WELL DONE SECRET SEVEN by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 17 TOP SECRET

He got up to go. The children pressed round him. " Tell us what you are going to do ! Do, do tell us!"

" I'm going to discuss the whole matter with other people," said the Inspector, smiling down at the four children. " You've not given me much time to make preparations, you know! According to you, it's all fixed for tomorrow !"

" How shall we know what's going to happen ? " asked Pam. " It's our affair this, can't we see what's going to happen? "

" I'll let you know tomorrow, at ten o'clock," said the big Inspector, twinkling at them. " Call a meeting of your Secret Society down in the shed, and I'll be there to report to you ! "

There was such excitement that evening among the Secret Seven that their parents thought they would never get them to bed. Colin, George, and Jack were all told by the other four, and spent a wonderful time thinking how clever they had been.

" Well, we'll meet down in the shed at ten tomorrow," said Colin. " Passwords and everything, and you all realise, of course, that not one single word of what the Inspector tells us is to be told to anyone else."

" Of course," said everyone.

At five to ten they had all arrived at the shed except the Inspector. He came promptly at ten o'clock.

" Have to let him in without the password," said Peter. But Janet called out loudly: " Password, please ! "

The Inspector grinned to himself outside the shed. " Well," he said, " I don't know it, but there's one word that seems to me to be a very good password for you at the moment, and that is... adventure ! "

" Right! " shouted everyone in delight, and the door opened. In went the Inspector and was given a large box to sit on. He beamed round at them all.

" This is secret," he said. " Top secret. We've made inquiries, and we think it is possible that a robbery may be planned this evening when the postman drives up in his mail-van to make the seven-thirty collection of letters from the red pillar-box in Ember Lane. At that time of the evening he has on board his van some sacks of registered letters."

" Oooooh ! " said Pam. " Just what we thought!"

" Now what we are going to do is this," said the Inspector. " A postman will drive up as usual with the mail-van. He will park it in the usual place. He will go across to the pillar-box and unlock it, with his back to the van."

" Yes," said everyone, hanging on to the Inspector's words. " What next ? "

" Well, the watcher behind the grating will probably signal to others waiting opposite in hiding," said the Inspector. " They will rush to the van, jump into the driver's seat, two of them probably, and drive it away."

"But... will you let them do that? " said Pam. " With all the sacks inside ! "

" The sacks won't be inside, my dear," said the Inspector. " But six fine policemen will, and what a shock for the two men when they park the mail-van somewhere lonely and go to unlock the van door."

" Oh! " cried the Seven, and gazed at the Inspector in delight.

" And the man signalling behind the grating

will find two policemen waiting for him in the passage outside the underground room," said the big Inspector. " Very interesting; don't you think so? "

" Please... please can we be somewhere and watch ? " asked Peter. " After all, if it hadn't been for us you wouldn't have known anything about this."

" Well now, you listen," said the Inspector, dropping his voice low and making everything sound twice as exciting. " There's a warehouse called Mark Donnal's in Ember Lane, and it's got a back entrance in the road behind Petton Road. Nobody will say anything if seven children go in one by one, and make their way to a window overlooking Ember Lane at the front of the warehouse. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't someone there to show you the very room you want! "

Every single one of the Secret Seven wanted to hug the big Inspector, but as he got up at that moment, they couldn't. They beamed in delight at him.

" Thank you! It's marvellous of you! We'll be there if our parents let us."

" I think you'll find that will be all right," said the Inspector, and off he went.

" well ! " said Peter, looking round. " This is wonderful. Seats in the very front row."

" Yes. But we shan't be able to see the best bit of all, when the men open the van and out come the policemen ! " said Jack.

" Never mind, we'll see plenty ! " said Peter. " I wonder where Jeff is. I suppose that awful Mr. Tizer took him away and locked him up somewhere till the raid should be over. I wonder what will happen to poor old Jeff."

" Mew," said the kitten, who was on Janet's knee. Its leg was healed now, and it was a fat, amusing little thing. Janet hugged it.

" I expect poor Jeff misses you," she said. " Never mind, maybe we'll be able to do something for Jeff if he's found, and you can go back to him."

" I wish tonight was here," said George, getting up. " It'll never come ! "

But it did come, and it brought a most exciting evening with it!