"do you think we'd better slip down after the sticks have gone to bed and get some food out of thelarder again?" said dick, when no supper appeared that evening.

julian didn't feel inclined to sneak down and confront mr. stick again. not that he was afraid of him,but the whole thing was so unpleasant. this was their house, the food was theirs - so why should theyhave to beg for it, or take it on the sly? it was ridiculous.

"come here, timothy!" said julian. the dog left george's side and went to julian, looking up at theboy inquiringly. "you're going to come with me and persuade dear kind mrs. stick to give us the bestthings out of the larder!" said julian, with a grin.

the others laughed, cheering up at once.

"good idea!" said dick. "can we all come and see the fun.""better not," said julian. "i can manage fine by myself."he went down the passage to the kitchen. the radio was going inside, so no one in the kitchen heardjulian till he was actually standing inside the door. then edgar looked up and saw timothy as well asjulian.

edgar was scared of the big dog, who was now growling fiercely. he went behind the kitchen sofaand stayed there, eyeing timmy fearfully.

"what do you want?" said mrs. stick, turning off the radio.

"supper," said julian, pleasantly. "supper! the best things out of the larder - bought with my uncle'smoney, cooked on my aunt's stove with gas she pays for - yes, supper! open the larder door and let'ssee what there is in there."

"well, of all the nerve!" began mr. stick, in amazement.

"you can have a loaf of bread and some cheese," said mrs. stick, "and that's my last word.""well, it isn't my last word," said julian, and he went to the larder door. timmy, keep to heel!

growl all you like, but don't bite anybody - yet!"timmy's growls were really frightful. even mr. stick put himself at the other end of the room.

as for stinker, he was nowhere to be seen. he had gone into the scullery at the very first growl, andwas now shivering behind the wringer.

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mrs. stick's mouth went into a hard straight line. "you take the bread and cheese and clear out,"she said.

julian opened the larder door, whistling softly, which annoyed mrs. stick more than anything else.

"my word!" said julian, admiringly. "you do know how to stock a larder, i must say, mrs.

stick. a roast chicken! i thought i smelt one cooking. i suppose mr. stick killed one of our chickenstoday. i thought i heard a lot of squawking. and what fine tomatoes! best to be got from the village,i've no doubt. and oh, mrs. stick - what a perfectly marvellous treacle tart! i must say you're a goodcook, i really must."

julian picked up the chicken, the dish of tomatoes, and then balanced the plate with the treacle tart onthe top.

mrs. stick yelled at him.

"you leave them things alone! that's our supper! you leave them there.""you've made a little mistake," said julian, politely. it's our supper! we've had very little to eat today,and we could do with a good supper. thanks awfully!""now look "ere!" began mr. stick, angrily, furious at seeing his lovely supper walking away.

"you surely don't want me to look at you again," said julian, in a tone of amazement. "what for?

have you shaved yet - or washed? i'm afraid not. so, if you don't mind i think i'd rather not look atyou."

mr. stick was speechless. he was not ready with his tongue at any time, and a boy like julian tookhis breath away, and left him with nothing to say except his favourite "now, look 'ere!""put those things down," said mrs. stick sharply. "what do you think we're going to have for oursupper if you walk off with them? you tell me that!""easy!" said julian. "let me offer you our supper - bread and cheese, mrs. stick, bread and cheese!"mrs. stick made an angry noise, and started to go after julian with her hand raised. but timothyimmediately leapt at her, and his teeth snapped together with a loud click.

"oh!" howled mrs. stick. "that dog of yours nearly took my hand off! the brute! i'll do for him oneday, you see if i don't."

"you had a good try today, didn't you?" said julian, in a quiet voice, fixing his eyes straight on thewoman's face. "that's a matter for the police, isn't it? be careful, mrs. stick. i've a good mind to go tothe police tomorrow."

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just as before, the mention of the police seemed to frighten mrs. stick. she cast a look at her husbandand took a step backward. julian wondered if the man had done something wrong and was hidingfrom the police. he never seemed to put a foot out of doors.

the boy went up the passage triumphantly. timmy followed at his heels, disappointed that he hadn'tbeen able to get a nibble at stinker. julian marched into the sitting-room, and set the dishes carefullydown on the table.

