GOOD OLD SECRET SEVEN by Enid Blyton

16 AFTER SUPPER

Aftersupper that night, Peter disappeared to get his bicycle, and to meet theothers. 'Now remember, Janet,' he said, as he went out, 'borrow thefield-glasses and use them, butyou needn't ask Dad for them for a while  -  give us time to get well away, or Dad might come after us, and ifthere's nothing going on up there, it would be a shame to drag him out whenhe's tired; but be sure and watch for any signal.'

'Oh I will, Peter, I will,' said Janet, wishingshe was coming too. 'Oh, why am I a girl? I do so want to come. Are you takingScamper?'

'No. It's too far for him,' said Peter. 'Sorry,Scamper, old thing. Stay home!'

Scamper turned away sadly, tail down again, verymiserable. Didn't Peter love him any more? This was the second time that he hadgone out without him. Scamper walked down the garden some way behind Peter,wondering where he was going. He watched him take out his bicycle. He saw the otherboys come up one by one, and his tail went down even further.

He could bear it no longer when he saw the boysride off. He would follow them! They would go faster than he could run, butsomehow he would smell their trail and follow. 'Wuff,' said Scamper to himself.'Peter won't know. But I feel as if I must be with him tonight!'

And so a lonely figure padded up the road afterthe bicycles, holding its nose in the air, sniffing, sniffing, trotting awayafter the four boys. Good old Scamper!

Meantime Janet was watching the clock. She was gladwhen the two other girls came. Time was going very slowly indeed. She waiteduntil the boys had been gone about half an hour, and then she decided to askfor the field-glasses, and tell her parents what was happening! Would they becross? Well, it couldn't be helped, she must just bear it.

She found the field-glasses and went to thesitting-room where her father and mother sat, her mother knitting and herfather doing his accounts.

'Dad,' she said. 'May I borrow your field-glasses,please?'

'What in the world for?' said her father,astonished. 'At this time of night too!'

And then out everything came; thewhole story, higgledy-piggledy at first, so that her parents couldn't make heador tail of what she was telling them. But gradually they understood what hadbeen happening -  and why Janet wanted the field-glasses!

'Bless us all!' said her father, quite astounded.'What on earth will you children be up to next? This is a silly business; cycling up to the castle in the dark! As if anything serious could behappening there! Peter's idea of stolen pictures is nonsense!'

'Wait a minute, dear,' said his wife. 'I readsomething in the paper about valuable old paintings being stolen from LordLunwood's house; they were cut from their frames - and must have been rolled up and taken away quite easily ; in a suit-case, I think the paper said...'

Janet gave an excited little scream. 'Oh Mother... the pictures Susie and Binkie saw were just rolled up, too -  not framed - oh mother!'

And now her parents really did sit up and take notice. They questionedJanet quickly, and were most astonished at all she told them.

'So the four boys have gone up to the castle, allon their own!' said her father. 'This is really a most extraordinary story,Janet, I feel rather worried.'

'You needn't be,' said Janet. 'The boys can lookafter themselves, Dad - theyalways have! We can watch for their signal, and see if they need help.'

'I'm not waiting for any signal!' said her father,firmly. 'I'm going up now  - andI'm taking Matt the shepherd with me, and Gardener as well!'

'Oh dear!' said Janet. 'We were supposed to wait for a signal. Peterwill be cross!'

'Well, I shan't mind that!' said her father, andwent out to get Matt and to tell him to fetch the gardener. They were all to goup in the car.

Janet held the glasses carefully. Then shesuddenly remembered that she hadn't seen Scamper for some time. 'Wherever ishe?' she thought. 'Poor old Scamper! I expect he's sulking in a cornersomewhere, because the boys went off without him. I must find him and comforthim!'

She went back to where Pam and Barbara werepatiently waiting in the playroom for her, and told them quickly what herfather was going to do. They whole-heartedly approved.

'Grown-ups always seem to know at once what's the best thing to do,'said Pam, thankfully. 'That's one of the differences between them and us! Whereare you off to now, Janet?'

'To look for old Scamper,' said Janet. 'Come withme.'

But, of course, they couldn't find Scamper. He wasnowhere about, and Janet suddenly felt sure he had gone trailing after theboys. She was very glad.

'Scamper's always a help, anyway,' she said to theothers. 'Come on; we'd better go up to the boxroom now and watch forsignals through the field-glasses. Oh dear ... I feel all worked up!'

But though they looked and looked through theglasses, each taking a turn, no signal came!

'This is awful,' said Janet, when an hour had goneby. 'No "All's Well" signal - and no "Something's Wrong" signal - and no "Urgent" signal ... nothing at all! Whatever can be happening?'