The Secret Seven (7 page)

«Have the men gone?» asked Peter, and Colin nodded.

«Yes. Away in their car. That's why we came to look for you. They saw us in the field because Scamper barked – but they thought we were just snowmen! I say – what happened here?»

«Let's get out of the house», said Peter. «I just can't bear being here any longer.»

He led Kerry Blue behind him, and Colin was surprised that the horse made so little noise on the wooden floor of the kitchen. He looked down at the horse's hooves and gave an exclamation. «Look! What's he's got on his feet?»

«Felt slippers, made to fit his great hooves», said Peter, with a grin. «That explains the curious prints we saw in the snow. I guess he had those on so that he wouldn't make too much noise down in the cellar! My word, he was scared when we found him. Come on – I'm going home!»

12 – The End of the Adventure

Six figures went up the snowy lane – two boys in dark anoraks, two in curious white garments and caps, a dog in a draggled white coat, and a proud and beautiful horse. All the boys had gleaming white faces and looked extremely queer, but as they didn't meet anyone it didn't matter.

Peter talked hard as he went, telling of all that had happened to him and Jack. Colin and George listened in astonishment, half-jealous that they, too, had not shared in the whole of the night's adventure.

«I'm going to put Kerry Blue into one of the stables at our farmhouse», said Peter. «He'll be all right now. What sucks for the men to find him gone! And tomorrow we'll tell the police. Meet at half-past nine – and collect Pam and Barbara on the way, will you? This really has been a wonderful mystery, and I do think the Secret Seven have done well! Goodness, I'm tired. I shall be asleep in two shakes of a duck's tail!»

They were all in bed and asleep in under half an hour. Janet was fast asleep when Peter got in. He had carefully stabled Kerry Blue who was now quite docile and friendly.

In the morning, what an excitement! Peter told his father and mother what had happened and his father, in amazement, went to examine Kerry Blue.

«He's a very fine racehorse», he said. «And he's been dyed with some kind of brown stuff, as you can see. I expect those fellows meant to sell him and race him under another name. Well, you've stopped that, you and your Society, Peter!»

«What about getting on to the police now?» said the children's mother, anxiously. «It does seem to me they ought to be after these men at once.»

«There's a meeting of the Secret Seven down in the shed at half-past nine», said Peter. «Perhaps the police could come to it.»

«Oh, no – I hardly think the police would want to sit on your flower-pots and boxes», said Mummy. «You must all meet in Daddy's study. That's the proper place.»

So, at half-past nine, when the Seven were all waiting in great excitement, and Scamper was going quite mad, biting a corner of the rug, the bell rang, and in walked two big policemen. They looked most astonished to see so many children sitting round in a ring.

«Good morning», said the Inspector. «Er – what is all this about? You didn't say much on the phone, sir.»

«No. I wanted you to hear the story from the children», said Peter's father. He unfolded the morning paper and laid it out flat on the table. The children crowded round.

On the front page was a big photograph of a lovely horse. Underneath it were a few sentences in big black letters.

KERRY BLUE STOLEN.

FAMOUS RACEHORSE DISAPPEARS. NO SIGN OF HIS HIDING-PLACE.

«I expect you saw that this morning», said Peter's father. «Peter, tell him where Kerry Blue is.»

«In our stables!» said Peter, and thoroughly enjoyed the look of utter amazement that came over the faces of the two policemen.

They got out notebooks. «This is important, sir», said the Inspector to Peter's father. «Can you vouch for the fact that you've got the horse?»

«Oh, yes – there's no doubt about it», said Peter's father. «You can see him whenever you like. Peter, tell your story.»

«We're going to take it in turns to tell bits», said Peter. He began. He told about how they had made snowmen in the field. Then Jack went on to tell how he had gone to look for his Secret Seven badge in the field, and how he had seen the car and its trailer-van. «Of course I know now it was a horse-box», he said. «But I didn't know then. I couldn't think what it was – it looked like a small removal van, or something. I couldn't see any proper windows either.»

So the story went on – how they had interviewed the caretaker and what he had said – how they had tracked the car down to the field gate and up the lane again. Then how four boys had dressed up as snowmen with Scamper and gone to watch.

Then came the exciting bit about Peter and Jack creeping into the house to find the prisoner – and being caught themselves. And then Colin and George took up the tale and told how they in their turn went into the old house to find Jack and Peter.

