The 39 Clues: Cahill Files: Silent Night by Riley Clifford Read Free Book Online

over, looking at something in the dirt. Rupert looked down at the watch in his hands; it had been his grandfather’s. Rupert had brought it with him, and now he watched the seconds tick by. The
tick
was so loud, it was like cymbals crashing in his brain, and he couldn’t help but to think that every second that went by was one more second that moved him toward getting killed.
    “Wake up, Marie,” said the major, calling both Marie and Rupert over to his drawing. Marie immediately opened her eyes and sat up, looking like she’d just seen a ghost in her sleep. Rupert pulled the crate over to look at the major’s map.
    He’d drawn out the river and the factory, and then made notes where he had seen the guards that morning.
    “We cross the river here,” Marie said, indicating a spot in the river just a little southwest of the factory. “The water is slow and shallow.”
    “Fine,” said the major, marking their path. “Then once we’re over —”
    “We enter the factory in disguise. As German soldiers,” said Marie.
    “Not all of us speak German,” Rupert reminded her.
    “Pity, that,” said Marie. Rupert scowled at her.
    “No,” said the major. “We can climb the wall here.” He pointed to the north side of the factory. “There wasn’t a searchlight set up on this side. We’ll scale the wall up to the third floor — there’ll be fewer guards on such a high floor — and enter through the window.”
    “You must be joking!” said Marie. “Davenport will never be able to climb so high! His arms are too puny.”
    “Hey!” said Rupert. “Like you can climb a wall in a skirt. You’d get us caught. No, we’ll go around this way. There’s bound to be a back entrance on the river side — I’d put one there, if I were building a factory. And my family’s built plenty of factories in England. I know all about it.” Which was almost true. Uncle Chester had invested in a weaving factory, back before the turn of the century.
    “We cannot do it three ways at once,” said Marie. “Disguise will be the easiest way to get in and look for the doctor.”
    “And where are we going to get three German uniforms? Plus, you’re a girl. And we don’t speak German. How many times do I have to say that?” Rupert argued.
    The major leaned away from his map and rubbed his hands over his face. “If you two don’t stop bickering and listen to what it is that we’re going to be doing, I’m locking you both in the barn and throwing snakes in through the windows.”
    “It’s wintertime; they’re all asleep,” said Rupert.
    “I WILL WAKE THEM UP,” roared the major, to which both Rupert and Marie hissed at him to be quiet.
    As the hours ticked by, there were only three things that everyone could agree on: One was that they find the doctor, and two was that they bring him home. Three was that the other two Cahills were stupid and slow and utterly incapable of an intelligent thought. “Let’s just get on with it,” said the major. And then they went. Back through the woods and to the stream and the brook and the river, all by the light of a waning moon.
    “This way now,” said Marie, taking them down a deer path that Rupert hadn’t seen before. This led to the marshy edge and across a flat and rocky strip where the water slowed and it didn’t seem so deep. “We can cross here.”
    The water was bright silver under the moon. “You’re daft,” said Rupert. “They’ll see us. How very like a Janus to not think things through.”
    “
Tais-toi
, Davenport,” Marie snarled. “I am growing tired of your attitude, too.”
    “Quiet,” Major Thompson hissed. Across the way, over the sound of water, they heard the sound of voices.
    “That’s German,” said Rupert. And it was. “You led us right into the Germans!”
    Marie pursed her lips and then scowled. But Major Thompson held up a hand and the other two froze. The German soldiers had turned toward them. Rupert didn’t think they could see the