Part 12 (1/2)

The others raised their voices scornfully.

'JULIAN! We're not cowards. We'll jolly well stay here!'

'What, leave now - why should we? We're in n.o.body's way, whatever those men say!'

'I'm not moving my caravan, whatever anyone says!' That was George, of course.

'No, don't you go,' said n.o.bby. 'Don't you take no notice of Lou and my uncle. They can't do nothing to you at all. They're just trying to make trouble for you. You stay and let me show you over the camp, see?'

'It isn't that I want to give in to those fellows' ideas,' said Julian. 'It's just that - well, I'm in charge of us all - and I don't like the look of Lou and Tiger Dan - and, well ...'

'Oh, have another egg and forget about it,' said d.i.c.k. 'We're going to stay here in this hollow, however much Dan and Lou want us out of it. And, what's more, I'd like to find out why they're so keen to push us off. It seems jolly queer to me.'

The sun went down in a blaze of orange and red, and the lake s.h.i.+mmered with its fiery reflection. n.o.bby got up regretfully, and Barker and Growler, who had been hobn.o.bbing with Timmy, got up, too.

'I'll have to go,' said n.o.bby. 'Still got some jobs to do down there. What about you coming down tomorrow to see the animals? You'll like Old Lady, the elephant. She's a pet. And Pongo will be pleased to see you again.'

'Your uncle may have changed his mind again by tomorrow, and not want us near the camp,' said d.i.c.k.

'Well - I'll signal to you,' said n.o.bby. 'I'll go out in the boat, see? And wave a hanky. Then you'll know it's all right. Well - so long! I'll be seeing you.'

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FUN AT THE CIRCUS CAMP

Next morning, while Anne cleared up the breakfast things with George, and d.i.c.k went off to the farm to buy whatever the farmer's wife had ready for him, Julian took the field-gla.s.ses and sat on the ledge to watch for n.o.bby to go out on the lake in his boat.

d.i.c.k sauntered along, whistling. The farmer's wife was delighted to see him, and showed him two big baskets full of delicious food.

'Slices of ham I've cured myself,' she said, lifting up the white cloth that covered one of the baskets. 'And a pot of brawn I've made. Keep it in a cool place. And some fresh lettuces and radishes I pulled myself this morning early. And some more tomatoes.'

'How gorgeous!' said d.i.c.k, eyeing the food in delight. 'Just the kind of things we love! Thanks awfully, Mrs Mackie. What's in the other basket?'

'Eggs, b.u.t.ter, milk, and a tin of shortbread I've baked,' said Mrs Mackie. 'You should do all right till tomorrow, the four of you! And in that paper there is a bone for the dog.'

'How much do I owe you?' asked d.i.c.k. He paid his bill and took up the baskets. Mrs Mackie slipped a bag into his pocket.

'Just a few home-made sweets,' she said. That was her little present. d.i.c.k grinned at her.

'Well, I won't offer to pay you for them because I'm afraid of that rolling-pin of yours,' he said. 'But thank you very, very much.'

He went off delighted. He thought of Anne's pleasure when she came to unpack the baskets. How she would love to put the things in the little larder - and pop the b.u.t.ter in a dish set in a bowl of cold water - and set the eggs in the little rack!

When he got back Julian called to him: 'Hobby's out in his boat. Come and look. He's waving something that can't possibly be a hanky. It must be the sheet off his bed!'

'n.o.bby doesn't sleep in sheets,' said Anne. 'He didn't know what they were when he saw them in our bunks. Perhaps it's a table-cloth.'

'Anyway, it's something big, to tell us that it's absolutely all right to come down to the camp,' said Julian. 'Are we ready?'