PUZZLE FOR THE SECRET SEVEN by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 4 SECRET SEVEN MEETING

Next morning, sharp at five to ten, Peter and Janet were down in their shed. On the door were the letters S.S., and everything was ready inside boxes to sit on, some biscuits on a plate, and lemonade to drink.

"I hope everyone remembers the password, and their badges," said Peter. "It's rather a long time since we had the last meeting."

"Wuff!" said Scamper, suddenly wagging his tail. Janet gave a squeal of laughter.

"Scamper knows it! He said it! Yes, Scamper, you've remembered the password ... it was Wuff! Clever dog!"

Footsteps came up the path to the shed, and Scamper gave a little whine of welcome. He knew it was George. A knock came on the door, and a low voice said, "Wuff!"

"Enter!" called Peter, and George came in, grinning, wearing his badge on his coat.

"I nearly forgot the password," he said. "But luckily I'd written it down in my diary! Here's someone else."

It was Pam and Barbara. They knocked, and Peter called out immediately, "Password, please."

"Peter, we're not quite sure if it's Wuff or Woof," said Pam's anxious voice.

"Wuff!" said Scamper at once.

"You're not to give the password away, Scamper," said Janet, shocked. Barbara and Pam giggled outside the door. "Thanks, Scamper. Wuff, Peter!"

"Come in," said Peter. "Just by the skin of your teeth, though! Who's that coming now?"

"Jack and Colin," said Pam, as the door shut on her and Barbara. "Oh, it's good to be here again, in our shed!"

Knock-knock!

"Password!" called Peter. "And don't yell it."

"We've forgotten it," said Colin, in a very apologetic voice. "I mean ... it's so long since we had a meeting, and...."

"Can't let you in!" said Peter sternly.

"Oh, don't be such an ass, Peter," said Jack angrily. "You know I daren't write our password down in case Susie finds it ... and it's awfully difficult to remember it when we have had so many. I know it's something to do with a dog. Is it Whiskers?"

"Wuff, wuff, wuff," said Scamper, and Pam gave a squeal of delight. Then a voice came from somewhere in the bushes outside.

"The password is Wuff, Jack, Wuff!" and then came a burst of very loud laughter from two people.

"Susie! Binkie! I told you not to follow me!" cried Jack angrily. "How do you know the password?"

"Oh, come in, come in," said Peter, opening the door. Jack and Colin went in, looking angry, and Peter went over to the bushes. He spoke sternly to the two giggling girls behind them.

"Spoil-sports! Go and giggle somewhere else. If you are here in two minutes' time I shall take the hose-pipe and water this bush thoroughly. And I mean that!"

There was a scuffling noise, and the two girls ran off, still giggling. Susie knew that Peter meant what he said, and she didn't want to be hosed! Peter went into the shed and slammed the door.

To everyone's great relief, he said nothing at all about passwords. "Now," he said, taking his place on his box. "About this business of the fire. I've..."

But before he could go on, Scamper began to bark madly. He ran to the door and scraped at it, still barking.

"Scamper! What's all this row about?" demanded Peter. "If it's those two girls again you're to go and chase them away. Do you hear?"

Scamper was delighted to see Peter opening the door. He dashed out at once, and the Secret Seven looked after him to see if he was chasing Susie and Binkie.

But he wasn't. He was dancing round two legs in corduroy trousers, his tail wagging in delight.

"Oh, it's Dad's shepherd," said Peter, in surprise, and called to the fine-looking old fellow on the near-by path. "Hallo, Matt! Did you want my father? He's gone to market, I'm afraid."

"Oh. I was afraid he'd be gone," said old Matt, taking his cap off and scratching his thatch of grey hair. "Well ... maybe you'd give him a message for me, Master Peter?"

"Yes, of course," said Peter. "What is it?"

"Well, likely you know there was a fire last night over on Hilly-Down yonder," said Matt, "and Luke Bolan and his wife had their shack burnt out, and they've nowhere to go..."

"Yes ... we all saw it," said Peter soberly. "And I telephoned for the fire-brigade, Matt."

"You did? That was smart of you, Master Peter," said Matt. "Well, now, I've got an idea to put up to the master ... but you say he's at the market?"

"Yes. He won't be home till after dinner," said Peter. "What's your idea, Matt?"

"There's an old caravan up by my sheep-hut," said Matt. "I lived in it before the master built me my hut, and I only use it now to store my goods in. Proper broken-down old thing it is ... but it would house Luke Bolan and his wife and kids for a bit, Master Peter, if so be as the master would let him use it. They haven't anywhere to go, see?"

"Oh, I'm sure my father would let them have it," said Peter, and Janet nodded at once. "Anyway, let's go and ask Mother. She'll know if Dad would give permission."

So the whole of the Secret Seven, with old Matt and Scamper too, went up the garden-path and round the house to where Peter's mother was weeding her lettuce bed. She was most surprised to see them with the shepherd.

"Why, Matt!" she said. "Is anything the matter?"

Matt told her what he had said to Peter, and she listened carefully. "Of course the Bolans can have the caravan until they can find somewhere else," she said. "I know the master would say that. That poor woman ... all her things burnt up like that! We'll certainly have to do something to help her. You go back to the Bolans, Matt, and tell them they can move into the old caravan at once. You can take your things out and store them in your own hut for a time, can't you?"

"Oh yes, Mam," said Matt. "And I can give them a rug, and lend them my little old table."

"We'll see what we can do too," said Peter's mother, and she turned to the Secret Seven. "Will you let me come to your meeting for once?" she said. "Because I think we can all help in this ... and if I'm there I can help you to make sensible plans. It's a thing we must do together."

"Of course, Mother!" said Peter, delighted. "Come along now, this very minute! We'd love to have you!"