Five go Adventuring Again
Chapter
One CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
IT
was the last week of the Christmas term, and all the girls at
'Hallo,
look at this!' she said to her cousin
'I
hope it's not bad news,' said George, She would not allow anyone to call her
'Oh,
George - we can't go home for the holidays!' said Anne, with tears in her eyes.
'Mummy's got scarlet fever >- and Daddy is in quarantine for it - so they
can't have us back. Isn't it just too bad ?'
'Oh,
I am sorry,' said George. She was just as disappointed for herself as for Anne,
because Anne's mother had invited George, and her dog Timothy^ to stay for the
Christinas holidays with them. She had been promised many things she had never
seen before - the pantomime, and the circus - and a big party with a fine
Christmas tree! Now it wouldn't happen.
'Whatever
will the two boys say?' said Anne, thinking
of
Julian and Dick, her two brothers. 'They won't be able to go home either.'
'Well
- what are you going to do for the holidays then?' asked George. 'Won't you
come and stay at Kirriii Cottage with me? I'm sure my mother would love to have
you again. We had such fun when you came to stay for the summer holls,'
'Wait
a minute - let me finish the letter and see what Daddy says,3 said Anne,
picking up the note again. 'Poor Mummy - I do hope she isn't feeling very ill.'
She
read a few more lines and then gave such a delighted exclamation that George
and the other girls waited impatiently for her to explain.
'George!
We are to come to you again - but oh blow, blow, blow! - we've got to have a
tutor for the holls, partly to look after us so that your mother doesn't have
too much bother with us, and partly because both Julian and Dick have been ill
with 'flu twice this term, and have got behind in their work.'
'A
tutor! How sickening! That means I'll have to do lessons too, I'll bet!' said
George, in dismay. 'When my mother and father see my report I guess they'll
find out how little I know. After all, this is the first time I've ever been to
a proper school, and there are heaps of things I don't know.'
'What
horrid holls they'll be, if we have a tutor running after us all the time,'
said Anne, gloomily. 'I expect I'll have quite a good report, because I've done
well in the exams - but it won't be any fun for me not doing lessons with you
three in the holls. Though, of course,
I
could go off with Timothy, I suppose. He won't be doing lessons!'
'Yes,
he will,' said George, at once. She could not bear the idea of her beloved dog
Timothy going off each morning with Anne, whilst she, George, sat and worked
hard with Julian and Dick.

'He
can sit under my feet whilst I'm doing them,' said George. 'It will be a great
help to feel him there.  We've
all nearly finished. The bell will go in a minute and you won't have had any
breakfast.' -
'I
am glad Mummy isn't very bad,' said Anne, hurriedly finishing her letter.
'Daddy says he's written to Dick and Julian - and to your father to ask him to
engage a tutor for us. Oh dash - this is an awful disappointment, isn't it? I
don't mean I shan't enjoy going to Kirrin Cottage again - and seeing
The
end of the term came quickly. Anne and George packed up their trunks, and put
on the labels, enjoying the noise and excitement of the last two days. The big
school coaches rolled up to the door, and the girls clambered in.
'Off
to Kirrin again!' said Anne. 'Come on, Timothy darling, you can sit between me
and George.'
run
after the dustman, and dragged the dustbin away from him, all the way up the
school grounds and into George's classroom, he had really behaved extremely
well.
'I'm
sure you'll have a good report, Tim,' said George, giving the dog a hug. 'We're
going home again. Will you like that?'
'Woof,'
said Tim, in his deep voice. He stood up, wagging his tail, and there was a
squeal from the seat behind.
'George!
Make Tim sit down. He's wagging my hat off!'
It
was not very long before the two girls and Timothy were in
'I
do wish the boys broke up today too,' sighed Anne. 'Then we could all have gone
down to Kirrin together. That would have been fun.'
Julian
and Dick broke up the next day and were to join the girls then at Kirrin
Cottage. Anne was very much looking forward to seeing them again. A term was a
long time to be away from one another. She had been glad to have her cousin
George with her. The three of them had stayed with George in the summer, and
had had some exciting adventuies together on the little island off the coast.
An old castle stood on the island and in the dungeons the children had made all
kinds of wonderful discoveries.
'It
will be lovely to go across to
'We
shan't be able to,' said George. 'The sea is terribly
rough
round the island in the winter. It would be too dangerous to try and row
there.'
'Oh,
what a pity,' said Anne disappointed. 'I was looking forward to some more
adventures there.'
'There
won't be any adventures at Kirrin in the winter,' said George. 'It's cold down
there - and when it snows we sometimes get frozen up completely - can't even
walk to the village because the sea-wind blows the snow-drifts so high.'
'Oooh
- that sounds rather exciting!' said Anne.
'Well,
it isn't really,' said George. 'It's awfully boring -nothing to do but sit at
home all day, or turn out with a spade and dig the snow away.'
It
was a long time before the train reached the little station that served Kirrin.
But at last it was there steaming in slowly and stopping at the tiny platform.
The two girls jumped out eagerly, and looked to see if anyone had met them. Yes
- there was George's mother!
'Hallo,
George darling - hallo, Anne!' said George's mother, and gave both children a
hug. 'Anne, I'm so sorry about your mother, but she's getting on all right,
you'll be glad to know.'
'Oh,
good!' said Anne. 'It's nice of you to have us, Aunt Fanny. We'll try and be
good! What about Uncle Quentin? Will he mind having four children in the house
in the winter-time? We won't be able to go out and leave him in peace as often
as we did in the summer!'
George's
father was a scientist, a very clever man, but rather frightening. He had
little patience with children, and the four of them had felt very much afraid
of him at times in the summer.
'Oh,
your uncle is still woiking very hard at his book,' said Aunt Fanny. 'You know,
he has been working out a secret theory - a secret idea - and putting it all
into his book. He says that once it is all explained and finished, he is to
take it to some high authority, and then his idea will be used for the good of
the country.'
'Oh,
Aunt Fanny - it does sound exciting,' said Anne. 'What's the secret?'
'I
can't tell you that, silly child,' said her aunt, laughing. 'Why, even I myself
don't know it. Come along, now - it's cold standing heie. Timothy looks very
fat and well, George dear.'
'Oh
Mother, he's had a marvellous time at school,' said George. 'He really has. He
chewed up the cook's old slippers ...'
'And
he chased the cat that lives in the stables every time he saw her,' said Anne.
'And
he once got into the larder and ate a whole steak pie,' said George; 'and
once...'
'Good
gracious, George, I should think the school will refuse to have Timothy next
term,' said her mother, in horror. 'Wasn't he well punished ? I hope he was.'
'No
- he wasn't,' said George, going rather red. 'You see, Mother, we are
responsible for our pets and their behaviour ourselves - so if ever Timothy
does anything bad I'm punished for it, because I haven't shut him up properly,
or something like that.'
'Well,
you must have had quite a lot of punishments then,' said her mother, as she
drove the little pony-trap along the frosty roads. 'I really think that's
rather a good idea!' There was a twinkle in her eyes, as she spoke. T
Christmas
holidays 13
think
I'll keep on with the same idea - punish you every time Timothy misbehaves
himself!'
The
girls laughed. They felt happy and excited. Holidays were fun. Going back to
Kirrin was lovely. Tomorrow the boys would come - and then Christmas would
betheie!
'Good
old Kirrin Cottage!' said Anne, as they came in sight of the pretty old house.
'Oh - look, there's
The
girls went into the house. 'Quentin!' called Geoige's mother. 'Quentin! The
girls are here.'
Uncle
Quentin came out of his study at the other side of the house. Anne thought he
looked taller and darker than ever. 'And frowmer!' she said to herself. Uncle
Quentin might be very clever, but Anne preferred someone jolly and smiling like
her own father. She shook hands with her uncle politely, and watched George
kiss him.
'Well!'
said Uncle Quentin to Anne. 'I hear I've got to get a tutor for you! At least,
for the two boys. My word, you will have to behave yourself with a tutor3 I can
tell you!'
This
was meant to be a joke, but it didn't sound very nice to Anne and George.
People you had to behave well with were usually very strict and tiresome. Both
girls were glad when George's father had gone back into his study.
'Your
father has been woiking far too hard lately,' said George's mother to her. 'He
is tired out. Thank goodness his book is nearly finished. He had hoped to
finish
it by Christmas so that he could join in the fun and games - but now he says he
can't.'
'What
a pity,' said Anne, politely, though secretly she thought it was a good thing.
It wouldn't be much fun having Uncle Quentin to play charades and things like
that! 'Oh, Aunt Fanny, I'm so looking forward to seeing Julian and Dick - and
won't they be pleased to see Tim and George ? Aunt Fanny, nobody calls George
Georgina at school, not even our Form mistress. I was rather hoping they would,
because I wanted to see what would happen when she refused to answer to
Georgina! George, you liked school, didn't you ."
'Yes,'
said George, -1! did. I thought I'd hate being with a lot of others, but it's
fun, after all. But Mother, you won't find my report very good, I'm afraid.
There were such a lot of things I was bad at because I'd never done them
before.'
'Well,
you'd never been to school before!' said her mother. I'll explain it to your
father if he gets upset. Now go along and get ready for a late tea. You must be
very hungry.'
The
girls went upstairs to their little room. 'I'm glad I'm not spending my holls
by myself,' said George. 'I've had much more fun since I've known you and the
boys. Hie, Timothy, where have you gone ?'
'He's
gone to smell all round the house to make sure it's his proper home!'said Anne,
with a giggle. 'He wants to know if the kitchen smells the same - and the
bathroom - and his basket. It must be just as exciting for him to come home for
the holls as it is for us!'
Anne
was right. Timothy was thrilled to be back again.
He
ran round George's mother, sniffing at her legs in friendliness, pleased to see
her again. He ran into the kitchen but soon came out again because someone new
was there - Joanna the cook - a fat, panting person who eyed him with
suspicion.
'You
can come into this kitchen once a day for your dinner,' said Joanna. 'And
that's all. I'm not having meat and sausages and chicken disappearing under my
nose if I can help it. I know what dogs are, I do!'
Timothy
ran into the scullery and sniffed round there. He ran into the dining-room and
the sitting-room, and was pleased to find they had the same old smell. He put
his nose to the door of the study where George's father worked, and sniffed
very cautiously. He didn't mean to go in. Timothy was just as wary of George's
father as the others were!
He
ran upstairs to the girls' bedroom again. Where was his basket? Ah, there it
was by the window-seat. Good! That meant he was to sleep in the girls' bedroom
once more. He curled himself up in his basket, and thumped loudly with his
tail.
'Glad
to be back,' said his tail, 'glad - to - be - back!'
 Anne and George went to meet them with Timothy.
George drove the pony-trap, and Tim sat beside her. Anne could hardly wait for
the train to stop at the station. She ran along the platform, looking for
Julian and Dick in the carriages that passed.
Then
she saw them. They were looking out of a window at the back of the train,
waving and yelling.
'Anne!
Anne! Here we are! Hallo, George! Oh, there's Timothy!'
'Julian!
Dick!' yelled Anne. Timothy began to bark and leap about. It was most exciting.
'Oh,
Julian! It's lovely to see you both again!' cried Anne, giving her two brothers
a hug each. Timothy leapt up and licked them both. He was beside himself with
joy. Now he had all the children around him that he loved.
The
three children and the dog stood happily together, all talking at once whilst
the porter got the luggage out of the train. Anne suddenly remembered George.
She looked round her. She was nowhere to be seen, although she had come on the
station platform with Anne.
'Where's
old George?' said Julian.  'Tell the porter to bring
your trunks out to the trap, Julian. Come along! We'll go and find George.'
George
was standing by the pony, holding his head. She looked rather gloomy, Anne
thought. The boys went up to her.
'Hallo,
George, old thing!' cried Julian, and gave her a hug. Dick did the same.
'What's
up?' asked Anne, wondering at George's sudden silence.
'I
believe George felt left-cut!' said Julian with a grin.  The boys laughed.
'Ah,
it's the same fierce old George, all right,' said Dick, and he gave the girl a
friendly slap on the shoulder. 'Oh, George - it's good to see you again. Do you
remember our marvellous adventures in the summer?'
George
felt her awkwardness slipping away from her. She had felt left-out when she had
seen the great welcome that the two boys gave to their small sister ' but no
one could sulk for long with Julian and Dick. They just wouldn't let anyone
feel left-out or awkward or sulky.
The
four children climbed into the trap. The porter heaved in the two trunks. There
was only just room for them. Timothy sat on top of the trunks, his tail wagging
nineteen to the dozen, and his tongue hanging out because he was panting with
delight.
'You
two girls were lucky to be able to take Tim to school with you,' said Dick,
patting the big dog lovingly.
'No
pets are allowed at our school. Awfully hard on those fellows who like live
things.'
'Thompson
Minor kept white mice,' said Julian. 'And one day they escaped and met Matron
round a corner of the passage. She squealed the place down.'
The
girls laughed. The boys always had funny tales to tell when they got home.
'And
Kennedy keeps snails,' said Dick. 'You know, snails sleep for the winter - but
Kennedy kept his in far too warm a place, and they all crawled out of their box
and went up the walls. You should have heard how we laughed when the geography
master asked Thompson to point out Cape Town on the map - and there was one of
the snails in the very place!'
Everyone
laughed again. It was so good to be all together once more. They were very much
of an age -Julian was twelve, George and Dick were eleven, and Anne was ten.
Holidays and Christmas time were in front of them. No wonder they laughed at
everything, even the silliest little joke!
'It's
good that Mummy is getting on all right, isn't it?' said Dick, as the pony went
along the road at a spanking trot. T was disappointed not to go home, I must
say -1 did want to go to see Aladdin and the Lamp, and the Circus - but still,
it's good to be back at Kirrin Cottage again. I wish we could have some more
exciting adventures. Not a hope of that this time, though.'
'There's
one snag about these holls,' said Julian. 'And that's the tutor. I hear we've
got to have one because Dick and I missed so much school this term, and we've
got to take scholarship exams next summer.'
'Yes,'
said Anne. 'I wonder what he'll be like. I do hope he will be a sport. Uncle
Quentin is going to choose one today.'
Julian
and Dick made faces at one another. They felt sure that any tutor chosen by
Uncle Quentin would be anything but a sport. Uncle Quentin's idea of a tutor
would be somebody strict and gloomy and forbidding.
Never
mind! He wouldn't come for a day or two. And he might be fun. The boys cheered
up and pulled Timothy's thick coat. The dog pretended to growl and bite. He
wasn't worried about tutors. Lucky Timothy!
They
all arrived at Kirrin Cottage. The boys were really pleased to see their aunt,
and rather relieved when she said that their uncle had not yet come back.
