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LONGMAN ORIGINALS Stage Three

Series editor: Robert O'Neill
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Contents
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CHAPTERONE The arrival 5
CHAPTER T\-VO Eagle's Rock 10
CHAPTER THREE The visit to the shop 16
CHAPTER FOUR The real 'Mr Holland' 22
CHAPTER FlVE Mr Vitalis' plan 27
CHAPTERSIX The climb 32
CHAPTER SEVEN Th e call far hel p 37
CHAPTER ElGHT The rescue 42
.t
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. Reading activities 47
:.:r

Addison Wesley Longman Limited,

Edínbutgh Gate, Harlow,
Essex CM20 2JE, England
a.nd Associated Companies throughout the world.

© Longman Group UI< Limited 1992

AJJ righls reserved; no pa.rt of this publication

may be reproduced, stored in a retriwal system,
or transmitted in ª!'Y form or bJ' any means, electronic,
mechanisal, photocopying, recording, or bthervdse,
without the prior written permission of the Publishers.
First·published 1992
Eighth in~pression 1996

Set in ll.5/13.Spt Melior, Adobe/Linotype (postscript)

Produced by Longman Singapore Publishers Pte Ltd

Printed in Singapore
ISBN O 582 1.16417 l

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 CHAPTERO:NE
The arrival

.·X:
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~sn·ít.<Jr<"'f
It ~füJ._one day in the summer. The day the. , _,,~
man carne to the island. The man who !,'.:all~~f.,,s.u
himself Hollandn(rr•\.1'.. , ~ ,. v::f ~J.'"' .. .:,-v.,,..,:-. v·
..., It was~arLY-fn the mornmg. The ..P!~~!~e\~~~~)--'
in a cir.cle above the island, then it l:iegan to ·
come down. Holland wi:¡.s nervous. He looked
out of !S,e Vo{indo~ ~~. ~~~.i~l~g J?.~J'{;i~:1f~as beautiful,
but~ajre.~Y:-~~~-ffhe was right to come. ·
The plane~~~st as the sttn ca~~gp. 0ij;.Qllap,:df'.('
walked across to the airport ~~'!!Y~g ~b1fó'.t_h~tQ · >
passengers. It was hot; but i f~g,4_1.ft be even hótter ·later.
He had ·come to the island. .'(r..ffitlé_,Jt was his first visit
and it would probably be his · st It would be too , ., .
dangerous to come back ... L '~ ·. -'('d¿.I'." ., ' e-·
"I don't have to do it," he thought .. "There's stiHJ.ii;.+Ef.J..\c;>
say no. I could get on the next plane. I could flyo_u~·af \().z,.
here, away from this islanQ:." · ·
But he knew he wourdn.'.! ~.9 thi~< fº~.e~-~Ji~ing, there.
was the money. He needed itp~gly. ' · · ·..
He sáw ~ teleph~ ~:tlftfi~ked ácross to it. He took a .
notebook .from his.J'1Q..~l~"l;'.f!J1J he turne~-~~ª~-~ges until I
a~; h~ found ~ number. His .f!~~s ~-~~~~ili~ as he , ·1 _ , ¿:.f.{YJ
· ~alleg,.._H1s hands wer~ ~t1é'l¿~1tft sweat. -.1f\(n·,.:p,· t ,;.
"Hello?'.' said a voice atlll't"other end.
Holland knew the voice. "It's me," he said. "l've
~ed.!:W~,-¡ \;~Wr
j "Ah, goúd,''; th~·~,?,~9~-,~~~d: "Your .:füg.4.Us on ti~e."
i·
l "Wh~!~,.~Il(} -~9J.tar"' HoTiand asked.
~ "It's ~11-{ífl;'~i{g!~.~ tlie voice said. "You will stay in a
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,AÍy villa on the cliff. It has been rented :f~ the name of
-, ,J.iand." ·
---·
___ ..- "OK , "Ho11an d sa1. "d . r
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·· "You sound nervous. You are going to do the · ~a~en't
You?" .• ._.,,_t,_ :··
. ,_r)V .:"'- ,
"I don't know," Holland said. "Ijól{l,jbu this befare. I
want to see the set-up first. I want fo see exacHy what I
ha ve to do."
"You will be able to see the house from the villa," said
the voice at the other end. "That is what you wanted,
yes?" . \ \E". .JiW '{A
"Yes," Holland said. "But how do I_.g.ej: hlere.?"
"A car has been rented in the same name. It'll he ~t t)ie -~
airport. There's a map in the car. You'll 11,{t~~~º~~~auble.
finding the villa. It's on the cliff road. 1t 'li'eHHrg1á't'Ó ~a m~
called Kazakou. He knows nothing, of e~...
"What about the money?" Holland asked. t . c-<~..,...,.._t-.~ ·
"You'll get it later today," the voic~aig>'.#'i'~f..)the I ~
money then. The Rther ]!aJ.L¡ifter~ the j dlS \fi:a~~ don-f..Y" ·1rv
· "Where do I~i~~J\JJ _;.., -··: ...~.,-'" ......
"I have a ~:x:ea.d.~ol/j,ou -that!" The voice sounded angry
now. ~lv.
· ¿/-->-- - -
"Tell me again," Holland said.
The voice .told him.
"OK," Holland said. "Eleven o'clock, this morning. I'll
be there." · "But :fre'gets.iñto qangerous place~. I wish he..w.oJ.~ld climb
He put down t~~ ·~~n,e ap.~ent to find tlie rented car.
Th.e airport was .lliitt~P:t5l>':f!e looked .ªt t~~ ~ac;,~, ~f)~e
-'¡'·ºº·"'., "'. other. people. People on bohday and with~'ciftlie
: "·.::..;.; · ~2.~ies he_had. ~.9_1!@.anybody know his face1 Holland
~'lfó!iea"lhey wQul dn 't. . -·-· ....
"I don't have to stay." he thought. "I could go away
now."
But he went to get the car.
The island was off the coast of Greece. It was popular
with people who wanted a ·quiet holiday. There weren't
many bars, and there \.Vere no nightclubs. It was a place
or
for people who liked to walk or swim, to sit in the
small cafés with a glass of wine.
1·6·
On another part of the island, a young man called
Costas was climbing a cliff. His ~istet, Eleni, was .'
swimming in the sea. Costas and his sister lived o:o, the
island. Their father, Mr Kazakou, owned a holidayvilla
and a small block of holiday apartments.
Costas was studying at univ-ersity. He wanted to be a
doctor. Eleni was still at school. But now they we-,;,.e at
home on holiday. Eleni liked swimming. Costas Ú1<ed .... _,<:.:;.: ·'· ~~·
cl~mbing t~e cliffs arour:d the island. They were h,i~~/2-~,.
chffs on th1s part ofthe island. They were shapecthl<:e a -:_. · -~
.,. letter 'C' around the beach. . · '
' The beach was almost empty becay.§§ ü_.,}.l\Tas still early
in the morning. There were only ~ ,fa:f...people walking
··--- -.... along the sand. Two or three others appeared on the
balconies outside their holiday apartments. The island
woke up slowly.
Costas liked to get up early and climb the rocks above
the;beach. That niorning, Eleni had decided to get up and
go/with him. She wante_i.~frftl~ an early swim. .
·.She- fl.oated on her b,aGJ(\ ana l'ooked up at the cliff. She
lodke.d around the curve of the cliff until she saw the tiny
flgure·'bf htff:J.;>nüllJ1~· He·was halfway up the cliff.
_,....~·~e's a ~tt~'1lfimber than he used to be," she thought.
with others and not alone. It's more dangerous to climb
alone. I'm almost afraid to watch him."
S.ome time 18.ter, Eleni looked across to the holiday villa
her father owned. It stood amongst other villas at one end
of the cliff top.
A car had stopped outside Mr Kazakou's villa. It looked
tiny from the sea. But Eleni could see it was a long, low
car with an open top. It wasn't a car she'd ever seen
befare.

