Five on a Secret Trail Read Online Free PDF Page A

was you messing about," said George, and Anne nodded. Yes, of course, Timmy must have thought that any noises he heard had been made by her.
    They took the path that led to the old cottage. George had Timmy well to heel. He knew he must not push forward unless told to. His ears were pricked now, and he was listening hard.
    They came cautiously to the cottage. They could see its dark outline in the starlight, but little else. There was no light flashing there. Nor did there seem to be any noises at all.
    Al three stood stil and quiet for about five minutes. Then Timmy moved restlessly. This was boring! Why wouldn"t George let him run forward and explore everywhere if she wanted to know if intruders were about?
    „I don"t think there"s a soul here!" whispered George into Anne"s ear. „They must have gone - unless you dreamed it all, Anne!"
    „I didn"t!" whispered back Anne indignantly. „Let"s go forward a bit and send Timmy into the cottage. He"l soon bark if there"s anyone there."
    George gave Timmy a little shove. „Go on, then!" she said. „Find, Timmy, find!"
    Timmy gladly shot forward into the darkness. He trotted into the cottage, though it was impossible even to see him go to it. The two girls stood and listened, their heart-beats sounding very loud to them! There was not a sound to be heard, except occasionally the rattle of Timmy"s strong claws on a stony slab.
    „There can"t be anyone there," said George at last.
    „Else Timmy would have sniffed them out. You"re an ass, Anne - you dreamt it al !"
    „I did not!" said Anne, indignant again. „I know there was someone there - in fact, more than one person, because I"m sure I heard whispering!"

    George raised her voice. „Timmy!" she cal ed loudly, making Anne jump violently. „Timmy!
    Come along. We"ve sent you on a sil y wild goose chase - but now we"ll go back to bed!"
    Timmy came trotting out of the cottage and went obediently to George. She heard him yawn as he stood beside her, and she laughed.
    „Anne had a bad dream, that"s all, Timmy," she said.
    Anne felt cross - very cross. She said no more and they left the old cottage and went back to their heather-bed. Anne climbed on to her side and turned over with her back to George. Al right - let George think it was a dream if she liked!
    But when Anne awoke in the morning and remembered the happenings of the night before, she too began to wonder uneasily if she had dreamed what she had seen and heard in the old cottage.
    „After all - Timmy would certainly have caught anyone who was there," she thought. „And he wasn"t at all excited, so there can"t have been anyone in the cottage. And anyway, why would they come? It"s just sil y!"
    So, when George talked about Anne"s dreaming in the middle of the night, Anne did not defend herself. She really could not be sure that it had really happened. So she held her tongue when George teased her, and said nothing.
    „Let"s go and see that boy and his camp," George said when they had eaten a few rather stale sandwiches and some shortbread biscuits. „I"m beginning to feel bored, aren"t you? I wish Timmy"s ear would quite heal up. I"d go back home like a shot then."
    They set off in the direction of the camp with Timmy. They heard a chip-chipping noise as they came near, and then something small and hairy shot out from a bush and rushed up, barking a welcome.
    „Hal o, Jet!" said Anne. „Don"t you let Timmy have any more of your bones!"
    The chipping noise had stopped. The two girls went on and came to a very messy piece of common. It had been well dug over, in some places very deeply. Surely that boy couldn"t have done so much excavating by himself?
    „Hey! Where are you?" called George. Then she saw the boy below her, examining something in a trench he had dug out. He jumped and looked upwards.
    Then he scowled. „Look - you promised not to come and disturb me!" he shouted. „You"re mean. Just like girls to break a promise."
    „Well! I like that!" said