'He's
gone to see two or three men who have answered the advertisement for a tutor,'
she said. 'He won't be long before he's back.'
'Mother,
I haven't got to do lessons in the holls too, have I?' asked George. Nothing
had yet been said to her about this, and she longed to know.
'Oh
yes, George,' said her mother. 'Your father has seen your report, and although
it isn't really a bad one, and we certainly didn't expect a marvellous one,
still it does show that you are behind your age in some things. A little extra
coaching will soon help you along.'
George
looked gloomy. She had expected this but it was tiresome all the same. 'Anne's
the only one who won't have to do lessons,' she said.
Til
do some too,' promised Anne. 'Perhaps not always, George, if it's a very fine
day, for instance - but sometimes, just to keep you company.'
'Thanks,'
said George. 'But you needn't. I shall have Timmy.'
George's
mother looked doubtful about this. 'We'll have to see what the tutor says about
that,3 she said.
'Mother!
If the tutor says I can't have Timothy in the room, I jolly well won't do
holiday lessons!3 began George, fiercely.
Her
mother laughed. 'Well, well - here's our fierce, hot-tempered George again!3
she said. 'Go along, you two boys, and wash your hands and do your hair. You
seem to have collected all the smuts on the railway.'
The
children and Timothy went upstairs. It was such fun to be five again. They
always counted Tim as one of themselves. He went everywhere with them, and
really seemed to understand every single word they said.
'I
wonder what sort of a tutor Uncle Quentin will choose,' said Dick, as he
scrubbed his nails. 'If only he would choose the right kind - someone jolly and
full of fun, who knows that holiday lessons are sickening to have, and tries to
make up for them by being a sport out of lesson-time. I suppose we'll have to
work every morning.'
'Hurry
up. I want my tea,' said Julian. 'Come on down, Dick. We'll know about the
tutor soon enough P
They
all went down together, and sat round the table. Joanna the cook had made a
lovely lot of buns and a great big cake. There was not much left of either by
the " time the four children had finished!
Uncle
Quentin returned just as they were finishing. He seemed rather pleased with
himself. He shook hands
with
the two boys and asked them if they had had a good term.
'Did
you get a tutor, Uncle Quentin?' asked Anne, who could see that everyone was
simply bursting to know this.
'Ah
- yes, I did,' said her uncle. He sat down, whilst Aunt Fanny poured him out a
cup of tea. 'I interviewed three applicants, and had almost chosen the last
one, when another fellow came in, all in a hurry. Said he had only just seen
the advertisement, and hoped he wasn't too late.'
'Did
you choose him ?' asked Dick.
'I
did,' said his uncle. 'He seemed a most intelligent fellow. Even knew about me
and my work! And he had the most wonderful letters of recommendation.'
'I
don't think the children need to know all these details,' murmured Aunt Fanny.
'Anyway - you asked him to come?'
'Oh
yes,' said Uncle Quentin. 'He's a good bit older than the others - they were
rather young fellows - this one seems very responsible and intelligent. I'm
sure you'll like him, Fanny. He'll fit in here very well. I feel I would like
to have him to talk to me sometimes in the evening.'
The
children couldn't help feeling that the new tutor sounded rather alarming.
Their uncle smiled at the gloomy faces.
'You'll
like Mr. Roland,' he said. 'He knows how to handle youngsters - knows he's got
to be very firm, and to see that you know a good bit more at the end of the
holidays than you did at the beginning.'
This
sounded even more alarming. All four children
wished
heartily that Aunt Fanny had been to choose the tutor, and not Uncle Quentin.
'When
is he coming ?' asked George.
'Tomorrow,'
said her father. 'You can all go to meet him at the station. That will be a
nice welcome for him.'
'We
had thought of taking the bus and going to do a bit of Christmas shopping,'
said Julian, seeing Anne looked very disappointed.
'Oh,
no, you must certainly go and meet Mr. Roland,' said his uncle. 'I told him you
would.  You've to do as you're
told, and you must work hard with him, because your father is paying very high
fees for his coaching. I'm paying a third, because I want him to coach George a
little too - so George, you must do your best.'
'I'll
try,' said George. 'If he's nice, I'll do my very best.'
'You'll
do your best whether you think him nice or not!' said her father, frowning. 'He
will arrive by the ten-thirty train. Be sure to be there in time.'
'I
do hope he won't be too strict,5 said Dick, that evening, when the five of them
were alone for a minute or two. 'It's going to spoil the holls, if we have
someone down on us all the time. And I do hope he'll like Timothy.3
George
looked up at once. 'Like Timothy!' she said. 'Of couise he'll like Timothy! How
couldn't he ?3
'Well
- your father didn't like Timothy very much last summer,3 said Dick. T don't
see how anyone could dislike darling Tim - but there are people who don't like
dogs, you know, George.'
'If
Mr. Roland doesn't like Timothy, I'll not do a single thing for him,' said
George. 'Not one single thing!'
'She's
gone all fierce again!' said Dick, with a laugh. 'My word - the sparks will fly
if Mr. Roland dares to dislike our Timothy!'
Chapter
Three
THE
NEW TUTOR.
NEXT
morning the sun was out, all the sea-mist that had hung about for the last two
days had disappeared, and Kirrin Island showed plainly at the mouth of Kirrin
Bay. The children stared longingly at the ruined castle on it.
'I
do wish we could get over to the castle,' said Dick. 'It looks quite calm
enough, George.'
'It's
very rough by the island,' said George. 'It always is at this time of year. I
know Mother wouldn't let us
go.'
'It's
a lovely island, and it's all our own!' said Anne. 'You said you would share it
with us for ever and ever didn't you, George?'
'Yes,
I did,' said George. 'And so I will, dungeons and all. Come on - we must get
the trap out. We shall be late meeting the train if we stand here all day
looking at the island.'
They
got the pony and trap and set off down the hard lanes. Kirrin Island
disappeared behind the cliffs as they turned inland to the station.
'Did
all this land round abojit belong to your family once upon a time ?' asked
Julian.
'Yes,
all of it,' said George. 'Now we don't own anything except Kirrin Island, our
ov/n house - and that farm away over there - Kirrin Farm.'
She
pointed with her whip. The children saw a fine old farm-house standing on a
hill a good way off, over the heather-clad common.
'Who
lives there ?' asked Julian.
'Oh,
an old farmer and his wife,' said George. 'They were nice to me when I was
smaller. We'll go over there one day if you like. Mother says they don't make
the farm pay any more, and in the summer-time they take in people who want a
holiday.'
'Hark!
That's the train whistling in the tunnel!' said Julian, suddenly. 'Buck up, for
goodness' sake, George. We shan't be there in time!'
The
four children and Timothy looked at the train coming out of the tunnel and
drawing in at the station. The pony cantered along swiftly. They would be just
in time. '
'Who's
going on to the platform to meet him?' asked George, as they drew into the
little station yard. Tm not. I must look after Tim and the pony.'
'I
don't want to,' said Anne. Til stay with George.'
'Well,
we'd better go, then,' said Julian, and he and Dick leapt out of the trap. They
ran on to the platform just as the train pulled up.
Not
many people got out. A woman clambered out with a basket. A young man leapt
out, whistling, the son of the baker in the village. An old man climbed down
with difficulty. The tutor could be none of those!
Then,
right at the front of the train, rather a queer-looking man got out. He was
short and burly, and he had a beard rather like a sailor.  He
glanced
up and down trie platiorm, and then beckoned to the porter.
'That
must be Mr. Roland', said Julian to Dick. 'Come on - let's ask him. There's no
one else it could be.'
The
boys went up to the bearded man. Julian raised his cap politely. 'Are you Mr.
Roland, sir ?' he asked.
'I
am,' said the man.  'We brought the pony-trap for your luggage.'
'Oh,
fine,' said Mr. Roland.  Julian and Dick liked him. He seemed sensible and jolly.
'Are
the other two here as well?' said Mr. Roland, walking down the platform, with
the porter trailing behind with his luggage.
'Yes
- George and Anne are outside with the trap,' said Julian.
'George
and Anne,' said Mr. Roland, in a puzzled voice. 'I thought the others were
girls. I didn't know there was a third boy.'
'Oh,
George is a girl,' said Dick, with a laugh. 'Her real name is Georgina.'
'And
a very nice name too,' said Mr. Roland.
'George
doesn't think so,' said Julian. 'She won't answer if she's called Georgina.
You'd better call her George, sir!'
'Really?'
said Mr. Roland, in rather a chilly tone. Julian took a glance at him.
'Not
quite so jolly as he looks!' thought the boy.
'Tim's
out there too,' said Dick.
'Oh
- ana is i im a ooy or a gin'. inquired ivir. noiana, cautiously.
'A
dog, sir!' said Dick, with a grin.
Mr.
Roland seemed rather taken-aback. 'A dog?' he said. 'I didn't know there was a
dog in the household. Your uncle said nothing to me about a dog.'
'Don't
you like dogs?' asked Julian, in surprise.
'No,'
said Mr. Roland, shortly. 'But I daresay your dog won't worry me much.  How do you do ?'
George
was not very pleased at being called a little girl. For one thing she hated to
be spoken of as little, and for another thing she always tried to be a boy. She
held out her hand to Mr. Roland and said nothing. Anne smiled at him, and Mr.
Roland thought she was much the nicer of the two.
'Tim!
Shake hands with Mr. Roland!' said Julian to Timothy. This was one of Tim's
really good tricks. He could hold out his right paw in a very polite manner.
Mr. Roland looked down at the big dog, and Tim looked back at him.
Then,
very slowly and deliberately, Timothy turned his back on Mr. Roland and climbed
up into the pony-trap! Usually he put out his paw at once when told to, and the
children stared at him in amazement.
'Timothy!
What's come over you?' cried Dick. Tim put his ears down and did not move.
'He
doesn't like you,' said George, looking at Mr. Roland. 'That's very queer. He
usually likes people. But perhaps you don't like dogs ?'
'No,
I don't, as a matter of fact,' said Mr. Roland.
'I
was once very badly bitten as a boy, and somehow or other I've never managed to
like dogs since. But I daresay your Tim will take to me sooner or later.'
They
all got into the trap. It was a tight squeeze. Timothy looked at Mr. Roland's
ankles as if he would rather like to nibble them. Anne laughed.
'Tim
is behaving queerly!' she said. 'It's a good thing you haven't come to teach
him, Mr. Roland!' She smiled up at the tutor, and he smiled back, showing very
white teeth. His eyes were as brilliant a blue as George's.
Anne
liked him.
Only
George said nothing. She sensed that the tutor disliked Timothy, and George was
not prepared to like anyone who didn't take to Timothy at first sight. She
thought it was very queer too, that Tim would not shake paws with the tutor.
'He's a clever dog,' she thought. 'He knows Mr. Roland doesn't like him, so he
won't shake hands. I don't blame you, Tim darling. I wouldn't shake hands with
anyone who didn't lite me!'
Mr.
Roland was shown up to his room when he arrived. Aunt Fanny came down and spoke
to the children. 'Well! He seems very nice and jolly - though it's funny to see
a youngish man with a beard.'
'Youngish!'
exclaimed Julian. 'Why, he's awfully old! Must be forty at the very least!'
Aunt
Fanny laughed. 'Does he seem so old to you ?' she said. 'Well, old or not,
he'll be quite nice to you, I'm sure.'
'Aunt
Fanny, we shan't begin lessons until after Christmas, shall we ?' asked Julian,
anxiously.
'Of
course you will!' said his aunt. 'It is almost a week till Christmas - you
don't suppose we have asked Mr. Roland to come and do nothing till Christmas is
over, do you ?'
The
children groaned. 'We wanted to do some Christmas shopping,' said Anne.
'Well,
you can do that in the afternoons,' said her aunt. 'You will only do lessons in
the morning, for three hours. That won't hurt any of you!'
The
new tutor came downstairs at that moment, and Aunt Fanny took him to see Uncle
Quentin. She came out after a while, looking very pleased.
'Mr.
Roland will be nice company for your uncle,' she said to Julian. 'I think they
will get on very well together. Mr. Roland seems to understand quite a bit
about your uncle's work.'
'Let's
hope he spends most of his time with him then!' said George, in a low voice.
'Come
on out for a walk,' said Dick. 'It's so fine today. We shan't have lessons this
morning, shall we, Aunt Fanny ?'
'Oh,
no,' said his aunt. 'You'll begin tomorrow.  'It looks such a nice place. Show us the
way, George.'
'Right!'
said George. She whistled to Timothy, and he came bounding up. The five of them
set off together, going down the lane, and then on to a rough road over
the
common that led to the farm on the distant hill.
It
was lovely walking in the December sun. Their feet rang on the frosty path, and
Tim's blunt claws made quite a noise as he pattered up and down, overjoyed at
being with his four friends again.
After
a good long walk across the common the children came to the farm-house. It was
built of white stone, and stood strong and lovely on the hillside. George
opened the farm-gate and went into the farm-yard. She kept her hand on Tim's
collar for there were two farm-dogs somewhere about.
Someone
clattered round the barn near by. It was an old man, and George hailed him
loudly.
'Hallo,
Mr. Sanders! How are you ?'
'Why,
if it isn't Master George!' said the old fellow with a grin. George grinned
too. She loved being called Master instead of Miss.
'These
are my cousins,' shouted George. She turned to the others. 'He's deaf,' she
said. 'You'll have to shout to make him hear.'
Tm
Julian,' said Julian in a loud voice and the others said their names too. The
farmer beamed at them.
'You
come along in and see the Missis,' he said. 'She'll be rare pleased to see you
all. We've known Master George since she was a baby, and we knew her mother
when she was a baby too, and we knew her granny as well.'
'You
must be very, very old,' said Anne.
The
farmer smiled down at her.
'As
old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth!' he said, chuckling. 'Come
away in now.'
They
all went into the big, warm farm-house kitchen, where a little old woman, as
lively as a bantam hen, was bustling about. She was just as pleased to see the
four children as her husband was.
'Well,
there now!' she said. 'I haven't seen you for months, Master George. I did hear
that you'd gone away to school.'
'Yes,
I did,' said George. 'But I'm home for the holidays now. Does it matter if I
let Timothy loose, Mrs. Sanders? I think he'll be friendly if your dogs are,
too.'
'Yes,
you let him loose,' said the old lady. 'He'll have a fine time in the farm-yard
with Ben and Rikky. Now what would you like to drink? Hot milk? Cocoa? Coffee?
And I've some new shortbread baked yesterday. You shall have some of that.'
'Ah,
the wife's very busy this week, cooking up all sorts of things,' said the old
farmer, as his wife bustled off to the larder. 'We've company this Christmas!'
