"Blyton, Enid - Adventure 01 - The Island of Adventure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

And he did. He caught sight of Philip first, then saw Jack with Kiki on his shoulder, and then the two girls behind. He was so overcome with amazement that he let the car swerve across the road, almost knocking down a policeman.
Here, you! What do you think you're doing? yelled the policeman angrily. Jo-Jo muttered an apology, and then looked for the children again.
Don't run away, said Jack to the others. He can't chase us in the car. Just walk along and take no notice of him.
So they walked down the street, talking together, pretending not to see Jo-Jo and taking no notice at all of his shouts.
Jo-Jo simply could not believe his eyes. How did the children get here? There was no bus, no train, no coach they could take. They had no bicycles. It was too far for them to have walked there in the time. Then how was it they were here?
The black man hurried to park his car, meaning to go after the children and question them. He parked it and jumped out. He ran after the four children, but at that moment they reached the very grand hotel where they had arranged to meet Bill Smugs, and ran up the steps.
Jo-Jo did not dare to follow the children into the grand hotel. He stood at the bottom of the big flight of steps, looking after them in annoyed surprise. It was astonishing enough to find them in the town but even more astonishing to find them disappearing into the most expensive hotel in the place.
Jo-Jo sat down at the bottom of the steps. He meant to wait till they came out. Then he would pack them into his car and take them home, and tell Miss Polly where he'd found them. She wouldn't be best pleased to hear they were wasting hard-earned money at expensive hotels, when they could easily take a packet of sandwiches with them.
The children giggled as they ran up the steps. Bill Smugs was waiting for them in the lounge. He showed the girls where to wash and do their hair. They all met together again in a few minutes and went into the restaurant to have lunch.
It was a magnificent lunch. The children ate everything put in front of them, and finished up with the biggest ice-creams they had ever seen.
Oh, Bill, that was grand, said Dinah, sinking back into her comfortable chair with a sigh. Simply marvellous. A real treat. Thanks awfully.
I think you must be a millionaire, said Lucy-Ann, watching Bill count out notes to the waiter in payment of the bill. Golly, I've eaten so much that I feel I really can't get up and walk.
Jack remembered Jo-Jo, and wondered if the black man was watching for them. He got up to see.
He peeped out of a window that looked on to the hotel's main entrance. He saw Jo-Jo sitting patiently down at the bottom of the steps. Jack went back to the others, grinning.
Is there a back entrance to this hotel? he asked Bill Smugs. Bill looked surprised.
Yes, he said. Why?
Because dear Jo-Jo is sitting outside the hotel entrance waiting for us, said Jack. Bill nodded, understanding.
Well, we'll depart quietly by the back entrance, he said. Come on. It's time we went, anyway. Got all you wanted from the shops?
Yes, said the children, and trooped out after him. He led them to the back of the hotel, and out of a door there into a quiet street. He took them to where he had parked his car, and they all got in, happy at having had such a lovely day.
They sped back to the coast, and got out of the car at the nearest point to Craggy-Tops. They hurried over the cliff, eager to get back before Jo-Jo did.
Jo-Jo did not arrive until about an hour later, looking dour and grim. He put away the car and went to the house. The first thing he saw was the group of four children playing down on the rocks. He stood and stared in angry astonishment.
There was a mystery somewhere. And Jo-Jo meant to find out what it was. He wasn't going to be puzzled and defeated by four children. Not he!


Chapter 13
JO-JO IS TRICKED AGAIN

jo-jo thought about the mystery of the children being in the town, with, as far as he knew, no possible way of getting there except by walking, and this they had not had time to do. He came to the conclusion that they must know someone who gave them a lift there.
So he set himself to watch the children closely. He managed to find jobs that always took him near them. If they went down to the shore, Jo-Jo would be there, collecting driftwood. If they stayed in the house, Jo-Jo stayed too. If they went up on the cliff, Jo-Jo followed. It was most annoying for the children.
He'll follow us and find out about Bill Smugs and his boat and car, said Lucy-Ann. We haven't been able to go and see him at all today and if he goes on like this we shan't be able to go tomorrow either.
It was impossible to give Jo-Jo the slip. He was very clever at keeping a watch on the children, and soon they grew angry. The two girls went up into the tower-room with the boys that night and discussed the matter together.
I know, said Jack suddenly. I know how we can give him the slip properly, and puzzle him terribly.
How? asked the others.
Why, we'll all go into the caves, said Jack. And we'll slip down the hole into the secret passage, and go up to Craggy-Tops cellar, slip out of there whilst Jo-Jo is waiting down on the beach for us, and go over the cliffs to Bill.
Oooh, that is a good idea, said Philip. The girls were doubtful about it, for they neither of them liked the idea of the secret passage very much. Still they all had torches now, and it would be a good chance to use them.
So next day, with Jo-Jo close on their heels, the four children and Kiki went down to the beach.
Jo-Jo, for goodness' sake leave us alone, said Philip. We're going into the caves, and no harm can come to us there. Go away!
Miss Polly said I was to keep an eye on you, repeated Jo-Jo. He had told the children this times without number, but they knew it wasn't the real reason. Jo-Jo enjoyed making himself a nuisance. He wanted to poke his nose into everything they did.
They went into the caves. Jo-Jo wandered outside, putting driftwood into his sack. The children all slipped down the hole that led to the secret passage, and then, with their torches switched on, they made their way along it.
The girls didn't like it at all. They hated the smell, and when they found that in one part it was difficult to breathe they were afraid.
Well, it's no good going back, said Philip, giving Dinah a shove to make her go on. We've come more than half-way now. Do go on, Dinah. You're holding us up.
Don't push! said Dinah. I shall stop if I want to.
Oh, shut up arguing, you two, groaned Jack. I believe you'd start a quarrel if you were in a ship that was just about to sink, or an aeroplane about to crash. Get on, Dinah, and don't be an idiot.
Dinah was about to start an argument with Jack too, when Kiki gave a mournful cough, so exactly like Jo-Jo's that the children at first thought the black man must have found the passage, and all of them, Dinah as well, hurried forward at once.
It's all right it was only that wretch Kiki, said Jack, relieved, as Kiki coughed again. They pushed on, and at last came to the end of the passage. They all stared at the trap-door above their heads, brightly lit by the light of their four torches.
Up it went, and over with a crash. The boys climbed up to the cellar floor and then helped the girls up. They shut the trap-door, went to the cellar door, which was shut, and pushed it open. The boxes on the other side fell over again with a familiar crashing noise.
The children went through the door, shut it, piled the boxes up again, and then went up the cellar steps to the big kitchen. No-one was there. That was lucky.
Out they went, and up to the cliff. Keeping to the path, where they were well hidden from the shore below, they hurried off to find their friend Bill Smugs. They grinned to think of dear Jo-Jo waiting down on the beach for them to come out of the caves.
Bill Smugs was tinkering with his boat. He waved cheerily as they all came up.
Hallo, he said, why didn't you come and see me yesterday? I missed you.