Next morning the children felt a little gloomy. Lessons! How horrid inthe holidays! Still, Mr. Roland wasn't so bad. The children had not hadhim with them in the sitting-room the night before, because he had goneto talk to their uncle. So they were able to get out the mysterious bitof linen again and pore over it.But it wasn't a bit of good. Nobody could make anything of it at all.Secret Way! What did it mean? Was it really directions for a Secret Way?And where was the way, and why was it secret? It was most exasperatingnot to be able to find out."I really feel we'll have to ask someone soon," Julian had said with asigh. "I can't bear this mystery much longer. I keep on and on thinkingof it."He had dreamt of it too that night, and now it was morning, with lessonsahead. He wondered what lesson Mr. Roland would take—Latin perhaps.Then he could ask him what the words "VIA OCCULTA" meant.Mr. Roland had seen all their reports and had noted the subjects theywere weak in. One was Latin, and another was French. Maths were veryweak in both Dick's report and George's. Both children must be helped onin those. Geometry was Julian's weakest spot.Anne was not supposed to need any coaching. "But if you like to comealong and join us, I'll give you some painting to do," said Mr. Roland,his blue eyes twinkling at her. He liked Anne. She was not difficult andsulky like George.Anne loved painting. "Oh, yes," she said, happily, "I'd love to do somepainting. I can paint flowers, Mr. Roland. I'll paint you some redpoppies and blue cornflowers out of my head.""We will start at half-past nine," said Mr. Roland. "We are to work inthe sitting-room. Take your school-books there, and be readypunctually."So all the children were there, sitting round a table, their books infront of them, at half-past nine. Anne had some painting water and herpaint-box. The others looked at her enviously. Lucky Anne, to be doingpainting whilst they worked hard at difficult things like Latin andmaths!"Where's Timothy?" asked Julian in a low voice, as they waited for theirtutor to come on."Under the table," said George, defiantly. "I'm sure he'll lie still.Don't any of you say anything about him. I want him there. I'm not goingto do lessons without Tim here.""I don't see why he shouldn't be here with us," said Dick. "He's veryvery good. Sh! Here comes Mr. Roland."The tutor came in, his black beard bristling round his mouth and chin.His eyes looked very piercing in the pale winter sunlight that filteredinto the room. He told the children to sit down."I'll have a look at your exercise books first," he said, "and see whatyou were doing last term. You come first, Julian."Soon the little class were working quietly together. Anne was very busypainting a bright picture of poppies and cornflowers. Mr. Roland admiredit very much. Anne thought he really was very nice.Suddenly there was a huge sigh from under the table. It was Tim, tiredof lying so still. Mr. Roland looked up, surprised. George at oncesighed heavily, hoping that Mr. Roland would think it was she who hadsighed before."You sound tired, Georgina," said Mr. Roland. "You shall all have alittle break at eleven."George frowned. She hated being called Georgina. She put her footcautiously on Timothy to warn him not to make any more noises. Timlicked her foot.After a while, just when the class was at its very quietest, Tim felt agreat wish to scratch himself very hard on his back. He got up. He satdown again with a thump, gave a grunt, and began to scratch himselffuriously. The children all began to make noises to hide the sounds thatTim was making.George clattered her feet on the floor. Julian began to cough, and letone of his books slip to the ground. Dick jiggled the table and spoke toMr. Roland."Oh dear, this sum is so hard; it really is! I keep doing it and doingit, and it simply _won't_ come right!""Why all this sudden noise?" said Mr. Roland in surprise. "Stop tappingthe floor with your feet, Georgina."Tim settled down quietly again. The children gave a sigh of relief. Theybecame quiet, and Mr. Roland told Dick to come to him with his mathsbook.The tutor took it, and stretched his legs out under the table, leaningback to speak to Dick. To his enormous surprise his feet strucksomething soft and warm—and then something nipped him sharply on theankle! He drew in his feet with a cry of pain.The children stared at him. He bent down and looked under the table."It's that dog," he said, in disgust. "The brute snapped at my ankles.He has made a hole in my trousers. Take him out, Georgina."Georgina said nothing. She sat as though she had not heard."She won't answer if you call her Georgina," Julian reminded him."She'll answer me whatever I call her," said Mr. Roland, in a low andangry voice. "I won't have that dog in here. If you don't take him outthis very minute, Georgina, I will go to your father."George looked at him. She knew perfectly well that if she didn't takeTim out, and Mr. Roland went to her father, he would order Timothy tolive in the garden kennel, and that would be dreadful. There wasabsolutely nothing to be done but obey. Red in the face, a huge frownalmost hiding her eyes, she got up and spoke to Tim."Come on, Tim! I'm not surprised you bit him. I would, too, if I were adog!""There is no need to be rude, Georgina," said Mr. Roland, angrily.The others stared at George. They wondered how she dared to say thingslike that. When she got fierce it seemed as if she didn't care foranyone at all!"Come back as soon as you have put the dog out," said Mr. Roland.George scowled, but came back in a few minutes. She felt caught. Herfather was friendly with Mr. Roland, and knew how difficult Georgewas—if she behaved as badly as she felt she would like to, it would beTim who would suffer, for he would certainly be banished from the house.So for Tim's sake George obeyed the tutor—but from that moment shedisliked him and resented him bitterly with all her fierce little heart.The others were sorry for George and Timothy, but they did not share thelittle girl's intense dislike of the new tutor. He often made themlaugh. He was patient with their mistakes. He was willing to show themhow to make paper darts and ships, and to do funny little tricks. Julianand Dick thought these were fun, and stored them up to try on the otherboys when they went back to school.After lessons that morning the children went out for half an hour in thefrosty sunshine. George called Tim."Poor old boy!" she said. "What a shame to turn you out of the room!Whatever did you snap at Mr. Roland for? I think it was a very goodidea, Tim—but I really don't know what made you!"