horse in their lives before. A horse – down in the cellar – locked up with Peter and Jack. How extraordinary!
«Have the men gone?» asked Peter, and Colin nodded.
«Yes. Away in their car. That's why we came to look for you. They saw us in the field because Scamper barked – but they thought we were just snowmen! I say – what happened here?»
«Let's get out of the house», said Peter. «I just can't bear being here any longer.»
He led Kerry Blue behind him, and Colin was surprised that the horse made so little noise on the wooden floor of the kitchen. He looked down at the horse's hooves and gave an exclamation. «Look! What's he's got on his feet?»
«Felt slippers, made to fit his great hooves», said Peter, with a grin. «That explains the curious prints we saw in the snow. I guess he had those on so that he wouldn't make too much noise down in the cellar! My word, he was scared when we found him. Come on – I'm going home!»
12 – The End of the Adventure
Six figures went up the snowy lane – two boys in dark anoraks, two in curious white garments and caps, a dog in a draggled white coat, and a proud and beautiful horse. All the boys had gleaming white faces and looked extremely queer, but as they didn't meet anyone it didn't matter.
Peter talked hard as he went, telling of all that had happened to him and Jack. Colin and George listened in astonishment, half-jealous that they, too, had not shared in the whole of the night's adventure.
«I'm going to put Kerry Blue into one of the stables at our farmhouse», said Peter. «He'll be all right now. What sucks for the men to find him gone! And tomorrow we'll tell the police. Meet at half-past nine – and collect Pam and Barbara on the way, will you? This really has been a wonderful mystery, and I do think the Secret Seven have done well! Goodness, I'm tired. I shall be asleep in two shakes of a duck's tail!»
They were all in bed and asleep in under half an hour. Janet was fast asleep when Peter got in. He had carefully stabled Kerry Blue who was now quite docile and friendly.
In the morning, what an excitement! Peter told his father and mother what had happened and his father, in amazement, went to examine Kerry Blue.
«He's a very fine racehorse», he said. «And he's been dyed with some kind of brown stuff, as you can see. I expect those fellows meant to sell him and race him under another name. Well, you've stopped that, you and your Society, Peter!»
«What about getting on to the police now?» said the children's mother, anxiously. «It does seem to me they ought to be after these men at once.»
«There's a meeting of the Secret Seven down in the shed at half-past nine», said Peter. «Perhaps the police could come to it.»
«Oh, no – I hardly think the police would want to sit on your flower-pots and boxes», said Mummy. «You must all meet in Daddy's study. That's the proper place.»
So, at half-past nine, when the Seven were all waiting in great excitement, and Scamper was going quite mad, biting a corner of the rug, the bell rang, and in walked two big policemen. They looked most astonished to see so many children sitting round in a ring.
«Good morning», said the Inspector. «Er – what is all this about? You didn't say much on the phone, sir.»
«No. I wanted you to hear the story from the children», said Peter's father. He unfolded the morning paper and laid it out flat on the table. The children crowded round.
On the front page was a big photograph of a lovely horse. Underneath it were a few sentences in big black letters.
KERRY BLUE STOLEN.
FAMOUS RACEHORSE DISAPPEARS. NO SIGN OF HIS HIDING-PLACE.
«I expect you saw that this morning», said Peter's father. «Peter, tell him where Kerry Blue is.»
«In our stables!» said Peter, and thoroughly enjoyed the look of utter amazement that came over the faces of the two policemen.
They got out notebooks. «This is important, sir», said the Inspector to Peter's father.
«Have the men gone?» asked Peter, and Colin nodded.
«Yes. Away in their car. That's why we came to look for you. They saw us in the field because Scamper barked – but they thought we were just snowmen! I say – what happened here?»
«Let's get out of the house», said Peter. «I just can't bear being here any longer.»
He led Kerry Blue behind him, and Colin was surprised that the horse made so little noise on the wooden floor of the kitchen. He looked down at the horse's hooves and gave an exclamation. «Look! What's he's got on his feet?»
«Felt slippers, made to fit his great hooves», said Peter, with a grin. «That explains the curious prints we saw in the snow. I guess he had those on so that he wouldn't make too much noise down in the cellar! My word, he was scared when we found him. Come on – I'm going home!»
12 – The End of the Adventure
Six figures went up the snowy lane – two boys in dark anoraks, two in curious white garments and caps, a dog in a draggled white coat, and a proud and beautiful horse. All the boys had gleaming white faces and looked extremely queer, but as they didn't meet anyone it didn't matter.
Peter talked hard as he went, telling of all that had happened to him and Jack. Colin and George listened in astonishment, half-jealous that they, too, had not shared in the whole of the night's adventure.
«I'm going to put Kerry Blue into one of the stables at our farmhouse», said Peter. «He'll be all right now. What sucks for the men to find him gone! And tomorrow we'll tell the police. Meet at half-past nine – and collect Pam and Barbara on the way, will you? This really has been a wonderful mystery, and I do think the Secret Seven have done well! Goodness, I'm tired. I shall be asleep in two shakes of a duck's tail!»
They were all in bed and asleep in under half an hour. Janet was fast asleep when Peter got in. He had carefully stabled Kerry Blue who was now quite docile and friendly.
In the morning, what an excitement! Peter told his father and mother what had happened and his father, in amazement, went to examine Kerry Blue.
«He's a very fine racehorse», he said. «And he's been dyed with some kind of brown stuff, as you can see. I expect those fellows meant to sell him and race him under another name. Well, you've stopped that, you and your Society, Peter!»
«What about getting on to the police now?» said the children's mother, anxiously. «It does seem to me they ought to be after these men at once.»
«There's a meeting of the Secret Seven down in the shed at half-past nine», said Peter. «Perhaps the police could come to it.»
«Oh, no – I hardly think the police would want to sit on your flower-pots and boxes», said Mummy. «You must all meet in Daddy's study. That's the proper place.»
So, at half-past nine, when the Seven were all waiting in great excitement, and Scamper was going quite mad, biting a corner of the rug, the bell rang, and in walked two big policemen. They looked most astonished to see so many children sitting round in a ring.
«Good morning», said the Inspector. «Er – what is all this about? You didn't say much on the phone, sir.»
«No. I wanted you to hear the story from the children», said Peter's father. He unfolded the morning paper and laid it out flat on the table. The children crowded round.
On the front page was a big photograph of a lovely horse. Underneath it were a few sentences in big black letters.
KERRY BLUE STOLEN.
FAMOUS RACEHORSE DISAPPEARS. NO SIGN OF HIS HIDING-PLACE.
«I expect you saw that this morning», said Peter's father. «Peter, tell him where Kerry Blue is.»
«In our stables!» said Peter, and thoroughly enjoyed the look of utter amazement that came over the faces of the two policemen.
They got out notebooks. «This is important, sir», said the Inspector to Peter's father.
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