The Secret Series - Complete Collection. Enid blyton
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suppose because they are not used to people,” said Mike. “What’s the other side of the hill, Jack? Shall we go down it?”
"There are caves on the other side of the hill,” said Jack. “I haven’t explored those. They would make good hiding-places if anyone ever came to look for us here.”
They went down the hill on the other side. Gorse grew there and heather and bracken.
Jack pointed out a big cave in the hillside. It looked dark and gloomy in the hot sunshine.
“We haven’t time to go there now,” said Jack. “But a cave would be an awfully good place to store anything in, wouldn’t it? It would keep things nice and dry.”
A little way down the hill the children heard a bubbling noise.
“What’s that?” asked Peggy, stopping.
“Look! It’s a little spring!” cried Mike. “Oh, Jack! This shall be our water-supply!
It’s as cold as can be, and as clear as crystal!”
“It tastes fine, too,” said Jack. "I had a drink last time I was here. Lower down, another spring joins this one, and there is a tiny brook.”
At the bottom of the hill was a thick wood. In clear patches great bushes of brambles grew. Jack pointed them out.
“There will be thousands of blackberries in the autumn,” he said. “And as for hazel nuts, you should see them! And in another place I know here, on a warm slope, you can find wild raspberries by the score!”
“Oh, do show us!” begged Mike. But Jack said there was not time. Besides, the raspberries wouldn’t be ripe yet.
“The island is too big to explore all over to-day,” said Jack. “You’ve seen most of it - this big hill with its caves, the springs, the thick wood, and beyond the wood is a grassy field and then the water again. Oh, it is a glorious place!”
“Jack, where shall we live on this island?” said Peggy, who always liked to have everything well settled in her mind.
“We shall build a house of wood,” said Jack. “I know how to. That will do finely for the summer, and for the winter we will have to find a cave, I think.”
The children gazed at one another in glee. A house of wood, built by themselves - and a cave! How lucky they were to have a friend like Jack, who had a boat and a secret island!
They went back to the little landing-place, hungry and happy. They sat down and ate their bread and ham, carrots and peas, cherries and lettuces, and cake. It was the loveliest meal they had ever had in their lives, they thought. A little moorhen walked up to them and seemed surprised to see so many people in its home. But it did not run away. It ran round, pecking at the lettuce leaves; saying, “Fulluck, fulluck!” in its loud voice.
“If I could live here on this secret island always and always and always, and never grow up at all, I would be quite happy,” said Nora.
“Well, we’ll have a shot at living here for a good while at least!” said Jack. “Now, when shall we come?”
“And what shall we bring?” said Mike.
“Well, we don’t really need a great deal at present,” said Jack. “We can make soft beds of heather and bracken to lie on at night. What would be useful would be things like enamel mugs and plates and knives. I’ll bring an axe and a very sharp woodman’s knife. We’ll need those when we build our house. Oh - and matches would be most useful for lighting fires. We shall have to cook our meals. I’ll bring my fishing-line along, too.”
The more the children talked about their plan, the more excited they got. At last they had arranged what to bring. They were gradually to hide things in a hollow tree by the lakeside, and then, when the time came, they could carry them to the boat and row off to the secret island, ready to set up house there.
“A frying-pan would be useful,” said Nora.
“And a saucepan or two,” said Peggy, “and a kettle. Oh! What fun it will be. I don’t care how much we are slapped or scolded now - I shall think of this exciting plan all day long!”
“We had better fix a day for starting off,” said Jack. “What about a week from now?
Sunday would be a good day for running away, because no one will come to look for us until night-time, when we don’t go home!"
“Yes! A week to-day!” cried everyone. “Oooh! How happy we shall be!”
“Now we must go home,” said Jack, setting off to the boat. “You can row if you like, Mike, and I’ll bale out the water as we go. Get in, you girls.”
“Ay, ay, Captain!” they sang out, full of joy to think they had such a fine captain as Jack! Off they all went, floating across the water in the evening light. What would they be doing next Sunday?
Chapter III - The Escape
All that week the three children carried out their plans. Aunt Harriet and Uncle Henry could not understand what was different about the children - they did not seem to mind being scolded at all. Even Nora took a slapping without tears. She was so happy when she thought of the secret island that she couldn’t shed a tear!
The children took all the clothes they possessed down to the hollow tree by the lakeside. Mike took four enamel cups, some enamel plates, and two enamel dishes.
Nora smuggled down an old kettle that Aunt Harriet had put away in a cupboard. She did not dare to take one of those on the stove. Peggy took a frying-pan and a saucepan to the hollow tree, and had to put up with a dreadful scolding when her aunt could not find them.
Jack took a saucepan too, and an axe and a fine sharp knife. He also took some small knives and forks and spoons, for the other children did not dare to take these.
There were only just enough put out for them and their aunt and uncle to use. So they were glad when Jack found some and brought them along.
“Can you get some empty tins to store things in?” asked Jack. “I am trying to get sugar and things like that, because we must have those, you know. Grandad gave me some money the other day, and I’m buying a few things to store.”
“Yes, I’ll get some empty tins,” said Mike. “Unde has plenty in the shed. I can wash them out and dry them. And could you get matches, Jack? Aunt only leaves one box out, and that won’t go far.”
“Well, I’ve got a small magnifying glass,” said Jack, and he showed it to the others. “Look, if I focus the rays of the sun on to that bit of paper over there, see what happens. It burns it, and, hey presto, there’s a fire ready-made!”
“Oh, good!” said Mike. "We’ll use that on a sunny day, Jack, and save our matches!”
“I’m bringing my work-basket in case we need to sew anything,” said Peggy.
“And I’ve got a box of mixed nails and an old hammer,” said Mike. “I found them in the shed.”
“We’re getting on!” said Jack, grinning, “I say - what a time we’re going to have!”
“I wish Sunday would come!” sighed Nora.
“I shall bring our snap cards and our game of ludo and our dominoes,” said Peggy.
“We shall want to play games sometimes. And what about some books?”
“Good for you!” cried Mike. “Yes - books and papers we’ll have, too - we shall love to read quietly sometimes.”
The old hollow tree by the lakeside was soon full of the queerest collection of things. Not a