chapter 4 junior!

a big man came into the kitchen, very like the twins to look at. he stooped, and seemed tired. hedidn't smile, but just nodded.

'trevor, here are the visitors i told you about,' said mrs. philpot. 'look, this is julian and...'

'more visitors?' said trevor, with a groan. 'good heavens - what a crowd of children! where's thatamerican boy? i've got a bone to pick with him. he tried to set the tractor going by himself thismorning, and...'

'oh trevor - never mind about that now. just wash and come and have your tea,' said mrs.

philpot. 'i've kept some of your favourite scones for you.'

'don't want any tea,' said her husband. 'can't stop - except for just one cup, and that i'll take into thedairy. i've got to go and see to the milking. bob's off today.'

'we'll help, dad!' said the twins, speaking together, as usual, and they got up from the table at once.

'no - you sit down,' said their mother. 'you've been on the go from seven o'clock this morning.

sit down and finish your tea in peace.'

'i could do with your help, twins,' said their father, as he went through the door towards the dairies,'but now your mother's got so many on her hands, she'll need you more than i do!'

'mrs. philpot - let the twins go if they want to,' said julian at once. 'we can help, you know -we're used to helping at home.'

'and what's more, we like it,' said anne. 'do let us, mrs. philpot - we'll feel much more at home then.

can't we clear away and wash up and all that, while the twins go and help with the milking?'

'you let 'em help!' shouted old great-grand-dad suddenly from his corner, making timmy andsnippet leap to their feet, startled. 'what are children coming to nowadays,waited on hand and foot? pah!'

'now, now, grand-dad,' said poor mrs. philpot, 'don't you start worrying. we can manage fine.'

the old man made a loud, explosive noise, and banged his hand down on the arm of his chair.

'what i say is this...'

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but he got no further, for the sound of footsteps could be heard in the hall, coming towards thekitchen, and loud, american voices came nearer and nearer.

'see here, pop - i wanna come with you! this is a dead-and-alive place. you take me up to londonwith you, aw, pop, go on, do!'

'that the americans?' asked dick, turning to the twins. their faces had gone as black as thunder.

they nodded. in came a burly man, looking rather odd in smart town clothes, and a fat pasty-facedboy of about eleven. the father stood at the door and looked round, rubbing his hands.

'hiya, folks! we've been over to that swell old town, and picked up some fine souvenirs - my, my,they were cheap as dirt! we late for tea? hallo, who're all these folks?'

he grinned round at julian and the others. julian stood up politely. 'we're four cousins,' he said.

'we've come to stay here.'

'stay here? where you gonna sleep, then?' demanded the boy, pulling up a chair to the table.

'this is a one-eyed place, ain't it, pop - no wash-basins, no...'

'shut up,' said the twins together, and gave the boy such a glare that anne stared in astonishment.

'aw, go on, i can say what i like, can't i?' said the boy. 'free country, isn't it? gee, you should just seeamerica! that's something! mrs. philpot, i'll have a bit of that cake - looks good to me.'

'can't you say please?' roared a voice from the corner. that was great-grand-dad, of course!

but the boy took no notice, and merely held out his plate, while mrs. philpot cut him an enormousslice of cake.

'i'll have the same as junior, mrs. philpot mam,' said the american, and sat down at the table. he heldout his plate too. 'say, you should see the things we've bought. we've had a day, haven't we, junior?'

'sure, pop,' said junior. 'say, can't i have an iced drink? look-a-here - who's going to drink hot tea ona day like this!'

'i'll get you some iced orangeade,' said mrs. philpot, rising.

'let him get it himself! little varmint!' that was great-grand-dad again, of course.

but the twins were already up and on their way to fetch the orangeade themselves.

george caught sight of their faces as they passed her, and had a shock of surprise. goodness -how those twins hated that boy!

'that old grand-daddy of yours must be a bit of a nuisance to you,' said the american in a low voiceto mrs. philpot. 'always butting in, isn't he? rude old fellow, too.'

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'now don't you set there whispering!' shouted grand-dad. 'i can hear everyword!'

'now, now, grand-dad, don't upset yourself,' said poor mrs. philpot. 'you just sit there and have anap.'

'no. i'm going out again,' said great-grand-dad, heaving himself up. 'there's some people that fairmake me ill!'

and out he went, leaning on his stick, a magnificent figure with his head of snow-white hair and hislong beard.

