Read Online Five Go Off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online Page B

George as they came near the clump of birch trees.
    Then she stopped suddenly, for she had seen two figures lying down in the grass below the trees. Lou — and Tiger Dan!

    It was too late for Nobby to hide. The men saw him at once. They got up and waited for the children to come near. George felt thankful that Timmy was within whistling distance. He would come at the first call or whistle, she knew.

    Julian looked at the men. To his surprise they appeared to be quite amiable. A faint scowl came over Tiger Dan's face when he caught sight of Nobby, but it passed at once.

    'Good evening,' said Julian curtly, and would have passed on without another word, but Lou stepped up to him.

    'We see you're camping up by here,' said Lou, and smiled showing yellow teeth. 'Ain't you going over the hill?'

    'I don't need to discuss my affairs with either you or your friend,' said Julian, sounding extremely grown-up. 'You told us to clear out from down below, and we have. What we do now is nothing to do with you.'

    'Ho yes, it is,' said Tiger Dan, sounding as if he was being polite with great difficulty. 'We come up here tonight to plan a place for some of our animals, see? And we don't want you to be in no danger.'

    'We shan't be,' said Julian, scornfully. 'And there is plenty of room on these hills for you and your animals and for us, too. You won't scare us off, so don't think it. We shall stay here as long as we want to — and if we want help there's the farmer and his men quite near by — to say nothing of our dog.'

    'Did you leave that there dog on guard?' asked Lou, as he heard Timmy barking again. 'He ought to be destroyed, that dog of yours. He's dangerous.'

    'He's only dangerous to rogues and scamps,' said George, joining in at once. 'You keep away from our caravans when Timmy's on guard. He'll maul you if you go near.'

    Lou began to lose his temper. 'Well, are you going or ain't you?' he said. 'We've told you we want this here bit of the hill. You can come down and camp by the lake again if you want to.'

    'Yes — you come,' said Tiger Dan to the children's growing astonishment. 'You come, see? You can bathe in the lake every day, then — and Nobby here can show you round the camp, and you can make friends with all the animals, see?'

    Now it was Nobby's turn to look amazed.

    'Jumping Jiminy! Didn't you beat me black and blue for making friends with these kids?' he demanded. 'What's the game, now? You've never had animals up in the hills before. You've . . .'

    'Shut up,' said Tiger Dan in such a fierce voice that all the children were shocked. Lou nudged Dan, and he made an effort to appear pleasant again.

    'We didn't want Nobby to make friends with posh folk like you,' he began again. 'But it seems as if you want to pal up with him — so it's okay with us. You come on down and camp by the lake, and Nobby'll show you everything in the circus. Can't say fairer than that.'

    'You've got other reasons for making all these suggestions,' said Julian, scornfully. 'I'm sorry
    — but our plans are made, and I am not going to discuss them with you.'

    'Come on,' said Dick. 'Let's go and find Timmy. He's barking his head off because he can hear us, and it won't be long before he comes flying along here. Then we shall find it difficult to keep him off these two fellows.'

    The four children began to move off. Nobby looked doubtfully at his uncle. He didn't know whether to go with them or not. Lou nudged Dan again.

    'You go, too, if you want to,' said Tiger Dan, trying to grin amiably at the surprised Nobby.

    'Keep your fine friends, see! Much good may they do you!' The grin vanished into a scowl, and Nobby skipped smartly out of reach of his uncle's hand. He was puzzled and wondered what was behind his uncle's change of mind.

    He tore after the children. Timmy came to meet them, barking his head off, waving the plumy tail wildly in joy.

    'Good dog, good dog!' said George, patting him. 'You keep on guard beautifully. You