
'That' was the sound of voices. Hurriedly they got up and dragged their rugs and clothes into the cowshed.They dumped the things in the last stall and crouched there, panting heavily.
"Have we left anything at all, out there? " asked Jack.
"I don't think so, the grass is a bit flattened, thats all.Lets hope that they don't notice it."
There was a small crack in the side of the old shed. Jack put his eye to it. They had just gotten away in time, for the men now neared the area of the shed.Soon they came to the exact spot, where the children had slept the night before.
The men walked, right past the spot, than one of them stopped and looked back with a puzzled expression on his face.He gazed at the place where they had slept.What he said next, they couldn't make out but he pointed to the flattened patch of grass.Both men than walked back and looked at the area more clearly.
  "What's done that?" asked the man called James.
"Strange" said the other man" an animal perhaps"
"Why thats big enough for an elephant or two to lie on" said James." Shall we have a look around?"
" No not now. When we come back, perhaps than we can do it. We have alot to do today.It can't be really anything important"said the other man.
  They went on again and were soon lost from sight among the trees.
"I'm going to go up a tree with my field glases and follow the men with them, as they go." Said Jack to the others" We must really make certain that those men are gone, before we expose ourselves from our hiding."
  He went cautiously out of the shed and ran to climb up a big tree. Soon he had balanced himself on a firm branch.He put the glasses to his eyes.
   As soon as the men came out in the grassy part, he could easily see them with his glasses.They did not take the same direction that the children had taken the day before.They kept on the flowery part for a long time.
  They took out a piece of paper, which Jack thought was some sort of a map and pondered upon it, very soon they rounded the hillside and dissapered from sight.He then climbed down the tree and ran back to the shed.
" God, we though you had somehow fallen asleep in the tree" said Clara" I'm tired of waiting in this filthy shed.Are the men gone? "
"Yes, they are far away now.It's quite safe to come out now and have a look around.They didn't take the way we did.Come on lets take this chance while we can" said Jack.
  " We could go and have a look inside the aeroplane now."said Clara.
So they all hurried down the valley and came to the sight where the plane stood.Soon they were climbing up the steps of the plane.
" The big crate is gone" said Jack as soon as they entered the plane" Though, I wonder how they got it out. It must have been epmty. Look that's the place where we hid that day."
They searched the plane thoroughly but failed to find any food or anything which could provide them with any information about the men or their purpose.They climbed out again.
"Can't we go and search the hut where you saw the men, the other day Jack.we are sure to find plenty of food there. Don't you remember the men telling each other to go to the hut and have a meal.well, they couldn't have a meal without food could they, So food is sure to be found there"
This was rather a very cheering idea.Jack led the way to where he had seen the men the other day, sitting by the fire.
The hut lay nearby. It was  a bit tumbled down but not as much as all the burnt buildings, they had seen in the valley.Rough repairs had been done to it. One  window looked strong and was hardly big enough for anyone to get in or out if he wanted to.The door was also strong and it was shut.
  " Locked ofcourse" said Jack giving it a tug." And they have taken the key with them too.Who did they think was going to come along and take  their things. They don't know a thing  about us"
  " Let's look in the window" said Jenny " We could easily see inside."
Jack hoisted Charles up. The boy looked inside, finding it difficult to see at first because the place was rather  in dark. The only light came in from the small window.
" Now i can see better" said Charles" Lets see, there are a couple of matresses, rugs, a table and some chairs and a stove of some kind and Oh My God ! Just look at that" yelled an excited Charles.
" What?" Everyone cried out impatiently.
" Stacks of food.Tins and tins of it and pots and jars of it. God,they make my mouth water." Said Charles.
Jack could not bear his weight any longer and set him down with a jerk.
" Hoist me up now" he said to Charles.
When he saw the food supply inside neatly piled on a number of shelves. His eyes nearly fell out of his sockets.
"It's some kind of store house" he told the others, while jumping from Charle's back." I wish we could get some. Why did those men have to take the key with them?" He said sadly.
" Can't we get in through the window." asked Jenny.
" No, we can't. It won't open.It's just a pane of glass set into the window frame with no catch to open it. We would have to smash it and that would give away the fact that somebody was here." Explained Charles.
They wandered about rather gloomily. " I suppose we better get back to our shed and remove our things and hide them some where else, in case the men do have a look, when they come back. How I hate leaving all this food  i'm starving." Said Jack.
"Me too" said little Jenny"  I could almost eat Lili's sunflower seeds now"
" Have some than" said Jack" holding out a handful" they are not poisonous. "
"No thanks" said Jenny" i was just kidding"
Charles went up to the door of the shed and glared at it." How much i would love to knock you down" he said" Standing there between ourselves and the food. Take that"
To the amusement of everyone, he aimed a heart kick at the door and then another.
It flew wide open. The children gasped in surprise and stared. " It wasn't locked, afterall" cried jack" just shut.What idiots we are to think that it was locked. Come one now lets have  a huge meal everyone" .