They arrived at the stables and Henry helped them down with their things. Mrs Johnson heard them arriving and came to the door to welcome them.

“Ah, there you are. Come along in. I’ve a mid-morning snack for you, because I guessed you’d have had breakfast early. Leave the things there, Henry. If the boys sleep in one of the stables, there’s no sense in bringing them into the house. Now, are George and Anne still not back? What a pity!”

Henry disappeared to put away the wagon. The boys went into the pleasant house and sat down to lemonade and home-made biscuits. They had hardly taken a bite before Anne came running in. “Henry told me you’d come! Oh, I’m sorry we didn’t meet you! We thought you’d come by train!”

Timmy came racing in, his tail waving madly. He leapt at the two boys, who were just giving Anne a hug each. Then in came George, her face one big beam.

“Julian! Dick! I am so glad you’ve come! It’s been dull as ditch-water without you! Did anyone meet you?”

“Yes. An awfully nice boy,” said Dick. “Gave us quite a welcome and dragged our packs into the wagon, and was very friendly. You never told us about him.”

“Oh, was that William?” said Anne. “Well, he’s only little. We didn’t bother about telling you of the juniors here.”

“No, he wasn’t little,” said Dick. “He was quite big, very strong too. You didn’t mention him at all.”

“Well, we told you about the other girl here,” said George. “Henrietta, awful creature! Thinks she’s like a boy and goes whistling about everywhere. She makes us laugh! You’ll laugh too.”

A sudden thought struck Anne. “Did the - er - boy who met you, tell you his name?” she asked.

“Yes, what was it now, Henry,” said Dick. “Nice chap. I’m going to like him.”

George stared as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “Henry! Did she meet you?”

“No - not she - he,” corrected Julian. “Fellow with a big grin.”

“But that’s Henrietta!” cried George, her face flaming red with anger. “The awful girl I told you about, who tries to act like a boy, and whistles and strides about all over the place. Don’t tell me she took you in! She calls herself Henry, instead of Henrietta, and wears her hair short, and...”

“Gosh, she sounds very like you, George,” said Dick. “Well, I never! It never occurred to me that he was a girl. Jolly good show she put up. I must say I liked him - her, I mean.”

“Oh!” said George really furious. “The beast! She goes and meets you and never says a word to us, and makes you think she’s a boy - and - and - spoils everything!”

“Hold your horses, George, old thing,” said Julian, surprised. “After all, you’ve often been pleased when people take you for a boy, though goodness knows why. I thought you’d grown out of it a bit. Don’t blame us for thinking Henry was a boy, and liking him - her, I mean.”