FIVE GO OFF IN A CARAVAN

03 THE CARAVANS ARRIVE

At last the great day came when the two caravans were due to arrive. The children stood at the end of the drive for hours, watching for them.

Mother had managed to borrow them from an old friend of hers. The children had promised faithfully to look after them well, and not to damage anything. Now they stood at the end of the drive, watching eagerly for the caravans to arrive.

 'They are being drawn by cars today,' said Julian. 'But they are fitted up to be horse-drawn, too. I wonder what they are like ... and what colour they are?'

 'Will they be like gypsy caravans, on high wheels, do you think?' asked Anne. Julian shook his head.

 'No, they're modern, Mother says. Streamlined and all that. Not too big either, because a horse can't draw too heavy a van.'

 'They're coming, they're coming! I can see them!' suddenly yelled George, making them all jump. 'Look, isn't that them, far down the road?'

 They all looked hard into the distance. No one had such good eyes as George, and all they could see was a blotch, a moving speck far away on the road. But George's eyes saw two caravans, one behind the other.

 'George is right,' said Julian, straining his eyes. 'It's our caravans. They're each drawn by a small car.'

 'One's red and the other's green,' said Anne. 'Bags I the red one. Oh, hurry up, caravans!'

 At last they were near enough to see properly. The children ran to meet them. They certainly were very nice ones, quite modern and 'streamlined', as Julian had said, well built and comfortable.

 They almost reach the ground!' said Anne. 'And look at the wheels, set so neatly into the side of the vans. I do like the red one, bags I the red one.'

 Each van had a little chimney, long, narrow windows down the two sides, and tiny ones in front by the driver's seat. There was a broad door at the back and two steps down. Pretty curtains fluttered at the open windows.

'Red curtains for the green caravan, and green ones for the red caravan!' said Anne. 'Oh, I want to go inside!'

But she couldn't because the doors were locked. So she had to be content to run with the others up the drive after the two caravans, shouting loudly:

'Mummy! They're here, the caravans are here.'

Her mother came running down the steps to see. Soon the doors were unlocked and the children went inside the caravans. Delighted shouts came from both vans.

 'Bunks along one side ... is that where we sleep? How gorgeous!'

 'Look at this little sink ... we can really wash up. And golly, water comes out of these taps!'

'There's a proper stove to cook on ... but I vote we cook out of doors on a camp-fire. I say, look at the bright frying-pans, and all the cups and saucers hanging up!'

 'It's like a proper little house inside. Doesn't it seem nice and big? Mother, isn't it beautifully planned? Don't you wish you were coming with us?'

 'Hey, you girls! Do you see where the water comes from? Out of that tank on the roof. It must collect rain-water. And look at this gadget for heating water. Isn't it all super?'

 The children spent hours examining their caravans and finding out all the secrets. They certainly were very well fitted, spotlessly clean, and very roomy. George felt as if she couldn't wait to start out. She really must get Dobby and set out at once!

'No, you must wait, silly,' said Julian. 'You know we've to get the other horse. He's not coming till tomorrow.'

 The other horse was a sturdy little black fellow called Trotter. He belonged to the milkman, who often lent him out. He was a sensible little horse, and the children knew him very well and liked him. They all learnt riding at school, and knew how to groom and look after a horse, so there would be no difficulty over their managing Dobby and Trotter.