Free Five Go to Billycock Hill by Enid Blyton

Anne with a giggle.
    „Old Mrs Janes looking for things to make spells with!" said George.
    Everyone laughed. „Idiot!" said Dick. „Though I must say this looks a night for witches!"
    Timmy went on barking, and Julian put his head out of the tent. „What"s up, Tim?" he said.
    „Who"s coming?"
    „Wuff, wuff," said Timmy, not turning his head to Julian, but seeming to watch something or someone in the half-light.
    „It may be a hedgehog he"s seen," said George from inside the tent. „He always barks at them because he knows he can"t pick them up."
    „Well - maybe you"re right," said Julian. „But I think I"l just go out and get Timmy to take me to whatever it is he"s barking at. I feel I"d like to know. He obviously hears or sees something!"
    He slid out of the tent-opening and went to Timmy. „Come on, Tim," he said. „Who is it?
    What"s upsetting you?"
    Timmy wagged his tail and ran in front of Julian. He obviously had no doubts about where he was going. Julian fol owed him, stumbling over the heather and wishing he had brought his torch, for it was now half-dark.

    Timmy ran some way down the hil towards the airfield, then rounded a clump of birch-trees and stopped. He barked loudly again. Julian saw a dark shadow moving there and cal ed out.
    „Who"s there? Who is it?"
    „It"s only me - Mr Brent," said an annoyed voice, and Julian caught sight of a long stick with a shadowy net on the end. „I"ve come out to examine our honey-traps before the rain comes and washes away the moths feeding there."
    „Oh," said Julian. „I might have thought of that when Timmy barked. Is Mr Gringle about, too?"
    „Yes - so if your dog barks again you"l know it"s only us," said Mr Brent. „We"re often prowling around at night - this is just as good a hil for moths at night as it is for butterflies by day. Can"t you stop that dog barking at me? Really, he"s very badly trained."
    „Shut up, Tim," ordered Julian, and Timmy obediently closed his mouth, but stil stood stiffly, staring at the man in the darkness.
    „I"m going on to our next honey-trap," said the man. „So you can take that noisy dog back to wherever you are camping." Mr Brent began to move away, flashing a torch in front of him.
    „We"re just up the hil ," said Julian. „About a hundred yards. Oh - you"ve got a torch, I see. I wish I"d brought mine."
    The man said nothing more, but went slowly on his way, the beam of his torch growing fainter. Julian began to climb back up the hil to the tents, but in the growing darkness it was not easy! He missed his way and went much too far to the right. Timmy was puzzled and went to him, tugging gently at his sleeve.
    „Am I going wrong?" said Julian. „Blow! I"d soon get lost on this lonely hil -side. Dick!
    George! Anne! Give a shout, wil you? I don"t know where I am."
    But he had wandered so far off the path that the three didn"t hear him - and Timmy had to guide him for a good way before he saw the torches of the others flashing up above, He felt most relieved. He had no wish to be caught in a heavy rain-storm on the exposed side of Billycock Hill!
    „Is that you, Julian?" called Anne"s anxious voice. „What a long time you"ve been! Did you get lost?"
    „Almost!" said Julian. „Like a fat-head I went without my torch - but Timmy here knew the way all right. I"m glad I"m back - it"s just beginning to rain!"
    „Who was Tim barking at?" asked George.
    „One of the Butterfly Men - Mr Brent, the one Dick and I saw today," said Julian. „I just caught the glint of his dark glasses in the half-light, and saw the butterfly net he carried.
    He said Mr Gringle was out, too."
    „But whatever for, with a storm coming?" marvelled Anne. „Al the moths would be wel in hiding."
    „They"ve come out to examine their moth-traps, as they call them," said Julian. „They spread sticky stuff like honey or something round the trunks of trees - and the moths fly down to it by the score. Then they come along and col ect any they