Free Five Go to Billycock Hill by Enid Blyton Page B

she said. „This tent is so hot and stuffy that I feel half-asleep."
    „Yes - it"s getting late," said Julian, looking at his watch. „You two girls and Timmy can have this tent - it wil save you going out into the rain. Fasten the flap after we"ve gone - and yell if you want anything."
    „Right. Good night, Ju, good night, Dick," said the girls, and the boys scrambled out into the rain. Anne fastened the flap of the tent, and wrapped her rug round her. She burrowed into her heathery bed and made herself comfortable. George did the same.
    „Good night," said Anne, sleepily. „Keep Tim on your side. I can"t bear him on my legs, he"s so heavy."
    The Five slept soundly and awoke the next morning to a dismal scene of rain and dark clouds.
    „How disappointing!" said Dick, peering out of his tent. We ought to have listened to the weather forecast to see if it would clear today. What"s the time, Julian?"
    „Just gone eight," said Julian. „My word, we are sleepy these days! Well, it"s not raining so very hard now - let"s see if the girls are awake, and put on our macs and go and wash at the spring."
    They all had breakfast - not quite so merry as usual, because it was a bit of a crowd in the tent and not nearly so much fun as having it in the sunshine. Stil , the day might clear, and then they could go down to see Toby at the farm.
    „I suppose we"d better go and explore those caves this morning," said Dick, after breakfast. „There"s nothing else to do, and I refuse to play cards al morning."
    „We all refuse!" said George. „Let"s put on our macs and see if we can find the caves."
    „We can look at the map," said Julian. „It"s a large-scale one. There must be a road or lane to them - they are quite wel -known. They"re probably round the hil a bit - lower down."
    „Well, never mind - we"l see if we can find them, and if we can"t it won"t matter. We shall have been for a walk!" said Dick.
    They set off in a fine drizzle, walking through the damp heather, Timmy leaping in front.
    „Everyone got torches!" said Dick suddenly. „I"ve got mine. We"ll need them in the caves!"
    Yes, everyone had a torch - except Timmy, and he, as Anne pointed out, had eyes that were far better for seeing in the dark than any torch could ever be!
    They made their way down the hil and then veered off to the north side - and came suddenly upon a wide, rather chalky path, where the heather had been cut well back.
    „This rather looks as if it led somewhere," said Julian, stopping.

    „It might lead to an old chalk quarry," said Dick, kicking some loose white lumps of chalk.
    „Like the one near Kirrin."
    „Well, let"s follow it up and see," said George, and they went along it, kicking the lumps of chalk as they went. They rounded a corner and saw a notice.

    TO BILLYCOCK CAVES

    Warning

    Keep only to the roped ways.
    Beware of losing your way in the
    unroped tunnels.

    „This sounds good," said Julian. „Let"s see - what did Toby tell us about the caves?"
    „They"re thousands of years old - they"ve got stalagmites and stalactites," said George.
    „Oh - I know what those are," said Anne. „They look like icicles hanging from the roof -
    while below, on the floor of the cave, other icicles seem to grow upwards to meet them!"
    „Yes - the roof ones are stalactites and the ground ones are stalagmites," said Dick.
    „I simply never can remember which is which," said Anne.
    „It"s easy!" said Julian. „The stalactite icicles have to hold tight to the roof - and the stalagmite might some day join with the ones above them!"
    The others laughed.
    „I shall never forget which are which now," said Anne.
    The path they were following altered as they came near to the caves, and lost its chalky look. Just in front of the entrance the way was properly paved, and was no longer rough.
    The entrance was only about six feet high, and had over it a white board with two words painted very large in black.

    BILLYCOCK CAVES

    The warning they had