Then everyone started to talk at once until Mrs. Morton put her hands over her ears and shooed them out of the room into the sunshine. Macbeth got up, stretched, and came slowly over to the group in the porch. The twins sat on the step and continually interrupted the others until Tom said, "Let's go up to Lone Pine. Auntie said I could go off for the day, and then we can really compare notes properly. Besides, the Club ought to meet. It's in the rules that we should."

Then he turned to the twins and rather surprisingly said, "And you kids just keep quiet for a bit. Anyone would think you were the only people who had any adventures. What about Peter? Not even David knows yet what she was doing in the night, hunting all over the mountain for you."

David grinned. "Quite right, Tom. Better mention it to the grown-ups though, or shall we leave these kids behind?"

Then Mrs. Morton came out and helped everybody by saying, "Now what are you all going to do today?" just as if the twins had never been lost. She was like that. They all knew that she was the very best and most understanding mother anywhere. Even Peter felt the same and she had only known Mrs. Morton a few days.

David looked at her gratefully.

"Well, Mother, we did think of just going off for a bit on our own. The twins have promised to behave and be sensible, and do what they're told. If we promise not to go too far, and to come back to lunch, do you mind? There's such a lot to tell."

"If the twins have promised - "they both nodded violent and enthusiastic agreement - "and you promise me not to go wandering about on the top of the mountain today or to go near Appledore, you can be off. We shan't have dinner till two o'clock as we're so late with breakfast. Are you going to take Sally, Peter? If not you'd better put her in the shade."

Peter took this wise advice gratefully. "I'll ride her, thank you, Mrs. Morton."

Macbeth consented to join the party, so they set off up the little valley with Peter leading on Sally.

"Shall I bring the kettle?" Dickie asked, when they got to the place where one day they hoped to build the dam.

"Yes. Fill it," said David. "We don't want hot drinks, but we might like cold water."