Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE 'Whew! That sounded like a burst tyre,' said Julian, beginning to run. 'I hope they haven't had an accident.'

The three turned the corner. They saw the van slewed round in the lane, almost in the ditch. The tyre on the left-hand back wheel was flat and had split badly. It certainly was a very burst tyre indeed! Two men were looking at it angrily.

The youngest looked at the others. 'I'm not sure I want to come here again.' 'She's lying,' the eldest boy said.

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'Definitely not!' said Dick. 'You nearly knocked over my sister just now. One of you can go and get help yourselves. You'd no right to drive along a country lane like that.' But neither of the men made a move to go back for help. Instead, they scowled at the burst tyre and at each other. The three stood there, looking with interest at the angry men. 'You clear off,' said one of the men at last. 'Unless you want to help us with the wheel. Do you know how to change a wheel?' 'Yes,' said Julian, sitting down on the hedge bank. 'Don't you? It's funny if you don't know. As your job is driving a van, I'd have thought it'd be one of the first things you'd learn!'

'You shut up,' said the first man, 'and clear off.' 'Why?' said Dick, sitting down beside Julian. You seem very keen to get rid of us, don't you? Or do you feel nervous that experts like us should watch you making a mess of such a simple thing as changing a wheel?'