Hello again. I apologise for the delay.

...

Instantly play stopped and the four were scrambling to have everything packed into their bags. Although their trunks had been sent separately, they still had a change of clothes, toothbrushes, flannels, books and other odds and ends to be carried separately in smaller bags. Susan, who had managed to keep her stuff all safely packed up, quickly helped Rodger to fit everything back in his bag, wondering why it had been necessary for him to empty the whole lot out in the first place. Gradually the train slowed to a halt and the four gathered round the door, waiting to climb out and have the holidays finally begin.

The door was swung open and the Amazons faces appeared in the space where it had been.

"Come on you blithering idiots!" Exclaimed Nancy's cheerful voice. "Why are you still on the train? Get out and tell us about your daring escape from the native torture camps."

Laughing the Swallows jumped down from the carriage, and the group set off down the path towards the lake. They walked as a group at first, all talking at once, but Susan, watching Nancy and John, realised they wanted to talk to each other, but because of the presence of the others were keeping their distance. With her never ending reserve of tact, Susan grabbed Rodgers arm and yelled,

"Race you to the boats."

At which Rodger, Titty, Susan and Peggy set off at tremendous speed towards the boats, leaving John and Nancy alone together. Nancy laughed.

"If I knew what a help having Su on our side would be, I would have told her ages ago."

John smiled, taking Nancy's hand as they walked, side by side.

"I know. But I couldn't be sure how she'd react, and whether she'd want to tell mother instantly. And Mother's a good sort, but she's a native, and she wouldn't understand."

Nancy nodded in agreement. "I feel the same about telling my mother. What if she takes it badly and refuses to let me see you again?"

"It's unlikely, but still possible." John paused, then changed the subject. "So, was life at the Native Base too hard?"

"It was alright, I suppose. I survived it. But by golly, and if you tell anyone I said this I'll cut off your head, I missed you, John."

"I... Missed you too, Nance. It was your letters that pulled me through."

"I know. Knowing you were okay, really helped me feel better."

They were gradually reaching the landing, but walking so slowly the others had reached the bottom after their run and we standing round impatiently.

"Hurry up, John and Nancy, we want to set off!" Yelled Peggy impatiently, and John turned to Nancy.

"I'll race you down, Captain!"

"You'll regret it. I bet I can beat you."

"Never."

And John took off down the path, Nancy hot on his heels. They appeared in the small clearing by the boats side by side, and still moving at a tremendous speed, Susan, seeing they were headed straight for the lake, grabbed John in an attempt to slow him down, while Peggy reached for her sister. The two stopped just in time, and collapsed, panting and in fits of laughter, on the shore of the lake.

"Who won?" Asked John, when he'd recovered his breath enough to speak.

Susan rolled her eyes, "It was a draw! You were neck and neck when you came bursting through the undergrowth like a pair of African elephants... Now, are we going to set sail, or not?"

Nancy rose to her feet, still laughing. "Of course, Susan. Sorry for behaving like a child, but it feels so good to be free."

John, seeing the stern look in Susan's eyes, and realising she was worried about upsetting the natives with their delay, smiled apologetically, and said "I'm sorry too, Su. I shall behave from now on, I promise."

"Oh, alright, apology accepted. Now hurry up, before they think we got lost or something." But behind the unforgiving look in Susan's eyes, John could see a familiar sparkle, and he grinned, knowing she was pleased to see him and Nancy together and happy.

"Alright, everyone, you heard the Mate, heave to!" He called.

There was a chorus of "Aye Aye, commodore" and the crews of the two boats set to work, readying for the journey across the lake. All the swallows piled into Swallow, and the amazons into Amazon, and they pushed off, with the Amazon taking the lead, as they were more familiar with the best route.

...

Before long Beckfoot was in sight, and they could see the anxious faces of the waiting natives, who were soon jumping and waving, for all the world like true savages. Their war cries echoed across the lake, giving them a ghostly air, and Titty, still a dreamer, was soon caught up in a fantasy.

They had been trapped for months. No food, only coconuts and fresh water from a spring. Everyday they kept watch on the shores of the huge sea, waiting for someone to sail close enough so that they could be rescued. Their boat had been caught in a horrific storm, the waves higher than Big Ben, tossing their small ship up and down, till they had no control over her. One particularly massive wave had picked them up; higher than ever before, before smashing the ship down onto the rocks which surrounded the island they were now prisoners on. They had scrambled from the ship in a haste, seeking the safety of dry land, and returned to the ship once the storm had died out, salvaging what they could. Now they were starving, and the sight of their rescuers on the horizon had sent them into a wild frenzy, shouting and waving in a foreign language, till...

Suddenly she was called back to the present at John's call for them all to hold on, as he swung the boat round to enter the mouth of the Amazon River. And there was mother, and Bridget, and Mrs Blackett, all pleased to see them again after their long absence. And there were Captain Flint, and good old Squashy Hat, appearing from the house carrying plates of sandwiches. It seemed the feast had been promoted, for they had meant it to be after they'd unpacked. And Rodger was throwing the rope to Mother, and everyone was talking nineteen to the dozen as they scrambled up the bank and assured the natives they were safe and well.

