Free Five on Finniston Farm by Enid Blyton

wonder you"re so pasty-faced, then," said George, before she could stop herself.
    „Aw shucks! Pasty-face yourself!" retorted Junior, feeling safe with his father near him.
    He heard a sudden ominous growl under the table, felt hot breath on his bare leg, and decided to say no more. He had forgotten all about the watchful Timmy!
    Julian thought it was about time to have some bright conversation, and began to tell Mrs Philpot about the hen-houses and what a good job they were making of patching them to make them rain-proof. Mr Philpot listened too, nodded, and actually joined in.
    „Yes - you"re good with your hands, you boys. I had a look when I came by. Fine work!"
    „Harriet"s good, too," said Harry at once. „She did that corner where the rats get in. Didn"t you, Harry?"
    „I wanted to help, Pop, but they shooed me off, like I was a hen!" said Junior in an aggrieved tone. „Seems as if they don"t want me around. That makes it pretty lonely, Pop.
    Can"t I come out with you this afternoon?"
    „No," said Pop, shortly.
    „Aw, c"mon, Pop," said Junior, in a whiny voice. „Aw shucks, Pop, lemme come!"
    „NO!" said Pop, exasperated. Timmy gave a growl again. He didn"t like cross voices. He couldn"t imagine why there was so much quarrelling here, and sat up, tense and stil , until George gave him a gentle push with her toe. Then he lay down again, his head across her feet.
    Everyone was glad when the meal was over, delicious though the food had been. The girls and Harriet insisted that Mrs Philpot should go and have a rest while they did al the clearing-away and washing-up. „Now try not to be unkind to Junior this afternoon," she said, as she went. „He"l be al alone when his father"s gone. Do let him be with you."
    Nobody answered. They hadn"t the least intention of al owing Junior to be with them.
    „Spoilt, bad-mannered little idiot!" thought George, clearing away with such vigour that she almost knocked Anne over.
    „Julian," she said in a low voice, catching him at the door as he went out, „Anne and I have something interesting to tel you. Where wil you be this afternoon?"
    „Up in the hen-houses, I expect," said Julian. „We"ll watch out for you and Anne. See you in about half an hour.”
    Junior had sharp ears. He heard exactly what George had said, and he was full of curiosity at once. What was this interesting thing George wanted to tell the boys? Was it a secret? Al right - he"d be on hand somewhere to hear it!
    And so, when the girls had finished their work, and set off to the hen-houses, Junior followed discreetly behind! He kept well out of sight until he saw George and Anne disappear into a henhouse, where the others were working - and then he crept to a corner outside and put his ear to a knot-hole in the wood. I"l get my own back now! he thought. I"l make them smart for leaving me out of things! Just see if I don"t!

Chapter Eleven
A MOST EXCITING TALK

    The boys were busy hammering and sawing and the girls sat and waited til the noise died down. Snippet was there, leaping about ridiculously with little bits of wood in his mouth, and Nosey the jackdaw had suddenly taken a fancy to the shavings that now covered the floor, and ran about chacking, and picking them up.
    Outside the hens clucked and squawked, and not far off the ducks quacked loudly.
    „Those are the kind of noises I like to hear," said Anne, settling herself on a sack in a corner.
    She raised her voice and shouted above the hammering to Dick. „WANT ANY HELP, DICK?"
    „No thanks," said Dick. „We"ll just finish this job, then sit down and have a rest, and listen to what you have to say. You sit and watch our wonderful carpentering! Honestly, I"d make pounds a week if I took it up!"
    „Look out - Nosey has got your nails again!" shouted George. Timmy leapt up as if he was going to chase Nosey, and the jackdaw promptly flew up to a crossbeam, and sat there chacking with laughter. Timmy thought him a very exasperating bird indeed.