Five Face Up to a Challenge - new FF story

[Dick Kirrin]

COMING HOME TO KIRRIN

"Mother! Father! We're home!" called George loud enough to be heard in every room of Kirrin Cottage.
The study door flung open and George's father looked at the two girls and the luggage they had brought back from their schools.
"George, what are you doing here? You ought to be at school!"
"But father! The Easter Holidays have just started," George replied trying not to laugh. Her father had forgotten as usual.
"Well, then erm. Welcome home you two," said Uncle Quentin.
"Woof, woof!" a deep barking was to be heard.
"And welcome home, Timmy," he added quickly, patting the big mongrel's head.
"But where is mother?" asked George.
"She's gone somewhere with Joan, but I cannot remember where she wanted to go. Something to do with that gyspy girl friend of yours, I think. She wasn't expecting you today, and neither was I. We thought you'd break up tomorrow."
George shook her head. "Didn't I write you that we were allowed to leave one day earlier this year as they have to do some decorating to the school and need to work through the whole holidays?"
The bewildered look on her father's face was answer enough.
Just then they heard the pony trap rattling down the drive and some minutes later Aunt Fanny opened the door, smiling at them.
"Hello you two, and hello Timmy. You are early this year."
"Yes, we were given an additional day as the school is being redecorated," said Anne.
"Wonderful. Julian and Dick won't be here before tomorrow, I'm afraid. But maybe you'd like to meet them with the trap. They'll be on the 4 o'clock train."
George nodded gladly. "What were you doing with Jo, mum?" she asked.
"Joan's cousin has to go to hospital for a week, nothing serious thank God. But she must stay there and so we thought it best if Jo stayed with us for that time. She'll cycle over tomorrow, but we got some of her things today."
George and Anne were happy. Easter Holidays at Kirrin with Julian and Dick, and ragamuffin Jo for company too, could things get any nicer? "Let's hope the weather stays fine, so that we can spend time outside," said Anne.
"That's to be hoped," said Uncle Quentin. "There is a bit of sad news, sorry."
The girl's faces turned to him. He smiled: "Nothing too serious, but as you know I'm working on a project with Professor Hayling." Anne and George looked at each other. Was Uncle Quentin about to tell them that the Professor was coming, too? "Well, we are nearly finished and we'd like to do some tests before finally publishing our results. That means it can be necessary for me to go to him for a few days. We don't know yet, but it may well be."
Anne looked sad: "But we hoped that we might be able to some things all together, Uncle Quentin."
"I'm terribly sorry Anne, really. But you know how important our work is," her uncle replied.
"Have you had any tea?" Aunt Fanny tried to change the subject. Seeing that they hadn't, she went on: "And after tea you'd better unpack your stuff, take Timmy for a walk and get an early night. Tomorrow, there'll be plenty to do."
When they sat round the tea table, Aunt Fanny handed George a thick envelope. "Greetings from Ireland," she said. "That nice policeman who was here last year sent you that letter."
George took the envelope and looked at the stamps. "I'm sure the boys will want them." She tore the letter open. Out fell two pages and another, smaller envelope of grey paper. She quickly read though the first page.
"Daniel wishes us all the best, he is very well, and so are the other police officers. He hopes we are fine, too and he's inviting us to Ireland for the summer. Oh, and there's that other letter from Markhoff, which he put in the envelope as prisoners aren't allowed to write overseas letter."

[Daisy]

