Chapter one

CHAPTER   ELEVEN

 

Talking and Planning

 

jeff couldn't remember anything more at all. He began to look worried when the Seven pressed him. He went rather white, and Peter noticed it.

" All right. No more questions," he said. " We will discuss all this, and have a few biscuits to help us—and a drink of something. Like a biscuit, Jeff?"

 

Although it was only about an hour since he had eaten a huge meal, Jeff was quite ready to eat again. So was the kitten ! It nibbled a biscuit that Janet held out to it, and was quite playful.

" It's feeling better," said Jeff. " Hark—is that your dog barking? "

It was. Scamper barked a few little barks at first, and then burst into loud and angry ones, Peter peered down the tree. Jeff clutched Colin, looking frightened.

" Don't give me away if it's me they're after ! " he said. " Please, please don't! "

Two men were below the tree, walking past. Peter made Jeff look down. He shrank back at once, looking so scared that Peter knew immediately that the men were Mr. Tizer and Jeff's uncle. They were looking for him still—and were under the very tree that poor Jeff was in!

They didn't know that, of course. Scamper was taking all their attention. He capered round the men, pretending to snap and snarl. He didn't like them at all.

Brute of a dog 1" said one of the men, and picked up a dead branch. He flung it at Scamper. Peter went red with rage. It didn't

 

hit Scamper—but it sent him quite mad ! He flew at the two men, and they took to their heels at once!

Scamper chased them about a quarter of a mile through the woods, and then came back, panting, very pleased with himself.

" Good dog 1" called down Peter, and Scamper wagged his tail at once. " On guard again, Scamper, on guard 1 "

Scamper went to his tree and sat down. No dog could have looked more pleased or important. The Secret Seven sat back with a sigh of relief. Poor Jeff was white and trembling, and the kitten had gone into hiding under his torn coat.

" Cheer up, Jeff," said Peter. " Scamper has chased them away. I wonder how they guessed you were here."

" I think it's because of the kitten," said Jeff. " They've only got to ask if anyone has seen a boy with a kitten. Several people in the wood have seen me about—wood-men and walkers and such. Mr. Tizer and my uncle will get me in the end."

" No, they won't," said Peter. " I must say I didn't like the look of them. Now—what are we going to do about all this ? "

 

 

 

The Seven talked and talked. MKX. Who or what was that ? Emma Lane. How could they possibly find out where she lived ? The red pillow. Impossible clue ! The 25th. That was a definite date—but what was going to happen on it, and where ? The grating. Where was that—and why was someone going to watch through it ?

" I don't even think that that famous detective Sherlock Holmes could make head or tail of this," said Peter, at last. " It doesn't seem any use to discuss it at all."

" No. But it's fun and very exciting," said Pam. " I think we ought to tell someone. What about your parents, Peter ? "

" Yes. We'd better tell them," said Peter, not wanting to in the least. " If we could find out something ourselves, we would have a shot at it. But I don't see how we can. Except that we could find out if there is an Emma Lane. That might lead us somewhere."

" How could we ? " asked Barbara.

" Ask at the post office," said George, feeling rather bright. " They know where everyone lives."

" Yes. Jolly good idea," said Peter. " You and Jack can ask on the way home. And if it

 

 

leads to  nothing  we'll tell  my  father  and mother."

" I don't want you to," said Jeff. " I'll get into trouble if the police go into this."

" Sorry, Jeff," said Peter. " But this affair has got to be gone into. It's a pity it's beyond the powers of the Secret Seven. We've never had a failure yet! Still—this really is too difficult for anything ! "

"We'd better go," said George. "I keep getting into rows for being late. I bet you others do too."

" Yes, we do 1 " said Janet. " And you and Jack are going to call at the post office, aren't you ? We really must go."

" When will you be back here again ? " asked Jeff, anxiously.

" This afternoon probably. Or after tea," said Peter. " We'll decide as we go home. We'll bring you some more food. Anyway, you can eat the rest of the biscuits and the chocolate. That will keep you going. Now don't look so scared. You'll be quite all right! No one can possibly guess you are up here."

Jeff looked very doubtful. He watched the Seven climb down one by one. He heard

 

 

Scamper's excited welcome. The kitten shrank back in fright against him when she heard the loud barks.

