Chapter 1 THE FIVE ARE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN
'Phew!' said Julian, mopping his wet forehead, 'What a day! Let's go and live at the Equator - it wouldbe cool compared to this!'
He stood leaning on his bicycle, out of breath with a long steep ride up a hill. Dick grinned at him.
'You're out of training, Ju!' he said. 'Let's sit down for a bit and look at the view. We're pretty highup!'
They leaned their bicycles against a nearby gate and sat down, their backs against the lower bars.
Below them spread the Dorset countryside, shimmering¹ in the heat of the day, the distance almostlost in a blue haze². A small breeze came wandering round, and Julian sighed in relief.
'I'd never have come on this biking trip if I'd guessed it was going to be as hot as this!' he said.
'Good thing Anne didn't come - she'd have given up the first day.'
'George wouldn't have minded,' said Dick. 'She's game enough for anything.'
'Good old Georgina,' said Julian, shutting his eyes. 'I'll be glad to see the girls again. Fun to be on ourown, of course - but things always seem to happen when the four of us are together.'
'Five, you mean,' said Dick, tipping his hat over his eyes. 'Don't forget old Timmy. What a dog!
Never knew one that had such a wet lick as Tim. I say - won't it be fun to meet them all! Don't let'sforget the time, Julian. Hey, wake up, ass³! If we go to sleep now, we'll not be in time to meet thegirls' bus.'
Julian was almost asleep. Dick looked at him and laughed. Then he looked at his watch, and did alittle calculating. It was half past two.
'Let's see now - Anne and George will be on the bus that stops at Finniston Church at five past three,'
he thought. 'Finniston is about a mile away, down this hill. I'll give Julian fifteen minutes to have anap - and hope to goodness I don't fall asleep myself!'
He felt his own eyes closing after a minute, and got up at once to walk about. The two girls and Timmust be met, because they would have suitcases with them, which the boys planned to wheel alongon their bicycles.
The Five were going to stay at a place called Finniston Farm, set on a hill above the little village ofFinniston. None of them had been there before, nor even heard of it. It had all come about becauseGeorge's mother had heard from an old school friend, who had told her that 2she was taking paying guests at her farm-house - and had asked her to recommend visitors to her.
George had

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