'Have
you ?' said George, surprised, for she knew that the old pair had never had any
children of their own. 'Who is coming ? Anyone I know ?'
'Two
artists from London Town!' said the old farmer. 'Wrote and asked us to take
them for three weeks over Christmas - and offered us good money too. So the old
wife's as busy as a bee.'
'Are
they going to paint pictures ?' asked Julian, who rather fancied himself as an
artist, too. 'I wonder if I could come and talk to them some day. I'm rather
good at pictures myself. They might give me a few hints.'
'You
come along whenever you like,' said old Mrs. Sanders, making cocoa in a big
jug. She set out a plate of
most
delicious-looking shortbreads, and the children ate them hungrily.
'I
should think the two artists will be rather lonely down here, in the depths of
the country at Christmastime,' said George. 'Do they know anyone ?'
'They
say they don't know a soul,' said Mrs. Sanders. 'But there - artists are queer
folk. I've had some here before. They seemed to like mooning about all alone.
These two will be happy enough, I'll be bound.'
'They
should be, with all the good things you're cooking up for them,' said her old
husband. 'Well, I must be out after the sheep. Good-day to you, youngsters.
Come again and see us sometimes.'
He
went out. Old Mrs. Sanders chattered on to the children as she bustled about
the big kitchen. Timothy ran in and settled down on the rug by the fire.
He
suddenly saw a tabby cat slinking along by the wall, all her hairs on end with
fear of the strange dog. He gave a delighted wuff and sprang at the cat. She
fled out of the kitchen into the old panelled hall. Tim flew after her, taking
no notice at all of George's stern shout.
The
cat tried to leap on top of an old grandfather clock in the hall. With a joyous
bark Tim sprang too. He flung himself against a polished panel - and then a
most extraordinary thing happened!
The
panel disappeared - and a dark hole showed in the old wall! George, who had
followed Tim out into the hall, gave a loud cry of surprise. 'Look! Mrs.
Sanders, come and look!'
Chapter
Four
AN
EXCITING DISCOVERY
OLD
Mrs. Sanders and the other three children rushed out into the hall when they
heard George's shout.
'What's
up?' cried Julian. 'What's happened?'
'Tim
sprang at the cat, missed her, and fell hard against the panelled wall,' said
George, 'And the panel moved, and look - there's a "hole in the wall!'
'It's
a secret panel!' cried Dick, in excitement, peering into the hole. 'Golly! Did
you know there was one here, Mrs. Sanders?'
'Oh
yes,' said the old lady.  I'm
very careful when \ polish that panel, because if I rub too hard in the top
corner, it always slides back.'
'What's
behind the panel?' asked Julian.  The wall itself
was about eight inches behind the panelling, and was of stone.
'Get
a candle, do, get a candle!' said Anne, thrilled. 'You haven't got a torch,
have you, Mrs. Sanders ?'
'No,'
said the old woman. 'But you can get a candle if you like. There's one on the
kitchen mantelpiece.'
Anne
shot off to get it. Julian lighted it and put it into the hole behind the
panel. The others pushed against him to try and peep inside.
'Don't,'
said Julian, impatiently. 'Wait your turn, sillies! Let me have a look.'
He
had a good look, but there didn't really seem anything to see. It was all
darkness behind, and stone wall. He gave the candle to Dick, and then each of
the children had a turn at peeping. Old Mrs. Sanders had gone back to the
kitchen. She was used to the sliding panel!
 'What other
things are there, do you think ? Let's ask her.'
They
slid the panel back into place and went to find Mrs. Sanders. 'Mrs. Sanders,
what other funny things are there in Kirrin Farm-house ?' asked Julian.
'There's
a cupboard upstairs with a false back,' said Mrs. Sanders. 'Don't look so
excited! There's nothing in it at all! And there's a big stone over there by
the fireplace that pulls up to show a hidey-hole. I suppose in the old days
people wanted good hiding-places for things.'
The
children ran to the stone she pointed out. It had an iron ring in it, and was
easily pulled up. Below was a hollowed-out place, big enough to take a small
box. It was empty now, but all the same it looked exciting.
'Where's
the cupboard ?' asked Julian.
'My
old legs are too tired to go traipsing upstairs this morning,' said the
farmer's wife. 'But you can go youi selves. Up the stairs, turn to the right,
and go into the second door you see. The cupboard is at the farther end. Open
the door and feel about at the bottom till you come across a dent in the wood.
Press it hard, and the false back slides to the side.'
The
four children and Timothy ran upstairs as fast as they could, munching
shortbread as they went. This really was a very exciting morning!
They
found the cupboard, and opened the door. All foyr went down on hands arid knees
to press round the bottom of the cupboard to find the dented place. Anne found
it.
'I've
got it!' she cried. She pressed hard, but her little fingers were not strong
enough to work the mechanism of the sliding back. Julian had to help her.
There
was a creaking noise, and the children saw the false back of the cupboard sliding
sideways. A big space showed behind, large enough to take a fairly thin man.
'A
jolly good hiding-place,' said Julian. 'Anyone could hide there and no one
would ever know!'
 'It would be exciting.'
He
got into the space. Julian slid the back across, and Dick could no longer be
seen!
'Bit
of a tight fit!' he called. 'And awfully dark! Let me out again.'
 Anne didn't like it very much.
They
went down to the warm kitchen again. 'It's a most exciting cupboard, Mrs.
Sanders,' said Julian.
'No,
I'm afraid you can't, Master George,' said Mrs.
Sanders.
'That room where the cupboard is, is one the two gentlemen are going to have.3
'Oh!'
said Julian, disappointed. 'Shall you tell them about the sliding back, Mrs.
Sanders ?'
'I
don't expect so,' said the old lady.  Two gentlemen wouldn't think twice about
it.'
'How
funny grown-ups are!' said Anne, puzzled. 'I'm quite certain I shall be
thrilled to see a sliding panel or a trap-door even when I'm a hundred.'
'Same
here,' said Dick. 'Could I just go and look into -the sliding panel in the hall
once more, Mrs. Sanders? I'll take the candle.'
Dick
never knew why he suddenly wanted to have another look. It was just an idea he
had. The others didn't bother to go with him, for there really was nothing to
see behind the panelling except the old stone wall.
Dick
took the candle and went into the hall. He pressed on the panel at the top and
it slid back. He put the candle inside and had another good look. There was
nothing at all to be seen.  He was just about to
take it back when his fingers found a hole in the wall.
'Funny!'
said Dick. 'Why should there be a hole in the stone wall just there ?'
He
stuck in his finger and thumb and worked them about. He felt a little ridge
inside the wall, rather like a bird's perch, and was able to get hold of it. He
wriggled his fingers about the perch, but nothing happened. Then he got a good
hold and pulled.
The
stone came right out! Dick was so surprised that he let go the heavy stone and
it fell to the ground behind the panelling with a crash!
*The
noise brought the others out into the hall.  'I say - I put my hand in here -
and found a hole in one of the stones the wall is made of - and I got hold of a
sort of ridge with my finger and thumb and pulled. The stone came right out,
and I got such a surprise I let go. It fell, and that's what you heard!'
'Golly!'
said Julian, trying to push Dick away from the open panel. 'Let me see.'
'No,
Julian,' said Dick, pushing him away. 'This is my discovery. Wait till I see if
I can feel anything in the hole. It's difficult to get at!'
The
others waited impatiently. Julian could hardly prevent himself from pushing
Dick right away. Dick put his arm in as far as he could, and curved his hand
round to get into the space behind where the stone had been. His fingers felt
about and he closed them round something that felt like a book. Cautiously and
carefully ne brought it out.
'An
old book!' he said.
'What's
in it ?' cried Anne.
They
turned the pages carefully. They were so dry and brittle that some of them fell
into dust.
'I
think it's a book of recipes,' said Anne, as her sharp eyes read a few words in
the old brown, faded handwriting. 'Let's take it to Mrs. Sanders.'
The
children carried the book to the old lady. She laughed at their beaming faces.
She took the book and looked at it, not at all excited.
'Yes,'
she said. 'It's a book of recipes, that's all it is. See the name in thes front
- Alice Mary Sanders - that must have been my great-grandmother. She was famous
for her medicines, I know. It was said she could cure any ill in man or animal,
no matter what it was.'
'It's
a pity it's so hard to read her writing,' said Julian, disappointed. 'The whole
book is falling to pieces too. It must be very old.'
'Do
you think there's anything else in that hidey-hole ?' asked Anne. 'Julian, you
go and put your arm in, it's longer than Dick's.'
'There
didn't seem to be anything else at all,' said Dick. 'It's a very small place -
just a few inches of hollow space behind that brick or stone that fell down.'
'Well,
I'll just put my hand in and see,' said Julian. They all went back into the
hal]. Julian put his arm into the open panel, and slid it along the wall to
where ,the stone had fallen out. His hand went into the space there, and his
long fingers groped about, feeling for anything else that might be there.
There
was something else, something soft and flat that felt like leather. Eagerly the
boy's fingers closed over it and he drew it out carefully, half afraid that it
might fall to pieces with age.
'I've
got something!' he said, his eyes gleaming brightly. 'Look - what is it ?'
The
others crowded round. 'It's rather like Daddy's
tobacco
pouch,' said Anne, feeling it. The same shape. Is there anything inside ?'
It
was a tobacco pouch, very dark brown, made of soft leather and very much worn.
Carefully Julian undid the flap, and unrolled the leather.
A
few bits of black tobacco were still in the pouch -but there was something
else, too! Tightly rolled up in the last bit of pouch was a piece of linen.
Julian took it out and unrolled it. He put it flat on the hall-table.
The
children stared at it. There were marks and signs on the linen, done in black
ink that had hardly faded. But the four of them could not make head or tail of
the marks.
'It's
not a map,' said Julian. 'It seems a sort of code, or something. I do wonder
what it means. I wish we could make it out. It must be some sort of secret.'
The
children stared at the piece of linen, very thrilled. It was so old - and
contained some kind of secret. Whatever could it be ?
They
ran to show it to Mrs. Sanders. She was studying the old recipe book, and her
face glowed with pleasure as she raised it to look at the excited children.
'This
book's a wonder!' she said. 'I can hardly read the writing, but here's a recipe
for backache. I shall try it myself. My back aches so much at the end of the
day. Now, you listen ...'
But
the children didn't want to listen to recipes for backache. They pushed the
piece of lineii on to Mrs. Sanders' lap.
'Look!
What's this about, Mrs. Sanders? Do you
know
? We found it in a kind of tobacco pouch in that place behind the panel.'
Mrs.
Sanders took off her glasses, polished them, and put them on again. She looked
carefully at the piece of linen with its strange marks.
She
shook her head. 'No - this doesn't make any sense to me. And what's this now -
it looks like an old tobacco pouch. Ah, my John would like that, I guess. He's
got such an old one that it won't hold his tobacco any more! This is old too -
but there's a lot of wear in it yet.'
'Mrs.
Sanders, do you want this piece of linen too?' asked Julian, anxiously. He was
longing to take it home and study it. He felt certain there was some kind of
exciting secret hidden there, and he could not bear the thought of leaving it
with Mrs. Sanders.
'You
take it, Master Julian, if you want it,' said Mrs. Sanders, with a laugh. Til
keep the recipes for myself, and John shall have the pouch. You can have the
old rag if you want it, though it beats me why you set such store by it! Ah,
here's John!'
She
raised her voice and shouted to the deaf old man. 'Hey, John, here's a tobacco
pouch' for you. The children found it somewhere behind that panel that opens in
the hall.'
John
took it and fingered it.  'But better than mine.
Well, youngsters, I don't want to hurry you, but it's one o'clock now, and
you'd best be going if it's near your dinner-time!'
'Gracious!'
said Julian. 'We shall be late! Good-bye, Mrs. Sanders, and thanks awfully for
the shortbread and this old rag. We'll try our best to make out what's on it
and
tell you. Hurry, everyone! Where's Tim ? Come on, Timothy, we're late!'
The
five of them ran off quickly. They really were late, and had to run most of the
way, which meant that it was difficult to talk. But they were so excited about
their morning that they panted remarks to one another as they went.
'I
wonder what this old rag says!' panted Julian. 'I mean to find out. I'm sure
it's something mysterious.'
'Shall
we tell anyone ?' asked Dick.
'No!'
said George. 'Let's keep it a secret.'
'If
Anne starts to give away anything, kick her under the table, like we did last
summer,' said Julian, with a grin. Poor Anne always found jt difficult to keep
a secret, and often had to be nudged or kicked when she began to give things
away.
'I
won't say a word,' said Anne, indignantly. 'And don't you dare to kick me. It
only makes me cry out and then the grown-ups want to know why.'
'We'll
have a good old puzzle over this piece of linen after dinner,' said Julian. 'I
bet we'll find out what it says, if we really make up our minds to!'
'Here
we are,' said George. 'Not too late. Hallo, Mother! We won't be a minute
washing our hands! We've had a lovely time.'
Chapter
Five
AN
UNPLEASANT WALK
AFTER
dinner the four children went upstairs to the boys' bedroom and spread out the
bit of linen on a table there. There were words here and there, scrawled in
rough printing. There was the sign of a compass, with E marked clearly for
East. There were eight rough squares, and in one of them, right in the middle,
was a cross. It was all very mysterious.
'You
know, I believe these words are Latin,' said Julian, trying to make them out.
'But I can't read them properly. And I expect if I could read them, I wouldn't
know what they meant. I wish we knew someone who could read Latin like this.'
'Could
your father, George?' asked Anne.
'I
expect so,' said George. But nobody wanted to ask George's father. He might
lake the curious old rag away. He might forget all about it, he might even burn
it. Scientists were such queer people.
'What
about Mr. Roland?' said Dick. 'He's a tutor. He knows Latin.'
'We
won't ask him till we know a bit more about him,' said Julian, cautiously. 'He
seems quite jolly and nice -but you never know. Oh, blow - I wish we could make
this out, I really do.'
'There
are two words at the top,' said Dick, and he tried to spell them out. 'VIA
OCCULTA.' 'What do you think they could mean, Julian ?'
'Well
- the only thing I can think of that they can mean is - Secret Way, or
something like that,' said Julian, screwing up his forehead into a frown.
'Secret
Way!' said Anne, her eyes shining. 'Oh, I hope it's that! Secret Way! How
exciting. What sort of secret way would it be, Julian ?'
'How
do I know, Anne, silly?' said Julian. 'I don't even know that the words are
meant to mean "Secret Way". It's really a guess on my part.'
'If
they did mean that the linen might have directions to find the Secret Way,
whatever it is,' said Dick. 'Oh Julian - isn't it exasperating that we can't
read it? Do, do try. You know more Latin than I do.'
