Chapter 1 A LETTER FROM JULIAN
　　'Anne!' shouted George, running after her cousin as she went along to her classroom. 'Anne! I've justbeen down to the letter board and there's a letter from your brother Julian, I've brought it for you.'
　　Anne stopped. 'Oh thanks,' she said. 'What can Julian want? He only wrote a few days ago - it's mostextraordinary for him to write again so soon. It must be something important.'
　　'Well, open it and see,' said George. 'Hurry up - I've got a maths class to go to.'
　　Anne ripped open the envelope. She pulled out a sheet of notepaper and read it quickly. She lookedup at George, her eyes shining.
　　'George! Julian and Dick have got a few days off at our half-term week-end! Somebody's won awonderful scholarship or something, and the boys have got two days tacked¹ on to a week-end tocelebrate! They want us to join them in a hike, and all go off together.'
　　'What a glorious idea!' said George, 'Good old Julian. I bet he thought of that. Let's read the letter,Anne.'
　　But before she could read it a mistress came along. 'Georgina! You should be in class - and you too,Anne.'
　　George scowled². She hated to be called by her full name. She went off without a word. Anne tuckedthe letter into her pocket and rushed off joyfully³. Half-term with her brothers, Julian and Dick - andwith George and Timmy the dog. Could anything be better?
　　She and George talked about it again after morning school. 'We get from Friday morning tillTuesday,' said George. 'The boys are getting the same. What luck! They don't usually have a half-term in the winter term.'
　　'They can't go home because the painters are in our house,' said Anne. 'That's why I was going homewith you, of course. But I'm sure your mother won't mind if we go off with the boys. Your fathernever likes us in the middle of the term.'
　　'No, he doesn't,' said George, 'He's always deep in the middle of some wonderful idea, and he hates tobe disturbed. It will suit everyone if we go off on a hike.'
　　'Julian says he will telephone to us tonight and arrange everything,' said Anne. 'I hope it will be a nicefine week-end. It will still be October, so there's a chance of a bit of warm sunshine.'
　　2
　　'The woods will be beautiful,' said George. 'And won't Timmy enjoy himself, Let's go and tell himthe news.'
　　The boarding-school that the two girls were at was one that allowed the children to bring their ownpets to school. There were

分享到：