Anne looked at the grey envelope in George's hand. She gave a little shiver as she said "What on earth can he want to say to us. I'm not sure I want to hear from him again!"
George gave Anne a quick glance and then tucked the envelope behind a vase on the sideboard. "Let's wait for the boys before we open it." she suggested and was rewarded for her thoughtfulness by Anne's look of relief.
"Yes, that's a good idea." said Aunt Fanny. "Let's get your luggage upstairs now if you've finished eating. Not that there's very much left," she added looking at the empty plates with a smile. "I suppose you'll be telling me you were starved at school as usual!"
The girls laughed and then went off into the hall to pick up their bags and take them upstairs to the room they shared. Anne went across to the window and looked out over the bay to where Kirrin Island seemed to be floating on the calm water. She gave a sigh of satisfaction.
"Gosh, it's good to be back here again." she said as she bent down to pat Timmy who of course had followed them up and was busy sniffing round the room, making sure, so George said, that it was just as they had left it a few months before.
It wasn't long before the girls had unpacked everything and put their things away. Anne gave a large yawn as they were about to go downstairs again.
"For goodness' sake don't yawn like that in front of Mum." George said, "or we'll be sent straight back up. I want to have a quick run along the beach with Tim before bedtime."
"Sorry," said Anne with a laugh. "I'll come with you, then if I yawn there'll only be you to see me!"
"Come on then." said her cousin, "get your blazer and we'll have a little walk with Tim. That'll help us to sleep well!"
"I don't need any help with going to sleep." said Anne as they went down the path and out across the road to the beach where the tide was high and there wasn't so much sand for Tim to play on.
"It'll be nice to see Jo again, won't it?" she continued. George nodded, but didn't say anything. She got on well enough with Jo now, but she still wasn't as completely at ease with her as her cousins were. Suddenly she ran ahead and calling to Anne said "Come on, let's get back now, and go to bed. Tomorrow will come all the sooner if we do!"
Anne was quite used to her cousin's sudden moods so she followed her back to Kirrin Cottage where Aunt Fanny had a light supper waiting for them. Half an hour later they were in bed, with a happy Timmy stretched out on George's bed as usual. George gave a sigh of pleasure as she patted TIm's head before drifting off to sleep. Anne lay curled up in her bed and thought happily of how good it would be tomorrow when her two brothers joined them for the holidays. "I wonder if they'll have any ideas about what we might do." she thought and then suddenly she too was fast asleep and there was no more sound to be heard until the sun shining through the window woke Tim who jumped off George's bed with a thump.

[Dick Kirrin]

Timmy started licking George. "Stop it Timmy! Let me sleep just that little bit longer," George mumbled.
He then went to Anne's bed and tried his luck there. This time, he was successful. Anne woke up, fondled Timmy a bit and opened the curtains.
"George! Wake up! There's such a beautiful sunshine it'll be a lovely day."
"Hmm," mumbled George and turned around to the the sun out of her eyes. "Come on! Jo, Julian and Dick are coming!"
Finally George gave it up. It was hopeless to try to get any more sleep. "All right, all right, I'm coming," she said.
Soon after, they were all downstairs eating their breakfasts.
"What are we to do today?" asked Anne. "Well, you could put up a camp bed for Jo in your room, George."
A shadow went across George's face. She liked Jo, but to have her sleep in her room meant having to share Timmy all the time. Then she remembered that she hadn't minded last year on the boat, in the Bed and Breakfasts, hostels and hotels, and so she said nothing. In fact, she even managed to look forward to seeing Jo again, she was always a good fun to be with.
"Can we do that later, mother?" George asked. "I'd like to take Timmy for his morning walk first. And I'd like to see about the boat."
Aunt Fanny nodded. "But don't be too long. It doesn't look nice for a guest to come into a room with the beds unmade and no place for her to sleep."
How wonderful was the morning air. Fresh and bright, and laden with salt from the sea. Timmy enjoyed his walk, hunting for stick thrown at him and sniffing for rabbits. The only thing he minded was there was not even a whiff of just one rabbit in the air.
The two girls had seen the fisher boy and the boat, too. It had been freshly painted. "All in first rate order, Master George," said James with a grin. "Thank you, James. How much was the paint," replied George returning the smile.
"Don't mention it. We had some left from Dad's boat, so you just forget all about it."
"Oh, thanks again. Could we take it out for a trip to the island tomorrow?"
"Can't see a reason why not," James replied. "Sorry, but I have to see to these nets now. See you."
The girls said their good byes and went home to Kirrin, getting it all ready for Jo. Just before lunch time, they heard a bicyle bell sounding in the drive. Uncle Quentin heard it, too. He went out to see who or what had caused this disruption of his work.
"Can't you deliever the paper quietly?" he asked angrily.
"Dad! This isn't the paper boy. It's Jo, she coming to stay for the holidays," called George from upstairs.
"Oh, yes. Jo. Well, welcome Jo. Please remember next time that I have to work here and I cannot stand noise." Saying that, Uncle Quentin went back to his work.
Jo looked bewildered. "It'll be all right in a few days. Dad's always the same. As soon as he's got used to us again, he won't mind that much. And of course he doesn't mean it that way," explained George.
"Nice to see you again," beamed Jo.
"Have you brought anything else?" asked Anne. "The stuff you gave to Aunt Fanny, we have put it into George's room."
"Just that little backpack," replied Jo. "Put it upstairs and then we'd better have lunch," said Anne.
"Will do," grinned Jo.
After a splendid lunch which showed how much Jo had learned to adapt as she didn't wolf it down any more, the girls went outside into the garden telling each other the latest news.
George looked at her wrist-watch: "Gosh, it's time we got moving! We have to hurry if we want to be at the station in time to fetch the boys!"

