Berta’s cases were now all in Joan’s big room and she ran to get into her swim-suit.

“Bring your blazer and a towel,” yelled George, and went into her own room with Anne.

“I bet Berta can’t swim,” she said. “That will be a pity, because most boys swim well. We’ll have to teach her.”

“Well, don’t duck her too often!” said Anne, seeing a look in George’s eye that was not too kindly. “Blow — my swim-suit isn’t here — I’m sure I brought it in from the clothes-line.”

It took quite a while to find it, and the boys and Berta had already gone down to the beach with Sally by the time Anne and George were ready to follow with the impatient Timmy.

They were down on the beach at last, and there was Sally-dog guarding the blazers belonging to Julian, Dick and Berta. She was lying on them, and she even dared to growl at Timmy when he came near.

George laughed. “Growl back, Timmy! Don’t let a little snippet like that cheek you. Growl back!”

But Timmy wouldn’t. He just sat down out of reach of Sally, and looked at her sadly. Wasn’t she friends with him any more?

“Where are the others?” said Anne, shading her eyes from the glare of the sun and looking out to sea. “Goodness how far out they’ve swum! That can’t be Berta with them, surely!”

George looked out over the stretch of blue sea at once. She saw three heads bobbing. Yes, Berta was out there!

“She must be a jolly good swimmer,” said Anne, admiringly. “I couldn’t swim out as far as that. We were wrong about Berta. She swims like a fish!”

George said nothing. She ran to the waves, plunged through a big one just as it was curling over, and swam out strongly. She couldn’t believe that it was Berta out there! And if it was, the boys must be helping her!

But it was Berta. Her golden head glistened wet in the water, and she shouted in glee as she swam.

“This is great! This is wunnerful! Gee, I’m enjoying this! Hie there, George — isn’t the water warm?”

Julian and Dick grinned round at the panting George. “Leslie’s a fine swimmer,” said Dick. “Gosh, I thought she was going to race me at one time. She’d beat you, George!”

“She wouldn’t,” said George, but all the same she didn’t challenge Berta to a race!

It was fun to be five, fun to chase one another in the sea, to swim under the water and grab somebody’s leg. And Anne laughed till she choked when she saw somebody heave themselves out of the water right on to George’s back, and duck her well and truly.

It was Berta! And what was more, the angry George couldn’t catch her afterwards. Berta could swim much too fast!

Chapter Nine

A sudden telephone call

Berta soon settled down happily with the Five. George couldn’t bear to think that the girl had to be dressed like a boy, but her jealousy wore off a little as the days went by — though she couldn’t help feeling annoyed that Berta proved to be such a good swimmer!