Part 1 (1/2)
Secret Seven Adventure.
Blyton, Enid.
One.
A Secret Seven meeting.
THE Secret Seven Society was having its usual weekly meeting. Its meeting place was down in the old shed at the bottom of the garden belonging to Peter and Janet. On the door were the letters S.S. painted in green.
Peter and Janet were in the shed, waiting. Janet was squeezing lemons into a big jug, making lemonade for the meeting. On a plate lay seven ginger biscuits and one big dog biscuit.
That was for Scamper, their golden spaniel. He sat with his eyes on the plate, as if he was afraid his biscuit might jump off and disappear!
”Here come the others,” said Peter, looking out of the window. ”Yes-Colin-George-Barbara-Pam and Jack. And you and I make the Seven.”
”Woof,” said Scamper, feeling left out.
”Sorry, Scamper,” said Peter. ”But you're not a member-just a hanger-on-but a very nice one!”
Bang! Somebody knocked at the door.
”Pa.s.sword, please,” called Peter. He never unlocked the door until the person outside said the pa.s.sword.
”Rabbits!” said Colin, and Peter unlocked the door. ”Rabbits!” said Jack, and ”Rabbits,” said the others in turn. That was the very latest pa.s.sword. The Secret Seven altered the word every week, just in case anyone should get to hear of it.
Peter looked at everyone keenly as they came in and sat down. ”Where's your badge, Jack?” he asked.
Jack looked uncomfortable. ”I'm awfully sorry,” he said, ”but I think Susie's got it. I hid it in my drawer, and it was gone when I looked for it this morning. Susie's an awful pest when she likes.”
Susie was Jack's sister. She badly wanted to belong to the Society, but as Jack kept patiently pointing out, as long as there were Seven in the Secret Seven, there couldn't possibly be any more.
”Susie wants smacking,” said Peter. ”You'll have to get back the badge somehow, Jack, and then in future don't hide it in a drawer or anywhere, but pin it on to your pyjamas at night and wear it. Then Susie can't get it.”
”Right,” said Jack. He looked round to see if everyone else was wearing a badge. Yes-each member had a little round b.u.t.ton with the letters S.S. neatly worked on it. He felt very annoyed with Susie.
”Has anyone anything exciting to report?” asked Peter, handing round the seven ginger biscuits. He tossed Scamper the big dog biscuit, and the spaniel caught it deftly in his mouth. Soon everyone was crunching and munching.
n.o.body had anything to report at all. Barbara looked at Peter.
”This is the fourth week we've had nothing to report, and nothing has happened,” she said. ”It's very dull. I don't see much point in having a Secret Society if it doesn't do something-solve some mystery or have an adventure.”
”Well, think one up, then,” said Peter, promptly. ”You seem to think mysteries and adventures grow on trees, Barbara.”
Janet poured out the lemonade. ”I wish something exciting would happen, too,” she said. ”Can't we make up some kind of adventure, just to go on with?”
”What sort?” asked Colin. ”Oooh, this lemonade's sour!”
”I'll put some more honey in,” said Janet. ”Well, I mean, couldn't we dress up as Red Indians or something, and go somewhere and stalk people without their knowing it? We've got some lovely Red Indian clothes, Peter and I.”
They talked about it for a while. They discovered that between them they had six sets of Red Indian clothes.
”Well, I know what we'll do, then,” said George. ”We'll dress up, and go off to Little Thicket. We'll split into two parties, one at each end of the thicket-and we'll see which party can stalk and catch Colin-he's the only one without a Red Indian dress. That'll be fun.”
”I don't much want to be stalked by all six of you,” said Colin. ”I hate being jumped on all at once.”
”It's only a game!” said Janet. ”Don't be silly.”
”Listen-there's somebody coming!” said Peter. Footsteps came up the path right to the shed. There was a tremendously loud bang at the door, which made everyone jump.
”Pa.s.sword!” said Peter, forgetting that all the Secret Seven were there.
”Rabbits!” was the answer.
”It's Susie!” said Jack in a rage. He flung open the door, and there, sure enough, was his cheeky sister, wearing the S.S. b.u.t.ton, too!
”I'm a member!” she cried. ”I know the pa.s.sword and I've got the badge!”
Everyone got up in anger, and Susie fled, giggling as she went. Jack was scarlet with rage.
”I'm going after her,” he said. ”And now we'll have to think of a new pa.s.sword, too!”
”The pa.s.sword can be Indians!” Peter called after him. ”Meet here at half-past two!”
Two.
A Red Indian afternoon.
AT half-past two the Seven Society arrived by ones and twos. Jack arrived first, wearing his badge again. He had chased and caught Susie, and taken it from her.
”I'll come and bang at the door again and shout the pa.s.sword,” threatened Susie.
”That won't be any good,” said Jack. ”We've got a new one!”
Everyone said the new pa.s.sword cautiously, just in case that tiresome Susie was anywhere about.
”Indians!”
”Indians!” The pa.s.sword was whispered time after time till all seven were gathered together. Everyone had brought Red Indian suits and head-dresses. Soon they were all dressing, except Colin, who hadn't one.
”Now off we go to Little Thicket,” said Peter, prancing about with a most terrifying-looking hatchet. Fortunately, it was only made of wood. ”I'll take Janet and Jack for my two men, and George can have Barbara and Pam. Colin's to be the one we both try to stalk and capture.”
”No tying me to trees and shooting off arrows at me,” said Colin, firmly. ”That's fun for you, but not for me. See?”