[Daisy]

It wasn't long before the three girls were on their way to the station in the pony trap. Timmy loped along beside them, sensing their excitement. They drew up outside the station just as the train got in and a few moments later Julian and Dick were greeting the happy girls and Timmy was barking loudly and jumping up and down, determined not to be left out of the welcome.
Julian quickly stowed their luggage in the trap and then seeing how little space was left he looked ruefully at the girls and said "I'm afraid some of us will have to walk. Our bags have taken up more room than I expected and there just isn't room for five of us!"
"We'll all walk." said Jo, who was still beaming from ear to ear in her delight at being with her friends again.
"Yes, let's" said George. "I can hold the reins and easily walk with you. We've a lot to talk about!"
It wasn't long before they were all walking along the coast road towards Kirrin. The boys were glad to stretch their legs after the train ride and they strode out smartly.
"Hang on!" panted Anne after a while."We aren't having a race are we?"
Julian slowed down and turned a laughing glance at his little sister. "Sorry Anne," he said "It's time those legs of yours grew a bit."
"I have grown!" answered Anne indignantly. "All my skirts have had to be let down this term, so that proves I'm taller than I was last year!"
So, laughing and teasing each other, they carried on and soon arrived at Kirrin Cottage where Aunt Fanny had a lovely tea ready for them.
After tea the children wandered outside and sat down on the low wall which ran round the garden.
George put her hand into her pocket and drew out the letters which had arrived for them yesterday.
"We've had a letter from Daniel." she said, passing it over to Julian. He and Dick read through it and laughed when they saw a remark about George which she had chosen not to tell her mother the night before.
"I have had a couple of cases recently," Daniel had written, "and even without George's help I have managed to solve them without too much trouble!"
George went red as the others all laughed, but she said "If you read on you'll see that he would appreciate our help this summer. Well, he actually says he'd like us to go for a visit, but I'm sure he means he'd like our help again!"
Julian gave his cousin an amused look as he and Dick finished reading the letter. "Very nice of him!" said Dick. "I'd like to see him again."
George put her hand into her pocket again and slowly handed the grey envelope which she had retrieved from the sideboard, into Julian's hand. "We decided to wait for you before we looked at this." she said. "It's from Markhoff!"

[Dick Kirrin]

They all fell silent and solemn immediately. Markhoff had caused them a lot of trouble and they all remembered it well. They also remembered that he had been forced to do most of it and he had tried to make up for it lately.
All the same, they felt uneasy about the man.
Finally, Dick said: "Well, as I wrote him a Christmas card in the name of us all, it is to be expected that he writes back, isn't it?"
Julian looked at him: "You did what? Write the man a Christmas greeting to jail! Were you trying to tease him?"
Dick slowly shook his head: "No, Julian I wasn't. It was just that last time I saw him he was a seriously wounded man facing a long time in prison. A man who did a lot of the nasty things he did being forced to do them. So I thought he could do with a bit of cheering up."
Julian tore open the letter and read through it. He chuckled a bit.
The others looked at him expectantly. Finally, he put the letter down and smiled.
"His handwriting and spelling hasn't that much improved, but he has recovered and is now busy doing a training as a carpenter in the prison workshops. Hard work he writes but he seems quite happy. He got five years, with the prospect of a probation after three and a half or four years. He sends his best wishes to all of us and to cheer us up, he added some details of Red's trial and sentence. The judges were rather hard on him and as he refused to cooperate, he got the full sentence - life imprisonement. He also added that a psychologist had seen Red and declared him mentally unstable and therefore not fit in any case to receive probation or anything. Since then he's in Port Laois high security jail. From how he writes it, I can see he's pretty happy about that. He invites us to write back but only if we wish to. He also added that he was very happy about our Christmas card."
They all were somehow moved by the letter of their former enemy who now was trying so hard to change his life.
After a while, Anne said: "Let's write back. He did a lot of wrong things but once he's out, I'm sure he will be a changed and reformed man. It could do him good to have word from us from time to time."

