The Secret Seven discussed the new idea thoroughly. They all thought it very good indeed. Colin felt very proud to think he had given them such a fine idea.
" If we could find a big enough tree, and flat enough branches, we could make a very fine meeting-place there," said Peter. " We could take up some boards and boxes and cushions, and make a little store-place for biscuits and drinks and books and things."
" It would be super," said Janet. " Nobody would ever guess we were there, and nobody could possibly hear what we say."
" Let's get out of this hot shed and go and find somewhere now," said Colin. " I know exactly what an ice-cream feels like when it begins to melt. As for poor old Scamper, he's panting as if he's run a race."
So he was. His pink tongue hung out, long and wavy, and he panted loudly. Peter got up.
" Come on, old boy. You can have a drink at the stream when we go past."
They took the biscuit-tin with them, but they all had a drink of the orangeade before they left. Scamper rushed on to the stream as soon as he knew they were going that way.
" Hi!... don't drink all the stream ! " called Peter. Scamper lapped and lapped. They went on their way and left him still lapping.
" We'll go to Windy Woods," said Colin. " There are some enormous trees there, easy to climb too."
They came to Windy Woods. It was cool and shady there. " Now let's look carefully and see if we can spot a good tree," said Jack. " Big enough to hold all the Secret Seven ! "
" What about Scamper? " said Janet, suddenly. " He can't climb a tree. He won't be able to come to the meetings."
" We could make him a sort of harness, and pull him up," said George.
" He'd hate that," said Peter. " Anyway, he's not really a member. He needn't come. Or he could sit at the bottom of the tree and guard us."
" Oh yes!... He could bark if anyone came near," said Barbara. " He would be a fine gate-keeper."
" Tree-keeper!" said Pam. " Look, what about this tree ? It's enormous."
" No good," said Peter, looking up at the great beech. " No low-down branches to climb up on. We must have a tree that's easy to climb, or we'll spend all our time getting up and down."
They separated, and began to look for likely trees. There didn't seem so many after all. George found one that he thought was just right, but when he climbed up a little way he soon saw that it was impossible to have any kind of house up there.
"No good!" he called down. "The branches criss-cross too much and are far too thick."
Down he came, and then Jack shouted out. " Come here, all of you. What about this tree ? "
They ran up and looked at Jack's tree.
" Yes," said Colin, " that really does look a likely one. One low branch waist-high to climb on places to put your feet up the trunk after that another branch there to cling to, and what looks like a nice lot of flattish branches half-way up. I'll shin up and see."
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"No, I'll go," said Jack. "I found it. You come after."
He stood on the low branch and then made his way up, putting his feet on to jutting-out pieces of the trunk that really seemed made for foot-holds! Boughs spread out in just the right places to hold on to, and then Jack came to the place where branches grew out level from the great trunk.
" It's fine ! " he called down. " There are about six branches here, all on the same level, more or less, and there's a hole in the trunktoo, it would make a fine cupboard.Come on up ! There's room for everyone ! "
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The others climbed up in excitement. Peter came last of all, in case the girls got stuck and wanted help. But it was such an easy tree to climb that nobody wanted any help at all.
" It's the biggest oak-tree in the wood, I should think," said Peter, when they were all sitting on the platform of branches. " What luck to have so many broad branches all about the same level. Where's the hole you told us about, Jack? "
" Here," said Jack, and moved away from the part of the trunk he was leaning against. The others saw a very large hole. Jack thrust his hand in and felt round it.
" It goes down about two feet," he said. " It would make a fine store-place for us, just what we want. Well... shall we make this our Secret Seven Tree; our new meeting-place ? "
" Oh yes," said everyone at once, and they began to talk about what they would do to make it a proper tree-house.
Peter took out a note-book. " Now," he said, "suggestions and ideas one at a time please. I'll write them all down."
