"What a glorious day," remarked Anne as they all strode along in the sun.

"I quite agree," said Dick. "Why don’t we all have a bathe and then eat the plums and pears and then maybe an ice cream or two before we head back for dinner."

Everyone agreed and they all ran down to the beach, which despite its beautiful white beaches was always deserted and quiet whenever the Five decided to visit it.

They all changed behind rocks and then raced each other into the sea, and splashed about and swam under water.

"Oh George, you startled me," said Anne as George emerged from under the water beside her. "I was afraid you had drowned, you were under the water for so long!"

"Don’t be so silly Anne," said George. "You know I can hold by breath for nearly four minutes, I wouldn’t be silly enough to let myself drown."

"Oh there you are George," said Julian. "My word, you swim like a fish, even I couldn’t keep up with you."

"Let’s go and have something to eat," said Dick coming up to the others. "All this swimming has made me feel quite famished."

"Well we did only have lunch 20 minutes ago," said Anne checking her waterproof watch. "But I must agree I do feel jolly hungry."

Everyone else agreed and so they all clambered out of the sea and went and sat down in the soft sand and Julian fished out the plums and pears and ginger beer out of his bag and shared them around.

"By Jove these plums are absolutely super," said Julian. "Timmy, Timmy come here and lick all this juice off of my arm."

"I say, look here you others, do you see what I see?" said Dick. "Look there must have been picnickers here, and they have left some wrappers behind."

"Timmy bring that wrapper here," said George. Timmy at once went and brought it to her. George had taught Timmy very well. They saw that it was a big purple foil square.

"How disgraceful," said Julian. "I have half a mind to take the wrapper to the police and see if they can’t get some fingerprints off of it and then catch the criminal that dropped it."

"Let’s just drop it in the bin," said Anne. "give it to me, I will go and do it."

Anne went off with the wrapper and quickly came running back looking quite startled.

"Anne, I say what’s the matter," said Julian.

"Come and see," Anne said and led the others back to the rubbish bin.

"Look here," said Dick. "The whole bin is full of purple squares."

"I say, this is jolly mysterious," said George. "Julian what should we do, explore more?"

"No, I don’t see any need to do that," said Julian. "I must admit that it is shocking to throw so much foil away when it could have been recycled, but we can’t do anything about it." He then dropped their own purple foil square into the bin on top of the others.

"Do you know after all this excitement I am now awfully thirsty, and we have drunk all of our ginger beer," said Anne.

"Well, I have a super idea," said Julian. "Shall we go and buy some more ginger beer from the village shop."

"Oh yes rather," said George.

"Julian what a simply smashing idea," said Anne. "You are so awfully clever."

On the way to the shop, they spotted another purple foil wrapper flapping against a lamppost.

"This really is shocking," said Dick picking up the wrapper and dropping it in the nearest bin. "People have no respect for the streets these days."

"I know," said Julian. "I feel we should tell the police to set up some kind of litter watch, so that they can prosecute anyone who drops litter."

"Julian, you do think of some grand ideas," said George admiringly.

When they reached the village shop they were all salivating at the thought of more ginger beer and entered the shop eagerly. They went up to little old lady behind the counter, who knew them well.

"So, back again are you my dears?" she smiled at them. She was always relieved when the five came back for the holidays as it meant a colossal rise in her profits. She didn’t get much business throughout the rest of the year, but this didn’t matter as the five were in her shop three or four times a day during the holidays and that kept her in enough money until the next holiday came round.

"Hello Mrs Featherhead," said Julian, polite as usual. "How have you been keeping?"

"Oh very well thank you dear. I can see for myself what a strapping, handsome young man you are turning out to be."

"Thank you," said Julian blushing slightly. "Do you think you could be marvellous and get us a couple of bottles of super ginger beer each? We are all jolly parched."

"Oh my dear boy, I am most dreadfully sorry but I didn’t have my delivery of ginger beer last night. So I’m afraid I don’t have any to give you." They all gasped and stepped back a little, truly shocked at the harrowing news that there was no ginger beer.

"I’m truly sorry my dears," said poor old Mrs Featherhead.

"Oh Julian, what ever are we going to do now?" asked Anne nearly in tears.

"We’ll have to make the most of it," said Julian putting on a brave face. "We’ll have to have lemonade instead."

"Oh I say, what a simply spiffing idea," said George. "I had quite forgotten about lemonade in my misery."

"Oh do let’s have that," said Dick. "It’s not a patch on ginger beer, but its second in my list."

