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" where's my badge? Where's my badge? " said Janet. " I know I put it into this drawer." And out of the drawer came handkerchiefs, socks, and ribbons, flying in the air.
" Janet! " said Mummy, crossly. " Do look what you are doing... I only tidied that drawer this morning. What is it you want... your Secret Seven Badge? "
" Yes ! There's a meeting this morning, and I can't go without my badge," said Janet. " Peter wouldn't let me into the shed, I know he wouldn't. He's awfully strict about badges." And away went another shower of handkerchiefs into the air.
" Well, you certainly won't find it in the drawer now," said Mummy, and she bent and picked up a little round badge with the letters S.S. worked neatly on it. " You have thrown it out of the drawer with your hankies, silly ! "
" Oh give it to me, Mummy, give it to me ! " cried Janet. But Mummy wouldn't.
" No. You pick up all those things first and tidy them in the drawer," she said.
" But the Secret Seven meet in five minutes ! " cried Janet. " Peter's down in our shed already."
" Then you can be late," said Mummy, and walked out of the room with the little badge ! Janet groaned. She picked up everything and stuffed it back into the drawer as tidily as she could in a hurry. Then she tore downstairs.
" I've done it, Mummy, and I promise I'll do it better when the meeting is over."
Mummy laughed. She held out the little badge to Janet. " Here you are. You and your Secret Seven meetings! How you can bear to meet in that stuffy little shed this hot weather I don't know! Must you keep the door and the window shut all the time ? "
" We have to," said Janet, pinning on the badge proudly. " It's a very Secret Society, and we can't have anyone listening to our meetings. Not that much has happened lately. We really need something to liven us up; an adventure like the last one."
" Take the biscuit-tin down with you," said Mummy. " And you can have a bottle of orangeade. Here's Scamper come to find you!"
The lovely golden spaniel came trotting into the room. "Woof," he said to Janet. "Woof!"
" Yes, yes... I know I'm late," said Janet, giving him a pat. " I suppose Peter sent you to fetch me. Come along. Thanks for the biscuits and orangeade, Mummy."
She went down the garden-path, hugging the biscuit-tin and the bottle of orangeade. As she came near the shed, she heard voices. It sounded as if all the other six were there !
Janet banged on the door, and Scamper flung himself against it too.
" Password ! " yelled six voices.
" Adventure 1 " yelled back Janet, giving the password for that week. No one could go to a meeting without saying the password.
The door flew open, and Peter, Janet's brother, stood there, frowning. " Any need to yell out the password like that ? " he said.
" Sorry," said Janet. " You all yelled out at me, and I just yelled back. Anyway, there's no one to hear. Look, I've brought the biscuit-tin and some orangeade."
Peter looked to see if she had on her badge. He had seen his sister hunting madly for it ten minutes back, and he had made up his mind he wouldn't allow her in if she hadn't found it. But there it was, pinned to her dress.
Janet went into the shed. Peter shut the door and bolted it. The window was shut too. The hot summer sun streamed in at the one window, and Janet blew out her cheeks.
" My goodness... it's boiling hot in here! Honestly, I shall melt."
" We're all melting," said Pam. " I think this is a silly place to have our weekly meetings when it's so hot. Why can't we have them
out in the woods somewhere, in the shade of a tree?"
" No," said Jack at once. " My sister Susie would always be hanging round... we wouldn't be a Secret Society any more."
" Well, couldn't we think of somewhere cool and hidden, where nobody would find us ? " said Colin. " For instance... I've got a hiding-place in my garden where nobody can find me at all, and it's as cool and as hidden as can be."
" Where is it ? " asked Jack.
"Up a tree," said Colin. "We've a big tree with some broad branches half-way up... and I've got a couple of cushions up there, and a box to keep things in. It's cool and breezy, and the branches swing about in the wind. And I've got a jolly good view all round too. I can always see if anyone is coming ! "
They all listened to this speech in silence. Then they looked at one another, their eyes shining.
" Marvellous idea ! " said Peter. " We'll do it ourselves ! A house up a tree where we could meet and nobody know! We'll do it!"
