Secret Seven on the Trail

Secret Seven on the Trail was the fourth book of the Secret Seven Series. It was followed by the book Well Done Secret Seven and preceded by the book Go Ahead Secret Seven.

Plot
At their first meeting, Peter announces that the society will disband until Christmas, because "nothing ever happens in term time". The angry responses from the others cause Peter to back up a little, and he decides that there will just be no regular meetings, but any of the Seven can call a meeting if something comes up.

The infuriating Susie decides to make her own detective club after being snubbed by Janet, and she calls it the Famous Five after the 'Five' books (unashamed plug there), complete with FF badges, password and a secret sign, something the Seven hadn't even thought of. Jack spies on one of their meetings, but Susie sees him hiding behind the bush and leads the Famous Five to make up a story about a mystery at Tigger's Barn. Jack reports everything to Peter, who thinks that Susie's group is making up 'nonsense' just to entertain themselves. Jack and George decide to investigate anyway. A trip to Tigger's Barn finds not the gang that Susie is talking of, but another group of dangerous criminals headed by the mysterious Cheeky Charlie and including Larry and Zeb.

Peter can't dispute this new tale, and the clues are assembled: 'Dallings', 'Hammonds', a note written to Cheeky Charlie by Larry, and 'points' and 'six-ten, maybe seven-twenty'. After Janet's brainwave during a game of trains, the Seven realise the gang must be talking about the railway. A little snooping, being ordered off the tracks by a policeman, and a night adventure at the rail yards in the fog (boys only—girls apparently don't go out at night) wrap up the adventure into an exciting finish! All in all, this is a very readable book, where things keep moving along and the excitement builds right up to the end.

