Five Are Together Again Read Free Page B

I wouldn"t mind if you chewed up all my slippers!" said Anne. „But it would be nice if you chose the very oldest ones!"
    Timmy suddenly stopped and looked into the bushes. He gave a low growl! George put her hand on his col ar at once. She was always afraid of snakes in the spring time.
    „It might be an adder!" she said. „The dog next door trod on one last year, so I heard, and his leg swel ed up terribly, and he was in great pain. Come away now, Timmy - it"s an adder, with poison in its fangs!"
    But Timmy went on growling. Then he suddenly stood stil and sniffed hard. He gave an excited whimper and pul ed away from George, jumping into the bushes - and out came, not a snake, but Mischief, Tinker"s bright-eyed little monkey!
    He at once leapt on to the dog"s broad back, put his little monkey fingers under Timmy"s collar, and chattered in delight. Timmy nearly dislocated his neck trying to twist his head round to lick him!
    „Mischief!" cried everyone at once, in real delight. „You"ve come to welcome us!"
    And the little monkey, jabbering away excitedly in monkey-language, leapt first on to George"s shoulder, and then on to Julian"s. He pul ed Julian"s hair, twisted his right ear round, and then leapt from him to Dick, and on to Anne"s shoulder. He cuddled into her neck, his eyes bright and brown, looking very happy.
    „Oh! Isn"t he pleased to see us again!" said Anne, delighted. „Mischief, where"s Tinker?"

    Mischief jumped off Anne"s shoulder and scampered down the drive as if he quite understood al that Anne had said. The children raced after him - and then a stentorian voice suddenly roared at them from one side of the drive.
    „What are you doing here? Clear out! This is private ground. I"l fetch the police. Clear OUT!"
    The Five stopped stil in fright - and then Julian saw who it was - Professor Hayling! He stepped forward at once. „Good afternoon, sir," he said. „I hope we didn"t disturb you, but you did tell my aunt we could come here."
    „Your aunt? Who"s your aunt? I don"t know any aunt!" roared the Professor. „You"re sight-seers, that"s what you are! Come to pry into my work, just because there was a piece about it in some sil y paper! You"re the third lot today. Clear out, I tell you - and take that dog too. How DARE you!"
    „But sir - don"t you real y know us?" said Julian, very startled. „You came to stay at our house, you know, and..."
    „Stuff and nonsense! I haven"t been away for years!" shouted the Professor. Mischief, the monkey, was so frightened that he leapt away into the bushes, making a funny little crying noise.
    „I hope he fetches Tinker," said Julian, in a low voice to Dick. „The Professor has forgotten who we are, and why we"ve come. Let"s retreat a bit."
    But as they went cautiously back up the steep path, followed by the angry Professor, a loud voice hailed them, and Tinker came racing up with Mischief on his shoulder, clinging to his hair. So the little monkey had gone to fetch him. „Good for him!" thought Julian, pleased.
    „Dad! Don"t yell at our friends like that!" cried Tinker, dancing about in front of his angry father. „You asked them here yourself, you know you did!"
    „I DID NOT!" said the Professor. „Who are they?"
    „Well, George, that girl, is the daughter of Mr Kirrin, and the others are his niece and nephews. And that"s their dog, Timmy. And you asked them al here because Mr and Mrs Kirrin are in quarantine for scarlet fever," shouted Tinker, stil dancing about in front of his father.
    „Stop jigging about like that," said the Professor, crossly. „I don"t remember asking them. I would have told Jenny the maid, if I had."
    „You did tell her!" shouted Tinker, stil jigging about, with Mischief the monkey jigging too in delight. „She"s already made up the beds. I helped her. She"s angry because you left your breakfast and now it"s almost dinner-time. She"s cleared it away."
    „Bless us al - so that"s why I feel so hungry and cross!" said