Chapter 5 SIX INSTEAD OF FIVE
　　'Look here,' said Richard, when they had tidied up everything, buried their bits of litter, and looked tosee that no one had got a puncture¹ in a tyre. 'Look here - I've got an aunt who lives in the direction ofthose woods - if I can get my mother to say I can come with you, will you let me? I can go and seemy aunt on the way, then.'
　　Julian looked at Richard doubtfully. He wasn't very sure if Richard really would go and askpermission.
　　'Well - if you aren't too long about it,' he said. 'Of course we don't mind you coming with us. We candrop you at your aunt's on the way.'
　　'I'll go straight off now and ask my mother,' said Richard, eagerly, and he ran for his bicycle. 'I'll meetyou at Croker's Corner - you saw it on the map. That will save time, because then I shan't have tocome back here - it's not much farther than my home.'
　　'Right,' said Julian. I've got to adjust my brakes, and that will take ten minutes or so. You'll have timeto go home and ask permission, and join us later. We'll wait for you; at least we'll wait for tenminutes, at Croker's Corner. If you don't turn up we'll know you didn't get permission. Tell yourmother we'll leave you safely at your aunt's.'
　　Richard shot off on his bicycle, looking excited. Anne began to clear up, and George helped her.
　　Timmy got in everyone's way, sniffing² about for dropped crumbs³.
　　'Anyone would think he was half-starved!' said Anne. 'He had a lot more breakfast than I had.
　　Timmy, if you walk through my legs again I'll tie you up!'
　　Julian adjusted his brakes with Dick's help. In about fifteen minutes they were ready to set off.
　　They had planned where to stop to buy food for their lunch, and although the journey toMiddlecombe Woods was a longer trip than they had made the day before, they felt able to cope 19with more miles on the second day. Timmy was eager to set off too. He was a big dog, and enjoyedall the exercise he was getting.
　　'It'll take a bit of your fat off,' said Dick to Timmy. 'We don't like fat dogs, you know. They waddleand they puff⁴.'
　　'Dick! Timmy's never been fat!' said George, indignantly, and then stopped as she saw Dick's grin.
　　He was pulling her leg as usual. She kicked herself. Why did she always rise like that, when Dickteased her through Timmy? She gave him a friendly punch.

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