Chapter Seven DIRECTIONS FOR THE SECRET WAY
　　FOR the next day or two the four children did not really have much time to think about the SecretWay, because Christmas was coming near, and there was a good deal to do.
　　There were Christmas cards to draw and paint for their mothers and fathers and friends. There wasthe house to decorate. They went out with Mr. Roland to find sprays of holly¹, and came home laden².
　　'You look like a Christmas card yourselves,' said Aunt Fanny, as they walked up the garden path,carrying the red-berried holly over their shoulders. Mr. Roland had found a group of trees with tuftsof mistletoe growing from the top branches, and they had brought some of that too. Its berries shonelike pale green pearls.
　　'Mr. Roland had to climb the tree to get this,' said Anne. 'He's a good climber - as good as a monkey.'
　　Everyone laughed except George. She never laughed at anything to do with the tutor. They alldumped their loads down in the porch, and went to wash. They were to decorate the house thatevening.
　　'Is Uncle going to let his study be decorated too?' asked Anne. There were all kinds of strangeinstruments and glass tubes in the study now, and the children looked at them with wonder wheneverthey ventured into the study, which was very seldom.
　　'No, my study is certainly not to be messed about,' said Uncle Quentin, at once. 'I wouldn't hear of it.'
　　'Uncle, why do you have all these funny things in your study?' asked Anne, looking round with wideeyes.
　　Uncle Quentin laughed. I’m looking for a secret formula!' he said.
　　'What's that?' said Anne.
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　　'You wouldn't understand,' said her uncle. 'All these "funny things" as you call them, help me in myexperiments, and I put down in my book what they tell me - and from all I learn I work out a secretformula, that will be of great use when it is finished.'
　　'You want to know a secret formula, and we want to know a secret way,' said Anne, quite forgettingthat she was not supposed to talk about this.
　　Julian was standing³ by the door. He frowned at Anne. Luckily Uncle Quentin was not paying anymore attention to the little girl's chatter⁴. Julian pulled her out of the room.
　　'Anne, the only way to stop you giving away secrets is to sew up your mouth, like Brer Rabbitwanted to do to Mister Dog!' he said.

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