9 ANOTHER MEETING

CHAPTER NINE ANOTHER MEETING PETER AND Colin helped the boy to get out the cushions from the rubber sheet. The kitten sat on a nearby branch, watching. It was a dear little thing, a fluffy tabby. 'You can have the rest of our biscuits, and a drink too, if you want to,' said Colin. 'Oh!– I nearly forgot that ship book! I must get it out of the cubby-hole!' He pulled it out, and then the two boys began to climb down the tree again, feeling carefully for footholds. It wasn't nearly so easy to climb down in the dark as it was in the daylight!

'Good night,' called the boy, gratefully. 'And thanks for your help. Are you coming tomorrow? Could you bring me a spot of milk for my kitten, please?' 'Yes, of course– and a bit of fish if we can,' called back Peter. 'Don't fall out of the tree when you're asleep.' 'No, I shan't,' said the boy, sounding much more cheerful. Colin and Peter made their way home, talking in low voices about the boy and his curious story. 'What do you suppose his uncle and that friend of his– Mr Tizer– were planning to do, and were afraid Jeff had overheard?' said Peter. 'If it was a robbery or something we ought to try and stop it.' 'Well– if we can find out anything from Jeff, I really do think we ought to tell someone,' said Colin. 'Your parents, for instance.'

'Yes. But it would be nice to see if the Secret Seven can do something about it first,' said Peter. 'We'll call a meeting tomorrow– up the tree, with Jeff there– and we'll see what we can get out of him. He must have heard something that was said!' 'Right,' said Colin, beginning to feel excited. 'This is great! Just when we thought nothing would ever happen, something does. Do you want me to go and tell everyone tomorrow morning that something is up, and we must meet at the tree?' 'Yes,' said Peter. 'Passwords and everything. I'll be at the bottom of the tree, and nobody must yell out the password– just whisper it. Badges must be worn too.' 'Good,' said Colin, pleased. 'Well, we'll say good night here– this is your gate, isn't it? Good thing I went back for this book tonight, wasn't it? We wouldn't have caught Jeff if I hadn't.'

The boys went their different ways, and Peter wondered whether or not to wake Janet and tell her about the boy in the tree-house, but he decided not to. It would keep till morning. All the Secret Seven were excited next morning when they heard about the meeting to be held, and were told about Jeff. 'Can we take Scamper with us, do you think?' asked Pam. 'Do you suppose he would frighten the kitten?' 'No. He's nice with kittens,' said Peter. 'Anyway, he'll be on guard down below, and the kitten will be up the tree with Jeff. I must remember to take a bottle of milk, and a saucer, and some fish.' 'Good thing we had haddock for breakfast,' said Janet. 'I'll wrap a bit up in grease-proof paper. Poor little kitten! Do you suppose its leg will be all right? Imagine anyone kicking a kitten!'

Promptly at ten o'clock the Secret Seven met at the foot of the tree. The password was whispered importantly to Peter. 'Adventure!' 'Adventure!' 'Adventure! Is that boy up there?' 'Yes. Got your badge on? Good. Are we all here now? Well, up we go. Scamper, on guard, please!' Scamper looked at Peter, wagged his tail, and at once ran to his sentry-box in the nearby tree. He sat down on his bit of rug there, and looked quite stern as if to say, 'Strangers, beware! I'm on guard. Grrrrrrrrr!' Peter went up the tree first, the bottle of milk in his pocket, and the little saucer between his teeth. The others followed. Peter saw Jeff peering down anxiously as he heard them climbing up. 'Hello, Jeff!' said Peter, clambering up on to the platform of boards. 'Had a good night?

How's the kitten?' 'Its leg is much better,' said Jeff. 'And I slept all night except when the wind blew too hard. I say– nobody will give me away will they? How many of you are there?' 'Seven,' said Peter. 'Move up a bit, Jeff, and make room. We're a Secret Society– the Secret Seven. We have our password and badges, and we hold meetings. If anything turns up for us to do, we do it.' Jeff sat at the back of the platform and looked at each member climbing up. Colin he knew from the night before. Barbara, Janet, Pam, George, Jack– they all climbed up and grinned kindly at him. The kitten mewed. 'Here's your milk, you tiny little thing!' said Peter, and he poured some out of the bottle into the saucer he had brought. 'Janet, where's the bit of fish?' The meeting was forgotten as the Seven crowded together on the little platform to