SECRET SEVEN MYSTERY by Enid Blyton

CHAPTER 3 MOSTLY ABOUT ELIZABETH

Peter explained everything clearly.

'The girl's name is Elizabeth Mary Wilhemina Sonning,' he said. 'Her parents live abroad, and she is a weekly boarder at school and spends her weekends with an aunt. She has a brother who is away in France. She was accused of stealing money from her form-mistress's desk, and when the police went to speak to her aunt about it, she ran away.'

'What was she dressed in?' asked Pam.

'School uniform,' said Peter. 'Here's her photograph in it. Ordinary navy school coat, navy felt hat with school band round it, ordinary shoes, and stockings. It says here that she wore a gym tunic underneath, with a white blouse - well, really she's dressed just like Janet and Pam and Barbara when they're at school, it seems to me!'

'She might have taken some other clothes with her,' said Jack. 'Her Sunday coat or something.'

'No. Her aunt said that no other clothes were missing - only the ones she went in,' said Peter. 'You may be sure the aunt would look carefully, because it would be difficult to spot the girl if she were not in her school uniform.'

'Where's the description of what she's like?' asked Janet. 'It was in the evening paper last night, Peter.'

'Oh, yes. Here it is,' said Peter, and began to read out loud.'"Elizabeth can be recognized by her mass of soft, dark, curly hair, her brown eyes, straight eyebrows, and scar down one arm. She is tall for her age, and strong. She swims well and is fond of horses." Well - there you are - do you think you'd spot her if you saw her?'

'We might,' said Colin, doubtfully. 'But lots of girls have dark, curly hair and brown eyes. If only the girl would wear short sleeves we might spot the scar - but that's the one thing she will certainly hide!'

'How do we set about looking for her?' asked George. 'Do we bike over to Belling Village and hunt all over the place?'

'That's what we've got to discuss,' said Peter. 'I don't actually think that just biking up and down the streets is going to be the slightest good - Elizabeth will be sure to find a hiding-place. She won't wander about in the daytime, I imagine - she'll lie low.'

'Where?' asked Pam.

'How do I know?' said Peter, who thought that Pam was sometimes very silly.' Use your brains, Pam. Where would you hide if you ran away from home?'

' In a barn,' said Pam.

'In the woods under a thick bush,' said George.

' Wuff, wuff, wuff-wuff,' said Scamper, wagging his tail.

'What did you suggest - in a kennel? said Peter. Thank you, Scamper - quite a good idea of yours.'

Everyone laughed, and Scamper looked pleased.

'I thought it would be sensible if we thoroughly explored Belling Village and round about,' said Peter. 'If Elizabeth has already actually been seen in Belling, she must be hiding somewhere near. I expect the police have already hunted pretty well everywhere, but we know better where to look than they do - because we know where we'd hide if we wanted to-but they wouldn't. Grown-ups seem to forget the things they did when they were young.'

'Yes, they do,' said George. 'But I never shall. I'm determined not to. What about the grandmother, Peter? Should one of us go to see her, do you think? She might have something helpful to say.'

'Yes, I think that's a good idea,' said Peter, considering it.

'Bags /don't go,' said Pam, at once. 'I wouldn't know what to say. I should just stand there and look silly.'

'Well, you'd find that quite easy,' said Colin, and Pam scowled at him.

'Now just you tell me what you' she began, but Peter stopped the argument before it began.

'Shut up, you two. Jack and I will go, probably. And listen - there is another thing we might do.'

'What?' asked everyone.

'Well, this girl is fond of horses, it seems. We might go to the two or three stables we know of and see if any girl has been seen hanging around. She might even try to get a job at one.'

'That's a good idea,' said Janet, warmly. 'Well -there seems quite a lot we can do, Peter.'

'The next thing is to give each one of us a section of the countryside to hunt,' said Colin. 'It's no good us all going together - for one thing anyone in hiding would hear us coming and lie low. And for another thing we'd never cover all the countryside! What particular places must we search, Peter?'

'Well - you'll use your own common sense about that, of course,' said Peter. 'Anywhere that looks likely - a deserted shack - an empty caravan - a copse - anywhere in the woods where there are thick bushes - barns - sheds - even a hen-house!'

'WufF, wuff, wuff-wuff,' put in Scamper.

'You mentioned a kennel before, Scamper, old thing,' said Peter. 'We'll leave you to examine those. Now, Secret Seven, there are two hours before dinner. Arrange between yourselves where you're going to search. Jack and I are going off to the grandmother's house. Everyone report back at half-past two - sharp ! Now - get going!'