"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 06 - Five On Kirrin Island Again" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

'Oh nothing!' said the boy, hastily. 'I only thought that if his work will, soon be finished, perhaps your brother would take me over to his island!' George couldn't help feeling pleased. This boy though she was a boy! George was always gracious to people who made the mistake of thinking she was a boy.
'Of course I'll take you!' she said. 'It shouldn't be long before I do - the experiment is nearly done.'
Chapter Seven
A LITTLE SQUABBLE
A sound made them turn. It was the boy's father coming up. He nodded to the children. 'Making friends?' he said, amiably. 'That's right. My boy's pretty lonely here. I hope you'll come up and see 'us some time. Finished your conversations SOfl ?' 'Yes,' said the boy. 'This boy here says that island is his, and 'he's going to take me over it when his father has finished his work there -- and that won't be long.' 'And do you know the way through all those wicked rocks?' said the man. 'I shouldn't care to try it. I 'was talking to the fishermen the other day, and not one of them appeared to know the way!' This was rather astonishing. Some of the fishermen did know it. Then the children remembered that the men had all been forbidden to take anyone to the island while Uncle Quentin was at work there. It was clear that they had pretended not to know the way in loyalty to their orders.
'Did you want to go to the island then?' asked Dick, suddenly.
'Oh no! But my boy here would love to go,' said the man. 'I don't want to be seasick,' bobbing up and down in those waves near the island. I'm a poor sailor. I never go on the sea if I can help it!' 'Well, we must go,' said Julian. 'We've got to do some shopping for my aunt. Good-bye!' 'Come and see us as soon as you can,' said the man. 'I've a fine television set that Martin here would like to show you. Any afternoon you like'!' 'Oh thanks!' said George. She seldom saw television. We'll come!' 'They parted, and the four children and Timmy went on down the cliff-path.
'Whatever made you sound so rude, Dick?' said George. 'The way you said "What's that to do with you?" sounded quite insulting.' 'Well -- I just felt suspicious, that's all,' said Dick. 'That boy seemed to be so jolly interested in the island and in your father's work, and when it would be finished.' 'Why shouldn't he be?' demanded George. 'Everyone in the village is interested. They all know about the tower and all the boy wanted to know was when he could go to my island - that's why he asked when Father's work would be finished. I liked him.' 'You only liked him because he was ass enough to think you were a boy,' said Dick. 'Jolly girlish-looking boy you are, that's all I can say.' George flared up at once. 'Don't be mean! I'm not girlish-looking. I've far more freckles than you have, for one thing, and better eyebrows. And I can make, my voice go deep.' 'You're just silly,' said Dick, in disgust. 'As if freckles are boyish! Girls have them just as much as boys. I don't believe that boy thought you were a boy at all. He was just sucking up to you. He must have heard how much you like playing at being what you aren't.' George walked up to Dick with such a furious look on her face that Julian hastily put himself in between them. 'Now, no brawls,' he said. 'You're both too old to' begin slapping ~each other like kids in the nursery. Let me tell you, you're both behaving like babies,' not like boys or gins!' Anne was looking on with scared eyes. George didn't go off the deep end like this usually. And it was funny of Dick to have spoken so rudely to the boy on the cliff. Tirnmy gave a sudden' little whine. His tail was down, and lie looked very miserable.
'Oh George - Timmy can't bear you to quarrel with Dick!' said Anne. 'Look at him! He's just miserable!' 'He didn't like that boy a hit,' said Dick. 'That was another thing I thought was funny. If Timmy doesn't like a person, I don't like him either.' 'Timmy doesn't always rush round new people,' said George. 'He didn't growl or snarl, anyway. All right, all right, Julian; I'm not going to start brawling. But I do think Dick is being silly. Making a mountain out of a molehill - just because someone was interested in Kirrin Island and Father's work, and just because Timmy didn't caper all round him. He was such a solemn sort of boy that I'm not surprised Timmy wasn't all over him. He probably knew the boy wouldn't like it. Timmy's clever like that.' 'Oh, do stop,' said Dick. 'I give in - gracefully! I may be making a fuss. Probably am. I couldn't help my feelings, though.' Anne gave a sigh of relief. The squabble was over. She hoped it wouldn't crop up again. George had been very touchy since she had been home. If only Uncle Quentin would hurry up and finish his 'work, and they could all go to the island as much as they liked, things would be all right.
'I'd rather like to see that television Set,' said George. 'We might go up some afternoon.' 'Right,' said Julian. 'But, on the whole, I think it would be best if we steered clear of any talk about your father's work. Not that we know much. Still, we do know that once before there were people after one of his theories. The secrets of the scientists are very, very important these days, you know, George. Scientists are V.I.P.!' 'What's V.LP.?' asked Anne.
