1 Secret Seven meeting

THE SECRET SEVEN Good Work, Secret Seven

CHAPTER ONE Secret Seven meeting 'WHEN ARE the Secret Seven going to have their next meeting?' said Susie to her brother Jack. 'That's nothing to do with you!' said Jack. 'You don't belong to it, and what's more, you never will!' 'Goodness! I don't want to belong to it!' said Susie, putting on a very surprised voice. 'If I want to belong to a secret society I can always get one of my own. I did once before, and it was a better one than yours.' 'Don't be silly,' said Jack. 'Our Secret Seven is the best in the world. Why, just think of the things we've done and the adventures we've had! I bet we'll have another one soon.'

'I bet you won't,' said Susie, annoyingly. 'You've been meeting in that shed at the bottom of Peter and Janet's garden for weeks now, and there isn't even the smell of a mystery!' 'Well, mysteries don't grow on trees, nor do adventures,' said Jack. 'They just happen all in a minute. Anyway, I'm not going to talk about the Secret Seven any more, and you needn't think you'll get anything out of me, because

you won't, Susie. And please go out of my room and let me get on with this book.' 'I know your latest password,' said Susie, halfway through the door. 'You do not!' said Jack, quite fiercely. 'I haven't mentioned it, and I haven't even written it down so that I won't forget it. You're a story-teller, Susie.' 'I'm not! I'm just telling you so as to warn you to choose a new password!' said Susie, and slid out of the door. Jack stared after her. What an annoying sister she was! Did she know the password? No, she couldn't know it, possibly! It was true what Susie had said. The Secret Seven had been meeting for weeks, and absolutely nothing had turned up. Certainly the Seven had plenty of fun together, but after having so many exciting adventures it was a bit dull just to go on playing games and talking. Jack looked in his notebook. When was the

next meeting? Tomorrow night, in Peter's shed. Well, that would be quite exciting, because all the members had been told to bring any old clothes they could find. They were going to make the Guy for their bonfire at the next meeting. It would be fun seeing what everyone had brought. Bonfire Night was next week. Jack got up and rummaged in one of his drawers. Ah, there was his money which he kept in an old tin. Jack counted it carefully. There was just enough to buy a firework called a Humdinger. Jack was sure none of the other members of the Secret Seven would have one of those. 'Fizzzzz — whoooosh—' 'Jack! What in the world are you doing? Are you ill?' called an anxious voice, and his mother's head came round the door. 'No, Mother, I'm all right,' said Jack. 'I was thinking of a Humdinger on Bonfire Night and the noise it will make.'

'Humdinger? Whatever's that?' asked his mother. 'It's a big firework that makes lots of bangs and whooshes. I've saved up enough money to get one. Please will you ask Daddy to buy me one when he goes to do the shopping for Bonfire Night?' 'Give your father the money and he'll get you one,' said his mother. 'Oh, Jack, how untidy your bedroom is. Do tidy it up!' 'I was just tidying it, Mother,' said Jack. 'Hey, could you let me have some of those chocolate biscuits out of the tin, Mother? We're having a Secret Seven meeting tomorrow night.' 'Very well. Take seven,' said his mother. 'Eight, you mean,' called Jack, as she went out of the room. 'Mother! Eight, I want. You've forgotten Scamper.' 'Goodness! Well, if you must waste good chocolate biscuits on a dog, take eight,' called