'like someone out of the old testament,' said anne to dick. timmy got up and followed the old manto the door, with snippet close behind him. junior saw timmy at once.

'i say! look at that big dog!' he said. 'who's he? i've not seen him before. hey, you, come and have abun.'

timmy took not the slightest notice. george addressed junior in an icy voice. 'that's my dog timmy.

i don't allow anyone to feed him except myself.'

'shucks!' said junior, and threw the cake down on the floor, so that it slid to tim's feet. 'that's foryou, dog!'

timmy looked down at the cake, and stood perfectly still. then he looked at george. 'come here,timmy,' said george, and he walked straight to her. the cake lay on the floor half-broken intocrumbs.

'my dog is not going to eat that,' said george. 'better pick it up, hadn't you? it's made a bit of a messon the floor.'

'pick it up yourself,' said junior, helping himself to another bun. 'my, my - what a glare you've got!

makes me want my sunglasses, brother!' he gave george a sudden sharp dig in the ribs, and shegasped. timmy was beside her in a moment, growling so deeply that junior slid out of his seat inalarm.

'say, pop - this dog's fierce!' he said. 'he made to bite me!'

'he did not,' said george. 'but he might bite if you don't do what i said, and pick up that bun!'

'now, now,' said mrs. philpot, really distressed. 'leave it - it can be swept up afterwards. will youhave another piece of cake, mr. henning?'

it really was an embarrassing meal, and anne longed for it to be over. junior quietened downconsiderably when he saw timmy lying down between his chair and george's, but his father 17made up for that by talking non-stop about the 'wunnerful' things he had bought that day.

everyone was extremely bored. the twins came back with a jug of orangeade, which they placed onthe table, with two glasses, in case mr. henning wanted some. they then disappeared.

'where have they gone?' demanded junior, having poured a glass of orangeade straight down histhroat in a most remarkable manner. 'gee, that was good.'

'the twins have gone to help with the milking, i expect,' said mrs. philpot, looking suddenly veryweary. julian looked at her. she must find these meals very tiring, he thought, coping with so manypeople. junior piped up at once.

'i'll go and help with the milking,' he said, and slid off his chair.

'i'd rather you didn't, junior,' said mrs. philpot. 'you upset the cows a bit last time, you know.'

'aw gee - that was because i was new to it,' said junior. julian looked at mr. henning, expecting himto forbid junior to go, but he said nothing. he lighted a cigarette and threw the match down on thefloor.

george scowled when she saw junior heading for the door. how dare he go out to the milking againstthe wishes of his hostess? she murmured a few words to timmy, and he got up at once and ran to thedoor, barring it against junior.

'get outa my way, you,' said junior, stopping. timmy growled. 'say, call him back, will you?'

said junior, turning round. no one said anything. mrs. philpot rose and began to gather thingstogether. it seemed to george as if she had tears in her eyes. no wonder, if this kind of thinghappened every day!

as timmy stood like a statue in the doorway, giving small threatening growls every now and again,junior decided to give up. he dearly longed to give the dog a kick, but didn't dare to. he walked backto his father.

'say, pop - coming for a walk?' he said. 'let's get out of here.'

without a word father and son walked out of the other door. everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

'you go and sit down and have a rest, mrs. philpot,' said anne. 'we'll do the washing-up. we'd loveto!'

'well - it's really kind of you,' said mrs. philpot. 'i've been on the go all day, and twenty minutes'

rest will do me good. i'm afraid junior gets on my nerves. i do hope timmy won't bite him!'

'he'll probably give him a nip before long,' said george cheerfully, collecting cups and saucers withanne. 'what are you boys going to do? go to the milking-shed?'

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'yes. we've milked cows plenty of times,' said dick. 'nice job! i like the smell of cows. see youlater, girls - and if that little pest tries any tricks, just give us a call! i'd love to rub his face into thatcrumby mess on the floor!'

'i'm just going to sweep it up,' said anne. 'see you at supper-time!'

the boys went out, whistling. mrs. philpot had disappeared. only george, anne and timmy wereleft, for snippet had gone out with the harries.

'i rather wish we hadn't come,' said george, carrying out a tray to the scullery. 'it's an awfullot for mrs. philpot to do. still - if she needs the money...'

'oh well - we can help - and we'll be out most of the day,' said anne. 'we shan't see much of junior -little beast!'

you're wrong, anne. you'll see far too much of him! it's a good thing timmy's there - he's the onlyone that can manage people like junior!