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 "That car wasn't there earlier," Eleni said to herself. "It Eleni saw where he was going, and she looked worried
rnust belong to the person who's renting the villa this as she carne out of the water.
week." H~r father had told her a visitar was coming.
She swam in the sea for another half hour. The water 9'

was warm and pleasant. She watched Costas make the

climb back down. He began to walk towards the other end .,
of the beach. The cliff was ~ at that end. The rocks
were more dangerous. ~l;'.~ \ .........,~e\,\::' .

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 CHAPTER TWO
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There was no -f~ce en the cliff side of the garden. Thtire
t
was no need for one. R:'person would have to climb
Ec¡.gle's Rock "
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Eagle's Rock to get into the house on that side.
¡ ;'....,: \ ......
••• 1. v'- o··-- .·~ "And nobody is going to try that," Mr-Vitalis always
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:f\1·. said. "Nobody but a fool."
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. . ~'1.st> The house was called Eagle House, named after the cliff
below it. It was a good name for such a fine house.
Costa walked alon,g the beach and looked \U? .n~p::; ·But Costas wasn't looking at Mr Vitalis' house. He was
at tpe e i r t e d. The rocks were s.t.eeE~ ;·. looking at Eagle's Rock, thinking about the climb ..._ !')c.;·::::=-·
One was 1 e the head of a bird. A :~ "Twenty-five metres high ... follow the grQ.oveiO the i·
huge eagle with a cruel-looking beak. !j11 bird-shaped overhang ... move on slowly ... use arm and
There were s,igns at the bottom of the cliff. ¡ knee w~~s until it gets easier ... then up the sbelf
DANGEROUS. KEEP AWAY. NO CLIMBING. abové':-:'. tlien a difficult climb far the next few metres ...
This rock was called Eagle's Rock. It wá~ 'steep and :~·:.;' 1.,....-r:a,.need a lot of pitons ... " he said to himself.
,,
dangerous to climb. Costas stood and loo~ed up at Eagle's "'.1· \~_' ... ~.; :.;. · "J,ust~t!ERki\li about it excitad him, made his heart beat
Rock for a long time. It fascinated him. Sometimes he even ¡: . . . . faster.'~M ~
. dreamed about it. ¡; .~;>~~,: ... / Eleni drie~self with a an came across to
~t thought abouJ;.~bjng i~ ;t!~ tJl.pught·a~thów he ~ ('<. V.... -0' Costas. s"'iie'l<new at onee wha was thinking about. She
¡'! . ! . ; ;f:,;'¡.~· could see it in the look on his face. It made her feel' even
... \~~do it. Abo~t ~;~OUld go. It§gwhat he1 :

wanted to do. He'd dreaníecrol climbing Eatle's Rock for ·a \ lf. . (.r' . . more· afraid. . -<
long time now. fir , ,._;¡' "Stop looking at it, Costas," s~e said. "Stop thinking
At the top was a large white house. It had bal~i~ . .. : ;.. · about it. You can't climb Eagle's Ro~\!!i.!J ~~o diµi~~
outside the upstairs rooms, an~ ._?.:.long garden ~~-the , , :. ·~·' Two men anda woman have alrea~~ . ·
cliff edge. It was a very~use and belongea to. a } :,.. ' . :, It was true, Costas knew this. There had been many
man called Mr Vitalis. t h_J_ie sometimes !l_a~ :e.eople ::! '.: ·: " / accidents, and already three people had H.ied trying to
(.':("an,~M-.~X.with him, Mr.....Vit@s_)ived in th~.house~for (":• -. ' climb the Rock.
1:¡
-~rfb,~ time. He~:3'tPa computer company on the _ "But don't you understand?" Costas said. "I want to be
island. ~ everybody who lived on the island knew :t'·¡ I the first person to climb it to the top. Then I'll be famous!''
him. ,~. 'r.
"Or de.ad," Eleni said. ~
And everyone knew about Mr Vitalis' hE>use. It was the Costas just l~ghed. ñ>e1
biggest house on the island and had a high electric fence U: "And I wisfiyou d dim~ with others," Eleni said. "I
around three s~~Í..~~e. i~en. The fence had a speci.al
burglar alarm.~imbed over the fence, the ~.¡
n:~
wish you wouldn't climb alone all the time. It's much
more dangerous. You rnake me feel afraid."
alarm would go off iµ the police station. Mr Vitalis made í! K "You don't understand," Costas said. "It.'s more
certain ªXª!'l2n..e~iff293.\.t"v!!· exciting. Just me against the cliff! A real test of my
"! don~'LJrheused to say. ''So I want Hf\
:q, climbing skills - of my nerve!" His eyes shone as he
everybody to know about my burglar alarm." spoke. o'i)i"UU~
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She ~his arm and tried to pull him away from the
~
The holiday villas were on the cliff ,!'..2!!LTheir father
cliff. Sb¡e was angry with him. "Come home," she said. "I was outside the one he owned. He was a small man with a
want a ~hower and sorne breakfast befare r go to the shop." thick moustache and a cheerful smile.
Costa~ allowed her to pull him away. "All right," he "Costas! Eleni!" Mr Kazakou callad to them: "Come and
said at fast. meet Mr Holland."
"Andl don't tell father that you want to climb Eagle's A fair-haired man stood beside Mr Kazakou. The two
Rock," $leni told him. "He'll go crazy." men had been talking.
Mr K$zakou didn't like his son climbing rocks and
cliffs. He thought it was foolish. But Costas loved to climb.
It excitad him. It tested his ·
nerve. !

"l feei free!" Costas

would s;ay. "Just.. me
and the ihirds.
Sometirpes I even f e·eJ ··
like a b~d up there!" .
He'd tried to make ,:
. J: th
h is ia 'r und erstan
1
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, ;.;,.,~. :·~;,h' .r. ;·\: ·
T/ ·;¡·•:~·11'"'":;tl':'"
but Mr .11'-.azakou :i'.;Y~; ?'/':~·':
wouldn '.t listen. He ~)~:'{'..' ··
thought ali climb,ers ""~~~
were fo~lish. He didn't
know aoout the
·~xcitem~Iit'9f ~singa
climber~s s'k:ill. ·
But Cbstas did.
Eleni ~nd her .. ,
b:tother ~alked a_'i&oss
the sand. to· the cliffs
the othe~ side. Íhey ·
found the ·steps ·up·ito ·· ·
the cliff 1road· above.
The suni was warm on.
thei.r ba6ks.
"It's gping to be a
hot day todav;" E.leni ~. ~----..-.
said. · ·
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- 13
 The man did not seem to want ~ostas or Eleni, Costas was silent as he walked. "Where have I seen Mr
but he waited. He w~m e they walked Holland befare?" he wondered. "I am sure I have seen
across to the garden e villa. Costas and Eleni him."
• shook.Jiands with him. Costas looked hard at the man's Mr Kazakou went to help his wife in the garden. She
face until the man looked away. was picking tomatoes for lunch.
"Mr Holland seems nervous/' Eleni thought. "What's the matter?" Eleni asked Costas when they were
"Mr Holland has come from England," Mr Kazakou · inside the house. "You look as if something's wrong."
said. "He's renting the villa far two weeks. He's a writer." ''I'm sure I've seen Mr Holland befare," Costas said.
.. A writer?" Eleni said. "How exciting! Do you write "But where?" Eleni said. "He told you he's never been
books?" to the island befare."
"Sometimes," said the man. He didn't seem to want to "I know he told me that," Costas said. "But I don't
talk about it. believe him."
"Have you been to the island befare?" Costas asked him.
The man shook his head. "No, never," he said.
"l thought rd seen you befare," Costas said.
"Do you have any friends on the island, Mr Holland?"
Mr Kazakou asked. .....
Holland shook his head again. "No. I know nobody on
.the island," he said.
"Well there are lots of places you can walk," Mr
Kazakou said. 1 11, '
"Yes," Holland said. "I may do some walking." Then he ! \."'t.\
turnad and went inside the villa.
Mr Kazakou walked back along the cliff road with 1 • •
Costas and Eleni. Their home·was up the hill in the town.
"Mr Holland didn't want to talk," Costas said. "He just
wanted to get inside the villa. I wonder why?" ·
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"Perhaps he's just a shy man," Mr Kazakou said. He was ......

