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Have you read all
THE SECRET SEVEN books?

1. THE SECRET SEVEN

2. SECRET SEVEN ADVENTURE

3. WELL DONE, SECRET SEVEN

4. SECRET SEVEN ON THE TRAIL

5. GO AHEAD, SECRET SEVEN

6. GOOD WORK, SECRET SEVEN

7. SECRET SEVEN WIN THROUGH

8. THREE CHEERS, SECRET SEVEN

9. SECRET SEVEN MYSTERY

10. PUZZLE FOR THE SECRET SEVEN

11. SECRET SEVEN FIREWORKS

12. GOOD OLD SECRET SEVEN

13. SHOCK FOR THE SECRET SEVEN

14. LOOK OUT, SECRET SEVEN

15. FUN FOR THE SECRET SEVEN

By Pamela Butchart:

MYSTERY OF THE SKULL
MYSTERY OF THE THEATRE GHOST

CHAPTER ONE

A MEETING IS CALLED

ONE MORNING after school, Peter went to find his sister Janet.

‘Hey, Janet!’ he called. ‘I’m calling a Secret Seven meeting for tomorrow morning. Jack’s uncle has given him a lovely present and he wants all the Seven to share it.’

‘What is it?’ asked Janet. ‘A game of some sort?’

‘No. You’ll have to wait and see,’ said Peter. ‘It’s Jack’s surprise, not mine. Will you write out a few notes and tell the others to come – ten o’clock sharp. Thank goodness it’s Saturday tomorrow.’

‘Wuff,’ said Scamper the spaniel. He loved Saturdays too. He knew he would have Peter and Janet all day long then.

‘Yes, you shall come to the meeting as well,’ said Janet, patting his soft golden coat. ‘But do you know the password, Scamper?’

‘Wuff-wuff!’ said Scamper at once, and the children laughed.

‘Quite right – the password is Wuff-wuff,’ said Peter. ‘What a good memory you have, Scamper!’

Scamper wagged his tail, and said ‘wuff-wuff’ again. ‘Better not say it too often, Scamper,’ said Janet, ‘or that awful Susie might hear you.’

Susie was Jack’s sister, and not one of the Secret Seven, though she badly wanted to belong. She loved to find out whatever password the Secret Seven were using and it really was quite difficult to stop her.

Janet scribbled four cards – one to Colin, one to George, one to Pam and one to Barbara. ‘There!’ she said. ‘I’ll take them round on my bike. I don’t need to write to Jack, as he’s asked for the meeting himself. Is he going to bring this present of his tomorrow, whatever it is?’

‘Yes,’ said Peter. ‘I’d better tidy up the shed where we meet – and I’ll ask Mother what she can spare for us to eat. I think Cookie is baking today, so I’ll go and tell her about the meeting too!’

Next morning Janet and Peter went down to their shed at a quarter to ten, carrying a good many things. ‘I’ve tidied it up,’ said Peter. ‘The gardener had been in and taken two of the big flowerpots we used as seats, but I found two boxes instead.’

The shed door had on it the two big letters: S.S., standing for Secret Seven. Janet and Peter looked at them proudly.

‘Secret Seven!’ said Janet. ‘Best club in the world! I shall enjoy a meeting again – it’s weeks since we had one – we’ve been so busy with school things.’

In they went, and shut the door. Now no one would be allowed in unless they gave the password. Peter set down the things he was carrying and looked round proudly. ‘Didn’t I clean the shed well?’ he said. ‘I even cleaned the windows. It’s nice and warm too, isn’t it?’

The shed backed on to the hot greenhouse and so gained some of the heat from there. It was pleasantly warm on this cold November day. Janet began to set out some coloured mugs, taking them down from the shelf.

‘Mother thought we’d better have hot cocoa this cold day,’ she said. ‘I’ll fetch it as soon as everyone is here. I bet Jack will be first with his wonderful present, whatever it is! Where’s Scamper?’

‘I don’t know. He didn’t come down with us. I expect he’ll turn up,’ said Peter. ‘He’s probably chasing his old enemy – the stable cat. He still thinks he can catch her, though he never will.’

‘Look what Cookie’s given us,’ said Janet, showing Peter a tin full of buns. ‘Currant buns warm from the oven – and a homemade macaroon for each of us!’

‘Good old Cookie!’ said Peter, sniffing at the warm buns. ‘One of these days I’ll buy her a medal. Hurry up, Janet – the others will be here in half a minute. I hope they’ll all remember the password! Listen – here comes the first one. I bet it’s Jack.’