...

An hour later, when everyone had eaten as much as they could, explorers, pirates and natives were lying side by side on the rug Mrs Blackett had provided to ensure they did not catch a cold. She had not wanted to have the feast outside at all, but her vote had been outnumbered by Nancy, Peggy, Captain Flint and Timothy, who'd all voted that it was a ridiculously mild December and there could be no harm in their eating outside just this once. She had agreed on the condition that if anyone so much as shivered they would all retreat inside straight away. Sitting up, she looked around at the group she had grown to look on as an extended family. Titty and Rodger, playing some sort of game involving tossing a coin and a lot of laughter, Peggy and Susan, discussing the different ways you could prepare a turkey on a campfire, Nancy and John, lying side by side and watching the clouds together. If any conversation was passing between them, it was too quiet for anyone else to hear. She wondered momentarily what they might be talking of, then gave up. Knowing them, probably boats. They always had been close friends, and it was no surprise, considering how they had the same crazy interest in boating. Besides, they could hardly join the conversation of the First Mates. Mrs Walker, sitting by her side, was discussing the pros and cons of using a tent held down by rocks, as opposed to one held up by ropes, with Jim, and Timothy was sitting to one side and listening to the conversation, though from the look on his face he didn't understand much of it and would be happier talking about the mines. Knowing she was setting herself up for a ridiculously long lecture on something she didn't understand, but too kind hearted to do nothing, she turned and asked,

"How's it going with the mine at the moment, Tim?"

...

John, lying side by side with Nancy, cloud watching, realised that for the first time since the summer he felt happy. Real happiness, not just enjoyment, or a short laugh at a terrible joke, but true happiness. Something he only seemed to feel when Nancy was around.

At first the conversation between them had been a little awkward, as it always was when they were around others, especially after a long separation. However, soon they had returned to their 'default' setting, and the conversation was turned to sailing, rowing, and the best kind of boat for crossing the British channel. They were deep in an argument as to whether the Navy's new boat was as much of an improvement as the Navy claimed it to be, when the conversation was interrupted by Titty, who demanded to know exactly why the D's were not with them.

"Hang on two seconds." Nancy responded, rummaging around in her pocket for something. "I received a letter from Dot this morning, explaining in more detail exactly why they were on the broads, and not here with us... Here we go..." And Nancy started to read.

As to your, quite frankly, rude demand as to why we were 'gallivanting off round the broads when we had a perfectly good home and boat waiting in the lakes', the answer is simple. Dick has set his heart on finding a specific type of bird which he hopes will nest here, but he has no hope of ever seeing in the lakes, and I am writing a new book, which I am setting in the Broads. And anyway, even if we had wanted to join you, Mother says we have done more than enough travelling already this year, and so must spend the hols at home, with her and Father. So you will have to blame it on those dastardly natives! Wish the Swallows a Merry Christmas from Dick and I, and tell them we hope to see you all next summer, if not at Easter. We cannot wait to see you all again.

Speaking of reunions, you'll never guess who we almost met in town last week. We were walking up the street in London, where we had stopped off on a day trip, with some friends from school, and suddenly, walking towards us was the Great Aunt. Dick would have walked straight past her and not noticed, but I knew if she saw us she would recognise us from that summer, and so I grabbed Dicks arm and pulled him behind a pillar. An odd sight we must have looked, like one of those scenes in the comedy films, edging round the pillar to stay out of site. Once she had safely gone, we had to find our friends and explain where we'd been and why, and the humour of the situation dawned upon all of us, and we laughed till we couldn't possibly laugh anymore. The owner of the cafe we were in kept sending us such startled expressions that often he would set us off again, anyone would think he'd never served a bunch of giggling school children before!

Anyway, that just about sums up our interesting events of the term, and I shall draw to a close here.

Have a Merry Christmas,

The Ds

P.S. Dick says he hopes you are looking after Scarab, he wants her in one piece when we finally get to join you again!

Everyone laughed at the description of the Ds dancing round a pillar in the centre of London. When Nancy had finished reading, Captain Flint turned to her.

"I don't understand what Aunt Maria has to do with any of this. I assume it was her they were dodging, I'd dodge her too if I saw her in the street, but how do they know her?"

This set off more laughed as Nancy launched into the tale of what had happened the year the Ds had been forced to become Picts, and her and Peggy Martyrs, and the great aunt, not welcome at all.

...

So, a longer chapter than last week. Did you like it?

TheThingThatHasNoName: Sorry for scaring you with the delay. Did this chapter make up for it? I know John and Nancy weren't together much in this chapter but maybe in later chapters we will see more of their relationship... I don't intend to stop this fic anytime soon, but if I was going to do that I would in some way let anyone reading this know. There might be a slight delay between chapters, as life seems to have become busy recently. Advanced apologies for that. Chapter 5 is already under preparation.

Thank you all for reading, reviews, especially long rambly ones, make writing this worthwhile,

Let me know where you think I should take this and if you have ideas for things they can do over the christmas hols,

Thanks again,

G4E