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pleased the man had taken the villa for two weeks. It had
been a poor summer for tourists. "Perhaps he just Iikes to
\
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be alon.e. Sorne men do." o

They walked up the hill to the small town. A few shops ¡

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had dpened. A waiter was putting out chairs and tables 1

outside a small café. A woman was washing the step !

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outside her house.
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 ILL
CHAPTER THREE
The visit to the shop
:'Are you going out again?" Eleni asked her
brother.
"Later," Costas told her. "First I have "York
to do. I have to finish a book and then write
sorne notes."
"Don't say anything to father about Eagle's
Rock," she warned him.
"He'll have to know sometime," Costas said. "But 1
won't say anything at the moment."
Eleni went to have a shower. Costas went up to his
room to changa his clothes.
Eleni dressed and ate sorne brea.k.fast after her shower.
Then she went off to the shop where she worked in the
school holidays. The shop belonged to Mr Papas. It sold
books and postca.rds. It also sold pictures from a small
gallery at the back of the shop. Most of the pictures were
by artists who lived on the island. Many tourists came into
the shop, and to see the paintings in the gallery.
"Good moming, Eleni," Mr Papas said. "I saw you
swimming this morning. I waved but you didn't see me/'
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr Papas,~ni said. "But it was lovely
in the water."
Mr Papas went for a long walk along the cliff each
morning. "I see you have a visitar staying in your holiday
villa," he said. "I saw an open-topped car outside in the
road."
"Yes," Eleni said: And she told Mr Papas about Mr
Holland. "He's a writer," she said.
"Is he?" Mr Papas said. "I'd like to meet him. I've never
met a writer."
16
º'!'.
,_}
"Perhaps he'll come to the shop to huy a book," Eleni
said.
She didn't tell Mr Papas that Mr Holland didn't seem
very friendly. Perhaps her father was right. Perhaps Mr
Holland was just shy.
It was a quiet morning in the shop. There weren't many
tourists to serve today. Eleni dus~d the things in the
window and tidied the bookshelves. Mr Papas werit into
the gallery to unpack f!Ome new paintings.
Later on, a large black car stopped outside. A man got
out. He was a big man and he wore a white suit.
"Mr Vitali~!" said Mr Papas when the man came into
the shop. "How good to see you again."
Mr Vitalis li.ked· to huy paintings. Many of the paintings
in his.home,.... Eagle House - were by famous artists. Mr
Papas had told Eleni about them.
"The pictures are worth a lot of money," he had said.
"Sorne of them must be worth thousands and thousands
of pounds. Mr Vitalis is a very rich man, and he can huy
as many paintings as he likes." '
Mr Vitalis carne to the shop two or three times a year to
see any new pictw:es. Sometimes h~ bought one. Mr Papas
was always.pleased to see the pig man.
"Good· morning, Mr Papas/' ·saicil. Mr Vitalis. "What can
you show me t9day? Any new paintings that might
interest me?"
"1 'hope ·so, Mr Vitalis/' Mr ~apas said. He .took the big
man thrpugh to the ,gallery at the back of the shop. "Make
sorne coffeEr for Mr Vitalis, will you, Eleni?" he called over
his shoulder. · ·
Eleni wenrinto the little kitchen at the side ofthe ~hop.
She began tb ltiake some coffee.
The ~hop lo.akedlout .on to the narro.w road and a café
opposite. J'he c:;afé há:d tables outside. A waiter stood in
the doorway looking ·bored. There weren't many
customers.
.17
 There was a man sitting at one of the tables. He was
drinking coffee and reading a paperback book.
"It's Mr Holland!" Eleni said to herself.
"Eleni!" Mr Papas called from the gallery. "Where's the
coffee?"
"Coming, Mr Papas!" Eleni said.
She took the coffee into the gallery.
Mr Vitalis was looking at a picture. He seemed to like it.
Mr Papas was rubbing his hands nervously. He was
hoping to make a sale. . '
18
~ ...........
A woman carne into the shop.
"Good morning," Eleni said, going back into the shop.
The woman bought so~e postc~ds and Eleni put them
in a bag and took the money ~ Then a young man carne in
and bought a book. "
Soon after, Mr Vitalis and Mt Papas came out of the
gallery. Mr Vitalis had not fonnd a painting to buy. Eleni
saw that Mr Papas looked rather sad. ·
"Perhaps next time I shall see.$omething I like," Mr
Vitalis said. "Thank you far the coffee, º he ·said to Eleni.
"That's all right.'' Eleni said.
After he had gone, Eleni went back to the
kitchen. She began to wash the coffee cups.
Then she looked ·oüt of the window at the
café. The waiter liad moved from the
doorway and was standing outside. Mr
Holland was still sitting at his table, reading
his book. Another person carne and sat at a
table behind him.
was
. tt Mr Vitalis.
Mr Vitalis callad the waiter over and
spoke to him. Soon aft.er, the waiter brought
Mr Vi~.a!.~s a small cup of coffee. Then Mr
Vitalis sat and read his newspaper as he
drank some·coffee.
Eleni went back into the shop. There were
three tourists looking around. Eleni stood
ready to help. Mr Papas was talking to a
woman who seemed interested in a painting
in the window.
A man brought a book over to Eleni. "I'll
take this one, please," he said.
Eleni took the money, then the man and
his wife left the shop.
19
 She looked across at the café again. Mr Vitalis was about doing it.
paying the waiter. A few moments later, he walked back to He'd once been married but his wife had cheated him.
his car. He had left his newspaper on the café table, Eleni She took his money and went away with another man.
noticed. Others had cheated Mr Vitalis when he'd been younger.
Soon after, Mr Holland got up to leave. He turned and But nobody cheated him today. Mr Vitalis was too clever
look~d behind him. Then he pié~-~~- up Mr Vitalis' for that.
newspaper anti put it under his arm. Now he was in trouble. Money trouble.
"Why can't he huy one for himself?" Eleni wondered. But 1\:'Ir Vitalis had a plan.
He thought about the man in the café. "Will he do what
Mr Vitalls left the café and went back to his car. He I want him to do?" Mr Vitalis wondered. "If he doesn't,
drove past the shop belonging to Mr Papas and out of the I'm in trouble. There's no time to find another person.
town. Soon he was on the road leading to Eagle House. It There's no time to make another plan. He has to..do it."
was a steep, narrow road. The big car had to slow down to He'd arrived at Eagle House. Mr Vitalis pressed a button
turn the comers. Other cars waited for Mr Vitalis to pass inside the car. The tall iron gates open~d slowly and fie
by. drove through them. The gates dosed and locked·
Mr Vitalis knew the road well. He didn 't have to think themselves after him.
about his driving. Iri.s~d. he was able to think about other
things-to worry about his computar company.
"There's not much more time," he thought. "I have to
have money soon. Something will have to be done quickly ...
if I'm to save my business."
.}, '
It had been a bad year. Business had been poor. He had
lost money iri other ways, as well. He'd had to sell other
property which he owned qn the island. This h.B.d been "
•i
done secretly. It was ·important to Mr Vital?-s that other
'
people did not know he was in trouble. ·
He_ looked up a~ad at the big white house, standing
high on the cliff toP, "l. might have to sell Eagle House,
too," he thought. '~If that happens, I shall have to leave the
island. I couldri.'t live here in sorne ti.ny house. People
wouldil't respect me the way they do,now. ºlwouldn't like
that." ..
Mr Vitalis was afraid. He had once been a poor man, but
now he had forgotten what it was like to be poor. He'd
made a lot of money during his life. Sorne had been made
honestly. Some had not. Mr Vitalis hadn't worried about
this. Ifhe'd had to cheat someone, he hadn't thought twice

