5 SETTLING IN

CHAPTER FIVE SETTLING IN NEXT DAY Peter and Janet felt very excited. They went down the garden to collect the old cushions they had in the shed. The gardener had put them into another shed, together with the boxes, sacks, and other things. He was very busy repairing the old shed. The two children peeped inside. It would certainly be nice and clean when it was all finished. 'I'd rather have the cave for the holidays though,' said Peter, and Janet nodded. They were very laden indeed as they made their way down to the quarry. Scamper carried

a bone in his mouth. He knew quite well they were going to the cave, and he wanted to take something too! Peter and Janet were there before the others. They drew aside the curtain of greenery and went in. The curtain fell behind them. 'Don't draw it back yet, till the others come,' said Peter. 'They'll have to give the password outside the curtain before we pull it back. Otherwise we'd never know who was coming in! But the password will tell us it's the Secret Seven.' Janet set down the cushions. Peter put down the box he had brought. It was heavy, because he had filled it with all kinds of things. He began to unpack. 'Hand me the things,' said Janet. 'I'll arrange them nicely on these rocky shelves. There's no hole we can use for a cupboard, but that won't matter. Gosh, isn't this going to be fun?'

Peter looked at his watch. 'It's almost ten,' he said. 'You go on arranging things, and I'll wait just at the entrance, behind the curtain, and ask for the passwords. The sand outside is so soft that we shan't hear anyone coming. I must watch for them.' Almost immediately there came a soft shuffle outside. 'Password,' said Peter, in a low voice. 'Easter-egg!' said Colin's voice. Peter pulled aside the curtain of greenery, and Colin came staggering in, carrying a big cardboard box. He collapsed on the soft, sandy floor. 'Gosh! I never knew books were so heavy! I've brought my whole set of "Famous Five" books to put on the shelves for anyone to borrow, and they've nearly dragged my arms out!' 'Oh, fine, there's one I want to read again,' said Peter, pleased. 'Find a nice even shelf of rock somewhere along the wall there, Colin,

and put the books up neatly.' A small cough came from outside the cave. Someone was waiting to be allowed in. 'Password!' said Peter, at once. 'Easter-egg!' said two voices together, and Peter lifted the green curtain. In came Pam and Barbara carrying parcels. 'Janet will see to those,' said Peter, taking up his post by the curtain again. Soon he heard the soft sound of feet coming quietly over the sand outside, and heard, too, the noise of people squeezing through the thick bushes of yellow broom. 'Password!' he said, and two voices answered together. 'Easter-egg!' 'Not so loud, idiots!' said Peter, and pulled aside the green curtain, grinning widely at Jack and George. He peered cautiously behind them. 'It's all right. I slipped off while Susie was at the bottom of our garden,' said Jack, staggering

in. 'I've brought two bottles of juice and two bottles of water. Mother said I could, as her share towards the Secret Seven goings-on!' 'Goodo!' said Peter, pleased. He drew back the curtain and tied it with a bit of string, so that the sunshine flooded into the cave. He looked all round outside to make sure that no one was about. 'I think we're absolutely safe and secret here,' he said. 'This quarry has been deserted for years, and I don't expect that anyone remembers there was ever a cave here.' 'Scamper would bark if anyone wandered near,' said Janet. 'Then we could quickly pull the curtain over the entrance and lie as quiet as anything!' 'Yes. Scamper would certainly warn us,' said Peter. 'Now, how are you all getting on?' The cave was beginning to look quite cosy and furnished. The box-table was in the middle. Cushions were here and there on the

sandy floor, ready for anyone to sit on. Arranged on the uneven ledges of the rocky wall were Colin's books and some of Jack's. Plastic cups had been neatly put in a row by Janet, and on a wider ledge she had put Jack's bottles. A tin stood in one corner. It had in it some of the food that the Seven had brought, and on another ledge stood a tin of boiled sweets, a packet of oatmeal biscuits, and two bars of chocolate brought by Pam. A small jar of potted crab paste stood next to a jar of home-made strawberry jam. 'It all looks very good,' said Peter approvingly. 'Very good indeed.' 'Yes. We've found places for everything,' said Janet, pleased. 'That corner over there belongs to Scamper, by the way, that's where he's buried the big bone he brought with him. Please don't disturb it, anyone. You can stop sitting on it, Scamper. I've told everyone it's