"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 03 - Five Run Away Together" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Your mother has been taken very ill. I am going with her to the hospital. I shall not leave her till she is getting better. That may be in a few days" time, or in a week's time. I will telephone to you each day at nine o'clock in the morning to tell you how she is. Mrs. Stick will look after you all. Try to manage all right till I come back.
Your loving. FATHER.
"Oh dear!" said Anne, knowing how dreadful George must feel. George loved her mother dearly, and for once in a way the girl had tears in her eyes. George never criedЧbut it was terrible to come home and find her mother gone like this. And Father too! No one there but Mrs. Stick and Edgar.
"I can't bear Mother going like this," sobbed George suddenly, and buried her head in a cushion. "SheЧshe might never come back."
"Don't be silly, George," said Julian, sitting down and putting his arm round her. "Of course she will. Why shouldn't she? Didn't your father say he was staying with her till she was getting betterЧand that would be

probably in a few days" time, Cheer up, George! It isn't like you to give way like this."
"But I didn't say good-bye," sobbed poor George. "And I made her ask Mrs. Stick for the sandwiches, instead of me. I want to go and find Mother and see how she is myself."
"You don't know where they've taken her, and if you did, they wouldn't let you in," said Dick, gently. "Let's have some tea. We shall all feel better after that."
"I couldn't eat anything," said George, fiercely. Timothy pushed his nose into her hands, and tried to lick them. They were under her buried face. The dog whined a little.
"Poor Timmy! He can't understand," said Anne. "He's awfully upset because you are unhappy, George."
That made George sit up. She rubbed her hands over
her eyes, and let Timmy lick the wet tears off them. He looked surprised at the salty taste. He tried to get on to George's knee.
"Silly Timmy!" said George, in a more ordinary voice. "Don't be upset. I just got a shock, that's all! I'm better now, Timmy. Don't whine like that, silly! I'm all right. I'm not hurt."
But Timothy felt certain George was really hurt or injured in some way to cry like that, and he kept whining, and pawing at George, and trying to get on to her knee.
Julian opened the door. "I'm going to tell Mrs. Stick we want our tea," he said, and went out. The others thought he was rather brave to face Mrs. Stick.
Julian went to the kitchen door and opened it. Edgar was sitting there, one side of his face scarlet, where George had slapped it. Mrs. Stick was there, looking grim,
"If that girl slaps my Edgar again I'll be after her," she said, threateningly.
"Edgar deserved what he got," said Julian, "Can we have some tea, please?"
"I've a good mind to get you none," said Mrs. Stick. Her dog started up from its corner and growled at Julian. "That's right, Tinker! You growl at folks that slap Edgar,I said Mrs. Stick.
Julian was not in the least afraid of Tinker. "If you are not going to get us any tea, I'll get it myself," said the boy. "Where is the bread, and where are the cakes?"
Mrs. Stick stared at Julian, and the boy looked back al her steadfastly. He thought she was a most unpleasant woman, and he certainly was not going to allow her to get the better of him. He wished he could tell her to goЧ
but he had a feeling that she wouldn't, so it would be a waste of his breath.
Mrs. Stick dropped her eyes first. "I'll get your tea," she said, "but if I've any nonsense from you I'll get you no other meals."
"And if I have any nonsense from you I shall go to the police," said Julian, unexpectedly. He hadn't meant to say that. It came out quite suddenly, but it had a surprising effect on Mrs. Stick. She looked startled and alarmed.
"Now, there's no call to be nasty," she said in a much more polite voice. "We've all had a bit of a shock, and we're upset, likeЧI'll get you your tea right now."
Julian went out. He wondered why his sudden threat of going to the police had made Mrs. Stick so much more polite. Perhaps she was afraid the police would get on to his Uncle Quentin and "he would come tearing back. Uncle Quentin wouldn't care for a hundred Mrs. Sticks!
He went back to "the others. "Tea's coming," he said. "So cheer up, everyone!"
It wasn't a very cheerful company that sat down to the tea Mrs. Stick brought in. George was now feeling ashamed of her tears. Anne was still upset. Dick tried to make a few silly jokes to cheer everyone up, but they fell so flat that he soon gave it up. Julian was grave and helpful, suddenly very grown-up.
Timothy sat close beside George, his head on her knee. "I do wish I had a dog who loved me like that," thought Anne. Timmy kept gazing up at George out of big brown devoted eyes. He had no eyes or ears for anyone but his little mistress now she was sad.
Nobody noticed what they had for tea, but all the same
it did them goodIand they felt better after it. They didn't like to go out to the beach afterwards in case the telephone bell rang, and there was news of George's mother. So they sat about in the garden, keeping an ear open for the telephone.
From the kitchen came a song.
"Georgie-porgie, pudding and pie, Sat herself down and had a good cry, Georgie-porgie . . ."
Julian got up. He went to the kitchen window and looked in. Edgar was there alone.
"Come on out here, Edgar!" said Julian, in a grim voice. I'll teach you to sing another song. Come along!"
Edgar didn't stir. "Can't I sing if I want to?" he said.
"Oh yes," said Julian, "but not that song. I'll teach you another. Come along out!"
"No fear," said Edgar. "You want to fight me."
"Yes, I do," said Julian. "I think a little bit of good honest fighting would be better for you than sitting singing nasty little songs about a girl who is miserable. Are you coming out? Or shall I come in and fetch you?"
"Ma!" called Edgar, suddenly feeling panicky. "Ma! Where are you?"
Julian suddenly reached a long arm in at the window, caught hold of Edgar's over-long nose, and pulled it so hard that Edgar yelled in pain.
"Led go! Led go! You're hurding me! Led go by dose!"
Mrs. Stick came hurrying into the kitchen. She gave a scream when she saw what Julian was doing. She flew at
him. Julian withdrew his arm, and stood outside the window.
"How dare you!" yelled Mrs. Stick. "First that girl slaps Edgar, and then you pull his nose! What's the matter with you all?"
"Nothing," said Julian, pleasantly; "but there's an awful lot wrong with Edgar, Mrs. Stick. We feel we just must put it right. It should be your job, of course, but you don't seem to have done it."
"You're downright insolent," said Mrs. Stick, outraged and furious.
"Yes, I dare say I am," said Julian. "It's just the effect Edgar has on me. Stinker has the same effect."
"Stinker!" cried Mrs. Stick, getting angrier still. "That's not my dog's name, and well you know it."