Free Five Go Off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton

know I would have whistled for you if I'd wanted you, didn't you, Timmy? Good dog!'

    'I'll get you some supper,' said Anne to everyone. 'We're all famishing. We can talk while we eat. George, come and help. Julian, can you get some ginger-beer? And, Dick, do fill up the water-bowl for me.'

    The boys winked at one another. They always thought that Anne was very funny when she took command like this, and gave her orders. But everyone went obediently to work.

    Nobby went to help Anne. Together they boiled ten eggs hard in the little saucepan. Then Anne made tomato sandwiches with potted meat and got out the cake the farmer's wife had given them. She remembered the raspberry syrup, too — how lovely!

    Soon they were all sitting on the rocky ledge, which was still warm, watching the sun go down into the lake. It was a most beautiful evening, with the lake as blue as a cornflower and the sky flecked with rosy clouds. They held their hard-boiled eggs in one hand and a piece of bread and butter in the other, munching happily. There was a dish of salt for everyone to dip their eggs into.

    'I don't know why, but the meals we have on picnics always taste so much nicer than the ones we have indoors,' said George. 'For instance, even if we had hard-boiled eggs and bread and butter indoors, they wouldn't taste as nice as these.'

    'Can everyone eat two eggs?' asked Anne. 'I did two each. And there's plenty of cake — and more sandwiches and some plums we picked this morning.'

    'Best meal I've ever had in my life,' said Nobby, and picked up his second egg. 'Best company I've ever been in, too!'

    Thank you,' said Anne, and everyone looked pleased. Nobby might not have their good manners, but he always seemed to say just the right thing.

    'It's a good thing your uncle didn't make you go back with him and Lou,' said Dick. 'Funny business — changing his mind like that!'

    They began to talk about it. Julian was very puzzled indeed, and had even begun to wonder if he hadn't better find another camping site and go over the hill.

    The others raised their voices scornfully.

    'JULIAN! We're not cowards. We'll jolly well stay here!'

    'What, leave now — why should we? We're in nobody's way, whatever those men say!'

    'I'm not moving my caravan, whatever anyone says!' That was George, of course.

    'No, don't you go,' said Nobby. 'Don't you take no notice of Lou and my uncle. They can't do nothing to you at all. They're just trying to make trouble for you. You stay and let me show you over the camp, see?'

    'It isn't that I want to give in to those fellows' ideas,' said Julian. 'It's just that — well, I'm in charge of us all — and I don't like the look of Lou and Tiger Dan — and, well . . .'

    'Oh, have another egg and forget about it,' said Dick. 'We're going to stay here in this hollow, however much Dan and Lou want us out of it. And, what's more, I'd like to find out why they're so keen to push us off. It seems jolly queer to me.'

    The sun went down in a blaze of orange and red, and the lake shimmered with its fiery reflection. Nobby got up regretfully, and Barker and Growler, who had been hobnobbing with Timmy, got up, too.

    'I'll have to go,' said Nobby. 'Still got some jobs to do down there. What about you coming down tomorrow to see the animals? You'll like Old Lady, the elephant. She's a pet. And Pongo will be pleased to see you again.'

    'Your uncle may have changed his mind again by tomorrow, and not want us near the camp,'
    said Dick.

    'Well — I'll signal to you,' said Nobby. 'I'll go out in the boat, see? And wave a hanky. Then you'll know it's all right. Well — so long! I'll be seeing you.'

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    FUN AT THE CIRCUS CAMP

    Next morning, while Anne cleared up the breakfast things with George, and Dick went off to the farm to buy whatever the farmer's wife had ready for him, Julian took the field-glasses and sat on the ledge to watch for Nobby to go out on the lake in his boat.

    Dick sauntered along,