Five Get Into Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page B

smal . There was a little tea-place that said 'Home-made cakes and jams', so they went there for tea.

    The woman who kept it was a plump, cheerful soul, fond of children. She guessed she would make very little out of the tea she served to five healthy children — but that didn't matter! She set to work to cut three big plates of well-buttered slices of bread, put out apricot jam, raspberry, and strawberry, and a selection of home-made buns that made the children's mouths water.

    She knew Richard quite wel , because he had sometimes been to her cottage with his aunt.

    'I suppose you'l be going to stay with her tonight?' she said to Richard, and he nodded, his mouth ful of ginger cake. It was a lovely tea. Anne felt as if she wouldn't be able to eat any supper at al that night! Even Timmy seemed to have satisfied his enormous appetite.

    'I think we ought to pay you double price for our gorgeous tea,' said Julian, but the woman wouldn't hear of it. No, no — it was lovely to see them all enjoying her cakes; she didn't want double price!

    'Some people are so awfully nice and generous,' said Anne, as they mounted their bicycles to ride off again. 'You just can't help liking them. I do hope I can cook like that when I grow up.'

    'If you do, Julian and I wil always live with you and not dream of getting married!' said Dick, promptly, and they all laughed.

    'Now for Richard's aunt,' said Julian. 'Do you know where the house is, Richard?'

    'Yes — that's it over there,' said Richard, and rode up to a gate. 'Well, thanks awful y for your company. I hope I'l see you again soon! I have a feeling I shall! Good-bye!'

    He rode up the drive and disappeared. 'What a sudden good-bye!' said George, puzzled. 'Isn't he odd?'

6 Odd happenings

    They all thought it really was a little odd to disappear so suddenly like that, with just a casual good-bye. Julian wondered if he ought to have gone with him and delivered him safely on the door-step.

    'Don't be an ass, Julian,' said Dick, scornful y. 'What do you think can happen to him from the front gate to the front door!'

    'Nothing, of course. It's just that I don't trust that young fel ow,' said Julian. 'You know I real y wasn't sure he had asked his mother if he could come with us, to tell you the truth.'

    'I thought that too,' said Anne. 'He did get to Croker's Corner so very quickly, didn't he?
    — and he had quite a long way to go real y, and he had to find his mother, and talk to her, and all that.'

    'Yes. I've half a mind to pop up to the aunt's house and see if she expected him,' said Julian. But on second thoughts he didn't go. He would feel so sil y if the aunt was there with Richard, and all was well — they would think that he and the others ought to be asked in.

    So, after debating the matter for a few minutes they al rode off again. They wanted to get to Middlecombe Woods fairly soon, because there were no vil ages between Great Giddings and Middlecombe, so they would have to find the woods and then go on to find a farm-house somewhere to buy food for supper and breakfast. They hadn't been able to buy any in the shops at Great Giddings because it was early closing day, and they hadn't liked to ask the tea-shop woman to sell them anything. They felt they had taken quite enough of her food already!

    They came to Middlecombe Woods, and found a very fine place to camp in for the night. It was in a little dell, set with primroses and violets, a perfectly hidden place, secure from all prying eyes, and surely unknown even to tramps.

    'This is glorious,' said Anne. 'We must be miles away from anywhere: I hope we can find some farm-house or something that wil sel us food, though! I know we don't feel hungry now, but we shall!'

    'I think I've got a puncture, blow it,' said Dick, looking at his back tyre. 'It's a slow one, fortunately. But I think I won't risk coming along to look for farmhouses til I've mended it.'

    'Right,' said Julian. 'And Anne needn't come either. She