20 21
 ...
CHAPTER FOUR Costas stopped suddenly. His eyes became wide wllh ·
surprise.
The real 'Mr Holland' · "Now I remember!" he said. "Now I know where I ha ve
seen Holland's face before!" :
~··

,_ After supper, Costas 'tc;>0k Eleni in:to his bedroom.

~
"What is it?" she asked. "You hardly. spoke during
That afternoon, Costas went to the beach and supper."
looked again at Eagle's Rock He sat in the sun "I know where I've seen Mr Holland befare," he said.
for an hour and looked up at the bird-shaped "You do?" Eleni said. "Where?" "'
cliff. Eleni always said it was ugly but Costas ''I'll show you." Costas went across to sorne bookshelves
thought it looked beautiful. He imaginad · under the window. He took a book from the top shelf and
himself clhnbing the Rock. He imagined how handed it to her.
.. ~ ..
it would feel.
"How famous I would be!" he thought. "Eve:cyone on·
the island would hear about the climb. Áll over Greece,
people would talk about Costas Kazakou, the famous
climberl Even my father would k.now I was brave and
elevar if I got to the top."
Costas thought he'd seen the best way to the fop 11ow.
''I'll make· the climb soon," he decided. "It's stupid to
waít any longer. I'm ready. I'll pick a fine, clear morning."
Later, he was smilihg to himself as he walked home. He
went past h~s father'~ holiday villa. Suddenly, he saw the
man Holland at one of the windows. Holland was looking -
through binoculars at.something. i
·I
Then Costas saw he was looking at Eagle's Rock.
Costas went across the road and stood where Hollap.d
could not sea him. He watched the man for several
minutes. Holland loo~ed at the Rock a long time. Then he
moved the binoculars and looked at Eagle House. At last
he moved away from the window.
Costas walked on. "I don't understand," he thought.
"What's Holland doing? Why is he so interested in Mr
Vitalis' house? And why was he looking at Eagle's Rock?
Is he going to try to climb it, too?"

22 23
"-.,
 11;
Eleni looked at it. It was a book about climbing
mountains. High Adventures, by David Ashken. "What
about it?" Elení said. Costas had many books about
climbing. A lot of them were by David Ashken. What was
so special about this one?
Costas took it from her and turned it over. On the back
was a picture c~f the man who had written the book. He
hada beard but Eleni knew his face.
"It's Mr Holland!" Eleni said. "So this is the kind of
book he writes."
"Not any more," Costas said.
"What do you mean?" Eleni said. . of pounds."
"Mr Holland's real na:me is David Ashken," Costas said.
"He was once a famous climber."
"Was?" Eleni said.
"Yes. He had a bad fall from a mountain in Austria five
years ago," Costas told her. "Another man was climbing
with him. The other man was killed. After that, Ashken
was too afraid to climb again."
"Oh," Eleni said. "But why does he· call himself
Holland?"
"He's a coward!" Costas said with disgust. "He doesn't
want people to know who he is any more. -Once he was
famous. Now he is nobody."
"Why do you sound so angry about it?" · · ·-- .
"I used to think he was one of the best rock climbers in-
the world," Costas said. "I wanted to be like him. I re¡:id all
the books about his climbs; But then he had the accident
and became afraid. He became a coward. I 4on'.t like
cowards."
"He said he was a writer," -Eleni saiq.
"His books were about climbing/' Costas said. "Now he
is too frightened to climb. What can he writ~· about?
Nothing. He's pretending to be .a writer·, that's ~11.,"
"Poor man," Eleni said. She felt sorry fOI' Mr Holland.
"Don~t say anythi:t?.g to .father," Costas-told her. "lt's best
if he doesn't know who Mr Holland really is. He may ask .- ·~:·~ii.\~;~(¡
·2.4
Ashken to try to stop me climbing. He will try to frighten
me. He will tell me I could be like Ashken in a few years.
But I won't be. One day I'll be a great climber."
"Like David Ashken was once," Eleni said quietly.
Her brother pretended not to hear her.
"Listen," he said. "Ashken was looking at Eagle House
through a pair of binoculars earlier." And he told her
i about 'Mr Holland' at the villa window.
"What about it?" Eleni said.
"Just think far a moment," Costas said. uMr Vitalis has a
house full of paintings. Many of them are worth thousands
"I know," Eleni said. "Mr Papas has told me."
"Well, Ashken isn't famous any longer,'' Costas said.
"He could need money. Perhaps he has heard about Mr
Vitalis' paintings? He could be planning to steal them."
"What a silly idea," Eleni said.
"Mr Vitalis always talks a lot about his paintings,"
Costas said. "Even to strangers. Ashken may know about
them."
"It still doesn't mean he's going to roq Mr Vitalis. Eagle
House is safe. Only a person inside the house can open
the iron gates. And if anyone climbs over the fence, the
· police will know. Everybody on the islanél knows this.
Nobody can get in and take any of Mr Vitalis' paintings.
They would have to climb Eagle's Rock, and that isn't
possible -" She stopped suddenly.·
-'.l "It wasn't impossible for David Ashken once," her
i brother said. "And he was lrioking at it through the
s·
··:1.
"\
t binoculars this afternoon."
Eleni looked surprised. "But you said he was afraid to
clímb since his accident. ''
"I know," Costas said. He became angry. "Butif Ashken
l.~· did climb the Rock and got into Eagle House? That
:.~~
,,_,.-~,,~
wouldn't be fair! Eagle's Rock is my climb. It's myway to
become famous. It's not right for Ashken to climb Eagle's
Rock first."
25
.·:.:11-,
 --.....--.
/:::~~>·

He didn;t care about old men and their paintings. He

cared only about David Ashken climbing Eagle's Rock. CHAPTER FIVE
"Ashken couldn;t tell anybody if he climbed the Rock,'; Mr Vitalis' plan
Eleni said. "Not if he stole Mr Vitalis' paintings as well."
"But people would know somebody had climbed the
R9ck if paintings were taken," Costas said. "It would be
tlíe only way a thief could get into Eagle House. He must
not do it first. Eagle's Rock is mine. Imust be first!" ~·

David Ashken sat beside the window of the

"You can't! You'll kill yourself!" Eleni said. "Promise
me you won't try; Costas." villa. He was looking through a pair of
Costas said nothing. binoculars. He could see Eagle House across
the C-shaped beach, on the other cliff top. He
could see the high electric fence on three
_ si des of the garden. He .could see the tall iron
gatas that led to the cliff road. Gates that could only be
opened by a switch inside the house.
"Mr Vitalis knows how to keep people out," Ashken
. thought. "There .is only one way into Eagle House and .
that's from the cliff side. Up Eagle's Rock." It was ali just
as Mr Vitalis had told him. "But can I do it? Can I make
the climb?"
in
David Ashken had first met Mr Vitalis England, a
,; month ago ...

