“Oh, thanks,” said Jock, and squeezed inside with difficulty. “How warm it is! I say, I’m terribly sorry I didn’t come to-day — but my stepfather suddenly announced he wanted me to go somewhere with him for the whole day. Can’t think why. He doesn’t bother about me as a rule.”

“That was mean of him, seeing that he knew you were to come on a picnic with us,” said Julian. “Was it something important?”

“No. Not at all,” said Jock. “He drove off to Endersfield — that’s about forty miles away — parked me in the public library there, saying he’d be back in a few minutes — and he didn’t come back till past tea-time! I had some sandwiches with me, luckily. I felt pretty angry about it, I can tell you.”

“Never mind. Come to-morrow instead,” said Dick.

“I can’t,” said Jock in despair. “He’s gone and arranged for me to meet the son of some friend of his — a boy called Cecil Dearlove — what a name! I’m to spend the day with this frightful boy. The worst of it is Mum’s quite pleased about it. She never thinks my stepfather takes enough notice of me — good thing he doesn’t, I think.”

“Oh blow — so you won’t be able to come to-morrow either,” said Julian. “Well — what about the next day?”

“It should be all right,” said Jock. “But I’ve a feeling I’ll have dear love of a Cecil planked on me for the day — to show him the cows and the puppies, dear pet! Ugh! When I could be with you four and Timmy.”

“It’s bad luck,” said Julian. “It really is.”

“I thought I’d better come and tell you,” said Jock. “It’s the first chance I’ve had, creeping up here to-night. I’ve brought some more food for you, by the way. I guessed you’d want some. I feel down in the dumps about that adventure — you know, going to see the railway yard. I was going to ask you to take me to-day.”

“Well — if you can’t come to-morrow either — and perhaps not the next day — what about going one night?” said Dick. “Would you like to come up to-morrow night, about this time? We won’t tell the girls. We’ll just go off by ourselves, we three boys — and watch!”

Jock was too thrilled to say a word. He let out a deep breath of joy. Dick laughed.

“Don’t get too thrilled. We probably shan’t see a thing. Bring a torch if you’ve got one. Come to our tent and jerk my toe. I’ll probably be awake, but if I’m not, that’ll wake me all right! And don’t say a word to anyone of course.”

“Rather not,” said Jock, overjoyed. “Well — I suppose I’d better be going. It was pretty weird coming over the moorland in the dark. There’s no moon, and the stars don’t give much light. I’ve left the food outside the tent. Better look out that Timmy doesn’t get it.”