By the time that dusk came creeping up the heather-covered moorland, all three tents were up, the groundsheets were put down, and the sleeping-bags unrolled on them, two in each of the children’s tents, and one in Mr. Luffy’s.

“I’m going to turn in,” said Mr. Luffy. “My eyes are almost shut. Good night all of you. Sleep well!”

He disappeared into the dusk. Ann yawned widely, and that set the others off too. “Come on — let’s turn in, too,” said Julian. “We’ll have a bar of chocolate each, and a few biscuits. We can eat those in our sleeping-bags. Good night, girls. Won’t it be grand to wake up to-morrow morning?”

He and Dick disappeared into their tent. The girls crawled into theirs with Timmy. They undressed, and got into their warm, soft sleeping-bags.

“This is super!” said George, pushing Timmy to one side. “I never felt so cosy in my life. Don’t do that, Timmy. Don’t you know the difference between my feet and my middle? That’s better.”

“Good night,” said Anne, sleepily. “Look, George, you can see the stars shining through the opening of the tent. Don’t they look enormous?”

But George didn’t care whether they were enormous or not. She was fast asleep, tired out with the day’s run. Timmy cocked one ear when he heard Anne’s voice, and gave a little grunt. That was his way of saying good night. Then he put his head down and slept.

“Our first night of camping,” thought Anne, happily. “I shan’t go to sleep. I shall lie awake and look at the stars and smell that heathery smell.”

But she didn’t. In half a second she was sound asleep, too!

Chapter Three

Anne’s volcano

Julian awoke first in the morning. He heard a strange and lonely sound floating overhead. “Coor-lie! Coor-lie!”

He sat up and wondered where he was and who was calling. Of course! He was in his tent with Dick — they were camping on the moors. And that wild cry overhead came from a curlew, the bird of the moorlands.

He yawned and lay down again. It was early in the morning. The sun put its warm fingers in at his tent opening, and he felt the warmth on his sleeping-bag. He felt lazy and snug and contented. He also felt hungry, which was a nuisance. He glanced at his watch.

Half-past six. He really was too warm and comfortable to get up yet. He put out his hand to see if there was any chocolate left from the night before, and found a little piece. He put it into his mouth and lay there contentedly, listening to more curlews, and watching the sun climb a little higher.

He fell asleep again, and was awakened by Timmy busily licking his face. He sat up with a start. The girls were peering in at his tent, grinning. They were fully dressed already.

“Wake up, lazy!” said Anne. “We sent Timmy in to get you up. It’s half-past seven. We’ve been up for ages.”