Ashken was working in the bar of the hotel where Mr

Vitalis was staying. Mr Vitalis saw him and knew his face.
"You used to be a climber, didn't you?" Mr Vitalis said.
Ashken had told nobody at the hotel. Until then they
had not guessed who he was. Mr Vitalis was the first
person to know he was the once famous climber.
"That's right," Ashken admitted. "But I would rather
you didn't say anything to other people in the hotel."
"So why are you working in a bar?º Mr Vitalis asked.
"Because I need money," David Ashken told him. "l
needed some kind of job."
"I see,t' Mr Vitalis said. And he watched Ashken
thoughtfully far the rest of the evening.
The next night, he spoke to David Ashken again.
26
'" 27
.•. ' ...
_ ~~~".',.;{•:
 "I need money, too," Mr Vitalis said. "Perhaps we can "Sorne ofthem are worth thousands of pounds," Mr
help each other." Vitalis said. "I want somebody to steal them, then hide
Ashken was surprised. "Help each other? How?" he them far two or three weeks. And then I want them back
asked. again."
"Do you think you could make one more climb?" Mr I}avid Ashken slowly began to understand.
Vitalis said. "And you will be pa~d by the insurance company," he
A:shken felt himself begin to shake. Just thinking about said. "Then you will sell the paintings to somebody and
climbing made him like that. "No," he said. "No, I be paid for: them twice," he said to Mr Vitalis. "Very
couldn 't." .clever. You'll sell them to somebody who has other stolen
"Not even if you were paid a lot of money?" Mr Vitalis paintings. Somebody who'll keep his mouth shut.
said. "Enough money for you to be able to give up working Somebody who doesn't care where they come from. I've
in bars?" heard there are people like that." He sm~l~d. "Who is it?"
"Why would you pay me a lot of money to climb "You don't need to know that," Mr Vitalis said. "Your
somewhere?" Ashken wanted to know. job will be to get the paintings out of the houiie. Then to
And then Mr Vitalis told Ashken about the paintings in hide them until I want them. You don't need to know
Eagle House. what happens after that."
David Ashken looked at Mr Vitalis for a long time. Then
he said, "Tell me about the house. What's so special about
it? Tell me why you n.eed somebody who can climb:" · .
So Mr .Vitalis told him about .Eagle House and Eagle's
Rock. "The robbery has to look real," he aaid. "And
nobody can get in over the fence or through th~ iron. gates.
The burglar alarm would ring at the police· station. The
police would catch the robber before he- could escape. The
only way· in is up the cliff." ··· .
"So you need somebody who can climb Eagle's Rock
and get into the house that way," said Ashken. "~d you
want somebody who will do it and keep quiefb~cause
they need money. Somebody like me.". .t
Mr Vitalis smiled. "Yes," he said.
Ashkep thoug]:it for a moment. "How woul'd I get out of
the housé with the paintings?" he asked. · ··
· "Thro'4:gh the iron gates leading to the·road," Mr Vitalis
said. "You can· switch off the alarm ·an.d open those from
inside. TP,en you can leave that way with the paintings."
Ashken fooked thoughtful.
"Will you do it?" Mr Vitalis said "I'll pay you well."
1
28
.• ·i'
29
1
 "I- I don't know," David Ashken said. ''I'll tell you
before you leave the hotel."
Ashken didn't sleep well that night. He had bad dreams
and woke. up severa!. times. But three days later, he spoke
to Mr Vitalis again. •
, "I'll come to the island and look at Eagle's Rock," he
said. "I can't promise·to·do it until I have seen if I can
make the climb." ·
"All right," Mr Vi~a~.is.~aid.
"And I shall want'halfthe money when I arrive,"
Ashken told him.
"Agreed," Mr Vitalis said.
That had been a niorith ·ago ...
.!
Now, David Ashken sat 'in the holiday villa, looking at
Eagle's Rock. It was between the white house and the
beach.~.J.-1 f141.dt.t,,.'k
"Steep and dangerous," Ashken thought.
Money, that was the problem. He had to have money to
huy sainé sórt of business. A shop, perhaps. The money
from Mr Vitalis would be enough for that. Theré were no
books to write since the accident. And he couldn't seem
to keep a'hy other job''fo~ long.
"I can't.work for other people," he thought. "I've found
that out. I can only work far myself, but that takes
money." ..
Most of Ashken's money had gone now. The books
stopped selling after he had stopped climbing. Nobody
wanted to buy a book written by a climber who would no
longer climb.
"I have to make just this one more climb, there's no
other way!" he told·himself. "Just one more climb. Then
I'll have the money to buy a shop ora small company."
Ashken felt his hands begin to· shake ...
He looked back at Eagle's Rock.
"No," he said after a moment. "I - I can't do it."
He picked up the phone and dialled a number. His
30
.""
hands were shaking again.
"Vitalis?" he said when somebody answered.
"Yes," said the voice at the other end. "Who's that?"
"It's David Ashken," Ashken said.
"Well?" Mr Vitalis said.
"I can't do it," Ashken said.·
Mr Vitalis became angry. "But you ínust! You have to·
do the job! My company has been losing money. I've lost
money in other ways, too. I need a lot o(money quick.ly.
And I've paid you half as I promised. I left it in the
newspaper in the café and -'' .
"I'll ~end that money back to you," Ashken said.
There was a silence at the other end. Then Mr Vitalis -
said, "Listen, perhaps I'll be able to pay you more when I
have the insurance money."
"More money?" .Ashken said.
"Yes," Mr Vitalis said. "I'll pay you another thousand."
"Another tholl;Sand!" thought Ashken. "And I need that
kind of money." He wondered how man.y thousands of
pounds the paintings were worth.
"Well, what are you going to do?" Mr Vitalis said.
"l-I don't know," Ashken told him. "Give me a few
more days to decide."
"All right," Mr Vitalis said. "Two days, no more. I can't
wait longer."
Ashken put down the phone. He looked back at Eagle's
Rock.
Could he do it?
31
·:~";i#i.
 .IJ

CHAPTER SIX villa. She ran down the steps to the beach.
It was empty except fer herself and her brother. She
The climb could now see him ahead of her. He was almost at the
bottom of Eagle's Rock.
"Costas!" she callad.
But he didn't hear her. He was putting on his climbing
helmet, looking up the cliff.
Eleni woke up suddenly. What was that "Costas!" she shouted again.

~\:'
, ~)\:-. noise? Did somebody open and close the door This time he did hear. He. turned round quickly. She
~ "_., -~ . - of the house? It sounded as if that had could see he looked angry because she'd come.-
c·\¡ 1~ happened. But who was leaving the house at "Go back. home, Eleni," he shouted.
f'
nr1~ this time of the morning? He bagan to find footholds at the bottom of the cliff.
\Jo She looked at the clock beside her bed. It Then he began to climb.
was 7 a.m.
· Eleni got out of bed and went over to the window. She
looked out. It was a bright, sunny moming. She could see
the sea from her window. It was flat and blue and made
Eleni want to go for a swim. \
She looked down into the garden below - and saw
Costas! -
He was carrying his climbing helmet and wearing his
climbing boots. And he was walking quickly from the
house. Eleni knew at once what her brother was going to
.) \ r.~'\¡.\.\ 1
do. She knew_why he was leaving the house so early.
. Y>{ "J t.
~EEP ft
Before anyone could stop him.
He was going to climb Eagle's Rock!