"what ho!" he said. "look what i've got - the sticks' own supper!" then he told the others all thathad happened, and they laughed loudly.

"how do you think of all those things to say?" said anne, admiringly. "i don't wonder you makethem feel wild, ju. it's a good thing we've got timmy to back us up.""yes, i shouldn't feel nearly so bold without timmy," said julian.

it was a very good supper. there were knives and forks in the sideboard, and the children made dowith fruit plates from the sideboard too, rather than go and get plates from the kitchen. there wasbread over from their tea, so they were able to make a very good meal. they enjoyed it thoroughly.

"sorry we can't give you the chicken bones, tim," said george, "but they might split inside you andinjure you. you can have all the scraps. see you don't leave any for stinker!"timmy didn't. with two or three great gulps he cleared his plate, and then sat waiting for any scrapsof treacle tart that might descend his way.

the children felt cheerful after such a good meal. they had completely eaten the chicken.

nothing was left except a pile of bones. they had eaten all the tomatoes too, finished the bread, andenjoyed every scrap of the treacle tart.

it was late, anne yawned, and then george yawned too. "let's go to bed," she said. "i don't feel likehaving a game of cards or anything."

so they went to bed, and as usual timothy lay heavily on george's feet. he lay there awake for sometime, his ears cocked to hear noises from below. he heard the sticks go up to bed. he heard doorsclosing. he heard a whine from stinker. then all was silence. timmy dropped his head on to hispaws and slept - but he kept one ear cocked for danger. timothy didn't trust the sticks any more thanthe children did!

the children awoke very early in the morning. julian awoke first. it was a marvellous day. julianwent to the window and looked out. the sky was a very pale blue, and rosy-pink clouds floated 33about it. the sea was a clean blue too, smooth and calm. julian remembered what anne often said -she said that the world in the early morning always looked as if it had come back fresh from thelaundry - so clean and new and fresh!

the children all bathed before breakfast, and this time they were back at half-past eight, afraid thatgeorge's father might telephone early again. julian saw mrs. stick on the stairs and called to her.

"has my uncle telephoned yet?"

"no," said the woman, in a surly tone. she had been hoping that the telephone would ring while thechildren were out, then, as she had done the day before, she could answer it, and get a few words infirst.

"we'll have breakfast now, please," said julian. "a. good breakfast, mrs. stick. my uncle might askus what we'd had for breakfast, mightn't he? you never know."mrs. stick evidently thought that julian might tell his uncle if she gave them only bread and butterfor breakfast, so very soon the children smelt a delicious smell of bacon frying. mrs. stick brought ina dish of it garnished with tomatoes. she banged it down on the table with the plates.

edgar arrived with a pot of tea and a tray of cups and saucers.

"ah, here is dear edgar!" said julian, in a tone of amiable surprise. "dear old spotty-face!""garn!" said edgar, and banged down the teapot. timmy growled, and edgar fled for his life.

george didn't want any breakfast. julian put hers back in the warm dish and put a plate over it.

he knew that she was waiting for news. if only the telephone would ring - then she would know ifher mother was really better or not.

it did ring as they were halfway through the meal. george was there before the bell had stoppedpealing. she put the receiver to her ear. "father! yes, it's george. how's mother?"there was a pause as george listened. all the children stopped eating and listened in silence, waitingfor george to speak. they would know by her next words if the news was good or not.

"oh - oh, i'm so glad!" they heard george say. "did she have the operation yesterday? oh, you nevertold me! but it's all right now, is it? poor mother! give her my love. i do want to see her.

oh father, can't i come?"

evidently the answer was no. george listened for a while, then spoke a few more words and saidgood-bye.

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she ran into the sitting-room. "you heard, didn't you?" she said, joyfully. "mother's better. she'll getall right now, and will be back home soon - in about ten days. father won't come back till he bringsher home. it's good news about mother - but i'm afraid we can't get rid of the sticks."