'It's
so hard to read the funny old letters,' said Julian, trying again. 'No - it's
no good at all. I can't make them out.'
Steps
came up the stairs, and the door opened. Mr. Roland looked in.
'Hallo,
hallo!' he said. 'I wondered where you all were. What about a walk over the
cliffs ?'
'We'll
come,' said Julian, rolling up the old rag.
'What
have you got there? Anything interesting?' asked Mr. Roland.
'It's
a -' began Anne, and at once all the others began to talk, afraid that Anne was
going to give the secret away.
'It's
a wonderful afternoon for a walk.'
'Come
on, let's get our things on!'
'Tim,
Tim, where are you?' George gave a piercing whistle. Tim was under the bed and
came bounding
out.
Anne went red as she guessed why all the others had interrupted her so quickly.
'Idiot,'
said Julian, under his breath. 'Baby.'

He was looking at Tim.
'I
suppose he must come,' he said. George stared at him in indignation.
'Of
course he must!' she said. 'We never never go anywhere without Timothy.'
Mr.
Roland went downstairs, and the children got ready to go out. George was
scowling. The very idea of leaving Tim behind made her angry.

'I
didn't think,' said the little girl, looking ashamed of herself. 'Anyway, Mr.
Roland seems very nice. I think we might ask him if he could help us to understand
those funny words.'
'You
leave that to me to decide,' said Julian, crossly. 'Now don't you dare to say a
word.'
They
all set out, Timothy too. Mr. Roland need not have worried about the dog, for
Timothy would not go near him. It was very queer, really. He kept away from the
tutor, and took not the slightest notice of him even when Mr. Roland spoke to
him.
'He's
not usually like that,' said Dick. 'He's a most friendly dog, really.'
'Well,
as I've got to live in the same house with him, I must try and make him friends
with me,' said the tutor. 'Hie, Timothy! Come here! I've got a biscuit in my
pocket.'
Timothy
pricked up his ears at the word 'biscuit' but did not even look towards Mr.
Roland. He put his tail down and went to George. She patted him.
'If
he doesn't like anyone, not even a biscuit or a bone will make him go to them
when he is called,' she said.
Mr.
Roland gave it up. He put the biscuit back into his pocket. 'He's a
queer-looking dog, isn't he ?' he said. 'A terrible mongrel! I must say I prefer
well-bred dogs.'
George
went purple in the face. 'He's not queer-looking!' she spluttered. 'He's not
nearly so queer-looking as you! He's not a terrible mongrel.  CI don't allow my
pupils to be cheeky, Georgina.'
Galling
her Georgina made George still more furious. She lagged behind with Tim,
looking as black as a thundercloud. The others felt uncomfortable. They knew
what tempers George got into, and how difficult she could be. She had been so
much better and happier since the summer, when they had come to stay for the
first time. They did hope she wasn't going to be silly and get into rows. It
would spoil the Christmas holidays.
Mr.
Roland took no more notice of George. He did not speak to her, but strode on
ahead with the others, doing his best to be jolly. He could really be very
funny, and the boys began to laugh at him. He took Anne's hand, and the little
girl jumped along beside him, enjoying the walk.
Julian
felt sorry for George. It wasn't nice to be left out of things, and he knew how
George hated anything
like
that. He wondered if he dared to put in a good word for her. It might make
things easier.
'Mr.
Roland, sir,' he began. 'Could you call my cousin by the name she likes -
George - she simply hates Georgina. And she's very fond of Tim. She can't bear
anyone to say horrid things about him.'
Mr.
Roland looked suiprised. 'My dear boy, I am sure you mean well,' he said, in
rather a dry sort of voice, 'but I hardly think I want your advice about any of
my pupils. I shall follow my own wishes in my treatment of Georgina, not yours.
I want to be friends with you all, and I am sure we shall be but Georgina has
got to be sensible, as you three are.'
Julian
felt rather squashed. He went red and looked at Dick.  The boys knew George could be silly and difficult, especially if
anyone didn't like her beloved dog - but they thought Mr. Roland might try to
be a bit more understanding too. Dick slipped behind and walked with George.
'You
needn't walk with me,' said George at once, her blue eyes glinting. 'Walk with
your friend Mr. Roland.'
'He
isn't my friend,' said Dick. 'Don't be silly.'
'I'm
not silly,' said George, in a tight sort of voice. 'I heard you all laughing
and joking with him.  I've got Timothy.'
'George,
it's Christmas holidays,' said Dick. 'Do let's all be friends. Do. Don't let's
spoil Christmas.'
T
can't like anyone who doesn't like Tim,' said George, obstinately.
'Well,
after all, Mr. Roland did offer him a biscuit,' said Dick, trying to make peace
as hard as he could.
George
said nothing. Her small face looked fierce. Dick tried again.
'George!
Promise to try and be nice till Christmas is over, anyway. Don't let's spoil
Christmas, for goodness' sake! Come on, George.'
'All
right,' said George, at last. Til try.'
'Come
and walk with us, then,' said Dick. So George caught up the others, and tried
not to look too sulky. Mr. Roland guessed that Dick had been trying to make
George behave, and he included her in his talk. He could not make her laugh,
but she did at least answer politely.
'Is
that Kirrin Farm-house?' asked Mr. Roland, as they came in sight of the farm.
'Yes.
Do you know it ?' asked Julian, in surprise.
'No,
no,' said Mr. Roland, at once. 'I heard of it, and wondered if that was the
place.'
'We
went there this morning,' said Anne. 'It's an exciting place.' She looked at
the others, wondering if they would mind if she said anything about the things
they had seen that morning. Julian thought for a moment. After all, it couldn't
matter telling him about the stone in the kitchen and the false back to the
cupboard. Mrs. Sanders would tell anyone that. He could speak about the sliding
panel in the hall too, and say they had found an old recipe book there. He did
not need to say anything about the old bit of marked linen.
So
he told their tutor about the exciting things they had seen at the old
farm-house, but said nothing at all about the linen and its strange markings.
Mr. Roland listened with the greatest interest.
'This
is all very remarkable,' he said. 'Very remark-
able
indeed. Most interesting. You say the old couple live there quite alone ?'
'Well,
they are having two people to stay over Christmas,' said Dick, 'Artists. Julian
thought he would go over and talk to them. He can paint awfully well, you
know.' '
'Can
he really?' said Mr. Roland. 'Well, he must show me some of, his pictures. But
I don't think he'd better go and worry the artists at the farm-house. They
mieht not like it.'
This
remark made Julian feel obstinate. He made up his mind at once that he would go
and talk to the two artists when he got the chance! ,
It
was quite a pleasant walk on the whole except that George was quiet, and
Timothy would not go anywhere near Mr. Roland. When they came to a frozen pond
Dick threw sticks on it for Tim to fetch. It was so funny to see him go
slithering about on his long legs, trying to run properly!
Everyone
threw sticks for the dog, and Tim fetched all the ^sticks except Mr. Roland's.
When the tutor threw a stick the dog looked at it and took no more notice It
was almost as if he had said. 'What, your stick! No thank you!'
'Now,
home we go,' said Mr. Roland, trying not to look annoyed with Tim. 'We shall
just be in time for tea!'
Chapter
Six
LESSONS
WITH MR. ROLAND
NEXT
morning the children felt a little gloomy. Lessons! How horrid in the holidays!
Still, Mr. Roland wasn't so bad. The children had not had him with them in the
sitting-room the night before, because he had gone to talk to their uncle. So
they were able to get out the mysterious bit of linen again and pore over it.
But
it wasn't a bit of good. Nobody could make anything of it at all. Secret Way!
What did it mean? Was it really directions for a Secret Way? And where was the
way, and why was it secret? It was most exasperating not to be able to find
out.
'I
really feel we'll have to ask someone soon,' Julian had said with a sigh. 'I
can't bear this mystery much longer. I keep on and on thinking of it.'
He
had dreamt of it too that night, and now it was morning, with lessons ahead. He
wondered what lesson Mr. Roland would take - Latin perhaps. Then he could ask
him what the words 'VIA OCCULTA' meant.
Mr.
Roland had seen all their reports and had noted the subjects they were weak in.
One was Latin, and another was French. Maths were very weak in both Dick's
report and George's. Both children must be helped on in those. Geometry was
Julian's weakest spot.
Anne
was not supposed to need any coaching. 'But if you like to come along and join
us, I'll give you some
painting
to do,' said Mr. Roland, his blue eyes twinkling at her. He liked Anne. She was
not difficult and sulky like George.
Anne
loved painting. 'Oh, yes,' she said, happily, Td love to do some painting. I
can paint flowers, Mr. Roland. I'll paint you some red poppies and blue
cornflowers out of my head.'
'We
will start at half-past nine,' said Mr. Roland. 'We are to work in the
sitting-room. Take your school-books there, and be ready punctually.'
So
all the children were there, sitting round a table, their books in front of
them, at half-past nine. Anne had some painting water and her painting-box. The
others looked at her enviously. Lucky Anne, to be doing painting whilst they
worked hard at difficult things like Latin and maths!
'Where's
Timothy?' asked Julian in a low voice, as they waited for their tutor to come
in.
'Under
the table/ said George, defiantly. Tm sure he'll lie still. Don't any of you
say anything about him. I want him there. I'm not going to do lessons without
Tim here.'
'I
don't see why he shouldn't be here with us,' said Dick. 'He's very very good.
Sh! Here comes Mr. Roland.'
 His eyes
looked very piercing in the pale winter sunlight that filtered into the room.
He told the children to sit down.
'I'll
have a look at your exercise books first,' he said, 'and see what you were
doing last term. You come first, Julian.'
Soon
the little class were working quietly together. Anne was very busy painting a
bright picture of poppies and cornflowers. Mr. Roland admired it very much.
Anne thought he really was very nice.
Suddenly
there was a huge sigh from under the table. It was Tim, tired of lying so still
Mr. Roland looked up, surprised. George at once sighed heavily, hoping that Mr.
Roland would think it was she who had sighed before.
'You
sound tired, Georgina,' said Mr. Roland. 'You shall all have a little break at
eleven.'
George
frowned. She hated being called Georgina. She put her foot cautiously on
Timothy to warn him not to make any more noises. Tim licked her foot.
After
a while, just when the class was at its very quietest, Tim felt a great wish to
scratch himself very hard on his back. He got up. He sat down again with a
thump, gave a grunt, and began to scratch himself furiously. The children all
began to make noises to hide the sounds that Tim was making.
George
clattered her feet on the floor. Julian began to cough, and let one of his book
slip to the ground. Dick jiggled the table and spoke to Mr. Roland.
'Oh
dear, this sum is so hard; it really is! I keep doing it and doing it, and it
simply won't come right!'
'Why
all this sudden noise ?' said Mr. Roland in surprise. 'Stop tapping the floor
with your feet, Georgina.3
Tim
settled down quietly again. The children gave a sigh of relief.
The
tutor took it, and stretched his legs out under the table, leaning back to
speak to Dick. To his enorm-
ous
surprise his feet struck something soft and warm -and then something nipped him
sharply on the ankle! He drew in his feet with a cry of pain.
The
children stared at him. He bent down and looked under the table. 'It's that
dog,' he said, in disgust. 'The brute snapped at my ankles. He has made a hole
in my trousers. Take him out, Georgina.'
Georgina
said nothing. She sat as though she had not heard.
'She
won't answer if you call her Georgina,' Julian reminded him.
'She'll
answer me whatever I call her,' said Mr. Roland, in a low and angry voice. 'I
won't have that dog in here. If you don't take him out this very minute,
Georgina, I will go to your father.'
George
looked at him. She knew perfectly well that if she didn't take Tim out, and Mr.
Roland went to her father, he would order Timothy to live in the garden kennel,
and that would be dreadful. There was absolutely nothing to be done but obey.
Red in the face, a huge frown almost hiding her eyes, she got up and spoke to
Tim.
'Come
on, Tim! I'm not surprised you bit him. I would, too, if I were a dog!'
'There
is no need to be rude, Georgina,' said Mr. Roland, angrily.
The
others stared at George. They wondered how she dared to say things like that.
When she got fierce it seemed as if she didn't care for anyone at all!
'Come
back as soon as you have put the dog out,' said Mr. Roland.
George
scowled, but came back in a few minutes. She ielt caught. Her father was
friendly with Mr. Roland, and knew how difficult George was if she behaved as
badly as she felt she would like to, it would be Tim who would suffer, for he
would certainly be banished from the house. So for Tim's sake George obeyed the
tutor but from that moment she disliked him and resented him bitterly with
all her fierce little heart.
The
otheis were soiry for George and Timothy, but they did not share the little
girl's intense dislike of the new tutor. He often made them laugh. He was
patient with their mistakes. He was willing to show them how to make paper
darts and ships, and to do funny little tricks. Julian and Dick thought these
were fun, and stored them up to try on the other boys when they went back to
school.
After
lessons that morning the children went out for half an hour in the frosty
sunshine. George called Tim.
'Poor
old boy!' she said. 'What a shame to turn you out of-the room! Whatever did you
snap at Mr. Roland for? I think it was a very good idea, Tim - but I really
don't know what made you!'
'George,
you can't play about with Mr. Roland,' said Julian. 'You'll only get into
trouble. He's tough. He won't stand much from any of us. But I think he'll be
quite a good sport if we get on the right side of him.'
'Well,
get on the right side of him if you like,' said George, in rather a sneering
voice. Tm not going to. If I don't like a person, I don't - and I don't like
him.'
'Why
? Just because he doesn't like Tim ?' asked Dick.
'Mostly
because of that - but because he makes me
feel
prickly down my back,' said George, 'I don't like his nasty mouth.'
'But
you can't see it,' said Julian. 'It's covered with his moustache and beard.'
'I've
seen his lips through them,' said George, obstinately. 'They're thin and cruel.
You look and see. I don't like thin-lipped people. They are always spiteful and
hard. And I don't like his cold eyes either.
 He laughed at her.  'We're just going to be sensible, that's
all. You be sensible too, George, old thing.'
But
once George had made up her mind about something nothing would alter her. She
cheered up when she heard that they were all to go Christmas shopping on the
bus that afternoon - without Mr. Roland! He was going to watch an experiment
that her father was going to show him.
'I
will take you into the nearest town and you shall shop to your heart's
content,' said Aunt Fanny to the children. 'Then we will have tea in a tea-shop
and catch the six o'clock bus home.'
This
was fun. They caught the afternoon bus and rumbled along the deep country lanes
till they got to the town. The shops looked very gay and bright. The children
had brought their money with them, and were very busy indeed, buying all kinds
of things. There were so many people to get presents for!
'I
suppose we'd better get something for Mr. Roland, hadn't we ?' said Julian.
