Free Five Go Off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton Page B

saw my signal all right?' he said. 'Uncle hasn't changed his mind — in fact, he seems quite to have taken to you, and says I'm to show you all round and let you see anything you want to. That was his shirt I waved. I thought if I waved something enormous you'd know things were absolutely safe.'

    'Where shall we put the bathing-things and the picnic baskets while we see round the camp?'
    asked Anne. 'Somewhere cool, if possible.'

    'Put them in my caravan,' said Nobby, and led them to a caravan painted blue and yellow, with red wheels. The children remembered having seen it when the procession passed by their house a week or two before.

    They peeped inside. It wasn't nearly so nice as theirs. It was much smaller, for one thing, and very untidy. It looked dirty, too, and had a nasty smell. Anne didn't like it very much.

    'Not so good as yours!' said Nobby. 'I wish I had a caravan like yours. I'd feel like a prince.
    Now what do you want to see first? The elephant? Come on, then.'

    They went to the tree to which Old Lady the elephant was tied. She curled her trunk round Nobby and looked at the children out of small, intelligent eyes.

    'Well, Old Lady!' said Nobby. 'Want a bathe?'

    The elephant trumpeted and made the children jump. 'I'll take you later on,' promised Nobby.
    'Now then — hup, hup, hup!'

    At these words the elephant curled her trunk tightly round Nobby's waist and lifted him bodily into the air, placing him gently on her big head!

    Anne gasped.

    'Oh! Did she hurt you, Nobby?'

    ''Course not!' said Nobby. 'Old Lady wouldn't hurt anyone, would you, big one?'

    A small man came up. He had bright eyes that shone as if they had been polished, and a very wide grin. 'Good morning,' he said. 'How do you like my Old Lady? Like to see her play cricket?'

    'Oh, yes!' said everyone, and the small man produced a cricket bat and held it out to Old Lady.
    She took it in her trunk and waved it about. Nobby slipped deftly off her head to the ground.

    'I'll play with her, Larry,' he said, and took the ball from the small man. He threw it to Old Lady and she hit it smartly with the bat. It sailed over their heads!

    Julian fetched the ball. He threw it at the elephant, and again the great creature hit the ball with a bang. Soon all the children were playing with Old Lay and enjoying the game very much.

    Some small camp children came up to watch. But they were as scared as rabbits as soon as Julian or George spoke to them and scuttled of to their caravans at once. They were dirty and ragged, but most of them had beautiful eyes and thick curly hair, though it wanted brushing and washing.

    Nobby went to fetch Pongo, who was dancing to and fro in his cage, making anguished sounds, thinking he was forgotten. He was simply delighted to see the children again, and put his arm right round Anne at once. Then he pulled George's hair and hid his face behind his paws, peeping out mischievously.

    'He's a caution, aren't you, Pongo?' said Nobby. 'Now you keep with me, Pongo, or I'll put you back into your cage, see?'

    They went to see the dogs and let them all out. They were mostly terrier dogs, or mongrels, smart, well-kept little things who jumped up eagerly at Nobby, and made a great fuss of him. It was clear that they loved him and trusted him.

    'Like to see them play football?' asked Nobby. 'Here, Barker — fetch the ball. Go on, quick!'

    Barker darted off to Nobby's caravan. The door was shut, but the clever little dog stood on his hind legs and jerked the handle with his nose. The door opened and in went Barker. He came out dribbling a football with his nose. Down the steps it went and into the camp field. All the dogs leapt on it with howls of delight.

    'Yap-yap-yap! Yap-yap!' They dribbled that football to and fro, while Nobby stood with his legs open to make a goal for them.

    It was Barker's job and Growler's to score the goals, and the task of the other dogs to stop them. So it was a most amusing game to watch.