FIVE GO ADVENTURING AGAIN by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 11 STOLEN PAPERS

'GEORGE, don't behave fiercely today, will you?' said Julian, after breakfast. 'It won't do you or Timothy aay good at all.'

'Do you suppose I'm going to behave well when I know perfectly well that Mr. Roland will never let me have Tim indoors all these holidays ?' said George.

'Well - they said a week,' said Dick. 'Can't you try for a week ?'

'No. At the end of a week Mr. Roland will say I must try for another week,' said George. 'He's got a real dislike for poor Tim. And for me too. I'm not surprised at that, because I know that when I try to be horrid, I really am horrid. But he shouldn't hate poor Timmy.'

'Oh George - you'll spoil the whole holls if you are silly, and keep getting into trouble,' said Anne.

'Well, I'll spoil them then,' said George, the sulky look coming back on her face.

'I don't see why you have to spoil them for us, as well as for yourself,' said Julian.

'They don't need to be spoilt for you,' said George. 'You can have all the fun you want - go for walks with your dear Mr. Roland, play games with him in the evening, and laugh and talk as much as you like. You don't need to take any notice of me.'

'You are a funny girl, George,' said Julian, with a sigh. 'We like you, and we hate you to be unhappy ... so how can we have fun if we know you are miserable - and Timmy too ?'

'Don't worry about me' said George, in rather a choky voice. Tm going out to Tim. I'm not corning in to lessons today.'

'George! But you must!' said Dick and Julian together.

'There's no "Must" about it,' said George. Tm just not coming. I won't work with Mr. Roland till he says I can have Timothy indoors again.'

'But you know you can't do things like that - you'll be spanked or something,' said Dick.

'I shall run away if things get too bad,' said George, in a shaky voice. 'I shall run away with Tim.'

She went out of the room and shut the door with a bang. The others stared after her. What could you do with a person like George ? Anyone could rule her with kindness and understanding - but as soon as she came up against anyone who disliked her, or whom she disliked, she shied away like a frightened horse - and kicked like a frightened horse, too!

Mr. Roland came into the sitting-room, his books in his hand. He smiled at the three children.

'Well? All ready for me, I see. Where's George?'

Nobody answered. Nobody was going to give George away!

'Don't you know where she is?' asked Mr. Roland in surprise. He looked at Julian.

'No, sir,' said Julian, truthfully. 'I've no idea where she is.'

'Well ... perhaps she will come along in a few minutes,' said Mr. Roland. 'Gone to feed that dog of hers, I suppose.'

They all settled down to work. The time went on and George did not come in. Mr. Roland glanced at the clock and made an impatient clicking noise with his tongue.

'Really, it's too bad of George to be so late! Anne, go and see if you can find her.'

Anne went. She looked in the bedroom. There was no George there. She looked in the kitchen. Joanna was there, making cakes. She gave the little girl a hot piece to eat. She had no idea where George was.

Anne couldn't find her anywhere. She went back and told Mr. Roland. He looked angry.

'I shall have to report this to her father,' he said. 'I have never had to deal with such a rebellious child before. She seems to do everything she possibly can to get herself into trouble.'