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Authors: Enid Blyton
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the trees around, and the sudden squeak of a field-mouse. It was a dark night and cloudy. Was there anyone hidden nearby, or could he find a hiding-place in safety and wait?
He thought for a few minutes, and decided that there wouldn’t be anyone watching the back of the house now that it was dark. Julian and the others would be in full view of any watcher at the front, seated as they were in the lighted sitting-room - there would be no need for anyone to watch the back.
He debated where to hide and then made a quick decision. ‘I’ll climb a tree,’ he thought.
‘What about that one just near the crazy paving path? If the clouds clear away I could perhaps catch a glimpse of what the man’s like who comes to collect the parcel. Then I’ll shin quietly down the tree and stalk him.’
He climbed up into an oak tree that spread its broad branches over the path. He wriggled down in a comfortable fork and set himself to wait patiently.
What time had that note said? Eleven o’dock. Yes - Julian was to go down at eleven o’clock and put the parcel under the stone. He listened for the church clock to strike. If the wind was in the right direction he would hear it clearly.
It struck just then. Half-past ten. Half an hour to wait. The waiting was the worst part.
Dick put his hand into his pocket and brought out a bar of half-melted chocolate. He began to nibble it very gently, to make it last a long time.
The church clock struck a quarter to eleven. Dick finished the chocolate, and wondered if Julian would soon be along. Just as the clock began to chime the hour at eleven, the kitchen door opened and Dick saw Julian outlined in the opening. He had the parcel under his arm.
He saw Julian go swiftly down the path and sensed him looking all about. He dared not give the slightest hint to him that he was just above his head!
He heard Julian scrabble about in the path, and then drop the big stone back into its place. He watched the light of Julian’s torch bobbing back up the path to the kitchen door. Then the door shut with a bang.
And now Dick could hardly breathe! Who would come for the parcel? He listened, stiff with excitement. The wind blew and a leaf rustled against the back of his neck making him jump. It felt as if a finger had touched him.
Five minutes went by and nobody came. Then he heard the slightest sound. Was that somebody crawling through the hedge? Dick strained his eyes but could only make out a deeper shadow that seemed to be moving. Then he could most distinctly hear somebody breathing hard as they tugged at the heavy stone! The parcel was being collected as arranged!
The stone plopped back. A shadow crept over to the hedge again. Whoever had the parcel was now going off with it.
Dick dropped quietly down. He had rubber shoes on and made no noise. He slipped through a big gap in the hedge nearby and stood straining his eyes to find the man he wanted to follow. Ah - there was a shadow moving steadily down the field-path to the stile. Dick followed, keeping close to the hedge.
“Famous Five 09 - Five Fall Into Adventure” By Enid Blyton 34
He kept well behind the moving shadow till it reached the stile, got over it and went into the lane beyond. When it got there it stopped, and a perfect fusillade of loud owl-hoots came to Dick’s startled ears.
Of course! That was the signal that the parcel had been collected. Dick admired the excellent imitation of a little owl’s loud, excited hooting.
The shadow stopped hooting and went on again. It obviously did not suspect that it might be followed and, although it moved quietly, it did not attempt to keep under cover.
Down the lane it went and into a field.
Dick was about to follow when he heard the sound of voices. They were very low, and he couldn’t hear a word. He crouched in the shadow of the gate, which was swung right back, leaving an entry into the field.
A loud noise made him jump. Then a brilliant light dazzled him and he felt glad he
He thought for a few minutes, and decided that there wouldn’t be anyone watching the back of the house now that it was dark. Julian and the others would be in full view of any watcher at the front, seated as they were in the lighted sitting-room - there would be no need for anyone to watch the back.
He debated where to hide and then made a quick decision. ‘I’ll climb a tree,’ he thought.
‘What about that one just near the crazy paving path? If the clouds clear away I could perhaps catch a glimpse of what the man’s like who comes to collect the parcel. Then I’ll shin quietly down the tree and stalk him.’
He climbed up into an oak tree that spread its broad branches over the path. He wriggled down in a comfortable fork and set himself to wait patiently.
What time had that note said? Eleven o’dock. Yes - Julian was to go down at eleven o’clock and put the parcel under the stone. He listened for the church clock to strike. If the wind was in the right direction he would hear it clearly.
It struck just then. Half-past ten. Half an hour to wait. The waiting was the worst part.
Dick put his hand into his pocket and brought out a bar of half-melted chocolate. He began to nibble it very gently, to make it last a long time.
The church clock struck a quarter to eleven. Dick finished the chocolate, and wondered if Julian would soon be along. Just as the clock began to chime the hour at eleven, the kitchen door opened and Dick saw Julian outlined in the opening. He had the parcel under his arm.
He saw Julian go swiftly down the path and sensed him looking all about. He dared not give the slightest hint to him that he was just above his head!
He heard Julian scrabble about in the path, and then drop the big stone back into its place. He watched the light of Julian’s torch bobbing back up the path to the kitchen door. Then the door shut with a bang.
And now Dick could hardly breathe! Who would come for the parcel? He listened, stiff with excitement. The wind blew and a leaf rustled against the back of his neck making him jump. It felt as if a finger had touched him.
Five minutes went by and nobody came. Then he heard the slightest sound. Was that somebody crawling through the hedge? Dick strained his eyes but could only make out a deeper shadow that seemed to be moving. Then he could most distinctly hear somebody breathing hard as they tugged at the heavy stone! The parcel was being collected as arranged!
The stone plopped back. A shadow crept over to the hedge again. Whoever had the parcel was now going off with it.
Dick dropped quietly down. He had rubber shoes on and made no noise. He slipped through a big gap in the hedge nearby and stood straining his eyes to find the man he wanted to follow. Ah - there was a shadow moving steadily down the field-path to the stile. Dick followed, keeping close to the hedge.
“Famous Five 09 - Five Fall Into Adventure” By Enid Blyton 34
He kept well behind the moving shadow till it reached the stile, got over it and went into the lane beyond. When it got there it stopped, and a perfect fusillade of loud owl-hoots came to Dick’s startled ears.
Of course! That was the signal that the parcel had been collected. Dick admired the excellent imitation of a little owl’s loud, excited hooting.
The shadow stopped hooting and went on again. It obviously did not suspect that it might be followed and, although it moved quietly, it did not attempt to keep under cover.
Down the lane it went and into a field.
Dick was about to follow when he heard the sound of voices. They were very low, and he couldn’t hear a word. He crouched in the shadow of the gate, which was swung right back, leaving an entry into the field.
A loud noise made him jump. Then a brilliant light dazzled him and he felt glad he
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