[Daisy]

There was a moment's silence as the children thought about Markhoff, and the exciting but very dangerous adventure they had had the previous summer. Then Jo said " May I look at the letter please?"
Dick handed it to her and she studied it for a while. "Has he had lessons in prison?" she asked, " because when we first met him he couldn't read. He must have been taught how."
Dick looked at the earnest face Jo turned towards him remembering that Jo herself had had hardly any education when they had first met, but once she had started going to school regularly, she had caught up very well and could now read and write almost as well as the others.
"I suppose he must." he replied, "well that's good, it'll help him to get a job when he gets out."
"He won't expect any reply straight away, so let's put the letter away and think about it later." said Julian. "I'm more interested in discussing what we want to do these hols."
"My boat's ready if you want to go over to Kirrin island." said George, as she sat scratching the top of Timmy's head.
"I think it may be a bit cold to stay there." said Julian, "At least I'm sure Aunt Fanny will say so!"
"Yes," said Anne, "Easter's very early this year, so although it feels like a warm spring day today I don't think it will stay like this."
"The weather doesn't bother me!" said George. "I want to see the island again."
"Well, you can see it from here, old thing," said Dick. "It hasn't disappeared while you've been away!"
"Don't be so silly." said George, frowning at the teasing boy. "I just want to go there, that's all."
"I'm sure we could take a picnic and go over soon," said Julian, "But I was wondering if we might go off for a few days on our bikes."
"And sleep in a tent on the mainland instead of cosily on my island?" asked George crossly.
"No, Aunt Fanny wouldn't agree to that either," replied Julian, a bit annoyed that George should be proving so awkward."I thought we might have a look at that nice big map you have of the district and plan a route which could include small hotels or bed and breakfast places."
"Hmm, that's a good idea Ju." said Dick. "Jo brought her bike and ours are here safe in George's shed, so we would be able to go off quite soon."
Anne jumped off the wall. "Let's go in now and have a look at that map." she suggested. "I'm getting a bit cold now the sun's gone down."

[Dick Kirrin]

"Ok, let's," Julian agreed. George was still a bit sulky about camping on Kirrin Island not even being serioulsy considered.
"But I'd love to go over tomorrow," she said. Jo nodded. "I'd like that, too. It may be a bit boring for you ho have been there so often, but to me there's still a lot to discover."
George snorted when she heard the word boring, but she made no comment.
"Nobody's saying we won't go over," said Dick. "A picnic on Kirrin Island would be the perfect opportunity to talk through our ideas. But that means getting ideas first which then in turn means consulting the map."

[Daisy]