~~E~~-~WAY
Eleni opened the window to shout after him. She · · .( , , \ NO
stopped herself. If she shouted, it would wake her father
CUMBING.
_r:@~ ~ ú·~1
and mother. Then her father would be angry with Costas.
Eleni ·wondered what to do. "Can I stop my brother
befare he begins to climb?" she thought.
: .íi • . ;;.c
•.... j
·
.. f
·)-. - -. - . . •
'·:'-·::;J - . \. ... ¡,..;.-;/
She quickly put on sorne clothes aild opened her
-"· 't ~- -:---:-......~'. _/
··. . ..·7·
•'

,,
' )._ '.y, J-.-r'
__ .'
bedroom door. The house was silent. Eleni went
downstairs, making as little noise as possible. Then she .
·~
.....:. ··:· " '
-""-----6 - P;.
.,

,:...- )\
,,-:: ) . !\'.)¡""\ ..
\.. ;···/.~··.
,: ~~ {---x_/,
hurried out of the house. ~/-:.;
.. ~.

Eleni ran down 1he·:bill to the cliff. road: She .couldn't ~··....''
1 ··.~ -
. \.--· ~~- /1
see Costas anywhere. She ran past her father's holiday
-~
32 ..,.:lii 33
• I•, ", f ~I

.-'!:'
 "Costas, please come down!" Eleni called after him.
"It's too dangerous to climb alone!"
"Don't worry," he shouted. "I'm all right."
He wouldn't answer her after that. Elerii watched him
make his way up the cliff face. She was firightened, but
there seemed nothing she could do to stop him. It was
already a warm morning but she found sb.e was shaking,
as if with the cold. : He didn't look down but shouted somethlng back.
Up and up he went. Quite quickly at first, then more
slowly and steadily. His body was flat against the rock. He
tested a handhold, a foothold. He climbed upa crack in
the rock. His feet were against one sida of the crack, and
· his hands held the other sirle.
Eleni watched, her mouth dry.
"It'll be useless to shout after him again," she thought.
"He won't stop now. I'll just have to hope, to pray that
he'll be all right."
Small stones fell from above as a bird flew off a shelf.
The stones from the shelf hit agaínst Costas' helmet befare
fallíng on down to the beach. The bird flew away. Costas
took no notice, just climbed steadily.
"What would our; father say if he were here now?" Eleni
wondered. "He would be angry with Costas. But he would
be ttightene9., too, the way I am. Our father doesn't
understand this need of Costas' to climb."
Now he was getting nearer to the over~a,ng - that part of
the Rock which was shaped like the 'Qeak'.of a bird. It was
the most dangerous part of the climb. It was from there
that the other three climbers had fallen.
Eleni held her breath as she watched.
Costas moved more slowly now. He stopped severa!
times with his face against the rock.
"He's afraid," Eleni thought. "Oh no, he's really afraid!"
"Costas!·" she cried out. · climbing than he did. Landberg had always wanted to
Costas didn't move for a long time. The ugly, bird-
shaped rock was above him. Then Costas stretched out a
34
hand. He found a hold. He moved one of his feet ... and ·
slipped.
Eleni screamed as more small stones· fell fi:om the cliff.
Costas tried again, and again his foot slipped. Now
Costas criad out as well. But he.held on to the rock. He
didn't move. ·;
"Costas!" Eleni shouted. .. ;·
"I can't hear you!" Eleni shouted.
"I can't move!" Costas shouted agaín.''
David Ashken watched the boy on the rocks. He was
looking through the binoculars. At first, he hadn't been
able to belíeve what he was seeing. Somebo.dy climbing
up to Eagle House! Had Mr Vitalis found another person
to steal his paintings?
And then Ashken had understood. It was just
somebody climbing the cliff.
"Somebody brave," he thought. "Or foolish."
He hadn't been able to sleep and had got up earlY, Then
he'd gone for a walk 'along the cliff road and down the
path to the beach. It had been only just light but Ashken
needed to get out of the villa.
He had felt better when he got back. He'd even made
himself sorne breakfast. And then he~d seen the boy on
the rocks below Eagle House. He'd got his binoculars for a
· closer look.
Watching the boy climb made him remember things.
Things he wanted to forget ...
He remembered another rock, another cliff, in Austria.
A cold winter's day. There had been another climber with
him. Guy Landberg. A younger man who knew less about
climb with the great David Ashken. He'd asked Ashken
again and again, and at last Ashken had agreed to take
him on this climb ...
35
 The climb had tumed into a terrible time ... the two of
them, with the rope between them ... the cold black rock
against Ashken's face ... the wind cutting across them ...
the fine snow blowing into Ashken's nose and mouth in
the seconds befare they fell. ..
And the sound of Landberg's scream as he fell ... the
wind had taken the sound and carried it away ... but
Ashken would'remember that scream for the rest of his
life ...
David Ashken had broken both legs and a shoulder.
Landberg had broken his neck and back. He'd died
before help could get to them.
Others had told Ashken it was not his fault -that he'd
done everything possible to keep them both safe. It was
just one of those things. Accidents happen when you
climb, they told him. Yet a small voice inside Ashken kept
asking a question. Could he have done more to avoid the
fall? Afterwa.rds, he lay in the hospital bed and hoped to
die. He climbed that rock again and again in his dreams.
He ~woke, shaking and wet with sweat. The sound of
Landberg's scream rang inside his head.
Ashken had not climbed since. He was finished as a
climber, he told himself.
Butnow?
Now he watched a hoy on a cliff. A hoy who had no fear
of climbing. A hoy who hadn't lost bis nerve. David
Ashken wished he .could be like that.
And yet ... there was something wrong! The hoy hadn't
moved for sorne time now. He seemed to be unable to go
on. . .., .
Aiid a girl was running across the beach.
"She's coming herel" David Ashken thought. "There's
something wrong and she's coming heré!"
36
.......:•
...:
CHAPTER SEVEN
The call for help
Eleni ran back across the beach. She couldn't
run fast through the soft sand. Her feet sank ~
into it. It seemed to take a lifetime to get to the
steps the other side.
"I have to get help,'' she thought as she
began to climb the steps. "Oh, poor Costas!
Father wiH be so angry with him far climbing Eagle's
Rock_. I'll have. to call out the cliff rescue helicopter."
Eleni ran up .the last few steps to the cliff top. She had
to find a telephone. Which way was the nea.rest one?
Then she remembered. The nearest one would be in her
father's holiday villa.... She ran towards it. .
She bBI;lged on the door. "Mr Ashken! Mr Ashkenl"
Eleni shouted. "Come quickly!" "
There were sounds from inside the villa, then David
Ash;J.<en apened the door. He lobked. at Eleni in surprise.
·"Wbat - what did you cal! me?" he ·said. "My name is
Holl'and."
"You're David A:shken, the cUmber,!' Eleni said. "But
that·doesn•t matter now. I have. to use your telephone to
cail for he¡p. :My:brother's on Eagle's Rock and he's too
frightened tci'µiove." ·
"Come l.n,'"he satd, looking worried. "The phone's in
the frent room." .
Eieni- ~~ .a~ross .the room and pick-ed ·up .the telephone.
Then she~stopped.. Slte tumed ahd lo:Oked at David
Ashken.
·:wait a minute!" she said. "I don't need to phone far
the rescue helicopter. You could help my brother. You're
37
]"
 a famous climber. You've climbed molintains. You must
knów what to do."
Ashken's face went white. His hands began to shake. "I
don't know. I -"
"Please!;' Eleni said. "Oh, please!" She took hold of
Ashken's arm and pulled him towards the door.
"No!" Ashken said, pulling back. "I can't do it!"
"Yes, you can!" Eleni said, angrily. "You're going to
climb Eagle's Rock and get into Eagle House, aren't you?"
Ashken looked at her. He could hardly believe
what she had said. "How do you know.
that?" he asked.
38
'-..
· "Costas saw you looking at Eagle House and Eagle's
Rock through your binoculars," Eleni explained. "We
gues~ed what you were going to do. Somebody's paying
you to steal Mr Vitalis' paintings, aren't they?"
David Ashken didn't speak far a moment. Then he said,
"Ybu've no proof of that. Nobody would believe it if you
told them." ;:
""I could tell Mr Vitalis what you are going to do," Eleni
said. "He would believe it. And I will ifyou don't help my
brother!" ,.
Then Ashken laughed. "So you'll tell Mr Vitalis; will
you? That's a joke." ·
"I don't understand," Eleni said.
. . ·.··''It's Mr Vitalis who's paid me to come to the island,"
Ashken said. "It's he who wants me to .steal some of his
·p~intings." Suddenly, David Ashken didn't care who
knew what the other man wanted him to do. He was
leaving this island as soon as he could, he decided. "But
I'm not going to do it," he went on. "So you can tell
Vitalis anything you like. I don't care. But I won't climb
Eagle's Rock." .
Eleni was nearly in tears ... "But you m.ust help my
brother! He may be killed!" she said. "Do you know
something? Costas used to think you were the greatest
climber in the world. He's read every book you've ever
.written. He used to watch you when you were on TV.
He once dreamed of being like you. Now he thinks
you're a coward because you won't clinib. Show him
he's wrong, Mr Ashken. Show him you're not afraid.
Help him now. Please!''
Ashken looked at her far a full minute without
speaking. It wa.s the longest minute of Eleni's life. Then
he said in a quiet voice, "I don't know if I can."
"You can!" Eleni told him. "Oh, I'm sure you can.
You m.ust!"
39 .
>
 "All right," Ashken said after a moment. "But I- I have "Vitalis needed somebody who could climb," David
to get sorne things." And he went into the next room.
Ashken said. "And somebody who would keep quiet
Eleni looked out of the window as Ashken went to get because they needed money."
his climbing things. The binoculars were on the table in . "And he found you," Eleni said.
the middle of the room. She picked them up and put them "Yes," Ashken admitted.
to her eyes. Then she looked across at Eagle's Rock. After
"What were you going to do? Knock him out to make it
a moment, Eleni could see the tiny figure of Costas. He look real?" Eleni asked.
hadn't moved.
"Yes, he told me to do that," said Ashken.
"But nor has he fallen," she thought thankfully. ~
They were almost at the cliff now. They could both see
"Come on," David Ashken said from behind her.
Costas. He was still in the same place. Eleni and Ashken
And she put down the binoculars and followed him out
didn't speak again. Instead, they began running faster
of the villa. towards the cliff.
A 'few minutes later, they were hurrying across the
David Ashken looked up at the figure on Eagle's Rock.
beach.
Ashken wore climbing boots and carried sorne rope. Then
"I'.m glad y9u, carne to the island," Eleni said. "But I
he looked for a way up the rocks. It wouldn't be easy.
don't u:nderstand. Why would Mr Vitalis want anybody to
Maybe up that crack. And then across to the shelf to the
steal his paintings?~'
left of the boy, he thought. Yes, if he coul6 get to that...
"So that he could have the insurance money," Ashken
The ugly bird-shape of the rock hung over Costas. To
said. "Mr VHalis is.n.ot as rích as he wants people to
Ashken, it seemed a long, long way away. But now was
believe. His company has been losing money."
the moment. Suddenly, he knew there was no going back.
Eleni looked shocked. "Is that true?" she said.
He had to make the climb. He had to savEi°'that hoy.
"It's true," Ashken told her.
"Hold on!" David Ashken shouted to Costas. "I'm
"Jiow did he find you?" Eleni asked as they half-
coming up to you!"
vyalJ.c.ed, half-ran across the sand.
'Tmet him in England earlier this year," David Ashken
said. "lwas working in the bar of the hotel where he was
staying. He knew my face. Then he learned I needed
money. He told me he needed money, too. He said that
each of us could· help the other. It just meant I would have
to inake one more climb." r
"But what.abo.ut the paintings?" El~n~ as.k~d. 1