" If Mr. Tizer hears those barks, he'll guess something's up," thought poor Jeff in a panic. " I may be safe up in this tree—but I've no way of escape if Mr. Tizer found out I was here and climbed up after me! "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER   TWELVE

 

Emma Lane

 

 

george and Jack called in at the post office as Peter had told them. They knew the post office girl, and she smiled at them.

" I hope it won't bother you to find out for us," began George, very politely. " But we want to know where someone called Emma Lane lives. It's rather important. Can you possibly tell us ? "

" It will take me a few minutes," said the girl taking down a big directory. " I'll find out for you now."

The boys waited patiently. The girl turned over page after page, running her finger down lists of names.

" Yes," she said. " There is an Emma Lane. Mrs. Emma Lane, one, Church Street. That must be the one you want. It's the only Emma Lane there is. The others are Elizabeth and Elsie! "

" Oh thanks \" said George, delighted. " One, Church Street. That's easy to remember! "

 

 

" We'll go and tell Peter after dinner," said Jack. " Then perhaps we could all go and find out exactly who Emma Lane is and what she does."

So, after dinner, they went round to Peter's house, and he and Janet listened with great interest to their bit of news.

" We'll go straightaway to Emma Lane's, and see if we can find out anything at all," said Peter. " She might know Mr. Tizer, for instance."

" Yes. She might quite well tell us something about him—and that awful uncle of Jeff's," said George. " Shall we get the others and all go together ? "

" No," said Peter. " It might look a bit peculiar, seven of us arriving to talk to Emma!"

They set off to Church Street. Number One was a dear little house, neat and pretty with a tiny well-kept front garden.

The four children stopped outside, and debated who was to go to the door and what to say.

"You go, Peter," said George. "We did our bit going to the post office. I wouldn't know what to say to Emma Lane ! "

" All right.   Janet and I will go," said Peter,

 

 

 

and he and his sister walked up the little path to the neat green front door. They rang the bell.

A small girl opened the door and stared at them.    She   didn't say a word.

" Er—could you tell me if Mrs. Emma Lane is in ?" asked Peter, politely.

"Who's she?" asked the little girl. " I've never heard of any Emma Lane."

This was most surprising. Peter was puzzled. " But the post office said she lived here," he said. " Isn't there an Emma Lane here ? What about your mother ? "

" My mother's called Mary Margaret Harris," said the small girl. " And I'm Lucy Ann Harris."

A voice called up the hall passage. " Who's that, Lucy ? "

" I don't know," called back Lucy.    " It's

 

just two children asking for someone who doesn't live here."

A lady came up the passage, her hands covered in flour. She smiled at Peter and Janet. " I'm making cakes," she said. " Now, who is it you want? "

" They want an Emma Lane," said the little girl, laughing. " But she doesn't live here, does she, Mother ? "

" Emma Lane ? Why, she's your grandmother, you silly child ! " said the lady. Lucy stared at her mother in surprise.

 

" I never knew Granny's name was Emma," she said. " I never heard anyone call her Emma Lane. You call her Mother, and I call her Granny."

" Well, she's got a name, all the same," said the lady. She turned to Peter and Janet. " The old lady doesn't live here now," she said. " She went away three months ago to the sea, and we've got her house instead. Did you want to speak to her ? "

" No—well, yes—but it doesn't matter," said Peter, feeling rather muddled. " Thank you very much. I'm sorry to have bothered you in the middle of making cakes."

He and Janet went down the path. " What a silly girl not to know her grandmother's name," said Janet.

" Well—do you know the names of our two grannies ? " said Peter. " We know their surnames—but I don't know the Christian name of either of our grannies! I've never heard anyone call them by a name—except that we call them Granny, and Mummy and Daddy call them Mother."

" Do you suppose that little girl's Granny has anything to do with Mr. Tizer's plans? " asked Janet. Peter shook his head.

 

 

 

 

" No—she's an old lady—and she must be nice if she lived in that dear little house—and anyway she's not there. She's not the Emma Lane we want—and yet she was the only one the post office knew 1 "

They walked on in silence. Peter sighed. " We had better tell Mummy and Daddy, Janet. It's all too muddled and difficult this time. There's not even anything we can do to unravel the muddle. A red pillow! MKX ! It's just silly."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER   THIRTEEN

 

A Nasty Shock

 

daddy was in to tea. Peter broke the news to him while he was spreading slices of bread and butter with honey.

