The Secret Seven meeting was called for the very next day, immediately after school. Peter's mother was told, and she suggested that all the members should come to tea first, and have the meeting afterwards.
"I'll wash up every single thing after the meeting," said Janet. "Hurrah! Another Secret Seven meeting. How pleased everyone will be!"
The notes were sent out, and the Secret Seven were thrilled. Jack went scrabbling in his drawer to find the bit of paper on which he had written the password. He found it, but he was most surprised when he read it. This is what he read:
"Remember the password Jack Sprat. No, Jack Horner. No, Jack the Giant-Killer. No ... it's Jack and Jill!"
Jack stared at the bit of scribbled paper, frowning. Whatever had made him write all that? He must have been mad. And which was the password? He was sure it was Jack Sprat.
He looked closely at the paper. "Blow Susie! She's written half of it! She's been snooping in my drawer and found the paper, and read the password! Just wait till I see her!"
But fortunately for Susie she was out to tea. Jack hunted for his badge, and at last found it. He had been afraid that Susie might have discovered that too. Really, she was the most annoying sister in the world!
The tea-party was fixed for half-past four, after school. Janet and Peter had carried everything down, and the shed looked very gay and cosy. They had a small oil stove in one corner for warmth, six candles stuck here and there, and a box for a table. Janet had put a cloth on it.
Two enormous jugs of hot cocoa stood there, with seven mugs round it. Ranged on a shelf behind were seven plates of food.
"Honey sandwiches, sardine sandwiches. and I hope you won't go for those too much, Peter, you're a pig over sardines," said Janet. "Buns buttered and jammed, all in halves. New doughnuts. A chocolate cake baked today. A smashing jam-sponge sandwich, already, cut into seven by Mummy. Doesn't it look lovely? Oh ... and a plate of mixed biscuits."
"Woof!" said Scamper at once, and his tail thumped hard on the ground.
"Your dish of goodies is on the floor, but you're not to begin your tea till we do," said Janet. Scamper looked at his own plate and sniffed longingly.
He saw two sardine sandwiches, made of the tails and little bones; one bun cut in half, with just a scraping of butter, but no jam, because Scamper liked his without; and a very large dog-biscuit smeared with potted meat. What a tea for a hungry dog!
"Here they come," said Janet, as they heard footsteps coming down the path to the shed. She peered out of the window. "It's Pam and Barbara."
Rap-rap!
"Password!" called out Peter.
"Jack Sprat," came the answer, and Peter opened the door at once. No sooner was it shut than more footsteps were heard, and another knock.
"Password?"
"Er ... I'm most awfully sorry, Peter, but it's such ages since we had a meeting that I've forgotten it," said a voice, sounding rather upset. Janet glanced at Peter. Was he going to be cross, and perhaps refuse to let in poor Colin?
No. Peter didn't look at all cross. He opened the door, and Colin came in, looking most relieved.
"Hallo!" he said, staring in delight at the tea. "I'm sorry about the password, but, honestly, it's ages since we used it."
"It's all right," said Peter. "It was my fault for not calling a meeting before. Anyway, that awful sister of Jack's knows it, so we've got to choose a new one."
Rap-rap-rap-RAP!
"Password!" called Peter.
"Jack Sprat!" said two voices, and in came George and Jack, complete with Secret Seven badges. The door shut. The candles gave a wavering light in the rather dark shed, and everything looked cosy, and rather mysterious. Just the kind of thing the Secret Seven liked!
"What's the meeting about?" said Jack, sitting on an upturned flower-pot. "Anything special?"
"No," said Peter. "Nothing's turned up, worse luck, but we can't let our Society fizzle out because we wait and wait for something to happen. We'll talk about that later. Pour out the cocoa, Janet, and remember that we all like heaps of sugar."
"Woof! woof!" said Scamper, approvingly, and got a lump of sugar from Janet at once. She poured out the cocoa, and Peter handed round the sandwiches. Soon everyone was tucking in, and Scamper gulped down his sandwiches and his bun in no time, and then settled down happily to crunch his potted-meat biscuit.
In ten minutes' time every plate was empty. Not even a biscuit was left. Jack sat back with a sigh. That was a scrumptious tea," he said. "Any more cocoa left?"
"Half a mug each," said Janet. "Pass yours up."
"While we're having our last drink, we'll begin the meeting," said Peter. "It's not a very important meeting, but we've got quite a bit to discuss and to plan. If this Secret Seven hasn't any particular job to work on, it's got to find other things to do. Do you agree, members?"
"We do," said everyone, pleased.
"Right," said Peter. "Well, I'll begin.Stop thumping your tail on the floor, Scamper, and you listen too!"