"Vitalis told me to keep them far a few weeks and then

gíve. them back to him," Ashken said. "He planned to sell
them to a man with a private gallery. A man who doesn't
c~re where his paintings come from."
"And Mr Vitalis would .get money for the paintings
twice," Eleni said. "I see!"
...
'Hl
·; ... 41
 CHAPTER EIGHT
The rescue
. Ashken began to climb. Slowly, very slowly,
f~ at first. He was shaking. He was sweating. His
d
~' heart beat faster and faster. His hands
r'
.:.f
1 ,,•··
"
wouldn't keep hold of the rocks. They were
shaking too much. He was afraid and he knew
1"t
.. He closed his
eyes as he remembered his accident on
the Austrian mountain.
\ His hands y\iere sfe~~}-ª~lltw. His heart wasn't beating
,. . ..he w5s falling, falling ... there was snow everywhere ...
.it was in his mouth,,)n his nose ... he could hear the bone
rPt:.·:::@ap.in'ltiis leg .."": yet he felt no pain at first ... it was as if
the cold had frozen the pain until later ... but he could
hear himself scream .... but worse than that, he could hear
Landberg's scream.!\ the sound seemed to fill his wlwle
head .. ~ ·on and on ít went ... he thought it tMould never
end ...
"Mr Ashken, go 01Ú'; Eleni's voice carne from below
him. "Hurry, please!"
Ashken opened his eyes. He was not on the Austrian
mountain. He was still on Eagle's Rock. The boy was still
above him.
I can't go on, he wanted to say. But the words wouldn't
come out of bis mouth.
He moved a hand, a foot... and found that he was
climbing.
He moved across the face o°f the rock, taking a different
route from the one Costas had taken. He worked his hands
and feet ínto cracks and pushed his way up'."1ards. His
42
-----
43
arms and legs seemed to know what to do without him .;- ·
telling them. It wa.s a strange feeling.
He could see the shelf now. He co"u:ld also see the boy'i:;
face above him. Costas looked very frfghtened.
"Help!" Costas called out. "Please, Mr Ashken, help
me!"
David Ashken looked clown at Eleni. A tiny figure on
the beach. She didn't want to look any longer. Her hands
were in front of her face.
He looked back at Costas. The hoy could not stay there
mu ch longer. ·
David Ashken took a deep breath and moved on. The
sun was getting higher in the sky. He was sweating. The
blue sea seemed to flatten as he climbed. He could not see
the waves now. It was like.a flat blue mirror behind him.
so quickly. His feet found holds more easily. Up and up
he went. The shelf got nearer and nearer. The ugly head of
the 'eagle' carne b~tween him and the sun. A so.ft wind
blew in his face. He could hardly hear the sound of the ·
sea. He thought 'Only about whe~e to put his feet, where to
put his hands. The climb was the only thing in his mind.
He was climbing!
He could hardly believe it. After five years, he was
really climbing again! He had thought he would never be
able to do it again. But he hadn't forgotten. All his old
skills had returned .. He began to feel that. he was part of
the cliff, the wav
•'
he used to. It was as if he'd never been
away.
At last, he got to the shelf.
"Costas.!" he shouted across to the boy. "Are you all
right?"
"I - I'm frightened." Costas shoúted back.
"Don't worry,'' Ashken told_him "I'll get you do,.vn.
You'll be safe now." -
He hammered two pitons in to the face of the rock. He
put the rope through tb,.em and t~f;ld himself on.
,.__.,,
 ! After a moment, the boy moved his left foot and found

~I
the hold.
''·
"Good,"Ashken said. "Now move your hands. You can
see the holds easily enough. Just take it steadily."
The boy moved his hands. Suddenly, he was less afraid.

