49 Hodder and Stoughton, 1943 (3rd impression, 1949)
73 Knight Books, 1967 (8th impression, 1973)
97 Hodder Children’s Books, 1997
CHAPTER 1
the summer holls.” 49 73
the summer hols.’ 97
a tutor for the holls., 49 73
a tutor for the hols, 97
“What horrid holls they’ll be, 49 73
‘What horrid hols they’ll be, 97
whilst she, George, 49 73
while she, George, 97
whilst I’m doing them,” 49 73
while I’m doing them,’ 97
at last it was there steaming in slowly 49
at last it was there pulling in slowly 73 97
“I can’t tell you that, silly child,” 49 73
‘I can’t tell you that, silly,’ 97
home for the holls 49 73
home for the holidays 97
CHAPTER 2
whilst the porter 49 73
while the porter 97
She looked round for her. 49
She looked round her. 73 97
and he gave the girl a friendly slap on the shoulder. 49 73
and gave the girl a friendly slap on the shoulder. 97
the pony went along the road at a spanking trot. 49 73
the pony went along the road at a great pace. 97
scholarship exams 49 73
important exams 97
“He won’t be long before he’s back.” 49 73
‘It won’t be long before he’s back.’ 97
lessons in the holls 49 73
lessons in the hols 97
all the smuts on the railway.” 49 73
all the grime on the railway.’ 97
whilst Aunt Fanny 49 73
while Aunt Fanny 97
That will be a nice welcome for him.” 49 73
That will make a nice welcome for him.’ 97
CHAPTER 3
“Hark! 49 73
‘Listen! 97
a queer-looking man 49 73
an odd-looking man 97
Julian raised his cap politely. 49 73
“That’s very queer. 49 73
‘That’s very strange. 97
“Tim is behaving queerly!” 49 73
‘Tim is behaving strangely!’ 97
very queer 49 73
very peculiar 97
He seems very nice and jolly—though it’s funny to see a youngish man with a beard.” 49 73
He seems very nice, youngish and jolly.’ 97
“Ah, the wife’s very busy this week, 49 73
‘Ah, my wife’s very busy this week, 97
So the old wife’s as busy as a bee.” 49 73
So my old wife’s as busy as a bee.’ 97
“But there—artists are queer folk. 49 73
‘But there – artists can be peculiar folk. 97
CHAPTER 4
Julian lighted it 49 73
Julian lit it 97
queer things 49 73
strange things 97
“No, I’m afraid you can’t, Master George,” 49 73
‘No, I’m afraid you can’t, George,’ 97
that must have been my great-grandmother. 49 73
that must have been my husband’s great-grandmother. 97
“You take it, Master Julian, 49 73
‘You take it, Julian, 97
it beats me why you set such store by it! 49 73
it beats me why you think it’s so fascinating! 97
“It’s a queer one,” 49 73
‘It’s a strange one,’ 97
you’d best be going 49 73
you’d better be going 97
CHAPTER 5
There were drawn eight rough squares, 49
There were eight rough squares, 73 97
Scientists were such queer people. 49 73
Scientists were such peculiar people. 97
“He seems quite jolly and nice 49 73
‘He seems jolly and nice 97
very queer, 49 73
very strange, 97
“Hie, Timothy! 49 73
‘Hi, Timothy! 97
“He’s a queer-looking dog, isn’t he?” 49 73
‘He’s a peculiar-looking dog, isn’t he?’ 97
“He’s not queer-looking!” she spluttered. 49 73
‘He’s not peculiar-looking!’ she spluttered. 97
“He’s not nearly so queer-looking as you! 49 73
‘He’s not nearly so peculiar-looking as you! 97
He’s the best dog in all the world!” 49
He’s the best dog in the world!’ 73 97
CHAPTER 6
Anne had some painting water and her paint-box. 49
Anne had some painting water and her painting-box. 73 97
whilst they worked hard 49 73
while they worked hard 97
as they waited for their tutor to come on. 49
as they waited for their tutor to come in. 73 97
The shops looked very gay and bright. 49 73
The shops looked very colourful and bright. 97
“I’m going to buy him a packet of cigarettes. I know the kind he smokes.” 49 73
