GOOD OLD SECRET SEVEN by Enid Blyton

04 THE WONDERFUL TELESCOPE

The wrappings were soon off  and the Seven crowded round as Jack put the big telescope together, andshowed them how the long tube could be stretched out even longer.

'You've no idea how far the telescope's eye can see,' he said. 'When Ilooked through it this morning before I came, I could see the scarecrow in thefield half a mile from our house  andwhat is more I could see a sparrow or some bird sitting on his hat!'

'Do let's look through it,' said Janet, excited.'Let's take it out into the garden, and train it on something far away.' So they carried it out into the garden, and set iton its little stand on the broad top of the low garden wall. Jack was veryclever at adjusting the lens so that it focused  properly, and made everything as clear as could be.

 'Now that's exactly right,' said Jack, lookingthrough the telescope. 'I've trained it on that little cottage over on theslope there. Before you look through the telescope tell me what you can seewith your bare eyes.'

'Well - thecottage, of course,' said Pam. 'And something in the garden, I can't see what.'

'And somebody on the path. That's about all,' saidBarbara. 'Right. Well, look through the telescope andyou'll see a whole lot more!' said Jack. 'You first, Peter, you're our leader.'

 So Peter looked through the long telescope, andimmediately gave a loud cry. 'Jack! It's marvellous! I can see Mrs Haddon as ifshe was just over our wall  andI can even see the jug she is carrying. And that's a pram in the garden  and I can see the baby's teddy bear sitting up at the end of it! And..'

'Let me have a turn,' said Janet, itching to have a look. 'Goodgracious! I can see something sticking out of the chimney! It must be a sweep'sbrush. Yes, it is! And there's a cat sitting just inside the window! Oh Jack - it's as if I've magic eyes that can see for miles! Oh, aren't you luckyto have a telescope like this? What fun we'll have!' Jack was very pleased at the excitement histelescope caused, as one after another the Secret Seven peered through it. 'Wecan have great fun with it,' he said, proudly. 'We can watch the birds and seeeverything they do. We can examine every aeroplane that comes overhead. We can!'

 'Children! Whatever are you doing standing stillout in the cold for so long?' suddenly cried a voice. 'You'll get colds, all ofyou! What's that you've got?'

'It's a telescope, Mother,' called Janet. 'Itbelongs to Jack. He's sharing it with us.'

'Howlovely! But do you know how late it's getting?' called her mother. 'Well, we'll put the telescope away now,' saidJack. 'I'm supposed to get home to an early lunch. Come on help me with it, Colin.'

Soon the telescope was safely in the shed, wrappedup very carefully. 'It's jolly good of you to share it with us,' saidPeter, 'and to say we can all use it when we like. But I think we'd better saythat I or Janet must be told when anyone comes to borrow it  we'll be responsible for it, see? Is that understood, everyone?'

'Ohyes! We'll come and tell you when we want to look through it,' said George, andthe others agreed. 'But suppose you're out? We'd better know where the key ofthe shed is to be kept, Peter.' 'Oh, ofcourse,' said Peter. 'Let's think now, somewhere fairly easy to get  butyet well hidden. What about under this flat stone here, just by the shed?Scamper, you're the only one not allowed to touch the stone or the key.Understand?'

'Wuff,' said Scamper solemnly and wagged his tail.He watched while Peter carefully slid the key under the stone.

'I'll have to tell Susie where it is,' said Jack,in rather a small voice.'Iknow. We promised that,' said Peter. 'She will have to go into our shed, butwe'll be careful not to leave any Secret Seven secrets about! Tell her wherethe key is, and say she must put it back under the stone ifshe ever uses it.' 'Right,' said Jack. 'Er.. what about a new password, Peter? Susie knows our last one,'  'Good gracious, yes. I'd forgotten that,' saidPeter. 'Well, I think it's quite obvious what we'll have! The next password,members, is telescope!'

Then off they all went, and Peter and Janetcarried everything carefully back to the house. Scamper followed them, wagginghis tail. 'Wuff-wuff!' he said, and Peter laughed. 'No .. that's our old password, Scamper. You'll have to remember the new one!'