[Illustration: He drew in his feet with a cry of pain]"George, you can't play about with Mr. Roland," said Julian. "You'llonly get into trouble. He's tough. He won't stand much from any of us.But I think he'll be quite a good sport if we get on the right side ofhim.""Well, get on the right side of him if you like," said George, in rathera sneering voice. "I'm not going to. If I don't like a person, Idon't—and I don't like _him_.""Why? Just because he doesn't like Tim?" asked Dick."Mostly because of that—but because he makes me feel prickly down myback," said George. "I don't like his nasty mouth.""But you can't see it," said Julian. "It's covered with his moustacheand beard.""I've seen his lips through them," said George, obstinately. "They'rethin and cruel. You look and see. I don't like thin-lipped people. Theyare always spiteful and hard. And I don't like his cold eyes either. Youcan suck up to him all you like. _I_ shan't."Julian refused to get angry with the stubborn little girl. He laughed ather. "We're not going to suck up to him," he said. "We're just going tobe sensible, that's all. You be sensible too, George, old thing."But once George had made up her mind about something nothing would alterher. She cheered up when she heard that they were all to go Christmasshopping on the bus that afternoon—without Mr. Roland! He was going towatch an experiment that her father was going to show him."I will take you into the nearest town and you shall shop to yourheart's content," said Aunt Fanny to the children. "Then we will havetea in a tea-shop and catch the six o'clock bus home."This was fun. They caught the afternoon bus and rumbled along the deepcountry lanes till they got to the town. The shops looked very gay andbright. The children had brought their money with them, and were verybusy indeed, buying all kinds of things. There were so many people toget presents for!"I suppose we'd better get something for Mr. Roland, hadn't we?" saidJulian."I'm going to," said Anne. "I'm going to buy him a packet of cigarettes.I know the kind he smokes.""Fancy buying Mr. _Roland_ a present!" said George, in a scornful voice."Why shouldn't she, George?" asked her mother, in surprise. "Oh dear, Ihope you are going to be sensible about him, and not take a violentdislike to the poor man. I don't want him to complain to your fatherabout you.""What are you going to buy for Tim, George?" asked Julian, changing thesubject quickly."The largest bone the butcher has got," said George. "What are _you_going to buy him?""I guess if Tim had money, he would buy us each a present," said Anne,taking hold of the thick hair round Tim's neck, and pulling it lovingly."He's the best dog in the world!"George forgave Anne for saying she would buy Mr. Roland a present, whenthe little girl said that about Tim! She cheered up again and began toplan what she would buy for everyone.They had a fine tea, and caught the six o'clock bus back. Aunt Fannywent to see if the cook had given the two men their tea. She came out ofthe study beaming."Really, I've never seen your uncle so jolly," she said to Julian andDick. "He and Mr. Roland are getting on like a house on fire. He hasbeen showing your tutor quite a lot of his experiments. It's so nice forhim to have someone to talk to that knows a little about these things."Mr. Roland played games with the children that evening. Tim was in theroom, and the tutor tried again to make friends with him, but the dogrefused to take any notice of him."As sulky as his little mistress!" said the tutor, with a laughing lookat George, who was watching Tim refuse to go to Mr. Roland, and lookingrather pleased about it. She gave the tutor a scowl and said nothing."Shall we ask him whether 'VIA OCCULTA' really does mean 'Secret Way' ornot, to-morrow?" said Julian to Dick, as they undressed that night. "I'mjust longing to know if it does. What do you think of Mr. Roland, Dick?""I don't really quite know," said Dick. "I like lots of things abouthim, but then I suddenly don't like him at all. I don't like his eyes.And George is quite right about his lips. They are so thin there'shardly anything of them at all.""I think he's all right," said Julian. "He won't stand any nonsense,that's all. I wouldn't mind showing him the whole piece of rag andasking him to make out its meaning for us.""I thought you said it was to be a proper secret," said Dick."I know—but what's the use of a secret we don't know the meaning ofourselves?" said Julian. "I'll tell you what we _could_ do—ask him toexplain the words to us, and not show him the bit of linen."[Illustration: "As sulky as his little mistress!" said the tutor]"But we can't read some of the words ourselves," said Dick. "So that'sno use. You'd have to show him the whole thing, and tell him where wegot it.""Well, I'll see," said Julian, getting into bed.The next day there were lessons again from half-past nine to half-pasttwelve. George appeared without Tim. She was angry at having to do this,but it was no good being defiant and refusing to come to lessons withoutTim. Now that he had snapped at Mr. Roland, he had definitely puthimself in the wrong, and the tutor had every right to refuse to allowhim to come. But George looked very sulky indeed.In the Latin lesson Julian took the chance of asking what he wanted toknow. "Please, Mr. Roland," he said, "could you tell me what '=viaocculta=' means?""'VIA OCCULTA'?" said Mr. Roland, frowning. "Yes—it means 'SecretPath,' or 'Secret Road.' A hidden way—something like that. Why do youwant to know?"All the children were listening eagerly. Their hearts thumped withexcitement. So Julian had been right. That funny bit of rag containeddirections for some hidden way, some secret path—but where to? Wheredid it begin, and end?"Oh—I just wanted to know," said Julian. "Thank you, sir."He winked at the others. He was as excited as they were. If only, onlythey could make out the rest of the markings, they might be able tosolve the mystery. Well—perhaps he would ask Mr. Roland in a day ortwo. The secret must be solved somehow."'The Secret Way'," said Julian to himself, as he worked out a problemin geometry. "'The Secret Way.' I'll find it somehow."