'I'm
going to,' said Anne. Tm going to buy him a packet of cigarettes. I know the
kind he smokes.'
'Fancy
buying Mr. Roland a present!' said George, in her scornful voice.
'Why
shouldn't she, George?' asked her mother, in surprise. 'Oh dear, I hope you are
going to be sensible about him, and not take a violent dislike to the poor man.
I don't want him to complain to your father about you.'
'What
are you going to buy for Tim, George ?' asked Julian, changing the subject
quickly.
'The
largest bone the butcher has got,' said George. 'What are you going to buy him
?'
'I
guess if Tim had money, he would buy us each a present,' said Anne, taking hold
of the thick hair round Tim's neck, and pulling it lovingly. 'He's the best dog
in the world!'
George
forgave Anne for saying she would buy Mr. Roland a present, when the little
girl said that about Tim! She cheered up again and began to plan what she would
buy for everyone.
They
had a fine tea, and caught the six o'clock bus back. Aunt Fanny went to see if
the cook had given the two men their tea. She came out of the study beaming.
'Really,
I've never seen your uncle so jolly,' she said to Julian and Dick. 'He and Mr.
Roland are getting on like a house on fire. He has been showing your tutor
quite a lot of his experiments. It's nice for him to have someone to talk to
that knows a little about these things.'
Mr.
Roland played games with the children that evening. Tim was in the room, and
the tutor tried again
to
make friends with him, but the dog refused to take any notice of him.
'As
sulky as his little mistress!' said the tutor, with a laughing look at George,
who was watching Tim refuse to go to Mr. Roland, and looking rather pleased
about it. She gave the tutor a scowl and said nothing.
'Shall
we ask him whether "VIA OCCULT" really does mean "Secret
Way" or not, tomorrow?' said Julian to Dick, as they undressed that night.
'I'm just longing to know if it does. What do you think of Mr. Roland, Dick ?'
'I
don't really quite know,' said Dick. 'I like lots of things about him, but then
I suddenly don't like him at all. I don't like his eyes. And George is quite
right about his lips. They are so thin there's hardly anything of them at all.'
'I
think he's all right,' said Julian. 'He won't stand any nonsense, that's all. I
wouldn't mind showing him the whole piece of rag and asking him to make out its
meaning for us.'
'I
thought you said it was to be a proper secret,' said Dick.
'I
know - but what's the use of a secret we don't know the meaning of ourselves ?'
said Julian. Til tell you what we could do - ask him to explain the words to
us, and not show him the bit of linen.5
'But
we can't read some of the words ourselves,' said Dick. 'So that's no use. You'd
have to show him the whole thing, and tell him where we got it.'
'Well,
I'll see,' said Julian, getting into bed.
The
next day there were lessons again from half-past nine to half-past twelve. George
appeared without Tim.
She
was angry at having to do this, but it was no good being defiant and refusing
to come to lessons without Tim. Now that he had snapped at Mr. Roland, he had
definitely put himself in the wrong, and the tutor had every right to refuse to
allow him to come. But George looked very sulky indeed.
In
the Latin lesson Julian took the chance of asking what he wanted to know.
'Please, Mr. Roland,' he said, 'could you tell me what "VIA OCGULTA"
means?'
'
"ViA OCCULTA" ?' said Mr. Roland, frowning. 'Yes -it means
"Secret Path", or "Secret Road". A hidden way - something
like that. Why do you want to know ?'
All
the children were listening eagerly. Their hearts thumped with excitement. So
Julian had been right. That funny bit of rag contained directions for some
hidden way, some secret path but where to! Where did it begin, and end ?
'Oh
- I just wanted to know,' said Julian. 'Thank you, sir.'
He
winked at the others. He was as excited as they were. If only, only they could
make out the rest of the markings, they might be able to solve the mystery.
Well perhaps he would ask Mr. Roland in a day or two. The secret must be
solved somehow.
'
"The Secret Way" ' said Julian to himself, as he worked out a problem
in geometry. ' "The Secret Way". I'll find it somehow.'
Chapter
Seven
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE SECRET WAY
FOR
the next day or two the four children did not really have much time to think
about the Secret Way, because Christmas was coming near, and there was a good
deal to do.
There
were Christmas cards to draw and paint for their mothers and fathers and
friends. There was the house to decorate. They went out with Mr. Roland to find
sprays of holly, and came home laden.
'You
look like a Christmas card yourselves,' said Aunt Fanny, as they walked up the
garden path, carrying the red-berried holly over their shoulders. Mr. Roland
had found a group of trees with tufts of mistletoe growing from the top
branches, and they had brought some of that too. Its berries shone like pale
green pearls.
'Mr.
Roland had to climb the tree to get this,' said Anne. 'He's a good climber - as
good as a monkey.'
Everyone
laughed except George. She never laughed at anything to do with the tutor. They
all dumped their loads down in the porch, and went to wash. They were to
decorate the house that evening.
'Is
Uncle going to let his study be decorated too?' asked Anne. There were all
kinds of strange instruments and glass tubes in the study now, and the children
looked at them with wonder whenever they ventured into the study, which was
very seldom.
'No,
my study is certainly not to be messed about,' said Uncle Quentin, at once. 'I
wouldn't hear of it.'
'Uncle,
why do you have all these funny things in your study ?' asked Anne, looking
round with wide eyes.
Uncle
Quentin laughed. Tm looking for a secret formula!' he said.
'What's
that?' said Anne.
'You
wouldn't understand,' said her uncle. 'All these "funny things" as
you call them, help me in my experiments, and I put down in my book what they
tell me -and from all I learn I work out a secret formula, that will be of
great use when it is finished.'
'You
want to know a secret formula, and we want to know a secret way,' said Anne,
quite forgetting that she was not supposed to talk about this.
Julian
was standing by the door. He frowned at Anne. Luckily Uncle Quentin was not
paying any more attention to the little girl's chatter. Julian pulled her out
of the room.

Joanna
the cook was busy baking Christmas cakes. An enormous turkey had been sent over
from Kirrin Farm, and was hanging up in the larder. Timothy thought it smelt
glorious, and Joanna was always shooing him out of the kitchen.
There
were boxes of crackers on the shelf in the sitting-room, and mysterious parcels
everywhere. It was very, very Christmassy! The children were happy and excited.
Mr.
 'We must have a Christmas
tree,5 he said. 'Have you any tree-ornaments, children ?'
'No,'
said Julian, seeing George shake her head.
Til
go into the town this afternoon and get some for you,' promised the tutor. 'It
will be fun dressing the tree. We'll put it in the hall, and light candles on
it on Christmas Day after tea. Who's coming with me to get the candles and the
ornaments ?'
'I
am!' cried three children. But the fourth said nothing. That was George. Not
even to buy tree-ornaments would the obstinate little girl go with Mr. Roland.
She had never had a Christmas tree before, and she was very much looking
forward to it - but it was spoilt for her because Mr. Roland bought the things
that made it so beautiful.
Now
it stood in the hall, with coloured candles in holders clipped to the branches,
and gay shining ornaments hanging from top to bottom. Silver strands of frosted
string hung down from the branches like icicles, and Anne had put bits of white
cotton-wool here and there to look like snow. It really was a lovely sight to
see.
'Beautiful!'
said Uncle Quentin, as he passed through the hall, and saw Mr. Roland hanging
the last ornaments on the tree. 'I say - look at the fary doll on the top!
Who's that for ? A good girl ?'
Anne
secretly hoped that Mr. Roland would give her the doll. She was sure it wasn't
for George - and anyway, George wouldn't accept it. It was such a pretty doll,
with its gauzy frock and silvery wings.
Julian,
Dick and Anne had quite accepted the tutor
now
as teacher and friend. In fact, everyone had, their uncle and aunt too, and even
Joanna the cook. George, of course, was the only exception, and she and Timothy
kept away from Mr. Roland, each looking as sulky as the other whenever the
tutor was in the room.
'You
know, I never knew a dog could look so sulky!' said Julian, watching Timothy.
'Really, he scowls almost like George.'
'And
I always feel as if George puts her tail down like Tim, when Mr. Roland is in
the room,' giggled Anne.
'Laugh
all you like,' said George, in a low tone. 'I think you're beastly to me. I
know I'm right about Mr. Roland. I've got a feeling about him. And so has Tim.'
'You're
silly, George,' said Dick. 'You haven't really got a Feeling - it's only that
Mr. Roland will keep calling you Georgina and putting you in your place, and
that ' he doesn't like Tim. I dare say he can't help disliking i dogs. After
all, there was once a famous man called Lord JiHoberts who couldn't bear cats.'
'Oh
well, cats are different,' said George.
George went out of the room in a huff. The
others thought she was behaving rather stupidly.
'I'm
surprised really,' said Anne. 'She was so jolly last Ifferm at school. Now
she's gone all queer, rather like she was when we first knew her last summer.'
'I
do think Mr. Roland has been decent digging up the Christmas tree and
everything,' said Dick. 'I still don't like him awfully much sometimes, but I
think he's a sport. What about asking him if he can read that old linen rag for
us -1 don't think I'd mind him sharing our secret, really.'
'I
would love him to share it,' said Anne, who was busy doing a marvellous
Christmas card for the tutor. 'He's most awfully clever. I'm sure he could tell
us what the Secret Way is. Do let's ask him.'
'All
right,' said Julian. 'I'll show .him the piece of linen. It's Christmas Eve
tonight. He will be with us in the sitting-room, because Aunt Fanny is going
into the study with Uncle Quentin to wrap up presents for all of us!'
So,
that evening, before Mr. Roland came in to sit with them, Julian took out the
little roll of linen and stroked it out flat on the table. George looked at it
in surprise.
'Mr.
Roland will be here in a minute,' she said. 'You'd better put it away quickly.'
'We're
going to ask him if he can tell us what the old Latin words mean,' said Julian.
'You're
not!' cried George, in dismay. 'Ask him to share our secret! However can you ?'
'Well,
we want to know what the secret is, don't we?' said Julian. 'We don't need to
tell him where we got this or anything about it except that we want to inow
what the markings mean. We're not exactly sharing the secret with him - only
asking him to use his brains to help us.'
'Well,
I never thought you'd ask him,' said George.
he'll
want to know simply everything about it, you st see if he won't ! 'He's
terribly snoopy.' 'Whatever 4° you mean?' said Julian, in surprise. 'I I't
think he's a bit snoopy.' 'I saw him yesterday snooping round the study when
one was there,' said George. 'He didn't see me out-fede the window with Tim. He
was having a real poke
'You
know how interested he is in your father's work,' paid Julian. 'Why shouldn't
he look at it? Your father ces him too.  'It's
Christmas Eve. on't let's argue or quarrel or say beastly things.' Just at that
moment the tutor came into the room, 'All busy as bees ?' he said, his mouth
smiling beneath its ftoustache. 'Too busy to have a game of cards, I sup-aose?'
'Mr.
Roland, sir,' began Julian, 'could you help us something? We've got an old bit
of linen here with id markings on it. The words seem to be in some sort jfof
Latin and we can't make them out.'
George
gave an angry exclamation as she saw Julian E push the piece of linen over
towards the tutor.  Tim was
S with her.
'Our
sweet-tempered Georgina doesn't seem to be very ^ friendly tonight/ remarked
Mr. Roland, pulling the bit | of linen towards him. 'Where in the world did you
get ; this ? What an odd thing !'
Nobody
answered. Mr. Roland studied the roll of
linen,
and then gave an exclamation. 'Ah - I see why you wanted to know the meaning of
those Latin words the other day - the ones that meant "hidden path",
you remember. They are at the top of this linen roll.'
'Yes,'
said Dick. All the children leaned over towards Mr. Roland, hoping he would be
able to unravel a little of the mystery for them.
'We
just want to know the meaning of the words, sir,' said Julian.
'This
is really very interesting,' said the tutor, puzzling over the linen.
'Apparently there are directions here for finding the opening or entrance of a
secret path or road.'
'That's
what we thought!' cried Julian, excitedly. 'That's exactly what we thought. Oh
sir, do read the directions and see what you make of them.'
'Well,
these eight squares are meant to represent wooden boards or panels, I think,'
said the tutor, pointing to the eight rough squares drawn on the linen. 'Wait a
minute - I can hardly read some of the words. This is most fascinating, Solum
lapideum - paries ligneus - and what's this - cellula - yes, cellulal'
The
children hung on his words. 'Wooden panels!' That must mean panels somewhere at
Kirrin Farm-house.
Mr.
Roland frowned down at the old printed words. Then he sent Anne to borrow a
magnifying glass from her uncle. She came back with it, and the four of them
looked through the glass, seeing the words three times as clearly now.
'Well,'
said the tutor at last, 'as far as I can make out the direction mean this: a
room facing east; eight wooden panels, with an opening somewhere to be found
in
that marked one; a stone floor - yes, I think that's right, a stone floor; and
a cupboard. It all sounds most extraordinary and very thrilling. Where did you
get this from?'
'We
just found it,' said Julian, after a pause. 'Oh Mr. Roland, thanks awfully. We
could never have made it out by ourselves. I suppose the entrance to the Secret
Way is in a room facing east then.'
'It
looks like it,' said Mr. Roland, poring over the linen roll again. 'Where did
you say you found this ?'
'We
didn't say,' said Dick.  'I can be trusted with secrets. You've no idea how many queer
secrets I know.'
'Well,'
said Julian, 'I don't really see why you shouldn't know where we found this,
Mr. Roland. We found it at Kirrin Farm-house, in an old tobacco pouch. I
suppose the Secret Way begins somewhere there! I wonder where and wherever can
it lead to ?'
'You
found it at Kirrin Farm-house!' exclaimed Mr. Roland. 'Well, well - I must say
that seems to be an interesting old place. I shall have to go over there one
day.'
Julian
rolled up the piece of linen and put it into his pocket. 'Well, thank you,
sir,' he said. 'You've solved a bit of the mystery for us but set us another
puzzle! We must look for the entrance of the Secret Way after Christmas, when
we can walk over to Kirrin Farmhouse.3
Til
come with you,' said Mr. Roland. 'I may be able
to
help a little.
'We'll
go and look for the Secret Way, then,' said Mr. Roland. 'What fun we shall
have, tapping round the panels, waiting for a mysterious dark entrance to
appear!'
'I
don't suppose George will go,' Dick murmured to Julian. 'You shouldn't have
said Mr. Roland could go with us, Ju. That means that old George will have to
be left out of it. You know how she hates that.'
'I
know,' said Julian, feeling uncomfortable. 'Don't let's worry about that now
though. George may feel different after Christmas. She can't keep up this kind
of behaviour for ever!'