" Daddy! The Secret Seven are in the middle of something again ! "

Daddy and Mummy both looked up at once. " You and your Secret Seven! What's up this time ? " said Daddy. " Nothing serious, I hope."

"We don't know," said Peter. "But as two of the people in it are supposed to be really bad—and I think they are—then it might be serious. But although we know quite a lot, it's all so silly and muddled and difficult that we can't make head or tail of it. So we thought we'd better tell you \ "

" Fire ahead," said Daddy. " I can hardly wait to hear ! "

" You're not to laugh, Daddy," said Janet. " The Secret Seven is a proper Society, and you know it's already done quite a lot of things."

 

" I'm not really laughing," said Daddy. " Nor is Mummy. Tell us all about it."

So Peter and Janet told the tale of their tree-house and Jeff and the kitten, and his wicked uncle and Mr. Tizer—and all the curious collection of things that Jeff had remembered.

Daddy ate his tea all the time. He listened, asking a few questions now and again. Mummy listened too, exclaiming once or twice that she thought the tree-house sounded very dangerous. At last the tale came to an end.

" It   certainly  wants   looking  into,"   said

 

Daddy. " But if you want my opinion, I think that boy Jeff has made most of it up. He's feeling miserable because his mother has gone to hospital, he doesn't like his uncle and aunt, he got into trouble with them, and ran away. And you were very kind to him, so he's made up a nice little tale!"

" Oh no, Daddy," said Janet at once. " He didn't make it up. He really didn't. And the kitten was hurt. Somebody had kicked it!"

" Well, look here—go and fetch that boy Jeff and bring him here to me," said Daddy.

" If there's anything in his story I'll soon find out—and if there is any funny business going on we'll find that out too. He can tell us the address of his uncle, and the police can go and see if there's anything in his tale."

" He doesn't want the police to be told," said Peter.

" Of course he doesn't—if he's made up the tale ! " said Daddy. " Now you go and fetch him. Tell him I shan't bite his head off. As for all the things he says he remembers hearing when he was half-asleep—well, I think he dreamt them! Don't look so upset, both of you. When you get a bit older you'll learn not to believe all the tales people tell you! "

" But Daddy—he was speaking the truth, I'm sure he was," said Janet, almost in tears.

" Right. Then we'll certainly do something to help him," said Daddy. " Go and get him now. I'll finish a job I'm on and be ready as soon as you get back."

Peter and Janet set off rather gloomily to the tree-house. It was very, very damping to have Daddy and Mummy so certain that Jeff was a fraud. They didn't think he was. Well,

 

 

now Jeff would have to go with them and tell Daddy everything. He would probably be so scared that he wouldn't say a word !

" I hope Jeff will come back with us," said Peter, suddenly thinking that it might be very, very difficult to get him to climb down the tree if he didn't want to. They said no more till they got to the tree.

Peter called up. "Jeff! Come on down! We've got something to tell you."

Nobody answered. Peter called again. " jeff ! It's me, Peter. Come on down. There's nobody here but me and Janet. It's important."

There was no reply. But wait—yes, there was! A tiny little mew sounded from up above. The kitten!

" The kitten's there," said Peter " So Jeff must be there too. I wonder if he's all right ? I'll go up and see."

Up he went. He climbed up on to the platform which was still strewn with cushions. The kitten ran to him, mewing.

There wasn't a sign of Jeff! Peter called again and peered upwards, thinking the boy might have climbed higher. No—he wasn't there either ! Then he caught sight of a piece

 

 

 

of paper stuck into a crevice of the tree-trunk. Peter took it and read it.

" They've found me," said the note. " They say they'll come up and throw the kitten down the tree if I don't climb down to them. They would too. Take care of the kitten—and thanks for everything. Jeff."

Peter slithered down the tree so quickly that he grazed his hands and knees. He held out the paper to Janet. " Look at that! They've found him. They must have come back again, guessing he might be up here, with Scamper barking round like that. Poor Jeff! "

Janet looked upset and alarmed. " Oh dear —now what are we to do? We don't even know where Jeff lives. We can't find out anything, or help him. Oh look—that poor little kitten is coming down the tree all by itself ! "

Peter lifted it down. It mewed. " We'll look after you all right," he said. " Where has your master gone to? That's what we'd like to know ! "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER   FOURTEEN

 

George Gets an Idea

 

peter and Janet went home, the kitten cuddled against Peter. Daddy was waiting for them.