So saying, Dick led the way indoors and soon the five children were sitting round the dining table with a large map spread out in front of them. George lost her sulky expression as they began to discuss the cycling expedition.
"Oh look!" said Anne, pointing to a wooded area. "There's Middlecombe Woods where that horrid Rooky kidnapped Dick instead of Richard Kent!"
"We'd better avoid there then!" said Dick with a grin."We might meet Richard again, and I have a feeling that wouldn't be a good idea!"
The others laughed. "I don't know!" said Julian thoughtfully. "If we hadn't had that adventure which took us to Owl's Dene, we wouldn't have met Aggie, who wouldn't have been able to help us last year, and she wouldn't now be happily working in a far better place!"
"You never know how one thing connects to another, do you?" said Jo, who had good reason to be grateful for a chance meeting with the Five as well.
"How serious you all sound!" Aunt Fanny said as she came into the room with a plate of sandwiches. "Here's your supper. Joan has a cake and your drinks ready in the kitchen if someone would go and fetch them."
Jo and Dick jumped up and went off to get the rest of their supper while George folded up the map and explained to her mother that they were planning a cycling tour for a few days.
"Have you planned a route yet?" she asked as she put the plate down on the now cleared table.
"That's what we had the map out for Aunt Fanny." said Anne. "We want to go somewhere new, but we need to find places to sleep of course."
"I should think so at this time of year!" said her aunt and was surprised at the chuckles from the others.
"How about going along the coast road?" she continued. "There are plenty of bed and breakfast places near the sea, and you might even get as far as Demon's Rocks and look up Tinker! His father will be very busy for a few days especially if your uncle goes to join him. I'm sure he would be glad to know you were keeping that young monkey company while he's so busy."
"No thank you!" said George promptly. "He 's enough to drive anyone mad in a day and what Father would say if we all turned up there as well is more than I can imagine!"
"Well, it was only a suggestion." said her mother as she left the room. "It's possible that the Professor will come here instead - without his son I hope! Anyway,if you're planning a trip to Kirrin island tomorrow, you'll have plenty of time to make your final plans then. Off you go to bed now. You'll need a good night's sleep if you're rowing to the island in the morning!"

[Dick Kirrin]

After eating a good breakfast and packing a picnic basket, the five children and TImmy went down to the beach where they found George's boat freshly painted in a bright blue and white.
George and Julian took the oars and they settled off.
"Let's take the basket and the other stuff up to the cliffs, the sun is shining so nicely on the soft grass and we'll have a great view," said Jo.
"Yes, it would be a nice spot for a change," nodded George approvingly.
The children pulled the boat up the sand and chatting happily they were soon at the spot Jo had pointed out. Timmy was busy sniffing everywhere and ran to and fro looking for rabbits or other interesting animals which he could all smell.
"How about some lemonade and biscuits," suggested Dick. "And then we could get into serious planning."
Anne spread the old blanket, took out two bottles and some cherry pies and put them on it. "Help yourselves," she said.
Soon they all were quietly munching away and thought what'd like to do.
"Look here," said George holding up an open guide booklet. "There's a B&B in Great Giddings!"

[Daisy]

CHAPTER 2 A LOVELY DAY AND A SURPRISE

The five children spent a happy hour planning a route which would take them along the coast, stopping at one or two interesting places on the way.
"If we do about fifteen or twenty miles each day we can reach Demon's Rocks in about four days." said Julian as he studied the map. "We won't want to do any more than that for we need to make enough time to be able to explore any interesting place we come across on the way."
"Would we have to book ahead?" asked Anne."If so, we won't be able to start off for a few days until we get answers."
Dick grinned at his sister. "Ever heard of the telephone?" he asked gently. Everyone laughed and Anne went red and hid her face in her hands, but after a moment she raised it to say "Actually, at this time of the year we should be able to find somewhere quite easily."
"True," said Dick. "Why didn't you think of that before you spoke?"
George giggled and poked them both in the back. "Shut up you two, and let's get this all planned! Ju, have you got some paper so we can jot down where we want to go? Mother will be happier about our going off if she can see we've got a route worked out."
Julian produced a notebook and pencil from his blazer pocket and they carefully read out the names of possible stopping off places, including Great Giddings.
"I wonder if we will bump into Tinker again." he said "He was quite good fun once we'd licked him into shape a bit!"
"And Mischief was sweet." said Anne, referring to Tinker's pet monkey, who certainly had lived up to his name when they had once stayed with them!
After they had eaten the picnic they had brought with them, George suggested a walk all round the island.
"Want to check to make sure none of it has fallen off?" teased Dick, but George was feeling too happy to be cross and she was getting much better at realising when she was being teased, so she just grinned at Dick and said "Come on everyone, let's move!"
They packed up the remains of the picnic, which wasn't much and leaving the baskets by the cove where the boat was lying on it's side on the sand, they set off. Timmy ran ahead, glad to be on the move again and the five children enjoyed wandering round the island, seeing the broken down tower which was all that remained of the castle, disturbing the jackdaws who were starting to build their nests on the craggy remains of the walls, and admiring the young rabbits which were hopping around on the grassy courtyard - until Timmy could contain himself no longer and barked in excitement. In no time at all, there wasn't a rabbit to be seen, much to the disappointment of the children.
"Oh TImmy, you'll never learn, will you!" sighed George. She thought Tim was so clever in so many ways that it was a great sorrow to her that rabbits were one thing she could not get him to obey her about. Nowadays she didn't even try to stop him if rabbits were about. She knew they could run faster than Tim!

