It was tea-time before any of them had expected it. The bell rang, and Jock looked most surprised.

“Tea! Would you believe it? Well, I have had an exciting afternoon talking about all this. And look here, if you don’t make up your minds to go spook-train hunting I’ll jolly well go off by myself. If only I could have an adventure like the kind you’ve had, I’d be happy.”

They went in to tea, after waking Anne up with difficulty. She took the puppy back to Biddy, who received it gladly and licked it all over.

Julian was surprised to find that he was quite hungry again. “Well,” he said, as he sat down at the table. “I didn’t imagine I’d feel hungry again for a week — but I do. What a wizard tea, Mrs. Andrews. Isn’t Jock lucky, to have meals like this always!”

There were home-made scones with new honey. There were slices of bread thickly spread with butter, and new-made cream cheese to go with it. There was sticky brown gingerbread, hot from the oven, and a big solid fruit cake that looked almost like a plum pudding when it was cut, it was so black.

“Oh dear! I wish now I hadn’t had so much dinner,” sighed Anne. “I don’t feel hungry enough to eat a bit of everything and I would so like to!”

Mrs. Andrews laughed. “You eat what you can, and I’ll give you some to take away, too,” she said. “You can have some cream cheese, and scones and honey — and some of the bread I made this morning. And maybe you’d like a slab of the gingerbread. I made plenty.”

“Oh, thanks,” said Julian. “We’ll be all right to-morrow with all that. You’re a marvellous cook, Mrs. Andrews. I wish I lived on your farm.”

There was the sound of a car coming slowly up the rough track to the farmhouse, and Mrs. Andrews looked up. “That’s Mr. Andrews come back,” she said. “My husband, you know, Jock’s stepfather.”

Julian thought she looked a little worried. Perhaps Mr. Andrews didn’t like children and wouldn’t be pleased to see them sitting round his table when he came home tired.

“Would you like us to go, Mrs. Andrews?” he asked politely. “Perhaps Mr. Andrews would like a bit of peace for his meal when he comes in — and we’re rather a crowd, aren’t we?”

Jock’s mother shook her head. “No, you can stay. I’ll get him a meal in the other room if he’d like it.”

Mr. Andrews came in. He wasn’t in the least like Anne or the others had imagined him to be. He was a short, dark little man, with a weak face and a nose much too big for it. He looked harassed and bad-tempered, and stopped short when he saw the five children.

“Hallo, dear,” said Mrs. Andrews. “Jock’s got his friends here to-day. Would you like a bite of tea in your room? I can easily put a tray there.”