" Well—where's the boy Jeff? " he said.

" He's gone," said Peter, and showed his father the note.

 

" You won't hear of him again," said Daddy. " I tell you, it was just a made-up tale. Forget it! Ask your mother if you can keep the kitten, though we don't really want another cat. I don't think much of the boy, deserting the kitten like that! "

 

" He didn't, Daddy," said Janet, trying not to cry. " He had to leave it. Those men were cruel."

Daddy went away to his work. Peter and Janet looked at one another. Daddy was so often right about things. Perhaps he was right about this too. Perhaps Jeff had been a fraud, and had made up a tale to tell them.

" What are we going to do ? " asked Janet, wiping her eyes. Peter considered.

" We'll have to give it up," he said. " We can't very well go against what Daddy says— and we know we can't do anything ourselves, because we don't understand what any of the things Jeff remembered can possibly mean. And now Jeff is gone, and we don't know where, we can't even get him to tell his tale to anyone !"

" We'll have to call a meeting and tell the others," said Janet, gloomily. " They won't like it. It sounded so exciting at first—now it's just a silly make-up. And I liked Jeff, too."

" So did I," said Peter " Let's write notes and slip them into the letter-boxes to tell the others there will be a meeting tomorrow. Down in the shed, I think, for a change."

 

 

 

The notes were written and delivered. At ten o'clock the next morning the Seven collected together in the shed. The password " Adventure" seemed most disappointing to Janet and Peter now that there was no adventure !

" I've got gloomy news," said Peter. " We told Daddy everything, and he didn't believe it. He told us to fetch Jeff, and promised to listen to his story—but Jeff was gone ! "

Everyone was startled. " Gone!" said Jack. "Where?"

Peter produced the note, and everyone read it solemnly. " We've got the kitten," said Peter. " And that's all that's left of Jeff and his peculiar tale."

" So we can't go on with anything," said George, in dismay. " I was just getting all worked up about it—thinking we were in for another excitement."

" I know. But we were wrong," said Peter. " This affair is closed. We can't go any further or find out anything more. It's our first failure."

It was a very gloomy meeting indeed. Every one felt very flat. They wondered where Jeff was. Had he really cheated them

 

 

 

 

and told them a made-up tale? It was very very difficult to believe.

" We saw Mr. Tizer and Jeff's uncle, you know," said Colin, suddenly. " They couldn't have been made up."

" We've only got Jeff's word for it that they were his uncle and Mr. Tizer," Peter reminded him. " He certainly said they were—but for ah" we know they might have been two woodcutters, or even poachers. They looked pretty nasty, anyway."

There was a silence. " AH right," said George at last. " It's finished. We don't do anything more. Are we going to the tree-house today ? "

" I don't feel like it somehow, this morning," said Janet. " Does anyone ? I feel disappointed and rather cross."

Everyone laughed. Janet was hardly ever cross. Colin patted her on the back. " Cheer up! We'll soon get over it. And anyway, finished or not, I'm still going to keep my eyes open! Who knows—I might meet Emma Lane walking down the street, carrying a red pillow embroidered with the letters MKX! "

That  made everyone  roar with laughter.

 

 

 

They said good-bye and went off feeling more cheerful. "What's the date?" said George to Colin, as they went down the lane together. "Wednesday the 24th, isn't it? Well, it’s tomorrow that things were supposed to happen, according to Jeff." " He probably made up the date," said Colin.

 

 

" What are you going to do this morning ? We've plenty of time left."

" Let's go down to the canal," said George. " We may see some barges going along. I like the canal—it's so long and straight and quiet."

" I like it too," said Colin. " I'll go and get my boat. You get yours, too. Meet me in that road that goes under the railway bridge, down by the canal."

"What road?" asked George, but Colin had already gone. George raised his voice. " Colin ! What road do you mean ? I don't want to miss you?"

" You know the road, idiot," yelled back Colin. " It's ember lane ! "

Colin was so far away by this time that it was difficult to catch what he said. It sounded like " emma lane." George stood rooted to the spot. Ember Lane. Emma Lane. Jeff might have misheard what his uncle had said— it was probably Ember Lane he meant, not Emma Lane! They sounded so much the same. ember lane !

