Five on a Hike Together by Enid Blyton

drink with our supper."
    No one had noticed a well - but Anne suddenly remembered something queer she had seen in a corner of the kitchen, near the sink.
    „I believe I saw a pump up there!" she said. „Go and see, Ju. If so, it might stil work."
    He went up the cellar-steps with a candle. Yes - Anne was right. That was an old pump over there in the corner. It probably pumped water into a tank and came out of the kitchen taps.
    He turned on a big tap which was over the large sink. Then he took the handle of the pump and worked it vigorously up and down. Splash! Splash! Water came flooding through the big tap and splashed into the sink! That was good.
    Julian pumped and pumped, feeling that he had better get rid of any water running into the tank for the first time for years. The tank might be dirty or rusty - he must wash it round with a good deal of pumped water first.
    The water seemed to be clean and clear, and was certainly as cold as ice! Julian held a cup from the cel ar cupboard under the tap, and then tasted the water. It was delicious.
    „Good for you, Anne!" he cal ed, going down the cellar-steps with a cupful of water.
    „Dick, you find some more cups - or a jug or something in that cupboard, and we"ll wash them out and fil them with water for our orangeade."
    The cel ar room looked very cheerful as Julian came down the steps. George and Anne had lighted six more candles, and stuck them about here and there. The light they gave was very pleasant, and they also warmed the room a little.
    „Well, I suppose as usual, everyone wants a meal?" said Julian. „Good thing we bought that bread and potted meat and stuff. I can"t say I"m as hungry as I was at breakfast, but I"m getting that way."
    The four squatted round on their beds of heather and bracken. They had put down their ground-sheets first in case the floor was damp, though it didn"t seem to be. Over bread and butter and potted meat they discussed their plans. They would sleep there for the night and then have al the next day to examine Two-Trees and the lake.
    „What exactly are we looking for?" asked Anne. „Do you suppose there"s some secret here, Julian?"
    „Yes," said Julian. „And I think I know what it is!"
    „What?" asked George and Anne, surprised. Dick thought he knew. Julian explained.
    „Well, we know that a prisoner called Nailer sent an important message by his escaped friend to two people - one he wanted to send to Dirty Dick - but he didn"t get it - and the other to Maggie, whoever she is. Now what secret does he want to tell them?"
    „I think I can guess," said Dick. „But go on."
    „Now suppose that Nailer has done some big robberies," said Julian. „I don"t know what.
    Jewellery robberies probably, because they are the commonest with big criminals. Al right - he does a big robbery - he hides the stuff til he hopes the hue and cry wil be over -
    but he"s caught and put into prison for a number of years. But he doesn"t tell where the stuff is hidden! He daren"t even write a letter to tell his friends outside the prison where it is.
    Al his letters are read before they leave the prison, So what is he to do?"

    „Wait til someone escapes and then give him a message," said Dick. „And that"s just what happened, isn"t it, Julian? That round-headed man I saw was the escaped prisoner, and he was sent to tell Dirty Dick and Maggie where the stolen goods were hidden - so that they could get them before anyone else did!"
    „Yes. I"m sure that"s it," said Julian, „His friend, the escaped prisoner, probably wouldn"t understand the message at all - but Dirty Dick and Maggie would, because they knew al about the robbery. And now Maggie wil certainly try to find out where the stuff is."
    „Well, we must find it first!" said George, her eyes gleaming with excitement. „We"re here first, anyway. And tomorrow, as early as possible we"ll begin to snoop round. What was the next clue in the message, Dick? After Two-Trees and Gloomy