‘Anne!’ shouted George, running after her cousin as she went along to her classroom. ‘Anne! I’ve just been down to the letterboard and there’s a letter from your brother Julian, I’ve brought it for you.’ Anne stopped. ‘Oh thanks,’ she said. ‘What can Julian want? He only wrote a few days ago - it’s most extraordinary for him to write again so soon. It must be something important.’ ‘Well, open it and see,’ said George. ‘Hurry up - I’ve got a maths class to go to.’ Anne ripped open the envelope. She pulled out a sheet of notepaper and read it quickly. She looked up at George, her eyes shining. ‘George! Julian and Dick have got a few days off at our half-term week-end! Somebody’s won a wonderful scholarship or something, and the boys have got two days tacked on to a week-end to celebrate! They want us to join them in a hike, and all go off together.’
