The Castle of Adventure

When Jack recalls observing an eagles nest at a castle in Scotland. It is the Easter holidays and Jack , Philip , Dinah and Lucy - Ann are on holidays with Ms Mannering at school Spring Cottage , which is set on a hill below a castle. Out on a hillside they meet Tassie , a local girl who lives in a tumble down with her mother and is allowed to run wild , Tassie cannot read or write but has deep knowledge of animals and the countryside. She is excellent at climbing , surefooted and has a good sense of direction , relying on her instincts to guide her : " She was more like a very intelligent animal than a little girl. " Indeed with her bare feet , ragged frock and amazing agibility she seems to be a part of the wild landscape around her rather like a sprite or a wood nymph. Perhaps because he to has a rapport with animals , She latches on to Philip and even brings him a fox - cub , which he names Botton. The children's happiness is complete when they discover that Bill mugs is on a job in the area and plans to visit them soon.

Jack and others are determined to explore the castle on the hill , despite the fact that the road to it has been destroyed by a landslide and is treacherous. Tassie shows them how to climb up the cliff behind the castle is " musty , dusty , fusty " , as Kiki loves to say , but Jack nevertheless decides to stay there for a few days , in order to photograph some eagles which have built their nest on a crag in the courtyard. Needless to say , puzzuling things soon begin used on a regular basis and their is a light in the lower at night. On further investigation , children discover an underground room in which a group of men hold regular meetings.

In a complex plot involving the capture of the children , people hiding in suits of armour secret passages and gleaming revolvers glore , the four children - and Bill - capture a gang of spies led by a man called Mennheim , who for obvious reasons , also goes by a name of a Scar - Neck. Scar - Neck and his men are after the secrets of a new machine being worked by Britain's greatest military scientist , and have bought the castle because they know the secret passage which leads from the castle and comes out just above the heavily - guarded clearing where tests are being done on the machine. It is a little sad , but fitting , that , there is a tremendous thunderstorm during which lightning strikes the castle , leaving it in ruins. A dramatic end to a dramatic adventure !

One anomaly : After finally escaping from the castle , Bill has a talk with Colonel Yamouth while Philip and Jack a nap on the heather - heather which must be stopping wet after the storm !