Spook's Secret (wc-3) Read Online Free PDF

away'
        'When was he here last?'
        'Two weeks. Maybe more ...'
        'Well, when he comes visiting again, let him know that I'd like a word or two with him. Tell him to come up to the house.'
        'Aye, I'll tell him.'
        'See that you do. Well, we'll be on our way.' The Spook turned to leave and I picked up my staff and the two bags and followed. Alice came running after me and caught hold of my arm, bringing me to a halt.
        'Don't forget what you promised' she whispered into my left ear. 'Come and visit me and don't leave it longer than a week. Counting on you, I am!'
        'I'll come and see you, don't worry' I said, giving her a smile.
        With that, she walked back to join the Hursts and I watched as all three went into the farmhouse. I felt really sad for Alice, but there was nothing I could do.
        As we left Moor View Farm behind, I told the Spook what had started to worry me.
        'They didn't seem that happy to take Alice in' 1 said, expecting that the Spook would contradict me. To my shock and surprise, he agreed with what I'd said.
        'Aye, that's true enough, they weren't too happy at all. But they hadn't much say in the matter. You see, the Hursts owe me quite a tidy sum. Twice I've rid their place of troublesome boggarts. And I still haven't received even a penny for my hard work. I agreed to cancel their debt if they took Alice in.'
        I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 'But that's not fair on Alice!' I said. 'They might treat her badly.'
        'That girl can take care of herself, as you well know' he said with a grim smile. 'Besides, no doubt you won't be able to keep away and will be calling in from time to time to see if she's all right.'
        When I opened my mouth to protest, the Spook's grin became even wider so that he looked like a hungry wolf, widening its jaws to snap the head off its prey.
        'Well, am I right?' he asked. I nodded.
        'Thought so, lad. I know you well enough by now. So don't go worrying too much about the girl. Worry about yourself. It's likely to be a hard winter. One that'll test the both of us to the limits of our strength. Anglezarke is no place for the weak and faint-hearted!'
        Something else had been puzzling me, so I decided to get it off my chest. T heard you ask the Hursts about somebody called Morgan,' I said. Ts that the same Morgan who sent you the letter?'
        'Well, I certainly hope there aren't two of them, lad! One's trouble enough.'
        'So he sometimes stays with the Hursts?'
        'He does that, lad, which is to be expected seeing as he's their son.'
        'You've sent Alice to stay with Morgan's parents!' I uttered in amazement.
        'Aye. And I know what I'm doing so that's enough questions for now. Let's get on our way. We need to be there long before nightfall.'
        
        From the very first moment I saw them up close, I'd liked the look of the fells around Chipenden, but somehow Anglezarke Moor was different. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was, but the nearer we got the lower my spirits sank.
        Maybe it was the fact that I was seeing it at the tail-end of the year, when it was gloomy and winter was drawing in. Or perhaps it was the dark moor itself rising up before me like a gigantic slumbering beast, clouds shrouding its sombre heights. Most likely it was that everyone had been warning me against it and telling me how severe the winter was going to be. Whatever it was, I felt even worse when I saw the Spook's house, the grim place where we'd be staying for the next few months.
        We approached it by following a stream towards its source, climbing up into what the Spook called a 'clough', which was a cleft in the moor, a deep narrow valley with steep slopes rising up on either side. At first the slopes were just scree, but those loose stones soon gave way to tussocks of grass and bare rock, and the dark cliffs of