“And what about biscuits for Timmy?” she said. “I simply must take something for him. He’d like a bone too - a big one that he can chew and chew and that I can put back into the bag for another time.”

“Well, let me carry all the biscuits and chocolate then if you’re going to put a smelly old bone into your bag,” said Anne. “I don’t see why you want to take anything for Timmy - he can always have something to eat when we do - wherever we have a meal.”

George decided not to take the bone. She had fetched one from his kennel, and it certainly was big and heavy, and equally certainly it was smelly. She took it back to the kennel again, Timmy following her rather puzzled. Why keep carrying his bone here and there? He didn’t approve at all.

It seemed a long time till Friday, but at last it came. Both girls woke up very early indeed. George was out in the kennels before breakfast, brushing and combing Timmy to make him look spruce and tidy for Julian and Dick. He knew it was the day they were to set off and he was as excited as the two girls.

“We’d better eat a good breakfast,” said Anne. “We might have to wait some time before our next meal. Let’s slip off immediately after breakfast. It’s lovely to feel free of school and bells and time-tables - but I shan’t feel really free till I’m outside the school grounds!”

They ate an enormous breakfast though really they were too excited to want much. Then they got their rucksacks, ready-packed the night before, said goodbye to Miss Peters, and went to fetch Timmy.

He was waiting impatiently for them, and barked madly when they came near. In a trice he was out of his kennel-yard and capering round them, almost tripping them up.

“Good-bye, Anne and George!” yelled one of their friends. “Have a good time on your hike - and it’s no good coming back on Tuesday and telling us you’ve had one of your usual hair-raising adventures, because we just shan’t believe it!”

“Woof,” said Timmy, “Woof, woof!” Which meant that he was going to have adventures with hundreds of rabbits, anyway!

Chapter Two

Setting off

Julian and Dick were also on their way, very pleased to have such an unexpectedly long week-end.

“I never liked Willis or Johnson much,” said Dick, as they walked out of the school grounds. “Awful swotters they were - never had any time for games or fun. But I take my hat off to them today! Because of their swotting they’ve won medals and scholarships and goodness knows what - and we’ve got a week-end off in celebration! Good old Willis and Johnson!”

“Hear hear,” said Dick. “But I bet they’ll sit in a corner with their books all the week-end - they won’t know if it’s a brilliant day like this, or pouring with rain like yesterday! Poor mutts!”