As I'm your nearest neighbor, I was more than a little puzzled as to how they'd managed to get there before me. And I soon realized that no attempt was being made to save the barn; they were taking things out of the house and loading them up onto a cart. The only warning I got as I headed toward them was the sound of boots running up behind me. Before I could turn, I was hit hard on the head and went out like a light. When I came to, they'd gone. I looked inside the house, but there was no sign of Jack or his family. Sorry I wasn't able to do more, Tom."

"Thanks for coming across and trying to help, Mr. Wilkinson," I said. "I'm really sorry you got hurt. But did you see any of their faces? Would you recognize them again'.He shook his head. "Didn't get a close enough look at any of 'em, but there was a woman nearby, sat straight-backed on a black horse. A rare piece of horseflesh, too -a thoroughbred like the ones they race during the big spring market in Topley. She was a fine-looking woman,large but very shapely, with a good thick head of black hair. She wasn't rushing around like the rest. I was still some distance away, but I heard her call out what sounded like instructions. There was authority in her voice, all right."After that blow to my head I was fit for nothing. The following morning I was still sick as a dog, but I sent my eldest lad into Topley to report it to Ben Hindle, the constable there. He took a band of villagers with him the next day. They followed the trail northeast for about two hours and found an abandoned cart with one of its wheels broken. They had dogs with 'em and tracked the scent overland until it ended suddenly. Ben said he'd never seen anything like it. It was as if they had just vanished into thin air. So there was nothing for it but to call off the hunt and turn back. Anyway, Tom, why don't you come back to the house and get a bite to eat? You're more than welcome to stay with us for a few days until James arrives."

I shook my head. "Thanks, Mr. Wilkinson, but I'd better get back to Chipenden as fast as I can and tell my53master what's happened. He'll know what to do." "Wouldn't it be better to wait for James?" For a moment I hesitated, wondering what message to leave for James. One part of me didn't want to lead him into danger by telling him that we were heading for Pendle. At the same time, he would want to help rescue Jack and his family. And we'd be heavily outnumbered. We'd need all the help we could get."Sorry, Mr. Wilkinson, but I think it's best if I set off immediately. When James arrives, would you mind telling him that I've gone ahead to Pendle with my master? You see, I'm pretty sure that those responsible for doing this come from there. Tell James to go directly to the church at Downham, in Pendle district. It's north of the hill. The priest there is called Father Stocks. He'll know where to find us."

"I'll do that, Tom. Hope you find Jack and his family safe. In the meantime I'll keep an eye on the farm-his livestock and dogs are safe enough with me. Tell him that when you see him."I thanked Mr. Wilkinson and set off back toward Chipenden. I was worried about Jack, Ellie, and their child. Alice, too. Her arguments had made sense. She'd persuaded me that the best thing was for her to go on alone. But she was scared, and I suspected that, whatever she said, she'd be in grave danger.I arrived back in Chipenden late the following morning, having spent part of the night in an old barn. Without ceremony I blurted out the bare bones of what had happened, begging the Spook to set off straightaway for Pendle-we could talk on the road, I said, because every second we delayed increased the danger for my family. But he would have none of it and gestured toward a chair at the kitchen table.

"Sit yourself down, lad," he told me. "More haste, less speed! The journey will take us the best part of the afternoon and evening, and it wouldn't be wise to enter Pendle during the hours of darkness."What does it matter?" I protested. "We'll be there for some time, won't we? We'll be spending lots of nights there anyway!"Aye, that's true enough, but the borders of Pendle are dangerous because they're watched and guarded at night by those who shun the sunlight. There's no hope of getting into a place like that unseen, but at least during the daylight hours we'll arrive with the breath still in our bodies."Father Stocks could help us through," I said, looking around for him. "He knows Pendle well. He must know a way for us to get to Downham safely tonight."Reckon he does, but he left shortly before you arrived. We've been talking it through, and he's given me the final pieces of the jigsaw so that I can work out how to sort out the witches. But he's got a number of terrified parishioners at Downham and daren't leave them too long. Now, lad, start at the beginning and tell me everything again. Leave out no details. In the end it'll prove the better way than blundering off on the road without half a plan between us!"

I did as I was told, telling myself that, as usual, the Spook was probably right and this was the best way to help Jack, but as I finished my account, tears came into my eyes at the thought of what had happened. The Spook stared hard at me for a couple of seconds and then stood up. He began to pace back and forward across the flags before the kitchen hearth."I'm sorry for you, lad. It must be hard. Your dad dead, your mam gone away, and now this. I know it's difficult, but you've got to keep your emotions in check. We need to think clearly now, with cool heads. That's the best way to help your family. The first thing I have to ask is what you know about those trunks in your mam's room. Is there anything you haven't told me? Have you any idea at all what they might contain?"Mam used to keep the silver chain she gave me inside the trunk nearest to the window," I reminded him, "but I've no idea what else was inside.

What Mam told me was very mysterious. She said that I'd find the answers to a lot of things that might have been puzzling me. That her past and her future were inside those trunks and I'd discover things about her that she'd never even told Dad."So you've no idea at all? Are you sure?"I thought hard for a few moments. "There might be money inside one of the trunks."Money? How much money?"I don't know. Mam used some of her own money to buy the farm, but I don't know how much there was in the first place. There must have been something left, though. Remember at the beginning of the -winter, -when I called home to collect the ten guineas Dad owed you to pay for my apprenticeship? Well, Mam went upstairs and got them from her room."The Spook nodded. "So they could well have come for the money. But if the girl's right and witches are involved, I can't help thinking there must have been something else. And how did they know the trunks were there?"Alice thinks they may have been spying -with mirrors."Does she now! Father Stocks mentioned mirrors, but I can't see how they could have seen the trunks in a locked room. It doesn't make sense. There's something more sinister behind this."Like what?"

"I don't know yet, lad. But as you have the only key, how did they get into the room without breaking the door? You say your mam protected the room in some way to keep out evil?"Yes, but Alice thinks they made Jack go in because they couldn't enter themselves. There was blood on the wall and the floor," I said. "I think they must have hurt Jack and made him go in and fetch out the chests -though how the door was opened is still a mystery. Mam said that room was a refuge -"I felt myself choke with emotion, and the Spook came forward and patted my shoulder in reassurance.

Then he waited silently until I'd gotten my voice under control."Come on, lad, tell me."She said that, once it was locked, I could go in there and be safe from anything evil on the outside. That it was even better protected than your house. But I was only to use it when I was being pursued by something so terrible that my life and soul were at risk. She said that there was a price to pay for using it. That I was young and it would be all right, but that you couldn't use it. And that if it ever became necessary, I had to tell you that."The Spook nodded thoughtfully and scratched at his beard. "Well, lad, it gets more and more mysterious. I sense something deep here. Something I've never come across before. What we face is even more difficult now that innocent victims are involved, but we've no choice but to go ahead. We'll be setting off for Pendle within the hour-we can find somewhere to sleep on the way and arrive after dawn, when it's safer. I'll do all I can to help your family, but I have to tell you this: There's more at stake here than just their lives. As you know, I've decided to try and deal with the Pendle witches once and for all. And not a moment too soon -Father Stocks brought some very bad news. It seems that the rumors were true. The Malkins and the Deanes have already called a truce, and moves are now afoot to get the Mouldheels to join them. So it's as bad as I feared. Do you know what happens on the first of August, less than two weeks from today? "