It’s so nice for him to have someone to talk to 49
It’s nice for him to have someone to talk to 73 97
If only, only they could make out the rest of the markings, 49 73
If only they could make out the rest of the markings, 97
CHAPTER 7
a secret formula, that will be of great use 49 73
a secret formula, which will be of great use 97
gay, shining ornaments 49 73
bright shining ornaments 97
Now she’s gone all queer, 49 73
Now she’s gone all strange, 97
“could you help us in something? 49 73
‘could you help us with something? 97
queer secrets 49 73
strange secrets 97
“We’ll all go and look for the Secret Way then,” 49
‘We’ll go and look for the Secret Way, then,’ 73 97
CHAPTER 8
“Shall I carve for you, Mr. Quentin? 49 73
‘Shall I carve for you, Mr Kirrin? 97
Tim had enjoyed the whole day just as much as any of the children. 49 73
Tim had enjoyed the day just as much as any of them. 97
Now go to sleep quickly, 49 73
Now to sleep quickly, 97
“I heard some sort of a noise 49 73
‘I heard some sort of noise 97
apologise 49 97
apologize 73
But I shall be very glad, sir, to know 49 73
But I shall be very glad to know 97
CHAPTER 9
“We’re looking for a room facing east, 49 73
‘We’re looking for a room that’s facing east, 97
queer folk! 49 73
peculiar folk! 97
“So east will be over there.” She pointed to the right. 49 73
‘So east will be over there,’ she pointed to the left. 97
The three children went out of the kitchen, and turned to the right. 49 73
The three children went out of the kitchen, and turned to the left. 97
CHAPTER 10
Anne thought she was the prettiest doll she had ever seen. 49 73
Anne thought it was the prettiest doll she had ever seen. 97
and then we’ll all ask Mr. Roland 49 73
and then we’ll ask Mr Roland 97
and gave him another smile 49 73
and gave him another wan smile 97
We hate to hear him whining outside. 49 73
We hate to hear him whinning outside. 97
“What do you think, Roland?” 49 73
‘What do you think, Mr Roland?’ 97
we’ll have another word about the dog, sir. 49 73
we’ll have another word about the dog. 97
I’ll pay him out for this. 49 73
I’ll pay him back for this. 97
skirt and jersey, 49 73
jeans and jersey, 97
CHAPTER 11
you’ll be spanked or something,” 49 73
you’ll be told off or something,’ 97
Where’s George?” 49 73
Where’s Georgina?’ 97
“Really, it’s too bad of George to be so late! 49 73
‘Really, it’s too bad of Georgina to be so late! 97
Uncle Quentin burst into the room, looking upset and worried. 49 73
Uncle Quentin burst in looking upset and worried. 97
“Why, sir? 49 73
‘Why? 97
we were firm about Timothy last night, sir 49 73
we were firm about Timothy last night, 97
She held a little bottle in her hand. 49 73
She had a little bottle in her hand. 97
What is very much more important, sir, 49 73
What is very much more important, 97
pay you out 49 73
get back at you 97
I bet George has gone her favourite walk over the cliffs. 49
I bet George has gone for her favourite walk over the cliffs. 73 97
CHAPTER 12
a good spanking,” 49 73
a good telling off,’ 97
realise 97 49
realize 73
her father came in. He looked very grave. 49 73
her father came in looking very grave. 97
queer as it may seem, 49 73
strange as it may seem, 97
“Well, Miss, it’s a pity 49 73
‘Well, it’s a pity 97
CHAPTER 13
a white mackintosh cloak 49
a white macintosh cloak 73
a white macintosh 97
a plot—with Mr. Roland as the centre of it!” 49 73
a plot – with Mr Roland at the centre of it!’ 97
this is mighty queer. 49 73
this is mighty strange. 97
his mackintosh cloak, 49
his macintosh cloak, 73
his macintosh, 97
at that moment Joanna came in 49 73
just then Joanna came in 97
A bit queer, 49 73
A bit odd, 97
The people living at the farm-house 49
