Five Go to Billycock Hill Read Free Page A

over him!
    „That"s better," said Dick, mopping his face with an enormous handkerchief. „Now let"s go and present ourselves at Billycock Farm. I hope Toby"s remembered that we"re coming -
    he promised to lend us all we wanted for camping out."
    They combed their hair, brushed down their clothes with their hands, and then, feeling more respectable, made their way across a field-path to a farm gate. The field was bumpy, so they rode slowly.
    Soon they were in a big farmyard, with hens pecking around them, and ducks swimming on a round duckpond. Farm dogs began barking from somewhere - and then something ran round the corner of the old house - something very smal and pink.
    „Whatever is it?" said Anne. „Oh - it"s a pigling! What a pet! Oh, it"s come right up to us -
    little pigling, have you escaped from your sty? How clean you are!"
    The tiny pig gave funny little squeals, and ran up to Timmy, who sat back on his haunches in surprise, staring at this unexpected little creature. He thought it must be some sort of dog without any hair.
    The pigling butted Timmy gently and Timmy retreated backwards. Julian laughed. „Tim can"t make it out!" he said. „No, don"t growl, Timmy - it"s quite harmless!"
    „Hal o - who"s this?" said Dick as a small figure came round the house. It stopped when it saw the Five.
    „What a dear little boy!" said Anne. „Is he Toby"s brother?"
    The child didn"t look more than five years old. He had a head of bright yellow curls, big brown eyes, and a grin just like his big brother"s.
    „That"s my pig," he said, coming slowly towards them. „He runned away from me."
    Anne laughed. „What"s your pig"s name?" she said.
    „Curly," said the small boy, and pointed at the pig-ling"s tail. „He"s got a curly tail. It won"t go straight."
    „It"s a nice tail," said Anne. The pigling ran to the smal boy, and he grabbed it by its tail.
    „You runned away again," he said. Then he picked up the pig and walked off.
    „Hey! Is this Bil ycock Farm?" called Julian. „Have you got a brother called Toby?"

    „Toby? Yes, Toby"s over there," said the boy, and he pointed to a big barn. „Toby"s ratting with Binky."
    „Right," said Julian. The little boy disappeared with his queer pet, and Julian laughed.
    „He"s rather a pet himself," he said. „Come on - let"s go and find Toby and Binky. Perhaps Binky is another brother."
    „Or a dog," said George, and put her hand on Timmy"s collar. „Better be careful. He might go for Tim."
    „Yes - Binky might be a dog, of course - probably a good ratter," said Julian. „Dick and I wil go to the barn and you two girls stay here with Timmy."
    They went off to the barn. A great noise came from inside as the two boys approached.
    Shouts and barks and the rap of a stick came to their ears.
    „Get him, Binky - look, he went under that sack! Oh, you fathead, you"ve lost him again!"
    Wuff-wuff-wuff! Rap-rap! More yells! In great curiosity Julian and Dick peered into the rather dark old barn. They saw Toby there, prodding under sacks, with a most excited collie beside him, barking incessantly.
    „Hey, Toby!" yelled Julian, and Toby stood up and turned a red and perspiring face towards the two boys.
    „Oh - you"ve arrived!" he said, going quickly to the door. „I thought you were never coming. Glad to see you! But are there only two of you? I got out tents and things for four."
    „There are four of us - five counting Timmy," said Julian. „We"ve left the two girls over there with him - he"s our dog. Wil yours be friendly or not?"
    „Oh, yes, so long as I introduce them," said Toby, and they all went out of the barn. As soon as Binky, Toby"s dog, saw Timmy, he stood stil , made himself stiff, and growled, while the hackles on his neck slowly rose up.
    „It"s al right," shouted Toby to the girls. „Bring your dog here. He"l be all right with Binky in half a minute."
    Rather doubtfully George brought Timmy across. Timmy was a bit doubtful himself of this big collie!