SECRET SEVEN MYSTERY by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 17 A FUNNY BUSINESS ALTOGETHER

Peter, Jack, and Charles went to the gate at the bottom of the little garden, and up the hill to Warner's Stables, the two boys wheeling their bicycles. They liked Charles. He reminded them of someone, but they couldn't think who it was.

'Where's Tom?' Peter called to Harry, when they came to the stables. He was saddling a horse.

'Somewhere about,' he shouted back. 'Over there, I think.'

' You see if Tom is over yonder, and I'll go into the stables and see if he's there,' said Peter. Charles went with Jack, and Peter looked into the stables. At the far end he saw Tom, cleaning out one of the stalls.

'Hey, Tom!' called Peter. 'There's someone wants to see you.'

'Who?' shouted back Tom.

'You remember meeting that girl Elizabeth?' said Peter. 'Well, it's her brother, Charles. He's come over from France, he's so upset, and . . .'

He stopped, because Tom had suddenly flung down his rake, and had shot past him at top speed. He tore out of the door, and Peter stared in surprise. When Peter got to the stable door himself, there was no sign of Tom! He saw Jack and Charles coming towards him, and called to them.

'Did you see Tom? He tore out of here just now, goodness knows why!'

'We saw someone racing off',' said Jack. 'Blow! Just as we wanted him. Didn't you tell him someone wanted to see him?'

'Yes, of course. I don't know if he heard me or not, but he suddenly flung down his fork and dashed off without a word!' said Peter, puzzled.

Harry, the other stable-boy, came up with the big stable-girl. 'Don't take any notice of Tom,' he said. ' He's a bit queer! Isn't he, Kate ?'

The stable-girl nodded. 'Hasn't got much to say for himself,' she said. 'Funny boy - a bit potty, / think!'

'But where did he go?' said Peter. 'Do you know where he lives? We could go to his home, and then our friend here could ask him a few things he wants to know.'

Neither Harry nor the girl knew where Tom lived, so Jack and Peter gave it up. 'Sorry,' they said to Charles, and Peter added: 'We could come here again to-morrow, if you like. Not that Tom can really tell you anything of importance. He may even have made it all up about meeting Elizabeth. He may have read about her in the papers, and just invented the whole meeting! He really is a bit queer, I think.'

'Well - thank you,' said Charles, who looked worried again. 'I'll go back. My poor old granny won't be herself again till we find Elizabeth. My parents haven't been told yet, but they'll have to be cabled to-morrow, and asked to come home. Dad's out in China on a most important job, and we didn't want to worry him at first. Apparently the police thought they would soon find my sister.'

'Yes - with no money - and wearing her school clothes it ought to have been easy to spot her,' said Jack. 'Well - good-bye - and good luck!'

The boys rode off down the hill. 'I'm jolly glad Elizabeth didn't steal that money after all,' said Peter. "Though we've never met her, I thought it was rather queer that anyone said to be so honest and straightforward should have done such a thing. And now I've seen that dear old granny, and her nice brother Charles - he is nice, isn't he, Jack? - I see even more clearly that Elizabeth couldn't have been a thief.'

'It's a funny business altogether,' said Jack. 'And it's not cleared up yet, Peter - not till Elizabeth's found. Remember, she doesn't know that the real thief has owned up!'

'I know,' said Peter. 'Well - we'll have another Secret Seven meeting to-morrow night, the same time as to-day, Jack. We'll tell the others at school to-morrow. We'll have to report this evening's happenings, and see if there's anything further we can do.'

' Right!' said Jack.' See you to-morrow!' and with a jingling of bicycle bells the two parted, each thinking the same thing. 'What a pity Elizabeth doesn't know that her name is cleared!'

Next evening the Secret Seven gathered in the meeting shed as usual, anxious to hear what Jack and Peter had to say. They were all very thrilled to hear about the brother Charles - and the exciting telephone call that had come while Jack and Peter were there.

'What a pity that boy Tom didn't stop and speak to Charles,' said Colin, puzzled. 'Do you suppose he made up that tale about meeting Elizabeth, and was afraid of being found out in his fairy-tale by Charles?'

'/tell you what!' said George, suddenly. 'I believe he knows where Elizabeth is! That's why he acts so queerly! That's why he ran off like that - to warn her that her brother was there!'

'You may be right, George,' said Peter, considering the matter. 'Yes - perhaps he does know where she is! Well - all the more reason why we should go up to-morrow and see him! We'll ask him straight out if he knows where the girl is - and watch his face. He's sure to give himself away if he does know where she is - even if he swears he doesn't!'

'We'll tell Charles to come too,' said Jack. 'If he thinks Tom knows his sister's hiding-place, I've no doubt he'll be able to make him tell it!'

'Right,' said Peter. 'Well - to-morrow may be exciting. We'll just see!'