“A very, very nice little haul,” said the sergeant to one of his men. “Very neat, too — three of them all locked up ready for us!”

“What about that kid, Jo?” said the man. “She seems a bad lot, and as clever as they make them!”

“She’s going to have a chance now,” said the sergeant. “Everybody has a chance sometimes, and this is hers. She’s just about half-and-half. I reckon — half bad and half good. But she’ll be all right now she’s got a chance!”

Jo was sleeping in Joan’s room again. The rest were in their own bedrooms, getting ready for bed. They suddenly didn’t feel sleepy any more. Timmy especially was very lively, darting in and out of the rooms, and sending the landing mats sliding about all over the place.

“Timmy! If you jump on my bed again I’ll slam the door on you!” threatened Anne. But she didn’t, of course. It was so lovely to see old Timmy quite himself once more.

The telephone bell suddenly rang, and made everyone jump.

“Now what’s up?” said Julian, and went down in the hall to answer it. A voice spoke in his ear.

“Is that Kirrin 011? This is Telegrams. There is a cable for you, with reply prepaid. I am now going to read it.”

“Go ahead,” said Julian.

“It is from Seville in Spain,” said the voice, “and reads as follows:”

“HERE IS OUR ADDRESS. PLEASE CABLE BACK SAYING IF EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT — UNCLE QUENTIN.”

Julian repeated the message to the others, who had now crowded round him in the hall. “What reply shall I give?” he asked. “No good upsetting them now everything is over!”

“Not a bit of good,” said Dick. “Say what you like!”

“Right!” said Julian, and turned to the telephone again. ‘Hallo — here is the reply message, please. Ready?

“HAVING A MOST EXCITING TIME, WITH LOTS OF FUN AND GAMES. EVERYTHING OKAY — JULIAN”.’

“Everything okay,” repeated Anne, as they went upstairs to bed once more “That’s what I like to hear at the end of an adventure. Everything okay.”

THE END

ENID BLYTON (London, United Kingdom, 11th August 1897 - London, 28th November 1968). Enid Mary Blyton was born on 11th August 1897 at 354 Lordship Lane, a two-bedroom flat above a shop in East Dulwich, South London. Shortly after her birth her parents moved to Beckenham in Kent and it was there, in a number of different houses over the years, that Enid Blyton spent her childhood. She had two younger brothers — Hanly, born in 1899, and Carey, born in 1902.

ENID AND HER FATHER, THOMAS CAREY BLYTON

Enid’s father, Thomas, was a cutlery salesman as a young man. He then joined his uncle’s firm selling Yorkshire cloth and, later still, set up his own business as a clothing wholesaler. He and his daughter had a close, loving relationship — both had dark hair and alert brown eyes, and shared an appetite for knowledge and a zest for life. Together they enjoyed nature rambles, gardening, the theatre, art, music and literature. When Enid had whooping cough as a baby, and was not expected to live till morning, her father refused to accept the doctor’s opinion and sat up all night with her, cradling her and willing her to survive.