What book is this from?

[BeaElle]

I am hoping someone might be able to help me with this!

I have a memory of a chapter/scene that I feel sure is from an Enid Blyton book, but I cannot remember which one and it is driving me wild.

The wider story is a group of 4/5 children trying to find an object, and I think they are staying at a cottage near a lake/pool. They find some instructions and figure out that they have to row a boat to the centre of the pool at night, and line up with 4 land marks - I remember one as being the church spire. One of them then dove down the the bottom and found the object - may have been a painting or something?

I remember how evocative the description of the quietness of the moon lit lake was, and would love to read it again if anyone could help me identify.

Thanks!

[Katharine]

Sounds like Five go on a Hike to me.

[Bertie]

Yeah, was just about to say it sounds like Five on a Hike Together.

[pete9012S]

I agree Katharine!

Bask in these sumptuous Maxey pics from this superb book!

.

Enid Blyton - Five On A Hike Together
Betty Maxey 1968 illustrations/Excerpt 1977 Purnell Annual

http://share.pho.to/A1ILl

[pete9012S]

Chapter Twenty
IN THE MOONLIGHT

The moon was well up now, and although it was
not full, it was very bright. Small clouds swam across the sky, and every now and again the moon went behind one of them and the world became dark. But that was only for a minute or two, then out it came again, as brilliant as ever....

Keeping well in the shadows the five crept down to the lake-side. The water gleamed in the moonlight, and a bright moon-path ran all down it, lovely to see. The lake looked very dark and brooding. Anne wished it had a voice of some kind - even the little lap-lap-lap of waves at the edge. But there was none.


They pulled out the raft and threw the coil of rope on to it. Then they clambered on, enjoying its smooth bob-bob-bobbing as they paddled out on the water. They were off!
Timmy was thrilled. He kept licking first one of the four, then another. He loved going out in the night.
The moon shone down on the little company and turned every little ripple to silver as the raft bobbed over the water.


‘It’s a heavenly night,’ said Anne, looking round at the silent trees that lined the banks. ‘The whole place is so quiet and peaceful.’
An owl immediately hooted very loudly indeed from the trees and Anne jumped violently.
‘Now don’t start all the owls hooting by talking about how quiet everything is,’ teased Julian. ‘I agree though that it really is a heavenly evening.

How calm and mirror-like this lake is. I wonder if it ever produces a wave of any sort! Do you suppose it stays like this even in a storm?’
‘It’s a queer sort of lake,’ said Dick. ‘Look out, Timmy - that’s my ear. Don’t lick it all away.

[BeaElle]

Oh yes! This is it - thank you so much everyone! Amazing how these things stick in your mind after so long. I am looking forward to re reading it.