[Dick Kirrin]

And that was just what happened this time, the rabbits playing their version of "catch-me-if-you-can" with Timmy and as usual disappearing in their holes just before the dog could reach them. After a while, Timmy was panting hard and finally he gave it up for the day.
"Anybody fancy a trip down into the dungeons?" asked Julian. "No, thank you," replied Anne immediately. "How about a walk to the cave and along the shore there?"
"Sounds jolly good," said Dick.
They were walking towards the cave when the remains of the old wreck came into view. "Poor old wreck," said Anne. "Now there's hardly anything left of it."
"The storms must have been fierce this year," replied Julian with a long look at the beams and planks that were rotting there on the beach.
"They were," said George. "Mother told me there was a three-day storm in November that nearly lifted the roof."
Julian, Dick, Anne and George remembered the last serious storm they had seen in Kirrin and how it had damaged the whole cottage.
"Look at the time, folks!" called Julian.
"What's the hurry, Ju? It's just gone half past three," said Dick.
"Right, but hadn't we better give our bikes a once-over after the winter? We haven't iused them this spring and if anything needs mending we perhaps could get the parts today or early tomorrow, so that we can get going the day after tomorrow - if all goes well."
The others saw the reason in Julian's proposal and headed back to the mainland at once.
A big bucket of water and soap and some oil was all it took to get their bicylces all shining and working again. Dick had to see to his brake and Anne had a flat tyre, but that was all that needed fixing. "We can do that tomorrow," said Dick. "We should discuss our plans with Aunt Fanny over tea and maybe ring the first one or two Bed and Breakfasts we've chosen to see if they are already open."

[Daisy]

"Well, what have you planned then?" asked Aunt Fanny as she poured out cups of tea for everyone.
"We know which route we're taking." said George. "We think the coast road would be quite interesting and it's fairly flat, which is better for cycling too!"
"And better for Timmy who will have to run with us." added Jo.
"We're going to ring up some bed and breakfast places after tea, if you don't mind, Aunt Fanny," Dick said as he attacked a tomato which seemed to want to escape his fork. "Got you!" he added as he managed to spear it. His aunt looked at him with amusement. She very much enjoyed the company of her nephews and niece and was sorry they were going off for much of the holiday. However, her husband's work was very important and she knew he would become impatient after a day or two with a house full of the noise and laughter.
"I wonder if you need to make any bookings at this time of year." she said. "I suggest you ring one and ask if they are busy yet. If not, then I should just go and find a place when you get there."
"That makes sense." said Julian. "It means we aren't tied down to a timetable either, and we can change our minds about our route if we want to."
The meal continued with chatter and jokes and then after everything had been cleared away Julian said "Let's ask Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin to have a game of cards with us before we go to bed. We'll have a busy time tomorrow getting everything ready and then we won't see much more of them for a while."
"I doubt if Father will want to join in." said George, "But we can ask him!"
After a hilarious game of snap, which was all Uncle Quentin seemed to understand in the way of card games, everyone enjoyed a cup of cocoa and some of Joan's home made buns, and then they were ready for bed.
"I'm really looking forward to going off together." said Jo as the girls were undressing in their room.
"George grinned at her. "I wonder what adventures we may find this time!" she said with a mischievous look at Anne, who's one plea every holiday was that it should be a peaceful one.
"None I hope," said her cousin as she hopped into bed."But knowing what usually happens, I don't feel very sure of it!"
George laughed as she switched off the light and snuggled down, thinking happily about the prospect of a holiday with her cousins and dear old Timmy of course.

