Five on a Hike Together Read Online Free PDF

beacons were used to warn people of war long long ago, Not now."
    „That vil age was cal ed Beacons," said Anne, suddenly remembering. „Do you suppose it has that name because long ago there was a nearby hil where people lighted a beacon, to send a warning to other towns tel ing them that the enemy was coming? Did they ring
    bel s too? Are we hearing long-ago bells, Dick? They don"t sound like bel s I"ve ever heard in my life before."
    „Good gracious! They"re certainly not long-ago bel s!" said Dick, speaking cheerfully, though he was real y just as puzzled and alarmed as Anne. „Those bells are being rung now, at this very minute!"
    Quite suddenly the bells stopped and an enormous silence took the place of the wild ringing. The two children stood and listened for a minute or two and then heaved a sigh of relief.
    „They"ve stopped at last," said Anne, „I hated them! Why did they ring out on this dark dark night? Oh do let"s find Blue Pond Farm-house as soon as ever we can, Dick. I don"t like being lost in the dark like this, with bells ringing madly for nothing at all!"
    „Come on," said Dick. „Keep close to the hedge. As long as we follow that we must come to somewhere. We won"t wander out on to the moorland."
    He took Anne"s arm and the two of them kept close to the hedge. They came to another path at last and fol owed it. That led to a lane, but not a sunken one this time - and then, oh wonderful sight, - not far off they saw a light shining!
    „That must be Blue Pond Farm-house!" said Dick, thankful y. „Come on, Anne - not much farther now!"
    They came to a low stone wall and followed it til they came to a broken-down gate. It opened with a squeak, and Anne stepped through - right into an enormous puddle!
    „Blow!" she said. „Now I"m wetter than ever! For a moment I thought I must have stepped into the blue pond!"

    But it was only a puddle. They went round it and followed a muddy path to a little door set in a white stone wall. Dick thought it must be the back door. Nearby was a window, and in it shone the light they had seen so thankfully.
    An old woman sat near the light, her head bent over some sewing. The children could see her quite clearly as they stood by the door.
    Dick looked for a bell or knocker but there was none. He knocked with his bare knuckles.
    Nobody answered. The door remained shut. They looked at the old woman by the lamp, and saw that she was stil sewing.
    „Perhaps she"s deaf," said Dick and he knocked again, much more loudly. Stil the old woman sewed on placidly. She must indeed be deaf!
    „We"ll never get in at this rate!" said Dick, impatiently. He tried the handle of the door - it opened at once!
    „We"ll just have to walk in and announce ourselves," said Dick, and he stepped on to the worn mat inside the door. He was in a narrow little passage that led to a stone stairway, steep and narrow at the farther end.
    On his right was a door, a little ajar. It opened into the room where the old woman was sitting. The two children could see a streak of light coming through the crack.
    Dick pushed the door open and walked boldly in, followed by Anne. Stil the old woman didn"t look up. She pushed her needle in and out of her sewing and seemed to hear and see nothing else whatsoever.
    Dick had to walk right up to her before she knew he was in the room. Then she leapt up in such a fright that her chair fel over with a bang.
    „I"m sorry," said Dick, upset at frightening the old lady. „We knocked but you didn"t hear!"
    She stared at them, her hand over her heart. „You give me such a fright," she said. „Where did you come from, this dark night?"
    Dick picked up her chair, and she sat down in it, panting a little.
    „We"ve been looking for this place," said Dick. „Blue Pond Farm-house, isn"t it? We wondered if we could stay the night here - and two others of us as well."
    The old woman pointed to her ears and shook her head. „Deaf as a post," she said. „No good talking to me,