'Very Important People, baby!' said Julian, with a laugh. 'What did you think, it meant? Violet, Indigo, Purple? I guess those are the colours Uncle Quentin would go if he knew anyone was trying to snoop into his secrets!' Everyone laughed, even George. She looked affectionately at Julian. He was always so sensible and good-tempered. She really would go by what he said.
The day passed swiftly. The weather cleared and the sun came out strongly. The air smelt of gorse and primroses and the salt of the sea. Lovely! They went shopping for Aunt, Fanny, and stopped to talk with James, the fisher-boy.
'Your father's got the island, I see,' he said to George with a grin. 'Bad luck, Miss. You'll not be going overthere so often. And nobody else will, either, so I've heard.' 'That's right,' said George. 'Nobody is allowed to go over there for some time. Did you help to take some of the stuff over, James'?' 'Yes. I know the way, you see, because I've been with you,' 'said James. 'Well, Miss, how did you find your boat when you went across yesterday? I got her all shipshape for you, didn't' I?' 'Yes, you did, James,' said George, warmly. 'You made her look beautiful. You must come across to the island with us next time we go.' 'Thanks,' said James, his ready grin showing all his white teeth. .'Like to leave Timmy with me for a week or two? See how he wants to stay!' George laughed. She knew James was only joking. He was very fond of Timmy, though, and Timmy adored James. He was now pushing himself hard against the fisher-boy's knees, and trying to put his nose into his brown hand. Timmy had never forgotten the time when James looked after him so well.
The evening came, and the bay was softly blue. Little white horses flecked it' here and there. The four gazed across to Kirrin,Island. It always looked so lovely at this time of the evening.
The glass top of the tower winked and blinked in the sun. It looked almost as if someone was signaling. But there was no-one in the little glass room. As the children watched they heard a faint rumbling sound, and suddenly the top of the tower was ablaze with a curious glare.
'Look! That's what happened yesterday!' said Julian, in excitement. 'Your father's at work all right, George. I do wonder what he's doing!' Then there came a throbbing sound, almost like the noise of an aeroplane, and once more the glass top of the tower shone and blazed, as the wires became full of some curious power.
'Weird,' said Dick. 'A bit frightening too. Where's your father at this very moment, I wonder, George. How I'd like to know!' 'I bet he's forgotten all about meals again,' said George. 'Didn't he wolf our sandwiches - he must have been starving. I wish he'd let Mother go over there and look after him.' Her mother came in at that moment. 'Did you hear the noise?' she said. 'I, suppose that was your father at work again. Oh dear, I hope he doesn't blow himself up one of these days!' 'Aunt Fanny, can I stay up till half past ten tonight?' asked Anne, hopefully. 'To see Uncle Quentin's signal, you know?' 'Good gracious, no!' said her aunt. 'No one needs to stay up. I am quite capable of watching for it myself!' 'Oh Aunt Fanny! Surely I and Dick can stay up!' said Julian. 'After all, we're not in bed till ten at school.' 'Yes - but this is half past ten, and you wouldn't even be in bed then,' said his aunt. 'There's no reason why you shouldn't lie in bed and watch for it though, if you want to - providing you haven't fallen asleep!' 'Oh yes - I can do that,' said Julian. 'My window looks across to Kirrin Island. Six flashes with a lantern I shall count them carefully.' So the four went to bed at the usual time. Anne was asleep long before half past ten, and George was so drowsy that she could not make herself get up and go into the boys' room. But Dick and Julian were both wide awake. They lay in their beds and looked out of the window. There was no moon, but the sky was clear, and the stars shone down, giving a faint light. The sea looked very black. There was no sign of Kirrin Island. It was lost in the darkness of the night.
'Almost half past ten,' said Julian, looking at his watch, which had luminous hands. 'Now then, Uncle Quentin, what about it?' Almost as if his uncle was answering him, a light shone out in the glass top of the tower. It was a clear, small light, like the light of a lantern.
Julian began to count. 'One flash.' There was a pause. 'Two flashes.' 'Another pause. 'Three, four, five six!' The flashes stopped. Julian snuggled down into bed. 'Well, that's that. Uncle Quentin's all right. I say, it's weird to think of him climbing that spiral stairway right to the top of the tower, in, the dark of night, isn't it? Just to mess about with those wires.' 'Mmmmm,' said Dick; sleepily. 'I rather he did it, than I! You can be a scientist if you like, Ju -- but I don't want -- to climb towers in the dead of night on a lonely island. I'd like Timmy there, at least" Someone knocked on their door and it opened. Julian sat up at once. It was Aunt Fanny.
'Oh Julian dear - did you see the flashes? I forgot to count them. Were there six?' 'Oh yes, Aunt Fanny! I'd have rushed down to tell you if anything was wrong.. Uncle's all right. Don't you worry!' 'I wish I'd told him to do an extra flash to tell me if he's had some of that nice soup,' said his aunt. 'Well, good night, Julian. Sleep well!''