1,~
David Ashken was in control. "Everything will be all
right," Costas thought. "I'll get down. This man knows
what he's doing."
Slowly, step by step, Ashken guided Costas across to the
shelf. He told him where to put his hands and feet. One
move, one hold at a time. . ·
On the beach below, Eleni had taken her hands from her
face. She dared to watch again, now that Ashken was in

) control. ··
Costas moved closer and closer to David Ashken. Then
they were together ari.d.David Ashken put the rope around
th e b oy. , ·: - ~"':.'~-'- .-.:.·','°'.i'"'"
.J,.. ...... "'"' ., •,;!1!r:1
r ·.¡~

"Now listen," Ashken shouted to Gostas. "You're going
to come over to me _,;
"l can't,'' Costas shouted. "I can't move!"
"Yes, you can," Ashken said. His voice was calm,
steady. "Yo u will do exactly what I tell you. ·Just listen to
whatl say."
"B"µt -" Costas hagan.
"Th.ere's a foothold to y(!ur left,"· Ashken went on. "Do
yo u s.ee it? It' s half a metre 13:way. Find it."
1 "I can't -"
"Find it!" Ashken shouted.
·-. --
-
"You can abseil
.......... . . down to the beach," Ashken said. ··
Costas said, "All right .. " He.was calmer now. He didn't
look afraid. "Thanks." ·
Ashken s,miled. "It's OK," he said.
He contrblled the rope as Costas went clown the face of
the rock. Then the climber went down after him.
Ashken's.9:wn fears had disappeared. It was as Ü... as if
he'd never .~topped climbing!
"I've riever felt bettedn my whole life than Ido now,"
he thought as he went down·the cliff face. ¡
When they were both on the beach, David Ashken
looked up at Eagle's Rock. He knew he wouldn't be afraid
r
to climb agaln: Bút more· fmportant-than that, he knew he
wouldn't h<;zve to climb. F,;agle's Rock again. !
. · . "And I M:>n't break intó Eagle House. and take Mr Vitalis' l
paintings,":;he thought. "I'm a climber agai:ó! I'm nota
thief. 1'11 neyer be .a 'thief. I'll earn a living sorne way. Any
way Ican, 9ut it m.U,st be honest. N9thiD:g matters now that
.... I can climb"l'lagain. I"ll climb other rocks ánd mountains. I'll
write more books. ·rll become famous again."
.:.:~,~.·:.~
45

\ 44
~~:
 .......
~:::~~{~~~ •., ..JA;..,
·'\7~j;·. ·' ··.t':
.. · ".....·
.· ,.
.,::
He looked at Elení and Costas. Eleni smiled. ;READING ACTIVITIES f:·. ~~:· :4 -•.

"Oh, thank you, Mr Ashken!" she said. She threw her

arms around him. Before reading
"Yes,;' Costas said. He was shaking. "Thank you again." 1 Which of the activities below do you thinlds tlÍe most
"No. Jmust thank you," David Ashken told them. "You dangerous? Put them in order with the most dangerous · · ·
helped me to climb again. You've changad my life. Do you activity first •. and discuss your answers with a fciend."
know that? I'm no longer afraid."
Costas looked back up the Rock. "1 think I'll stay away
Parachuting O M:~untain .c~im~in:s·::· o··
from this part of the cliff," he said. Deep-sea di.ving O Hot-áir .ballobning
. . . . . .O.. . ..~

David Ashken nodded. "That would be a good decision. 2 A very rich peri;on offers· you ·a lot of money to do one of the
Eagle's Rock is too dangerous. It may even be too activities above. Which frightens you most? WoÜldyou do
dangerous for me. But it doesn't matter. There are plenty it? Explain your feelings in a letter to the rich person.
of other places to climb. And good climbers don't go into
unnecessary danger." While reading
They walked back across the beach at the edge of the 1 Look at Chapters 1-3 again. linagine. that y·~.u are the 'ó~er
sea. wiv.·~
of a holiday villa .on the island. Use only ~e·fafonnatibn
· "'Will you climb with me again whilst you 're staying on
the island?" Costas asked him. ·:
... ,,.:,
you find in these chapters and write an advertisement to
attract tourists to the island.
2 Can you finish these sentences ab~ut qi.apter.57
i~
~

"Yes, I will," David Ashken said. "We'll climb ~;·• ~

~·.
together." ',';
David was worldng in a bar because; .:. · · ··
• k,_
Mr Vitalis returus to the bar the next night becal.ise ...
Costas looked pleased. "That will be great," he said. iiff.Í: Mr Vitalis needs a thief who can climb because ...
"But first I have to telephone someone," Ashken said.
"He's expecting me to do a job for him." Jx
'if.;
David's books are not successful becati.se ..·.
Mr Vita,lis .offers David another thousaxid.p.ounds
.
.
because ...
Eleni looked at him. "You mean Mr Vitalis?" she said.
Her brother looked surprised but he said nothing.
"That's righ(" Ashken said. "But I'm not going to do
that job. There's no need forme to do it now that I can
f After reading
1 1 August 3rd . LEO

climb again."
"I'm glad," Eleni said.
!···[;- Someone dear to you is acting very foolishly.
If this person ignores your advice do not
Ieave him without friends. He needs you.
t;Tut
,,.~'
"So am I," David Ashken said. And he walked off across
the beach.
You make an ímportant discovery today. ··-
"I didn't know he knew Mr Vitalis," Costas said to his This is the horoscope of one of the charac;ters on the day of
sister. "What's it all about?" the climb. Who do you think it is? You are an astrologar; can
you write the horoscopes for the other characters?
Eleni smiled. "l'Il tell you as we :walk home," she said.
And she did. 2 On page 46 David says that he has to telephone MI Vitalis.
Write their conversation, then act it out with a fciend.
'~ ~-

. 46
1
.:.:0~~~Ji~
' 47
';·.
\
 ' .JI J•.

,. ~f

··... ··
3 Ariswer the questio~s and write the missing words in the
· p~zzle. The letters i~ the boxes also spell a message .
.1 ~-o
2 ~---0----
3 - D
4 .,._ .. - - - - o.-.--:-
.5 o----
·6·: - ' - _;_· - - ..:_ o
7
8
------0-----
- o
·9 ------0
:10 -0----
·Ü o-----
12 - - - - - o
·13 ' - - ~ - o
' 14 • ' - - - ·- o ...
15. - o - - - -
. fa· - _·:...:_ - - D
Clue for the' me~sage down:
Is this what stops David climbing? .
Clues for the words across:
·- 1 Wl?-ich b.ird do.es'.the Rock loo~ llke? .
~". ·2. What kind of company does fy[r,Yitalis own?
.: 3 How many.years is it since David's last climb?
. 4 Who doesMr Vitalis stop with-his alarm?
5 How many people have died climbing the Rock?
6 What does Mr Papas hav~ at the back of:his shop? · .,
7 What does Eleni 'liSe to watch Costas clünb?
8 \l\That does Costas not use when he climbs?
· · 9 How wíll Mr Vitalis get money from his paintings?
f, · ·10 What is Holland's real name?
· . 11 What does Costas think David· is because he won't clinib?
12 Where tlid David's accident oceur?
13 What does Cost~s wear on
his head.when he climbs?
14.What does David use tq secura the rop~?
.~5 Wh8:t sound will David never forget?
l6 Who. died in the accident in Austria?

Material devised by Je~n Gre~nwood ··.

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