FIVE FALL INTO ADVENTURE by Enid Blyton

06 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT?

That night Anne began to look rather scared as darkness fell. She was remembering the Face at the Window!

"It won't come again, Ju, will it?" she said to her big brother half a dozen times.

"No, Anne. But if you like I'll come and lie down on George's bed instead of George tonight, and stay with you all night long," said Julian.

Anne considered this and then shook her head. "No. I think I'd almost rather have George and Timmy. I mean - George and I - and even you - might be scared of Faces, but Timmy wouldn't. He'd simply leap at them."

"You're quite right," said Julian. "He would. All right then, I won't keep you company - but you'll see, nothing whatever will happen tonight. Anyway, if you like, we'll all close our bedroom windows and fasten them, even if we are too hot for anything - then we'll know nobody can possibily get in."

So that night Julian not only closed all the doors and windows downstairs as he had done the night before (except the tiny pantry window that wouldn't shut), but he also shut and fastened all the ones upstairs.

"What about Joan's window ?" asked Anne.

"She always sleeps with it shut, summer and winter," said Julian, with a grin. "Country folk often do. They think the night air's dangerous. Now you've nothing at all to worry about, silly."

So Anne went to bed with her mind at rest. George drew the curtains across their window so that even if the Face came again they wouldn't be able to see it!

"Let Timmy out for me, Julian, will you?" called George. "Anne doesn't want me to leave her, even to take old Timmy out for his last walk. Just open the door and let him out. He'll come in when he's ready."

"Right!" called Julian, and opened the front door Timmy trotted out, tail wagging. He loved his last sniff round. He liked to smell the trail of the hedgehog who was out on his night-rounds; he liked to put his nose down a rabbit-hole and listen to stirrings down below; and he loved to follow the meanderings of rats and mice round by the thick hedges.

"Isn't Timmy in yet?" called George from the top of the stairs. "Do call him, Ju. I want to get into bed. Anne's half-asleep already."

"He'll be in in a moment," said Julian, who wanted to finish his book. "Don't fuss."

But no Timmy had appeared even when he had finished his book. Julian went to the door and whistled. He listened for Timmy to come. Then, hearing nothing, he whistled once more. 

This time he heard the sound of pattering footsteps coming up the path to the door. "Oh there you are, Tim," said Julian. "What have you been up to? Chasing rabbits or something?"

Timothy wagged his tail feebly. He didn't jump up at Julian as he usually did. "You look as if you've been up to some mischief, Tim," said Julian. "Go on - up to bed with you - and mind you bark if you hear the smallest sound in the night."

"Woof," said Timmy, in rather a subdued voice, and went upstairs. He climbed on to George's bed and sighed heavily.

"What a sigh!" said George. "And what have you been eating, Timmy? Pooh - you've dug up some frightful old bone, I know you have. I've a good mind to push you off my bed. I suppose you suddenly remembered one you buried months ago. Pooh!"

Timmy wouldn't be pushed off the bed. He settled down to sleep, his nose on George's feet as usual. He snored a little, and woke George in about half an hour.

"Shut up, Timmy," she said, pushing him with her feet. Anne woke up, alarmed.

"What is it, George?" she whispered, her heart thumping.