Enid Blyton - Five on a hike together

Contents

Chapter One

A LETTER FROM JULIAN

Anne! shouted George, running after her cousin as she went along to her classroom. Anne! Ive just been down to the letter-board and theres a letter from your brother Julian, Ive brought it for you.

Anne stopped. Oh thanks, she said. What can Julian want? He only wrote a few days ago - its most extraordinary for him to write again so soon. It must be something important.

Well, open it and see, said George. Hurry up - Ive got a maths class to go to.

Anne ripped open the envelope. She pulled out a sheet of notepaper and read it quickly. She looked up at George, her eyes shining.

George! Julian and Dick have got a few days off at our half-term week-end! Somebodys won a wonderful scholarship or something, and the boys have got two days tacked on to a week-end to celebrate! They want us to join them in a hike, and all go off together.

What a glorious idea! said George, Good old Julian. I bet he thought of that. Lets read the letter, Anne.

But before she could read it a mistress came along. Georgina! You should be in class - and you too, Anne.

George scowled. She hated to be called by her full name. She went off without a word. Anne tucked the letter into her pocket and rushed off joyfully. Half-term with her brothers, Julian and Dick - and with George and Timmy the dog. Could anything be better?

She and George talked about it again after morning school. We get from Friday morning till Tuesday, said George. The boys are getting the same. What luck! They dont usually have a half-term in the winter term.

They cant go home because the painters are in our house, said Anne. Thats why I was going home with you, of course. But Im sure your mother wont mind if we go off with the boys. Your father never likes us in the middle of the term.

No, he doesnt, said George, Hes always deep in the middle of some wonderful idea, and he hates to be disturbed. It will suit everyone if we go off on a hike.

Julian says he will telephone to us tonight and arrange everything, said Anne. I hope it will be a nice fine week-end. It will still be October, so theres a chance of a bit of warm sunshine.

The woods will be beautiful, said George. And wont Timmy enjoy himself, Lets go and tell him the news.

The boarding-school that the two girls were at was one that allowed the children to bring their own pets to school, There were kennels down in the yard for various dogs, and Timmy lived there during term-time. The two girls went to get him.

He heard their footsteps at once and began to bark excitedly. He scraped at the gate of the kennel yard, wishing for the thousandth time that he could find out how to open it.

He flung himself on the two girls, licking and pawing and barking.

Silly dog. Mad dog! said George, and thumped his back affectionately. Listen, Tim - were going off for the week-end with Julian and Dick! What do you think of that? Were going on a hike, so youll love it. All through the woods and up the hills and goodness knows where!

Timmy seemed to understand every word. He cocked up his ears, put his head on one side and listened intently while George was speaking.

Woof, he said, at the end, as if he approved thoroughly. Then off he went with the girls for his walk, his plumy tail wagging happily. He didnt like term-time nearly as much as the holidays - but he was quite prepared to put up with kennel life so long as he could be near his beloved George.

Julian rang up that night as he had promised. He had got everything planned already. Anne listened, thrilled.

'It sounds super, she said. Yes - we can meet where you say, and well be there as near as we can on time. Anyway, we can wait about if you others arent there. Yes - well bring the things you say. Oh Julian, wont it be fun?

'Whats he say? asked George impatiently when at last Anne put the receiver down. You might have let me have a word with Julian. I wanted to tell him all about Timmy.

He doesnt want to waste an expensive telephone call listening to you raving about Timmy, said Anne. He asked how he was and I said fine, and thats all he wanted to know about Tim. Hes made all the arrangements. Ill tell you what they are.

The girls went off to a corner of their common-room and sat down. Timmy was there too. He was allowed in at certain times, and so were three other dogs belonging to the girls. Each dog behaved well - he knew that if he didnt he would be taken back to the kennels at once!

Julian says that he and Dick can get off immediately after breakfast, said Anne. So can we, so thats all right. He says weve got to take very little with us - just night-things, tooth-brush, hair-brush and flannel and a rolled-up mac. And any biscuits or chocolate we can buy, Have you any money left?

A bit, said George. Not much. Enough to buy a few bars of chocolate, I think. Anyway, youve got all the biscuits your mother sent last week. We can take some of those.

Yes. And the barley sugar one of my aunts sent, said Anne. But Julian says were not to take much because this is to be a proper hike, and well get tired if we have to carry a heavy load. Oh, he said put in two pairs of extra socks.

Right, said George, and she patted Timmy who was lying close beside her. Theres going to be a long walky-walk, Tim. Wont you love that!

Timmy grunted comfortably. He wondered if there would be any rabbits on the walk. A walk wasnt really exciting unless there were rabbits all over the place. Timmy thought it was a pity that rabbits were allowed to live down holes. They always disappeared most unfairly just when he had nearly caught one!

Anne and George went to see their house-mistress to tell her that they were not going to Kirrin Cottage after all, but were going walking.

My brother says he has written to you, said Anne. So youll know all about it tomorrow, Miss Peters. And Georges mother will be writing too. We can go, cant we?

Oh, yes - it will be a lovely half-term for you! said Miss Peters. Especially if this sunny weather lasts. Where are you going?

Over the moors, said Anne. In the very loneliest, most deserted parts that Julian can find! We might see deer and wild ponies and perhaps even a few badgers. We shall walk and walk.

But where will you sleep if the parts you are going to are so very lonely? asked Miss Peters.

Oh Julian is arranging all that, said George. Hes been looking up little inns and farm-houses on the map, and we shall make for those at night. It will be too cold to sleep out of doors.

It certainly will! said Miss Peters. Well dont get into trouble, thats all I know what you five are when you get together. I imagine Timmy is going with you too?

Of course! said George. I wouldnt go if he didnt go! I couldnt leave him here alone.

The two girls got their things ready as Friday came near. The biscuits were taken out of the tin and put into paper bags. The barley sugar was put into a bag too, and the bars of chocolate.

Both girls had rucksacks with straps for their shoulders. They packed and repacked them several times. One by one more and more things were added. Anne felt she must take a book to read. George said they must each take a torch with a new battery.

And what about biscuits for Timmy? she said. I simply must take something for him. Hed like a bone too - a big one that he can chew and chew and that I can put back into the bag for another time.

Well, let me carry all the biscuits and chocolate then if youre going to put a smelly old bone into your bag, said Anne. I dont see why you want to take anything for Timmy - he can always have something to eat when we do - wherever we have a meal.