Chapter
Eight
WHAT
HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT
IT
was great fun on Christmas morning. The children awoke early and tumbled out of
bed to look at the presents that were stacked on chairs near by. Squeals and
yells of delight came from everyone.
'Oh!
a railway station! Just what I wanted! Who gave me this marvellous station ?'
'A
new doll - with eyes that shut! I shall call her Betsy-May. She looks just like
a Betsy-May!'
'I
say - what a whopping great book - all about aeroplanes. From Aunt Fanny! How
decent of her!'
'Timothy!
Look what Julian has given you - a collar with big brass studs all round - you
will be grand. Go and lick him to say thank you!'
'Who's
this from? I say, who gave me this? Where's the label? Oh - from Mr. Roland.
How decent of him! Look, Julian, a pocket-knife with three blades!'
So
the cries and exclamations went on, and the four excited children and the
equally-excited dog spent a glorious hour before a late Christmas breakfast,
opening all kinds and shapes of parcels. The bedrooms were in a fine mess when
the children had finished!
'Who
gave you that book about dogs, George ?' asked Julian, seeing rather a nice
dog-book lying on George's pile.
'Mr. Roland,' said George, rather shortly. Julian
80
wondered
if George was going to accept it. He rathei thought she wouldn't. But the little
girl, defiant and obstinate as she was, had made up her mind not to spoil
Christmas Day by being 'difficult'. So, when the others thanked the tutor for
their things she too added her thanks, though in rather a stiff little voice.
George
had not given the tutor anything, but the others had, and Mr. Roland thanked
them all very heartily, appearing to be very pleased indeed. He tolcl Anne that
her Christmas card was the nicest he had ever had, and she beamed at him with
joy.
'Well,
I must say it's nice to be here for Christmas!' said Mr. Roland, when he and
the others were sitting round a loaded Christmas table, at the mid-day dinner.
'Shall I carve for you, Mr. Quentin? I'm good at that!'
Uncle
Quentin handed him the carving knife and fork gladly. 'It's nice to have you
here,' he said warmly. 'I must say you've settled in well - I'm sure we all
feel as if we've known you for ages!'
It
really was a jolly Christmas Day. There were no lessons, of course, and there
were to be none the next day either. The children gave themselves up to the
enjoyment of eating a great deal, sucking sweets, and looking forward to the
lighting of the Christmas tree.
It
looked beautiful when the candles were lighted. They twinkled in the darkness
of the hall, and the bright ornaments shone and glowed. Tim sat and looked at
it, quite entranced.
'He
likes it as much as we do,' said George. And indeed Tim had enjoyed the whole
day just as much as any of the children.
They
were all tired out when they went to bed. 'I shan't be long before I'm asleep,'
yawned Anne. 'Oh, George - it's been fun, hasn't it ? I did like the Christmas
tree.'
'Yes,
it's been lovely,' said George, jumping into bed. 'Here conies Mother to say
good night. Basket, Tim, basket!'
Tim
leapt into his basket by the window. He was always there when George's mother
came in to say good night to the girls but as soon as she had gone downstairs,
the dog took a flying leap and landed on George's bed.
 'Joanna
says he ate such an enormous meal in the kitchen that she is sure he will be
sick.'
'Oh
no, Mother!' said George, at once. 'Make Tim sleep downstairs on Christmas
night? Whatever would he think?'
'Oh,
very well,' said her mother, with a laugh. 'I might have known it was useless
to suggest it. Now go to sleep quickly, Anne and George - it's late and you are
all tired.'
She
went into the boys' room and said good night to them too. They were almost asleep.
Two
hours later everyone else was in bed. The house was still and dark. George and
Anne slept peacefully in their small beds. Timothy slept too, lying heavily on
George's feet.
Suddenly
George awoke with a jump. Tim was growl-
ing
softly! He had raised his big shaggy head and George knew that he was
listening.
'What
is it, Tim ?' she whispered. Anne did not wake. Tim went on growling softly.
George sat up and put her hand on his collar to stop him. She knew that if he
awoke her father, he would be cross.
Timothy
stopped growling now that he had roused George. The girl sat and wondered what
to do. It wasn't any good waking Annfm The little girl would be frightened. Why
was Tint growling ? He never did that at night!
'Perhaps
I'd better go and see if everything is all right,' thought Gpnrgf^ She was
quite fearless, and the thought pf creeping through the still, dark house did
not disturb her at all. Besides she had Tim! Who could be afraid with Tim
beside them!
She
slipped on her dressing-gown. 'Perhaps a log has fallen out of one of the
fire-places and a rug is burning,' she thought, sniffing as she went down the
stairs. Tt would be just like Tim to smell it and warn us!'
With
her hand on Tim's head to warn him to be quite quiet, George crept softly
through the hall to the sitting-room. The fire was quite all right there, just
a red glow. In the kitchen all was peace too. Tim's feet made a noise there, as
his claws rattled against the linoleum.
A
slight sound came from the other side of the house.  George stood still. Could it
possibly be burglars?
Suddenly
Timothy shook himself free from her fingers and kapt across the hall, down a
passage, and into the
study
beyond! There was the sound of an exclamation, and a noise as if someone was
falling over.
'It
is a burglar!' said George, and she ran to the study. She saw a torch shining
on the floor, dropped by someone who was even now struggling with Tim.
George
switched on the light, and then looked with the greatest astonishment into the
study. Mr. Roland was there in his dressing-gown, rolling on the floor, trying
to get away from Timothy, who, although not biting him, was holding him firmly
by his dressing-gown.
'Oh
- it's you, George! Call your beastly dog off!' said Mr. Roland, in a low and
angry voice. 'Do you want to rouse all the household ?'
'Why
are you creeping about with a torch ?' demanded George.
'I
heard a noise down here, and came to see what it was,' said Mr. Roland, sitting
up and trying to fend off the angry dog. 'For goodness' sake, call your beast
off.'
'Why
didn't you put on the light ?' asked George, not attempting to take Tim away.
She was very much enjoying the sight of an angry and frightened Mr. Roland.
'I
couldn't find it,' said the tutor. 'It's on the wrong side of the door, as you
see.'
This
was true. The switch was an awkward one to find if you didn't know it. Mr.
Roland tried to push Tim away again, and the dog suddenly barked.
'Well
- he'll wake everyone!' said the tutor, angrily. 'I didn't want to rouse the
house. I thought I could find out for myself if there was anyone about - a
burglar perhaps. Here comes your father!'
George's
father appeared, carrying a large poker. He
stood
still in astonishment when he saw Mr. Roland on the ground and Timothy standing
over him.
'What's
all this?' he exclaimed. Mr. Roland tried to get up, but Tim would not let him.
George's father called to him sternly.
'Tim!
Come here, sir!'
Timothy
glanced at George to see if his mistress agreed with her father's command. She
said nothing. So Timothy took no notice of the order and merely made a snap at
Mr. Roland's ankles.
'That
dog's mad!' said Mr. Roland, from the floor. 'He's already bitten me once
before, and now he's trying to do it again!'
'Tim!
Will you come here, sir!' shouted George's father. 'George, that dog is really
disobedient. Call him off at once.'
'Come
here, Tim!' said George, in a low voice. The dog at once came to her, standing
by her side with the hairs on his neck still rising up stiffly. He growled
softly as if to say, 'Be careful, Mr. Roland, be careful!'
The
tutor got up. He was very angry indeed. He spoke to George's father.
'I
heard some sort of a noise and came down with my torch to see what it was,' he
said. 'I thought it came from your study, and knowing you kept your valuable
books and instruments here, I wondered if some thief was about. I had just got
down, and into the room, when that dog appeared from somewhere and got me down
on the ground! George came along too, and would not call him off.'
'I
can't understand your behaviour, George; I really
can't,'
said her father, angrily. 'I hope you are not going to behave stupidly, as you
used to behave before your cousins came last summer. And what is this I hear
about Tim biting Mr. Roland before ?'
'George
had him under the table during lessons,' said Mr. Roland. 'I didn't know that,
and when I stretched out my legs, they touched Tim, and he bit me. I didn't
tell you before, sir, because I didn't want to trouble you. Both George and the
dog have tried to annoy me ever since I have been here.'
'Well,
Tim must go outside and live in the kennel,' said George's father. 'I won't
have him in the house. It will be a punishment for him, and a punishment for
you too, George. I will not have this kind of behaviour. Mr. Roland has been
extremely kind to you all.'
'I
won't let Tim live outside,' said George furiously. 'It's such cold weather,
and it would simply break his heart.'
'Well,
his heart must be broken then,' said her father. 'It will depend entirely on
your behaviour from now on whether Tim is allowed in the house at all these
holidays. I shall ask Mr. Roland each day how you have behaved. If you have a
bad report, then Tim stays outside. Now you know! Go back to bed but first
apologize to Mr. Roland!'
'I
won't!' said George, and choked by feelings of anger and dismay, she tore out
of the room and up the stairs. The two men stared after her.
'Let
her be,' said Mr. Roland. 'She's a very difficult child - and has made up her mind
not to like me, that's quite plain. But I shall be very glad, sir, to know that
that
dog isn't in the house. I'm not at all certain that Georgina wouldn't set him
on me, if she could!'
'I'm
soiry about all this,' said George's father. 'I wonder what the noise was that
you heard - a log falling in the grate I expect. Now - what am I to do about
that tiresome dog tonight?  'I can hear noises upstairs - the others are
awake by now! Don't let's make any more disturbance tonight.'
'Perhaps
you are right,' said George's father, thankfully. He didn't at all want to
tackle a defiant little girl and an angry big dog in the middle of a cold
night!
The
two men went to bed and slept. George did not sleep. The others had been awake
when she got upstairs, and she had told them what had happened.
'George!
You really are an idiot!' said Dick. 'After all, why shouldn't Mr. Roland go
down if he heard a noise! You went down! Now we shan't have darling old Tim in
the house this cold weather!'
Anne
began to cry. She didn't like hearing that the tutor she liked so much had been
knocked down by Tim, and she hated hearing that Tim was to be punished.
'Don't
be a baby,' said George. 'I'm not crying, and it's my dog!'
But,
when everyone had settled down again in bed, and slept peacefully, George's
pillow was very wet indeed. Tim crept up beside her and licked the salt tears
off her cheek. He whined softly. Tim was always unhappy when his little
mistress was sad.
Chapter
Nine
A
HUNT FOR THE SECRET WAY
THERE
were no lessons the next day. George looked rather pale, and was very quiet.
Tim was already out in the yard-kennel, and the children could hear him whining
unhappily. They were all upset to hear him.
'Oh,
George, I'm awfully sorry about it all,' said Dick. 'I wish you wouldn't get so
fierce about things. You only get yourself into trouble - and poor old Tim.'
George
was full of mixed feelings. She disliked Mr. Roland so much now that she could
hardly bear to look at him - and yet she did not dare to be openly rude and
rebellious because she was afraid that if she was, the tutor would give her a
bad report, and perhaps she would not be allowed even to see Timothy. It was
very hard for a defiant nature like hers to force herself to behave properly.
Mr.
Roland took no notice of her at all. The other children tried to bring George
into their talks and plans, but she remained quiet and uninterested.
'George!
We're going over to Kirrin Farm-house today,' said Dick. 'Coming? We're going
to try and find the entrance to the Secret Way. It must start somewhere there.'
The
children had told George what Mr. Roland had said about the piece of marked
linen. They had all been thrilled about this, though the excitements of Christmas
Day had made them forget about it for a while.
'Yes
- of course I'll come,' said George, looking more cheerful. 'Timothy can come
too. He wants a walk.'
But
when the little girl found that Mr. Roland was also going, she changed her mind
at once. Not for anything would she go with the tutor! No - she would go for a
walk alone with Timothy.
'But,
George - think of the excitement we'll have trying to find the Secret Way,'
said Julian, taking hold of her arm. George wrenched it away.
Tm
not going if Mr. Roland is,' she said, obstinately, and the others knew that it
was no good trying to coax her.
'I
shall go alone with Tim,' said George. 'You go off together with your dear Mr.
Roland!'
She
set out with Timothy, a lonely little figure going down the garden path. The
others stared after her. This was horrid. George was being more and more left
out, but what could they do about it ?
'Well,
children, are you ready?' asked Mr. Roland. 'You start off by yourselves, will
you? I'll meet you at the farm-house later. I want to run down to the village
first to get something.'
So
the three children set off by themselves, wishing that George was with them.
She was nowhere to be seen.
Old
Mr. and Mrs. Sanders were pleased to see the itliree children, and sat them
down in the big kitchen to eat ginger buns and drink hot milk.
'Well,
have you come to find a few more seciet things ?' asked Mrs. Sanders, with a
smile.
'May
we try?' asked Julian. 'We're looking for a room facing east, with a stone
floor, and panelling!'
'All
the rooms downstairs have stone floors,' said Mrs. Sanders.  You won't do any damage, I know. But don't go into the room
upstairs with the cupboard that has a false back, will you, or the one next to
it! Those are the rooms the two artists have.'
'All
right,' said Julian, rather soiry that they were unable to fiddle about with
the exciting cupboard again. 'Are the artists here, Mrs. Sanders? I'd like to
talk to them about pictures. I hope one day I'll be an artist too.'
'Dear
me, is that so ?' said Mrs Sanders. 'Well, well -it's always a marvel to me how
people make any money at painting pictures.'
'It
isn't making money that artists like, so much as the painting of the pictures,'
said Julian, looking rather wise. That seemed to puzzle Mrs. Sanders even more.

'They're
queer folk!' she said. 'Ah well - you go along and have a hunt for whatever it
is you want to find. You can't talk to the two artists today though, Master
Julian -they're out.'
The
children finished their buns and milk and then stood up, wondering where to
begin their search. They must look for a room or rooms facing east. That would
be the first thing to do.
'Which
side of the house faces east, Mrs. Sanders?' asked Julian. 'Do you know ?'
'The
kitchen faces due north,' said Mrs. Sanders. 'So east will be over there.' she
pointed to the right.
'Thanks,'
said Julian. 'Come on, everyone!' The three
children
went out of the kitchen, and turned to the right. There were three rooms there
- a kind of scullery, not much used now, a tiny room used as a den by old Mr. f
Sanders, and a room that had once been a drawing-room, but which was now cold
and unused.
'They've
all got stone floors,' said Julian.
'So
we'll have to hunt through all of the three rooms,' said Anne.
'No,
we won't,' said Julian. 'We shan't have to look in this scullery, for one
thing!'
'Why
not?'asked Anne.
'Because
the walls are of stone, silly, and we want panelling,' said Julian. 'Use your
brains, Anne!'
'Well,
that's one room we needn't bother with, then,' said Dick. 'Look - both this
little room and the drawing-room have panelling, Julian. We must search in
both.'
