A girl runs away from home and it's up to Secret Seven to find her !
Jack's litter sister Susie is up to her usual tricks but she can't put Secret Seven off the trail of clues.
They all went out of the field, and took the path that led down to Bramble Cottage. The Seven were very thrilled to be in at the finish. To their great disgust they met Susie on her bicycle, riding along with a friend.
'Hallo!' she called cheekily. 'Solved your silly mystery yet?'
'Yes!' said Jack. 'And that boy Tom was Elizabeth - dressed up like a stable-boy! You'd never have thought of that in a hundred years!'
'Oh, but I knew it!' said the aggravating Susie. 'Shan't tell you how! But I knew it!' And away she went, waving her cheeky hand at them.
'She's a terrible fibber,' said Janet. 'I suppose she couldn't have guessed, could she, Jack?'
'I wouldn't put it past her,' said Jack, with a groan. 'Anyway, she'll keep on and on saying she knew. Why did I tell her just now?'
'Goodness knows,' said Peter. 'You'd better safety-pin your mouth, Jack! Well - here we are at the cottage. Won't the old granny be pleased?'
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
She was! She hugged the brown-faced, short-haired girl and kissed her and fondled her, happy tears streaming down her face.
Miss Wardle rushed indoors and brought out biscuits and lemonade for everyone. Scamper, who was there as usual, of course, was delighted to have two fine biscuits presented to him.
'Elizabeth! Now where did you hide? And are those my riding-breeches?' asked Charles, pulling at them. 'Where did you get them?'
'From your chest of drawers here,' said Elizabeth. 'I knew nobody would miss them. They're rather big for me, though. And I've made them very dirty! I hid in the hay-loft at the stables each night, with just a rug to cover me. I was quite warm and cosy.'
'So you did take that rug!' said Miss Wardle. 'I thought so! And all that food too, I suppose?'
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
'Yes. You see, I'd no money left after paying my fare down here,' said Elizabeth. 'At least, I had five-pence, that's all. So I had to get a job - but you're only paid once a week, so I had to have food till my wages were due - I couldn't go without eating!'