"Five lemonades it is then please," said Julian and took out his purse.

"I’m sure I will have more ginger beer tomorrow dear," said Mrs Featherhead to Anne who still looked a little shocked."

"Oh that’s marvellous," said Anne looking happier. "I couldn’t live without ginger beer for too long."

As they drank their lemonades, sitting outside in the sun, Mrs Featherhead brought them out some freshly made iced buns and tarts, and as she had hoped, Julian insisted on paying for the whole lot. This was another one of her little schemes, which old Mrs Featherhead used for getting a little more money. She knew the good-natured Julian would never eat anything without paying for it first.

Ten minutes later they had finished their buns and drinks and were just discussing weather or not to take a walk along the coast when Timmy started to bark.

"What’s up Tim?" asked George. "What can you hear?" They all stopped talking and listened intently with one hand cocked behind their ears. A faint chiming came to their ears and they looked at each other in surprise.

"I say, that’s the supper bell," said George. "It can’t be supper already can it?"

"My word!" exclaimed Dick. "Look at the time. It’s nearly 5:30pm, and we are jolly late for supper."

"Oh super," said Anne. "Now I think about it, I am jolly hungry." They all ran off over the hills back towards Kirrin Cottage, with Timmy streaking along beside them.

Aunt Fanny led them into the dining room where they sat down eagerly anticipating more food. The dining table had another table added onto the end of it, as there were too many dishes to fit on only the one table.

"Oh this all looks absolutely splendid," exclaimed Dick his eyes nearly popping out of his head."

"You should come and cook for us at school," said Julian admiringly. "We only get four meals a day at school, and not to this standard."

"Oh stop it Julian," said Aunt Fanny laughing. "Well tuck in all of you."

There was cherry cake, treacle sponge, jam tarts, iced buns, chocolate cake, sugar biscuits, rice pudding, eclairs and fruit cake all topped off with steaming hot custard. There was also two jugs full of rich cocoa. They ate everything, passing down the odd crumb or titbit to Timmy, but they mostly ate it all themselves and wished there was more.

"Well, I never thought you would finish off all that," said Aunt Fanny surprised. "You must have been hungry!"

"We were," said Anne. "We haven’t had much to eat today. Do you know Aunt Fanny, that we missed out on elevenses, brunch and mid morning break today, all because we had to catch the train back here.

"Oh don’t feel bad Aunt Fanny," said Dick, seeing his Aunt’s dismayed face. "This meal was all absolutely wonderful, and nearly made up for the meals we missed."

"I’m still hungry," said George. "Timmy ate more than any of us!" Timmy gave an indignant whine.

"Come now George, I’m sure that’s not true," said Aunt Fanny. "I’ve seen the way you put it away. Joanna is just about to give Timmy his own dinner in the kitchen. If you really are still hungry you can have some biscuits when you come back from giving Timmy his evening walk."

"You really are smashing Aunt Fanny," said Dick happily.

Ten minutes later they were heading out of the door with Timmy and heading over the hills with the sun just beginning to set in front of them.

"Isn’t it all wonderful," said Anne with a contented sigh. "I do so love our holls here at Kirrin."

"Gosh yes. So do I," said Julian. "You are awfully lucky George, to live here by the sea."

"I know," said George smiling round at them. "Where shall we go for our walk?"

"Oh do lets go over to the little village shop," said Anne.

"What ever for?" asked Julian.

"Well I am worried about the ginger beer," said Anne. "What if old Mrs Featherhead doesn’t get another delivery! What would we do then?"

"Don’t worry, I’m sure she will do," said Julian confidently.

"Oh but do lets go and see, just to be sure," said Anne imploringly.

Soon they were on top of the hill leading down to the village shop. As they stopped for a rest on one of the benches a van drove passed them and stopped outside the shop. Two men in overalls got out and went into the back of the shop.

"My word, did you see that?" asked George. "I wonder who those men were."

"I must say they did strike me as rather odd," commented Dick. "Not the sort to be trusted. You agree Ju?"

"You are a lot of sillies," said Julian. "Look here on the side of the van. It says ‘Ginger Beer.’ Its just one of their vans making a delivery."

"Oh Julian you are awfully clever," said Anne admiringly for about the tenth time that day.

"I say, it’d be a grand idea to head back now," said George. "Tim’s had his walk and we know there will be ginger beer tomorrow so we can rest easy tonight."

"Yes, lets head back," agreed Dick. "Aunt Fanny will have got some of her glorious biscuits ready now. Sniff you others, you can almost smell them."