'There
must be some reason for putting dight squares of panelling in the directions,'
said Julian, looking at the roll of linen again. 'It would be a good idea to
see whether there's a place with eight squares only - you know, over a window,
or something.'
It
was tremendously exciting to look round the two rooms! The children began with
the smaller room. It was panelled all the way round in dark oak, but there was
no place where only eight panels showed. So the children went into the next
room.
The
panelling there was different. It did not look so old, and was not so dark. The
squares were rather a different size, too. The children tried each panel,
tapping and pressing as they went, expecting at any moment
to
see one slide back as the one in the hall had done.
But
they were disappointed. Nothing happened at all. They were still in the middle
of trying when they heard footsteps in the hall, and voices. Somebody looked
into the drawing-room. It was a man, thin and tall, wearing glasses on his long
nose.
'Hallo!'
he said. 'Mrs.  How are
you getting on?'
'Not
very well,' said Julian, politely. He looked at the man, and saw behind him
another one, younger, with rather screwed-up eyes and a big mouth. 'I suppose
you are the two artists ?' he asked.
'We
are!' said the first man, coming into the room. 'Now, just exactly what are you
looking for ?'
Julian
did not really want to tell him, but it was difficult not to. 'Well - we're
just seeing if there's a sliding panel here,' he said at last. 'There's one in
the hall, you know. It's exciting to hunt round.'
'Shall
we help?' said the first artist, coming into the room. 'What are your names?
Mine's Thomas, and my friend's name is Wilton.'
The
children talked politely for a minute or two, not at all wanting the two men to
help. If there was anything to be found, they wanted to find it. It would spoil
everything if grown-ups solved the puzzle!
Soon
everyone was tap-tap-tapping round the wooden panels. They were in the middle
of this when a voice hailed them.
'Hallo!
My word, we are all busy!'
The
children turned, and saw their tutor standing in
the
doorway, smiling at them. The two artists looked at him.
'Is
this a friend of yours ?' asked Mr. Thomas.
'Yes
- he's our tutor, and he's very nice!' said Anne, running to Mr. Roland and
putting her hand in his.
'Perhaps
you will introduce me, Anne,' said Mr. Roland, smiling at the little girl.
Anne
knew how to introduce people. She had often seen her mother doing it. 'This is
Mr. Roland,' she said to the two artists. Then she turned to Mr. Roland. 'This
is Mr. Thomas,' she said, waving her hand towards him, 'and the other one is
Mr. Wilton.'
The
men half-bowed to one another and nodded. 'Are you staying here?' asked Mr.
Roland. 'A very nice old farm-house, isn't it ?'
'It
isn't time to go yet, is it ?' asked Julian, hearing a clock strike.
'Yes,
I'm afraid it is,' said Mr. Roland. Tin later meeting you than I expected. We
must go in about five minutes - no later. I'll just give you a hand in trying
to find this mysterious secret way!'
But
no matter how anyone of them pressed and tapped around the panels in either of
the two rooms, they could not find anything exciting. It really was most
disappointing
'Well,
we really must go now,' said Mr. Roland. 'Come and say good-bye to Mrs.
Sanders.'
They
all went into the warm kitchen, where Mrs. Sanders was cooking something that
smelt most delicious.
'Something
for our lunch, Mrs. Sanders?' said Mr.
Wilton.

Mrs.
Sanders smiled. She turned to the children. 'Well, dearies, did you find what
you wanted ?' she asked.
'No,'
said Mr. Roland, answering for them. 'We haven't been able to find the secret
way, after all!'
'The
secret way?' said Mrs. Sanders, in surprise. 'What do you know about that now?
I thought it had all been forgotten - in fact, I haven't believed in that
secret way for many a year!'
'Oh,
Mrs, Sanders - do you know about it?' cried Julian. 'Where is it ?'
'I
don't know, dear - the secret of it has been lost for
many
a day,' said the old lady. 'I remember my old grandmother telling me something
about it when I was smaller than any of you. But I wasn't interested in things
like that when I was little. I was all for cows and hens
and
sheep.'
'Oh,
Mrs. Sanders - do, do try and remember something!' begged Dick. 'What was the
secret way ?'
'Well,
it was supposed to be a hidden way from Kirrin Farm-house to somewhere else,'
said Mrs. Sanders. 'I don't know where, I'm sure. It was used in the olden
days
when people wanted to hide from enemies.'
It
was disappointing that Mrs. Sanders knew so little. The children said good-bye and went off with
their tutor,
feeling
that their morning had been wasted. , George was indoors when they got to
Kirrin Cottage.
Her
cheeks were not so pale, now, and she greeted the
children
eagerly.
'Did
you discover anything? Tell me all about it!' she
said.
'There's
nothing to tell,' said Dick, rather gloomily. 'We found three rooms facing
east, with stone floors, but only two of them had wooden panelling, so we
hunted round those, tapping and punching - but there wasn't anything to be
discovered at all.'
'We
saw the two artists,' said Anne. 'One was tall and thin, and had a long nose
with glasses on. He was called Mr. Thomas. The other was younger, with little
piggy eyes and an enormous mouth.'
'I
met them out this morning,' said George. 'It must have been them. Mr. Roland
was with them, and they were all talking together. They didn't see me.'
'Oh,
it couldn't have been the artists you saw,' said Anne, at once. 'Mr. Roland
didn't know them. I had to introduce them.'
'Well,
I'm sure I heard Mr. Roland call one of them Wilton,' said George, puzzled.
'lie must have known them.'
'It
couldn't have been the artists,' said Anne, again. 'They really didn't know Mr.
Roland. Mr. Thomas asked if he was a friend of ours.'
'I'm
sure I'm not mistaken,' said George, looking obstinate. 'If Mr. Roland said he
didn't know the two artists, he was telling lies.'
'Oh,
you're always making out that he is doing something horrid!' cried Anne,
indignantly. 'You just make up things about him!'
'Sh!'
said Julian. 'Here he is.'
The
door opened and the tutor came in. 'Well,' he said, 'it was disappointing that
we couldn't find the secret way, wasn't it! Anyway, we were rather foolish to
hunt
about
that drawing-room as we did the panelling there wasn't really old - it must
have been put in years after the other.'
'Oh
- well, it's no good looking there again,' said Julian, disappointed. 'And I'm
pretty sure there's nothing to be found in that other little room. We went all
over it so thoroughly. Isn't it disappointing ?'
'It
Js,' said Mr. Roland. 'Well, Julian, how did you like the two artists? I was
pleased to meet them - they seemed nice fellows, and I shall like to know
them.'
George
looked at the tutor. Could he possibly be telling untruths in such a truthful
voice ? The little girl was very puzzled. She felt sure it was the artists she
had seen him with. But why should he pretend he didn't know them ? She must be
mistaken. But all the same, she felt uncomfortable about it, and made up her
mind to find out the truth, if she could.
Chapter
Ten
A
SHOCK FOR GEORGE AND TIM
NEXT
morning there were lessons again - and no Timothy , under the table! George
felt very much inclined to refuse i to work, but what would be the good of that
? Grown-ups 5 were so powerful, and could dole out all kinds of punishments.
She didn't care how much she was punished her-,' self but she couldn't bear to
think that Timothy might have to share in the punishments too.
So,
pale and sullen, the little girl sat down at the table with the others. Anne
was eager to join in the lessons - in , fact she was eager to do anything to
please Mr. Roland, \ because he had given her the fairy doll from the top of
\the Christmas tree! Anne thought she was the prettiest \ doll she had ever
seen.
George had scowled at the doll when Anne
showed it to her. She didn't like dolls, and she certainly wasn't going to like
one that Mr. Roland had chosen, and given \ to Anne! But Anne loved it, and had
made up her mind > to do lessons with the others, and work as well as she
could.
George
did as little as she could without getting into trouble. Mr. Roland took no
interest in her or in her work. He praised the others, and took a lot of
trouble ' to show Julian something he found difficult.
The children
heard Tim whining
outside as they worked. This
troubled them very much, for Timothy
was
such a companion, and so dear to them all. They could not bear to think of him
left out of everything, cold and miserable in the yard-kennel. When the ten
minutes' break came, and Mr. Roland went out of the room for a few minutes,
Julian spoke to George.
'George!
It's awful for us to hear poor old Tim whining out there in the cold. And I'm
sure I heard him cough. Let me speak to Mr. Roland about him. You must feel
simply dreadful knowing that Tim is out there.'
'I
thought I heard him cough, too,' said George, looking worried. 'I hope he won't
get a cold. He simply doesn't understand why I have to put him there. He thinks
I'm terribly unkind.'
The
little girl turned her head away, afraid that tears might come into her eyes.
She always boasted that she never cried - but it was very difficult to keep the
tears away when she thought of Timothy out there in the cold.
Dick
took her arm. 'Listen, George - you just hate Mr. Roland, and I suppose you
can't help it. But we can none of us bear Timothy being out there all alone -
and it looks like snow today, which would be awful for him. Could you be
awfully, awfully good today, and forget your dislike, so that when your father
asks Mr. Roland for your report, he can say you were very good - and then we'll
all ask Mr. Roland if he wouldn't let Timmy come back into the house.'
'See?'
Timothy
coughed again, out in the yard, and George's heart went cold. Suppose he got
that awful illness called pneumonia - and she couldn't nurse him because he had
to
live in the kennel ? She would die of unhappiness! She turned to Julian and
Dick.
'All
right,' she said. 'I do hate Mr. Roland - but I love Timothy more than I hate
the tutor - so for Tim's sake I'll pretend to be good and sweet and
hard-working. And then you can beg him to let Timothy come back.'
'Good
girl!' said Julian. 'Now here he comes - so do your best.'
To
the tutor's enormous surprise, George gave him a smile when he came into the
room. This was so unexpected that it puzzled him. He was even more puzzled to
find that George worked harder than anyone for the rest of the morning, and she
answered politely and cheerfully when he spoke to her. He gave her a word of
praise.
'Well
done, Georgina! I can see you've got brains.'
'Thank
you," said George, and gave him another smile - a very watery, poor
affair, compared with the happy smiles the others had been used to - but still,
it was a smile!
At
dinner-time George looked after Mr. Roland most politely - passed him the salt,
offered him more bread, got up to fill his glass when it was empty! The others
looked at her in admiration. George had plenty of pluck. She must be finding it
very difficult to behave as if Mr. Roland was a great friend, when she really
disliked him so much!
Mr.
Roland seemed very pleased, and appeared to be quite willing to respond to
George's friendliness. He made a little joke with her, and offered to lend her
a
book
he had about a dog. George's mother was delighted to find that her difficult
daughter seemed to be turning over a new leaf. Altogether things were very much
happier that day.
'George,
you go out of the room before your father comes in to ask Mr. Roland about your
behaviour tonight,' said Julian. 'Then, when the tutor gives you a splendid
report, we will all ask if Timothy can come back. It will be easier if you are
not there.'
'All
right,' said George. She was longing for this difficult day to be over. It was
very hard for her to pretend to be friendly, when she was not. She could never
never do it, if it wasn't for Timothy's sake!
George
disappeared out of the room just before six o'clock, when she heard her father
coming. He walked into the room and nodded to Mr. Roland.
'Well?
Have your pupils worked well today?' he asked.
'Very
well indeed,' said Mr. Roland. 'Julian has really mastered something he didn't
understand today. Dick has done well in Latin. Anne has written out a French
exercise without a single mistake!'
'And
what about George ?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I
was coming to Georgina,' said Mr. Roland, looking round and seeing that she was
gone. 'She has worked better than anyone else today! I am really pleased with
her. She has tried hard - and she has really been polite and friendly. I feel
she is trying to turn over a new leaf.'
'She's
been a brick today,' said Julian, warmly. 'Uncle Quentin, she has tried awfully
hard, she really has.
'Because
of Timothy,' said Julian. 'He's out in the cold, you see. And he's got a
dreadful cough.'
'Oh,
Uncle Quentin, please do let poor Timmy come indoors,' begged Anne.
'Yes,
please do,' said Dick. 'Not only for George's sake, because she loves him so,
but for us too. We hate to hear him whining outside. And George does deserve a
reward, Uncle - she's been marvellous today.'
'Well,'
said Uncle Quentin, looking doubtfully at the three eager faces before him,
'well - I hardly know what to say. If George is going to be sensible - and the
weather gets colder - well...'
He
looked at Mr. Roland, expecting to hear him say something in favour of Timothy.
But the tutor said noth-JF ing. He
looked annoyed. | 'What do you
think, Roland?' asked Uncle Quentin.
'I
think you should keep to what you said and let the dog stay outside,' said the
tutor. 'George is spoilt, and needs firm handling. You should really keep to
your decision about the dog. There is no reason to give way about it just
because she has tried to be good for once!'
The
three children stared at Mr. Roland in surprise and dismay. It had never
entered their heads that he would not back them up!
'Oh,
Mr. Roland, you are horrid!' cried Anne. 'Oh, do, do say you'll have Timothy
back.'
The
tutor did not look at Anne.
'Well,'
said Uncle Quentin, 'perhaps we had better
see
how George behaves for a whole week. After all -just one day isn't much.'
The
children stared at him in disgust. They thought he was weak and unkind. Mr.
Roland nodded his head.
'Yes,'
he said, 'a week will be a better test. If Georgina behaves well for a whole
week, we'll have another word about the dog, sir. But at present I feel it
would be better to keep him outside.' '
'Very
well,' said Uncle Quentin, and went out of the room. He paused to look back.
'Come along into my study sometime,' he said. 'I've got a bit further with my
formula. It's at a very interesting stage.'
The
three children looked at one another but said nothing. How mean of the tutor to
stop Uncle Quentin from having Timothy indoors again,! They all felt
disappointed in him. The tutor saw their faces.
'I'm
sorry to disappoint you,' he said. 'But I think if you'd been bitten by Timothy
once and snapped at all over when he got you on the floor, you would not be
very keen on having him in either!'
He
went out of the room. The children wondered what to say to George. She came in
a moment later, her face eager. But when she saw the gloomy looks of the other
three, she stopped short.
'Isn't
Tim to come in?' she asked, quickly. 'What's happened ? Tell me!'
They
told her. The little girl's face grew dark and angry when she heard how the
tutor had put his foot down about Timothy, even when her father had himself
suggested that the dog might come indoors.
'Oh,
what a beast he is!' she cried. 'How I do hate him! I'll pay him out for this.
I will, I will!'
She
rushed out of the room. They heard her fumbling in the hall, and then the front
door banged.
'She's
gone out into the dark,' said Julian. *I bet she's gone to Timmy. Poor old
George. Now she'll be worse than ever!'
