Five Are Together Again Read Free Page A

lighthouse is certainly lovely and al on its own, and the view from it is amazing - but there"s something about Kirrin Island that I love.
    Islands are quite different from anything else!"
    „Yes. They are," said Anne. „I"d like one too. A very little one, so that I could see all round it at one glance. And I"d like one little cave to sleep in - just big enough for me."
    „You"d soon be lonely, Anne," said Dick, giving his sister a friendly pat. „You love to have people round you, you like to be friendly!"
    „So does Timmy!" said Julian, as Timmy left his place by George"s knee and went to sniff at a net-bag held by an old man, who at once fondled the big dog, and fumbled for a biscuit out of a paper bag. „Timmy doesn"t mind how many people there are around, so long as one or two of them has a biscuit or a bone to hand out!"
    „Come to heel, Timmy," said George. „You"re not to go round begging, telling people you are half-starved! I should think you eat more than any other dog in Kirrin. Who eats the cat"s dinner whenever he can, I should like to know?"
    Timmy gave George a loving lick and settled down beside her, his head on her shoes. He got up politely every time someone entered or left the bus. The conductor was most impressed.
    „I wish all dogs were as good on my bus as yours," he told George. „You"d better get ready to jump out. Our next stop is supposed to be a little way beyond Big Hol ow, but I"l ring my bel , and the driver wil stop for a moment, and you can get out."

    „Thanks awful y," said Julian, grateful y, and when the bus stopped with a jerk a minute later, all the Five were ready to jump out.
    The bus went on, and left them standing outside a large wooden gate. The drive from it led steeply downwards, and a large house could just be seen hidden in a hol ow by great trees.
    „Big Hol ow!" said Julian. „Well - here we are. What a queer place - sort of mysterious and brooding. Now to find old Tinker! I bet he"l be pleased to see us al , especial y Timmy! Help me with the bags, Dick!"

Chapter Three
BIG HOLLOW - AND TINKER AND MISCHIEF AGAIN!

    The four children and Timmy went through the big, heavy gate, which groaned loudly.
    Timmy was very startled to hear the mournful creak, and barked sharply.
    „Sh!" said George. „You"ll get into trouble with the Professor, Timmy, if you raise your voice like that. I expect we"ll have to talk in whispers, so as not to disturb the Professor - so just see if you can whisper too."
    Timmy gave a small whine. He knew he couldn"t whisper! He trotted at George"s heel as they all went down the steep drive to the house. It was a queer house, built sideways to the drive, and had astonishingly few windows.
    „I expect Professor Hayling is afraid of people peering in at his work," said Anne. „It"s very, very secret, isn"t it?"
    „I know he uses miles and miles of figures," said Dick. „Tinker told me one day that his monkey Mischief once chewed up a page of figures when he was very smal - and Professor Hayling chased him for a whole hour, hoping to catch him and find even a few bits of paper stil in his mouth, so that he could rescue at least part of his figures. But Mischief fled down a rabbit-hole and didn"t come up for two days, so it wasn"t any good."
    Everyone smiled at the thought of poor Mischief hiding down a rabbit-hole. „You couldn"t do that, Timmy old thing!" said Julian. „So just be careful of any paper you eat."
    „He wouldn"t be so sil y," said George, at once. „He knows perfectly well what"s eatable and what"s not."
    „Ha! Does he!" said Anne. „Well, I"d just like to know what kind of food he thought my blue slipper was that he chewed up last hols!"
    „Don"t tell tales of him," said George. „He only chewed it because someone shut him in your bedroom and he hadn"t anything else to do."
    „Woof," said Timmy, quite agreeing. He gave Anne"s hand a little lick, as if to say, „Very sorry, Anne - but I was so bored!"
    „Dear Timmy!