Chapters (13)
David's idea of taking kettle and bucket down with them and hiding them near the stream was a good one, and Dickie, as usual, was given charge of these. Then Sally was freed and the little caravan of explorers set off down the hill. On the way Tom gave them whistling lessons, and soon Peter was nearly as good as her master. Down at the stream Tom asked what they had been doing all day, and they realized with a shock that they hadn't brought the history of the Lone-Piners up to date.
They were almost at Witchend by the time they had finished, but long before the end of the story it was obvious that Tom himself had something to add to it. Suddenly a little black bundle came hurtling up the path to meet them, and Mary and Macbeth fell to the ground in a rapturous embrace. The dog was so excited that when Mary let him go he dashed round and round them all, barking wildly. The uproar brought Mrs. Morton to the door.
"Is that you, darlings? Are you all there?"
"Yes, Mother," David called. "And Peter and Sally, and Tom, too."
She came out to meet them and pushed the twins indoors first. Peter said "Good-bye" and jumped onto Sally while the boys went over to open the gate for her. Tom held the bridle for a minute.
"I've been trying to tell you for five minutes," he said. "Listen. When I was just coming out of the farmyard I heard a dog barking and guessed it was Mac - whatever-you-call-him. He was chasing Mrs. Thurston down the lane, and she was running away from him, very red in the face and absolutely furious. You've no idea how silly she looked! He kept dancing round her and snapping, and I was just going to see if I could get him away when she began to shout and throw stones. It was rather funny, because once Mac picked up a stone and brought it back to her. Then she tried to kick him. Last I saw was Mac chasing her down past the corner. He doesn't seem to like her."
David laughed and whistled to the dog, but he had gone in with the twins.
"Hope Mary makes a fuss of him," he said. "He's a good chap."
Then he opened the gate.
"Wait for me, Peter," Tom said. "You can canter when you get past Ingles, 'Bye, David. See you tomorrow perhaps, but I don't know how long uncle will want me. Let's have another proper meeting at the camp soon."
"Bye David," said Peter. "We've had a lovely day. See you soon."
He watched them down the lane, and then as he turned to go indoors there came the plaintive call of the peewit through the dusk.