[Dick Kirrin]

The next morning was as fair and bright as anyone could wish for. After a huge breakfast, the children attended to their chores, Anne made the beds and helped Aunt Fanny and Joan, Dick and Jo went to the village to get the spare parts they needed for the bike and then set about repairing them. Julian and George were completing a list of B&Bs and inns they might stay at, noting the address, phone number and adding any general comments they had gathered from the brochures and little guides they had used.
"So I think we ought to go via Great Giddings, it's nicely on our way and we'll cut off that bit of road, which is usually rather thick with cars and uninteresting," said Julian at last.
"Ok, do let's," replied George absent-mindedly. She was busy compiling a list of stuff they'd need for the trip.
Aunt Fanny entered the room: "Mail for you," she called, putting down an evelope in front of Julian.
"Thanks Aunt Fanny," he replied going on with his work.
"They are so much like Quentin," thought Aunt Fanny leaving the room with a smile on her face. "Once they've wormed their way into something, there's nothing that could stop them."
Finally, Julian looked at the envelope and tore it open.
"Gosh! It's a letter from John!" he exclaimed.
"From whom?" asked George, startled by the tone of his voice.
"John. You remember the young helper of Barling? The man who looked after Pip and me?"
"Yes, now that you mention him. What on earth could he want?"
Julian started reading the letter.
"Well, George I think we'd better get the others. There's a lot of news to tell - and not all of it good as it seems."
George rushed off at once and within three minutes, they were all sitting round the living-room table, Dick and Jo still busy rubbing the bike oil off their hands but eagerly listening.
Julian cleared his throat: "Well, he thanks us for our statements in court, hopes that we are all well and that we have been spared any further adventures. He says he is as well as circumstances will allow, and he'd like to know if we could write him where to find his aunt. And you won't ever believe who that is."
They all looked at Julian. After what seemed a long time, Dick started giggling, then George. Jo and Anne just looked puzzled.
"No, it can't be!" exclaimed Dick. "Not Aggie! Not her of all people! Either he's kidding you or you are kidding us!"
Julian just shook his head. "No joke. It is her. He writes that as he'll be released on probation the day after tomorroy provided that he reports to the police every week, he needs a place to go and a police station to register with and to report to. Anywhere near his family could be be easier he thinks. He added that he has news for us that we ought to know."
"Probation? What is that?" Jo asked.

[Daisy]

"It means he won't be entirely free to go or do just what he likes, Jo. He will need to see a probation officer regularly, probably once a week to start with, until the officer is sure he really is on the right road and isn't likely to get into trouble again."
"Teachers are on probation for the first year they are teaching too," said Dick with a grin. "But not quite in the same way! It sort of means you're still being tested, although you're apparently quite independent. I'm not sure, but I think the probation John will be under will have a time limit which will be something which matches the seriousness of his crime as well as his behaviour once he's out of prison."
Julian nodded. "I think that's a fair explanation. Does it make sense Jo?"
"Yes thank you." said Jo.
"Fancy him being Aggie's nephew! " said George. "Surely that doesn't mean he's Hunchy's son though! How awful if he is!"
"No" replied Julian. "His surname isn't the same as Aggie's and Hunchy's so I expect they have a sister who is John's mother."
"Did you say he had something else to tell us, Ju?" asked Anne. "Does he say what it is in the letter?"
Julian shook his head. "No, he says he has something that we ought to know. Gosh, I wonder what that can be!"
"I suppose we'll have to write back to him to let him know where Aggie is." said Dick.
"Of course" said Julian, "and as she lives on our cycling tour route we can drop in and visit him once he's got there!"
"I wonder what surprises we will have when we hear what he has to say!" said George.

[Dick Kirrin]

"Just a minute," said Anne. "If he's to be released the day after tomorrow, hadn'd we better send a telegram? A letter might not reach him in time."
"Good thinking, Anne." Julian praised his sister. "Let's make a draft and drop by the post office and get it off when we are getting the supplies."
The discussed what they wanted to write and in the end they decided just to send Aggie's address and add that they'd be in the area soon and would call at the house where Aggie was working now."
"Timmy, we'll go for a little walk!" called George. "Come on. Let's get going. We must buy or preorder the stuff we are going to take along."
"What on earth are you going to buy?" asked Jo.