The people living in the farmhouse 73 97
till I’ve tried one of those panels 49 73
till I’ve tried each one of those panels 97
Meet in George’s room at midnight—and we’ll creep down 49 73
We’ll meet in George’s room at midnight – and creep down 97
CHAPTER 14
let’s just have a look and see if there is a passage down there. 49
let’s have a look and see if there is a passage down there. 73 97
as quietly as Indians, 49 73
as quietly as church mice, 97
everyone in the house must hear the beats! 49
everyone in the house must hear the beat. 73 97
landing with a plop on the ground, 49 73
landing with a plop in the ground, 97
in case anyone came into the room and looked round. 49
in case anyone came into the room and looked around. 73 97
CHAPTER 15
the passage became a little wider, and the roof a little higher. 49
the passage became a little wider, and the room a little higher. 73 97
occasionally it wound round a rocky part in a curve. 49 73
occasionally it would round a rocky part in a curve. 97
the queer seat 49 73
the funny seat 97
how wonderful it would be!” cried George. 49 73
how wonderful it would be!’ said George. 97
“I can protect her too,” said George, indignantly. “I’m as good as a boy anyday!”
“Yes, you are, really,” said Dick. “In fact, you’re fiercer than any boy I know!” 49 73
‘I can protect her too,’ said George, indignantly.
‘You’re fiercer than any boy I know!’ said Dick. 97
There was stone wall behind him, 49 73
There was a stone wall behind him, 97
He felt about with his feet, 49 73
He felt about his feet, 97
Down he went, clinging with hands and feet, 49
Down he went, clinging with his hands and feet, 73 97
George called down to him in a low voice. 49 73
George called down in a low voice. 97
“I and Anne will go into the next room, 49
‘Anne and I will go into the next room, 73 97
Quietly the boy slipped through 49 73
Quietly the boy and girl slipped through 97
Rather a noise came from his room. 49
Rather a lot of noise came from his room. 73 97
CHAPTER 16
“Thomas! My door seems to have stuck. 49 73
‘My door seems to have stuck. 97
whilst we’ve time,” 49 73
while we’ve time,’ 97
“Hie, Mrs. Sanders!” 49 73
‘Hi, Mrs Sanders!’ 97
“Well now, sir, who would be in your rooms? 49 73
‘Well now, who would be in your rooms? 97
a mackintosh coat, 49
a macintosh coat, 73 97
George crept out of the clothes and on to the narrow ledge, 49 73
George crept out of the clothes cupboard and on to the narrow ledge, 97
Quick, Thomas, we must find the thief 49 73
Quick, we must find the thief 97
she caught her skirt on one of the staples, 49 73
she caught her clothing on one of the staples, 97
a queer manner. 49 73
a strange manner. 97
“Thomas! There’s something queer here,” 49 73
‘There’s something weird here,’ 97
“Come on, Thomas—we must go down,” 49 73
‘Come on, we must go down,’ 97
CHAPTER 17
They were to big to go into his trousers pockets. 49
They were too big to go into his trousers pockets. 73
They were too big to go into his trouser pockets. 97
next time he’ll do a little more damage.” 49 73
next time he’ll do more damage.’ 97
it’s almost dinner-time. 49 73
it’s almost lunchtime. 97
They all enjoyed their hot dinner, 49 73
They all enjoyed their hot lunch, 97
“Well, see what’s the matter with my door, will you? 49 73
‘See what’s the matter with my door, will you? 97
She made Timmy bark 49
She made Timothy bark 73 97
“Although it’s the middle of the night 49
‘Although it’s in the middle of the night 73 97
Mr. Roland was awake 49
Mr. Roland was wide awake 73 97
The children watched them go. 49 73
The children watched. 97
“No more lessons these holls!” 49 73
‘No more lessons these hols!’ 97
THE END 49 73