5 AN IMPORTANT MEETING

CHAPTER FIVE AN IMPORTANT MEETING THAT NIGHT the Secret Seven were very excited. Janet and Peter had slipped notes into everyone's letterbox. 'MEETING AT HALF-PAST NINE. IMPORTANT! S.S.S.' Colin and George had no idea at all what was up, because they hadn't listened to the radio. But the others had all heard of the theft of Lady Lucy Thomas's necklace, and, knowing that she lived by Little Thicket, they guessed that the meeting was to be about finding the thief!

At half-past nine the Society met. Janet and Peter were ready for them in the shed. Raps at the door came steadily. 'Password!' called Peter, sternly, each time. 'Adventure!' said everyone in a low voice. 'Adventure!' 'Adventure!' One after another the members were admitted to the shed. 'Where's that awful sister of yours– Susie?' Peter asked Jack. 'I hope she's not about anywhere. This is a really important meeting today. Got your badge?' 'Yes,' said Jack. 'Susie's gone out for the day. Anyway, she doesn't know our latest password.' 'What's the meeting about?' asked Colin. 'I know something's up by the look on Janet's face. She looks as if she's going to burst!' 'You'll feel like bursting when you know,' said Janet. 'Because you're going to be rather important, seeing that you and Peter are the only ones who saw the thief we're going after.'

Colin and George looked blank. They didn't know what Janet was talking about, of course. Peter soon explained. 'You know the man that Colin saw yesterday, climbing over the wall that runs round Milton Manor?' said Peter. 'The one I saw hiding in the bush– and then he went and climbed up into the very tree Colin was hiding in? Well, it said on the radio last night that a thief had got into Lady Lucy Thomas's bedroom and taken her magnificent pearl necklace.' 'Gracious!' said Pam with a squeal. 'And that was the man you and Colin saw!' 'Yes,' said Peter. 'It must have been. And now the thing is– what do we do about it? This is an adventure– if only we can find that man– and if only we could find the necklace too– that would be a fine feather in the cap of the Secret Seven.' There was a short silence. Everyone was

thinking hard. 'But how can we find him?' asked Barbara at last. 'I mean– only you and Colin saw him, Peter– and then just for a moment.' 'And don't forget that I only saw the top of his head and tips of his ears,' said Colin. 'I'd like to know how I could possibly know anyone from those things. Anyway, I can't go about looking at the tops of people's heads!' Janet laughed. 'You'd have to carry a stepladder about with you!' she said, and that made everyone else laugh too. 'Oughtn't we to tell the police?' asked George. 'I suppose so,' said Peter, considering the matter carefully. 'Not that we can give them any help at all, really. Still– that's the first thing to be done. Then maybe we could help the police, and, anyway, we could snoop round and see if we can find out anything on our own.'

'Let's go down to the police station now,' said George. 'That would be an exciting thing to do! Won't the Inspector be surprised when we march in, all seven of us!' They left the shed and went down to the town. They trooped up the steps of the police station, much to the astonishment of the young policeman inside. 'Can we see the Inspector?' asked Peter. 'We've got some news for him– about the thief that stole Lady Lucy's necklace.' The Inspector had heard the clatter of so many feet and he looked out of his room. 'Hallo, hallo!' he said, pleased. 'The Secret Seven again! And what's the password this time?' Nobody told him, of course. Peter grinned. 'We just came to say we saw the thief climb over the wall of Milton Manor yesterday,' he said. 'He hid in a bush first and then in a tree where Colin was hiding. But that's about all

we know!' The Inspector soon got every single detail from the Seven, and he looked very pleased. 'What beats me is how the thief climbed that enormous wall!' he said. 'He must be able to climb like a cat. There was no ladder used. Well, Secret Seven, there's nothing much you can do, I'm afraid, except keep your eyes open in case you see this man again.' 'The only thing is– Colin only saw the top of his head, and I only caught a quick glimpse of him, and he looked so very, very ordinary,' said Peter. 'Still you can be sure we'll do our best!' Off they all went again down the steps into the street. 'And now,' said Peter, 'we'll go to the place where Colin saw the man getting over the wall. We just might find something there– you never know!'