“The only thing is, Timmy kept wanting to come right inside mine,” said George, “and honestly there isn’t enough room. Besides, he’d be cooked.”

“Well, he seemed to spend half the night on my tummy,” grumbled Julian. “I shall jolly well keep the bedroom door shut if Timmy’s going to spend the night flopping on everyone’s bag in turn.”

“I don’t mind the flopping, so much as the frightful habit he’s got of turning himself round and round and round before he flops down,” complained Dick. “He did that on me last night. Silly habit of his.”

“He can’t help it,” said George at once. “It’s a habit that wild dogs had centuries and centuries ago — they slept in reeds and rushes, and they got into the way of turning themselves round and round in them, to trample them down and make themselves a good sleeping-place. And our dogs go on turning themselves round now, before they go to sleep, even though there aren’t any rushes to trample down.”

“Well! I wish Timmy would forget his doggy ancestors were wild dogs with rushy beds, and just remember he’s a nice tame dog with a basket of his own,” said Dick. “You should see my tummy to-day! It’s all printed over with his foot-marks.”

“Fibber!” said Anne. “You do exaggerate, Dick. Oh, I do wish Tuesday would come. I’m tired of waiting.”

“It’ll come all right,” said Julian. And so it did, of course. It dawned bright and sunny, with a sky that was a deep blue, flecked with tiny white clouds.

“Good-weather clouds,” said Julian, pleased. “Now, let’s hope old Luffy has remembered it’s to-day we’re starting off. He’s due here at ten o’clock. We’re taking sandwiches for the whole party. Mother thought we’d better, in case Luffy forgot his. If he’s remembered them it won’t matter, because we’re sure to be able to eat them ourselves. And there’s always Timmy to finish things up!”

Timmy was as excited as the four children. He always knew when something nice was going to happen. His tail was on the wag the whole time, his tongue hung out, and he panted as if he had been running a race. He kept getting under everyone’s feet, but nobody minded.

Mr. Luffy arrived half an hour late, just when everyone was beginning to feel he had forgotten to come. He was at the wheel of his big old car, beaming. All the children knew him quite well, because he lived not far away and often came to play bridge with their father and mother.

“Hallo, hallo!” he cried. “All ready, I see! Good for you! Pile the things on the trailer, will you? Mine are there too but there’s plenty of room. I’ve got sandwiches for everyone, by the way. My wife said I’d better bring plenty.”

“Golly! We’ll have a fine feast to-day then,” said Dick, helping Julian to carry out the folded-up tents and sleeping-bags, whilst the girls followed with the smaller things. Soon everything was on the trailer and Julian made them safe with ropes.