" It might be that. It might be," said George to himself in excitement. " We'll have a jolly good look round Ember Lane—just in case \ "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER   FIFTEEN

 

The Red Pillow

 

with their boats the two boys met at the beginning of Ember Lane. George began to tell Colin excitedly what he thought.

" When you called out Ember Lane it sounded exactly like Emma Lane," he said. " Suppose that's what Jeff meant ? He might have heard wrong, he was half-asleep. Ember Lane. I'm sure that was what it was."

" And you think something was to happen in Ember Lane on the 25th ? " said Colin, looking very thrilled. " Golly—you may be right. But what could happen here ? "

They looked round Ember Lane. Although it was called a lane, it was nothing of the sort, though it might have been years ago.

It was a rather wide, dirty street, with great warehouses on either side. It led down to the canal. There were a good many people about, taking parcels from the warehouses, and running messages. It was difficult to imagine any robbery or anything out of the way taking place here.

 

 

Colin and George examined the street very carefully. They came to one warehouse that had a grating let into the bottom of the wall. They peered down. People were hi an underground room below, busy packing up parcels. The grating gave them a little light and air, though it also let in the dust.

" Well—there's  a  grating ! "  said  George,

   

standing up after peering through for some time. " I suppose someone could stand here and watch through it, as Jeff said—but what would be the point ? "

" Someone might watch from the other side of the grating," said Colin. " If he stood on that table down there, look—he could peer into the street through the grating. If the place was in darkness, he wouldn't be seen peering out. It would be quite a good place to watch from."

" It might," said George. " Yes, it might. A grating to watch through in Ember Lane. This is rather good! Are we on the track of anything, do you think ? "

" Probably not! " said Colin. " If we are we shall probably spot a red pillow on a sofa somewhere—or hear someone hissing, ' MKX, you're wanted !' "

They went to sail their boats on the canal till dinner-time. Then they went home, peeping through the grating at the foot of the warehouse in Ember Lane as they went. The underground room below was empty now. The workers had gone to their lunch.

" We'd better tell old Peter," said Colin as they parted. " Let's go along this afternoon

 

 

and tell him. He ought to know, I think, even though there may be nothing in it."

Peter was most interested. " Golly—that's bright of you," he said. " Emma Lane. Ember Lane. Anyone could mishear that quite easily. But I don't think so much of the grating. There are gratings everywhere."

" Not in Ember Lane," said Colin. " We looked—and that's the only one."

" Janet and I will go along and have a look at Ember Lane this afternoon," said Peter. " And the grating."

They went. Ember Lane looked gloomy and dirty. Janet and Peter examined the grating with interest. Colin was right. There was only one in Ember Lane.

" Well—it doesn't tell us much," said Peter. " Even if we decided that this was the grating through which Mr. Tizer or someone was going to watch, why would they want to watch ? And what? It's no crime to peer through a grating."

" They might want to watch unseen for something or someone, so that they could signal his coining to somebody waiting to pounce," said Janet. Peter stared at her, most impressed.

 

 

" Yes. That's exactly what they might do! " he said. " But what could they see from there ? Let's stand with our backs to the grating and see if we can spot what would be within their sight."

They stood and looked hard, their eyes ranging over the warehouse opposite, the pavement, and a lamp-post.

" Well—all that could be seen from behind that grating is the warehouse opposite, though not all of it," said Janet. " And the lamppost—and the pavement near it—and that red pillar-box. Yes, I'm sure that red pillar-box could be seen too."

Janet suddenly stopped. She caught her breath and looked round at Peter, her eyes shining. "Peter," she said, " Peter I The red pillow ! "

"The red pillow? Where?" said Peter, puzzled. " Oh Janet—janet ! I see what you mean! It wasn't a red pillow that Jeff heard—it was red pillar-box. And there it is!"

The two stared at the red pillar-box, thinking hard. A girl went up to it and posted some letters. Peter and Janet felt absolutely certain that " red pillow " meant " red pillar-box."

 

 

 

 

And it could be watched from behind the only grating in Ember Lane.

" We're getting somewhere," said Peter, suddenly feeling quite out of breath. " Jeff did hear something. His tale wasn't made up— but because he was half-asleep when he heard the men talking, he didn't hear properly."

" If only we could find what MKX was," said Janet. " But we can't. I expect all the men in Mr. Tizer's gang have numbers or letters. But we're certainly putting a few of the jigsaw pieces together, Peter. Let's go and tell the others!"