That
night George could not sleep. She lay and tossed in her bed, listening for
Timothy. She heard him cough. She heard him whine. He was cold, she knew he
was. She had put plenty of fresh straw into his kennel and had turned it away
from the cold north wind - but he must feel the bitter night terribly, after
sleeping for so long on her bed!
Timothy
gave such a hollow cough that George could bear it no longer. She must, she
simply must, get up and go down to him. 'I shall bring him into the house for a
little while and rub his chest with some of that stuff Mother uses for herself
when she's got a cold on her chest,' thought the girl. 'Perhaps that will do
him good.'
She
quickly put a few clothes on and crept downstairs. The whole house was quiet.
She slipped out into the yard and undid Tim's chain. He was delighted to see
her and licked her hands and face lovingly.
'Come
along into the warm for a little while,' whispered the little girl.
Timmy
pattered behind her into the house. She took him to the kitchen - but the fire
was out and the room was cold. George went to look at the other rooms.
 She did not put
on the light,
because
the firelight was fairly bright. She had with her the little bottle of oil from
the bathroom cupboard. She put it down by the fire to warm.
Then
she rubbed the dog's hairy chest with the oil, hoping it would do him good.
'Don't cough now if you can help it, Tim,' she whispered. 'If you do, someone f
may hear you. Lie down here by the fire, darling, and If get nice and warm.
Your cold will soon be better.'
Timothy
lay down on the rug. He was glad to be out TI
of his kennel and with his beloved mistress. He put his
head
on her knee. She stroked him and whispered to him.
The
firelight glinted on the curious instruments and jf glass tubes that stood
around on shelves in her father's j study. A log shifted a little in the fire
and settled lower,
sending
up a cloud of sparks. It was warm and peaceful there.
The
little girl almost fell asleep. The big dog closed his eyes too, and rested
peacefully, happy and warm.
George
settled down with her head on his neck. She awoke to hear the study clock
striking six! The room was cold now, and she shivered. Goodness! Six o'clock!
Joanna the cook would soon be awake. She must not find Timmy and George in the
study!
'Tim
darling! Wake up! We must put you back into your kennel,' whispered George. 'Im
sure your cold is better, because you haven't coughed once since you've been
indoors. Get up - and don't make a noise. Sh!' Tim stood up and shook himself.
He licked George's hand. He understood perfectly that he must be quite
quiet.
The two of them slipped out of the study, went into the hall and out of the
front door.
In
a minute or two Timothy was on the chain, and in his kennel, cuddled down among
the straw. George wished she could cuddle there with him. She gave him a pat
and slipped back indoors again.
She
went up to bed, sleepy and cold. She forgot that she was partly dressed and got
into bed just as she was. She was asleep in a moment!
In
the morning Anne was most amazed to find that George had on vest, knickers,
skirt and jersey, when she got out of bed to dress.
'Look!'
she said. 'You're half-dressed! But I saw you undressing last night.'
'Be
quiet,' said George. 'I went down and let Tim in last night.  Now don't you dare to say a word to
anyone! Promise!'
Anne
promised - and she faithfully kept her word. Well, well - to think that George
dared to roam about like that all night - what an extraordinary girl she was!
Chapter
Eleven STOLEN PAPERS
'GEORGE,
don't behave fiercely today, will you?' said Julian, after breakfast. 'It won't
do you or Timothy aay good at all.'
'Do
you suppose I'm going to behave well when I know perfectly well that Mr. Roland
will never let me have Tim indoors all these holidays ?' said George.
'Well
- they said a week,' said Dick. 'Can't you try for a week ?'
'No.
At the end of a week Mr. Roland will say I must try for another week,' said
George. 'He's got a real dislike for poor Tim. And for me too. I'm not surprised
at that, because I know that when I try to be horrid, I really am horrid. But
he shouldn't hate poor Timmy.'
'Oh
George - you'll spoil the whole holls if you are silly, and keep getting into
trouble,' said Anne.
'Well,
I'll spoil them then,' said George, the sulky look coming back on her face.
'I
don't see why you have to spoil them for us, as well as for yourself,' said
Julian.
'They
don't need to be spoilt for you,' said George. 'You can have all the fun you
want - go for walks with your dear Mr. Roland, play games with him in the
evening, and laugh and talk as much as you like. You don't need to take any
notice of me.'
'You
are a funny girl, George,' said Julian, with a 112
sigh.
 Tm going out to Tim. I'm
not corning in to lessons today.'
'George!
But you must!' said Dick and Julian together.
'There's
no "Must" about it,' said George. Tm just not coming. I won't work
with Mr. Roland till he says I can have Timothy indoors again.'
'But
you know you can't do things like that - you'll be spanked or something,' said
Dick.
'I
shall run away if things get too bad,' said George, in a shaky voice. 'I shall
run away with Tim.'
 The others stared after
her. What could you do with a person like George ? Anyone could rule her with
kindness and understanding - but as soon as she came up against anyone who
disliked her, or whom she disliked, she shied away like a frightened horse -
and kicked like a frightened horse, too!
Mr.
Roland came into the sitting-room, his books in his hand. He smiled at the
three children.
'Well?
All ready for me, I see. Where's George?'
Nobody
answered. Nobody was going to give George away!
'Don't
you know where she is?' asked Mr. Roland in surprise. He looked at Julian.
'No,
sir,' said Julian, truthfully. 'I've no idea where she is.'
'Well
perhaps she will come along in a few minutes,' said Mr. Roland. 'Gone to feed
that dog of hers, I suppose.'
They
all settled down to work. The time went on and George did not come in. Mr.
Roland glanced at the clock and made an impatient clicking noise with his
tongue.
'Really,
it's too bad of George to be so late! Anne, go and see if you can find her.'
Anne
went. She looked in the bedroom. There was no George there. She looked in the
kitchen. Joanna was there, making cakes. She gave the little girl a hot piece
to eat. She had no idea where George was.
Anne
couldn't find her anywhere. She went back and told Mr. Roland. He looked angry.
'I
shall have to report this to her father,' he said. 'I have never had to deal
with such a rebellious child before. She seems to do everything she possibly
can to get herself into trouble.'
Lessons
went on. Break came, and still George did not appear. Julian slipped out and
saw that the yard-kennel was empty. So George had gone out with Timmy! What a
row she would get into when she got back!
No
sooner had the children settled down after Break to do the rest of the
morning's lessons, than a big disturbance came.
Uncle
Quentin burst into the room, looking upset and worried.
'Have
any of you children been into my study?' he asked.
'No,
Uncle Quentin,' they all answered.
'You
said we weren't to,' said Julian.
'Why,
sir? Has something been broken?' asked Mr. Roland.
'Yes
- the test-tubes I set yesterday for an experiment have been broken - and what
is worse, three most important pages of my book have gone,' said Uncle Quentin.
'I can write them out again, but only after a great deal of work. I can't
understand it.  Anne went very red -she suddenly remembered what George
had told her. George said she had taken Timmy into Uncle Quentin's study last
night, and rubbed his chest with oil! But George couldn't possibly have broken
the test-tubes, and taken pages from her father's book!
Mr.
Roland noticed that Anne had gone red.
'Do
you know anything about this, Anne ?' he asked.
'No,
Mr. Roland,' said Anne, blushing even redder, and looking very uncomfortable
indeed.
'Where's
George ?' suddenly said Uncle Quentin.
The
children said nothing, and it was Mr. Roland who answered:
'We
don't know. She didn't come to lessons this morning.'
'Didn't
come to lessons! Why not?' demanded Uncle Quentin, beginning to frown.
'She
didn't say,' said Mr. Roland dryly. 'I imagine she was upset because we were
firm about Timothy last night, sir and this is her way of being defiant.'
'The
naughty girl!' said George's father, angrily. 'I
don't
know what's come over her lately. Fanny! Come here! Did you know that George
hasn't been in to her lessons today ?'
Aunt
Fanny came into the room. She looked very worried.  The children wondered what it was.
'Didn't
come in to lessons!' repeated Aunt Fanny. 'How extraordinary! Then wheie is she
?'
'I
don't think you need to worry about her,' said Mr. Roland, smoothly.  What is very much more
important, sir, is the fact that your work appears to have been spoilt by
someone.
'George
would never, never do a thing like that,' said Julian.
'No,
she never would,' said Anne, sticking up valiantly for her cousin, although a
horrid doubt was in her mind. After all - George had been in the study last
night!
'Quentin,
I am sine George would not even think of such a thing,' said Aunt Fanny. 'You
will find those pages somewhere and as for the test-tubes that were broken,
well, perhaps the wind blew the curtain against them, or something! When did
you last see those pages?'
'Last
night,' said Uncle Quentin. 'I read them over again, and checked my figures to
make sure they were
right.
These pages contain the very heart of my formula! If they got into anyone
else's hands, they could use my secret. This is a terrible thing for me! I must
know what has happened to them.'
'I
found this in your study, Quentin,' said Aunt Fanny, and she held up the little
bottle she carried. 'Did you put it there ? It was in the fender.'
Uncle
Quentin took the bottle and stared at it. 'Camphorated oil!' he said. 'Of
course I didn't take it there. Why should I?'
'Well
- who took it there, then?' asked Aunt Fanny, puzzled. 'None of the children
has a cold - and anyway, they wouldn't think of the camphorated oil, and take
it into the study to use! It's most extraordinary!'
Everyone
was astonished. Why should a bottle of camphorated oil appear in the study
fender ?
Only
one person could think why. It suddenly came into Anne's mind in a flash.
George had said she had taken Timmy into the study, and rubbed him with oil! He
had had a cough, that was why. And she had left the oil in the study. Oh dear,
oh dear - now what would happen?
Anne
went very red again as she looked at the oil. Mr. Roland, whose eyes seemed
very sharp this morning, looked hard at the little girl.
'Anne!
You know something about that oil!' he said suddenly. 'What do you know? Did
you put it there?'
'No,'
said Anne. 'I haven't been into the study. I said I hadn't.'
'Do
you know anything about the oil?' said Mr. Roland, again. 'You do know
something.'
Everyone stared at Anne. She stared back. This
was simply dreadful. She could not give George away. She could not. George was
in quite enough trouble as it was,
without
getting into any more.
'Anne!'
said Mr. Roland, sternly. 'Answer when you are spoken to.'
Anne
said nothing. The two boys stared at her,guessing that it was something to do
with George. They did not know that George had brought Timothy in the
night
before.
'Anne,
dear,' said her aunt, gently. 'Tell us if you know something. It might help us
to find out what has happened to Uncle Quentin's papers. It is very, very,
important.'
Still
Anne said nothing.  Julian squeezed her arm.
'Don't
bother Anne,' he said to the grown-ups. 'If she thinks she can't tell you,
she's got some very good reason.'
'I
think she's shielding George,' said Mr. Roland. 'Is that it, Anne?'
Anne
burst into tears. Julian put his arms round his little sister, and spoke again
to the three grown-ups.
'Don't
bother Anne! Can't you see she's upset ?'
'We'll
let George speak for herself, when she thinks will come in,' said Mr. Roland.
'I'm sure she knows how that bottle got there - and if she put it there herself
must have been into the study - and she's the only person that has been there.'
The
boys could not think for one moment that George would do such a thing as spoil
her father's work. Anne feared it, and it upset her. She sobbed in Julian's
amis.
'When
George comes in, send her to me in my study,' said Uncle Quentin, irritably.
'How can a man work when these upsets go on? I was always against having
children in the house.' ,
He
stamped out, tall, cross and frowning. The children were glad to see him go.
Mr. Roland shut the books on the table with a snap.
'We
can't do any more lessons this morning,' he said. Tut on your things and go out
for a walk till dinner-time.'
'Yes,
do,' said Aunt Fanny, looking white and woi-ried. 'That's a good idea.'
Mr.
Roland and their aunt went out of the room. 'I don't know if Mr. Roland thinks
he's coming out with us,' said Julian, in a low voice, 'but we've got to get
out first and give him the slip. We've got to find George and warn her what's
up.'
'Right!'
said Dick. 'Dry your eyes, Anne darling.  We'll slip
out of the garden door before Mr. Roland comes down. I bet George has gone for
her favourite walk over the cliffs. We'll meet her!' The three children threw
on their outdoor things and crept out of the garden door quietly. They raced
down the garden path, and out of the gate before Mr. Roland even knew they were
gone! They made their way to the cliffs, and looked to see if George was
coming.
'There
she is - and Timothy, too!' cried Julian, pointing. 'George! George! Quick,
we've got something to tell you!'
Chapter
Twelve GEORGE IN TROUBLE
'WHAT'S
the matter ?' asked George, as the three children tore up to her. 'Has
something happened ?'
'Yes,
George. Someone has taken three most important pages out of your father's
book!' panted Julian. 'And broken the test-tubes he was making an experiment
with. Mr. Roland thinks you might have had something to do with it!'
'The
beast!' said George, her blue eyes deepening with anger. 'As if I'd do a thing
like that! Why should he think it's me, anyway ?'
'Well,
George, you left that bottle of oil in the study fender,' said Anne. 'I haven't
told anyone at all what you told me happened last night - but somehow Mr.
Roland guessed you had something to do with the bottle of oil.'
'Didn't
you tell the boys how I got Timmy indoors ?' asked George. 'Well, there's
nothing much to tell, Julian, I just heard poor old Tim coughing in the night,
and I half-dressed, went down, and took him into the study, where there was a
fire. Mother keeps a bottle of oil that she used to rub her chest wfth when she
has a cough -so I thought it might do Timmy's cold good, too. I got the oil and
rubbed him well - and we both fell asleep by the fire till six o'clock. I was
sleepy when I woke up, and forgot the oil. That's all.'
'And
you didn't take any pages from the book Uncle Quentin is writing, and you
didn't break anything in the study, did you ?' said Anne.
'Of
course not, silly,' said George, indignantly. 'How can you ask me a thing like
that? You must be mad.'
George
never told a lie, and the others always believed her, whatever she said. They
stared at her, and she stared back.
'I
wonder who could have taken those pages then?' said Julian. 'Maybe your father
will come across them, after all. I expect he put them into some safe place and
then forgot all about them. And the test-tubes might easily have over-balanced
and broken themselves. Some of them look very shaky to me.'
'I
suppose I shall get into trouble now for taking Tim into the study,' said
George.
'And
for not coming into lessons this morning,' said Dick.  I never knew anyone like you for walking right into trouble.'
'Hadn't
you better stay out a bit longer, till everyone has calmed down a bit ?' said
Anne.
'No,'
said George at once. 'If I'm going to get into a row, I'll get into it now! I'm
not afraid!'
She
marched over the cliff path, with Timmy running round her as usual. The others