13 A NASTY SHOCK

CHAPTER THIRTEEN A NASTY SHOCK DADDY WAS in for 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 into 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 what I'm working 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!'