«Adventurous kids, aren't they?» said the Inspector, with a twinkle in his eye, turning to Peter's mother.

«Very», she said. «But I don't at all approve of this night-wandering business, Inspector. They should all have been in bed and asleep.»

«Quite», said the Inspector. «I agree with you. They should have told the police, no doubt about that, and left them to solve the mystery. Wandering about at night dressed up as snowmen – I never heard anything like it!» He spoke in such a severe voice that the three girls felt quite alarmed. Then he smiled and they saw that actually he was very pleased with them. «I'll have to find out the name of the owner of the old house», he said, «and see if he knows anything about these goings-on.»

«It's a Mr. Holikoff, 64, Heycom Street, Covelty», said George at once. «We – Pam and I – found that out.»

«Good work!» said the Inspector, and the other policeman wrote the address down at once. «Very good work indeed.»

«I suppose they don't know the number of the car, do they?» asked the second policeman. «That would be a help.»

«No», said Colin, regretfully. «But the other two girls here know something about the horse-box, sir. They took the measurements of the tyres and even drew a copy of the pattern on them – it showed in the snow, you see.»

«Janet did that», said Barbara, honestly, wishing she hadn't laughed at Janet for doing it. Janet produced the paper on which she had drawn the pattern and taken the measurements.

The Inspector took it at once, looking very pleased. «Splendid. Couldn't be better! It's no good looking for tracks today, of course, because the snow's all melted. This is a very, very valuable bit of evidence. Dear me, what bright ideas you children have!»

Janet was scarlet with pleasure. Peter looked at her and smiled proudly. She was a fine sister to have – a really good member of the Secret Seven!

«Well, these children seem to have done most of the work for us», said the Inspector, shutting his notebook. «They've got the address of the owner – and if he happens to have a horse-box in his possession, whose tyres match these measurements and this pattern, then he'll have to answer some very awkward questions.»

The police went to see Kerry Blue. The children crowded into the stable too, and Kerry Blue put his ears back in alarm. But Peter soon soothed him.

«Yes. He's been partly dyed already», said the Inspector, feeling his coat. «If he'd had one more coat of colour he'd be completely disguised! I suppose those fellows meant to come along and do that tonight – and then take him off to some other stable. But, of course, they had to hide him somewhere safe while they changed the colour of his coat – and so they chose the cellars of the old empty house – belonging to Mr. J. Holikoff. Well, well, well – I wonder what he knows about it!»

The children could hardly wait to hear the end of the adventure. They heard about it at the very next meeting of the Secret Seven – which was called, not by the members themselves, but by Peter's father and mother.

It was held in the shed, and the two grown-ups had the biggest boxes as seats. Janet and Peter sat on the floor.

«Well», said Peter's father. «Mr. Holikoff is the owner of the horse-box – and of the car as well. The police waited in the old house for the two men last night – and they came! They are now safely under lock and key. They were so surprised when they found Kerry Blue gone that they hardly made a struggle at all!»

«Who does Kerry Blue belong to, Daddy?» said Peter. «The papers said he was owned by Colonel James Healey. Is he sending someone to fetch him?»

«Yes», said his father. «He's sending off a horse-box for him today. And he has also sent something for the Secret Seven. Perhaps you'd like to see what it is, Peter.»

Peter took an envelope from his father and opened it. On the envelope was written, “For the Secret Seven Society, with my thanks and best wishes, J.H.” Out fell a shower of tickets. Janet grabbed one.

«Oooh – a circus ticket – and a pantomime ticket too! Are there seven of each?»

There were! Two lovely treats for everyone – except Scamper.

«But he can have a great big delumptious, scrumplicious bone, can't he, Mummy?» cried Janet, hugging him.

«Whatever are you talking about? Is that some foreign language?» asked her mother in astonishment, and everyone laughed.

«How awfully decent of him», said Peter. «We didn't want any reward at all. The adventure was enough reward – it was super!»

«Well, we'll leave you to talk about it», said his mother, getting up. «Or else we shall find that we belong to your Society too, and that it's the Secret Nine, instead of the Secret Seven!»

«No – it's the Secret Seven», said Peter, firmly. «The best Society in the world. Hurrah for the Secret Seven!»

The End