Enid Blyton - Five Get Into a Fix

I do think these Christmas holidays have been the worst weve ever had, said Dick.

Jolly bad luck on old George, coming to stay with us for Christmasand then us all going down with those awful colds and coughs, said Julian.

Yesand being in bed on Christmas Day was horrible, said George. The worst of it was I couldnt eat anything. Fancy not being hungry on Christmas Day! I never thought that would happen to me!

Timmy was the only one of us who didnt get ill, said Anne, patting him. You were a pet, Tim, when we were in bed. You divided your time between us nicely.

Woof! said Timmy, rather solemnly. He hadnt been at all happy this Christmas. To have four of the five in bed, coughing and sneezing, was quite unheard of!

Well, anyhow, were all up again, said Dick. Though my legs dont really feel as if they belong to me yet!

Ohdo yours feel like that too? asked George. I was quite worried about mine!

We all feel the same, said Julian, but we shall be quite different in a day or twonow were up. Anywaywe go back to school next weekso wed better feel all right!

Everyone groanedand then coughed. Thats the worst of this germ weve had, whatever it is, said George. If we laughor speak loudlyor groanwe start coughing. I shall go completely mad if I dont get rid of my cough. It keeps me awake for hours at night!

Anne went to the window. Its been snowing again, she said. Not muchbut it looks lovely. To think we might have been out in it all last week. I do think its too bad to have holidays like this.

George joined her at the window. A car drew up outside and a burly, merry-looking man got out and hurried up the steps to the front door.

Heres the doctor, said Anne. I bet hell say were all quite all right to go back to school next week!

In a minute or two the door opened and the doctor came into the room, with the mother of Julian, Dick and Anne. She looked tiredand no wonder! Looking after four ill children and a most miserable dog over Christmas had not been an easy job!

Well, here they areall up and about now! said Mrs Barnard. They look pretty down in the mouth, dont they?

Ohtheyll soon perk up, said Dr. Drew, sitting down and looking at each of the four in turn. George looks the worstnot so strong as the others, I suppose.

George went red with annoyance, and Dick chuckled. Poor George is the weakling of the family, he said. She had the highest temperature, the worst cough, and the loudest groans, and she

But whatever else he was going to say was lost beneath the biggest cushion in the room, which an angry George had flung at him with all her might. Dick flung it back, and everyone began to laugh, George too. That set all the four coughing, of course, and the doctor put his hands to his ears.

Will they be well enough to go to school, Doctor? asked Mrs Barnard anxiously.

Well, yesthey wouldbut they ought to get rid of those coughs first, said the doctor. He looked out of the window at the snow. I wonder nownoI dont suppose its possiblebut

But what? said Dick, pricking up his ears at once. Going to send us to Switzerland for a skiing holiday, Doc? Fine! Absolutely smashing!

The doctor laughed. Youre going too fast! he said. NoI wasnt actually thinking of Switzerlandbut perhaps somewhere hilly, not far from the sea. Somewhere really bracing, but not too coldwhere the snow will lie, so that you can toboggan and ski, but without travelling as far as Switzerland. Switzerland is expensive, you know!

Yes. I suppose it is, said Julian. Nowe cant expect a holiday in Switzerland just because weve had beastly colds! But I must say a week somewhere would be jolly nice!

Oh yes! said George, her eyes shining. It would really make up for these miserable holidays! Do you mean all by ourselves, Doctor? Wed love that.

Well, nosomeone ought to be there, surely, said Dr. Drew. But thats up to your parents.

I think its a jolly good idea, said Julian. Motherdont you think so? Im sure youre longing to be rid of us all for a while. You look worn out!

His mother smiled. Wellif its what you needa short holiday somewhere to get rid of your coughsyou must have it. And I wont say that I shant enjoy a little rest while youre enjoying yourselves having a good time! Ill talk it over with your father.

Woof! said Timmy, looking enquiringly at the doctor, both ears pricked high.

He sayshe needs a rest somewhere too, explained George. He wants to know if he can come with us.

Lets have a look at your tongue, Timmy, and give me your paw to feel if its hot or not, said Dr Drew, gravely. He held out his hand, and Timmy obediently put his paw into it.

The four children laughedand immediately began to cough again. How they coughed! The doctor shook his head at them. What a din! I shouldnt have made you laugh. Now I shant be coming to see you again until just before you go back to school. I expect your mother will let me know when that day comes. Goodbye till thenand have a good time, wherever you go!

We will! said Julian. And thanks for bothering about us so much. Well send you a card when our coughs are gone!

As soon as Dr Drew had driven off in his car, there was a conference. We can go off somewhere, cant we, Mother? said Dick, eagerly. The sooner the better! You must be tired to death of our coughs, night and day!

Yes. I think you must go somewhere for a week or ten days, said his mother. But the question iswhere? You could go off to Georges home, I supposeKirrin Cottage but its not high up and besides, Georges father would certainly not welcome four coughs like yours!

No. Hed go mad at once, said George. Hed fling open his study doorand stride into our roomand shout Whos mak

But as George began to shout, she coughedand that was the end of her little piece of acting! Thats enough, George, said her aunt. For goodness sake, go and get a drink of water.

There was much debating about where they could go for a little while, and all the time they were talking the snow fell steadily. Dick went to the window, pleased.

If only we could find a place high up on a hill, just as the doctor said, a place where we could use our toboggans, and our skis, he said. Gosh, it makes me feel better already to think of it. I do hope this snow goes on and on.

I think Id better ring up a holiday agency and see if they can offer us something sensible, said his mother. Maybe a summer camp set up on a hill would doit would be empty now, and you could have the choice of a hut or a chalet or something.

But all her telephoning came to nothing! No, said the agencies. Sorrywe havent anything to suggest. Our camps are all closed down now. Nowe know of no winter ones in this country at all!

And then, as so often happens, the problem was suddenly solved by somebody no one had thought of asking old Jenkins, the gardener! There was nothing for him to do that day except sweep a path through the snow. He saw the children watching him from the window, grinned and came up to them.

How are you? he shouted. Would you like some apples? Theyve ripened nicely now, those late ones. Your mother said you werent feeling like applesor pears either. But maybe youre ready for some now.

Yes! We are! shouted Julian, not daring to open the window in case his mother came in and was angry to see him standing with his head out in the cold. Bring them in, Jenkins. Come and talk to us!

So old Jenkins came in, carrying a basket of ripe, yellow apples, and some plump, brown-yellow pears.