Chapter Eight
DOWN IN THE QUARRY
The next day dawned bright and sunny. The four tore down to breakfast, full of high spirits. 'Can we bathe? Aunt Fanny, it's really warm enough! Oh do say we can!' 'Of course not! Whoever heard of bathing in April!' said Aunt Fanny. 'Why, the sea is terribly cold. Do you want to be in bed for the rest of the holiday with a chill?' 'Well, let's go for a walk on the moors at the back of Kirrin Cottage,' said George. 'Timmy would love that. Wouldn't you, Tim?' 'Woof,' said Timmy, thumping his tail hard on the ground.
'Take your lunch with you if you like,' said her mother. 'I'll pack some for you.' 'You'll be glad to be rid of us for a little while, I expect, Aunt Fanny,' said Dick, with a grin. 'I know what we'll do. We'll go to the old quarry and look for prehistoric weapons! We've got a jolly good museum at school, and I'd like to take back some stone arrow-heads or something like that.' They all liked hunting for things. It would be fun to go to the old quarry, and it would be lovely and warm in the hollow there. ' 'I hope we shan't find a poor dead sheep there, as we once did,' said Anne, with a shudder. 'Poor thing! It must have fallen down and baa-ed for help for ages.
'Of course we shan't,' said Julian. 'We shall find stacks of primroses and violets though, growing down the sides of the quarry.' They are always early there because it's sheltered from every wind.' 'I should love to have bunches of primroses,' said his aunt. 'Nice big ones! Enough to put all over the house.' 'Well, while the boys are looking for arrow-heads we'll look for primroses,' said Anne, pleased. 'I like picking flowers.' 'And Timmy, of course, will hunt for rabbits, and will hope to bring home enough for you to decorate the larder from top to bottom,' said Dick, solemnly. Timmy looked thrilled and gave an excited little woof.
They waited for Uncle Quentin's signal at half past ten. It came - six flashes of a mirror in the sun. The flashes were quite blinding.
'Nice little bit of heliographing!' said Dick. 'Good morning and good-bye, Uncle! We'll watch for you tonight. Now, everybody ready?' 'Yes! Come' on, Tim! Who's got the sandwiches? I say, isn't the sun hot!' Off they all went. They had on coats and their rubber boots, but no hats, and nobody thought of taking a macintosh. It was going to be a really lovely day! The quarry was not really very far - only about a quarter of a mile. The children went for a walk beforehand, for Timmy's sake. Then they made for the quarry.
It was a queer place. At some time or other it had been deeply quarried for stone, and then left to itself. Now the sides were covered with small bushe1s and grass and plants of all kinds. In the sandy places heather grew.
The sides were very steep, and as few people came there, there were no paths to follow. It was like a huge rough bowl, irregular in places, and full of colour now where primroses opened their pale petals to the sky. Violets grew there by the thousand, both white and purple. 'Cowslips were opening too, the earliest anywhere.
'Oh, it's lovely!' said Anne, stopping at the top and looking down. 'Simply super! I never in my life saw so many primroses - nor such huge ones!' 'Be careful how you go, Anne,' said Julian. 'These sides are very steep. If you lose your footing you'll roll' right down to the bottom - and find yourself with a broken arm or leg!' 'I'll be careful,' said Anne. 'I'll throw my basket down to the bottom, so that I can have two hands to cling to bushes with, if I want to. I shall be able to fill that basket cramful of primroses and violets!' She flung the basket down, and it bounced all the way to the bottom of the quarry. The children climbed down to where they wanted to go - the girls to a great patch of big primroses, the boys to a place where they thought they might find stone weapons.
'Hallo!' said a voice, suddenly, from much lower down. The four stopped in surprise, and Timmy growled.
'Why - it's you!' said George, recognizing the boy they had met the day before.
'Yes. I don't know if you know my name. It's Martin Curton,' said the boy'.
Julian told him their names too. 'We've come to picnic here,' he said. 'And to see if we can find stone weapons. What have you come for?' 'Oh -- to see if I can find stone weapons too,' said the 'Have you found any?' asked George.
'No. Not yet.' 'Well, you won't find any just there,' said Dick. 'Not in heather! You want to come over here, where the ground is bare and gravelly.' Dick was trying to be friendly, to make up for the day before. Martin came over and began to scrape about with the boys. They had trowels with them, but he had only his hands.
'Isn't it hot down here?' called Anne. 'I'm going to take off my coat.' Timmy had his head and shoulders down a rabbit hole. He was scraping violently, sending up heaps of soil behind him in a shower.
'Don't go near Timmy unless you want to be buried in earth!' said Dick. 'Hey, Timmy - is a rabbit really worth all that hard work?' Apparently it was, for Timmy, panting loudly, went on digging for all he was worth. A stone flew high in the air and hit Julian. He rubbed his cheek. Then he looked at the stone that lay beside him. He gave a shout. 'Look at this - a jolly fine arrow-head! Thanks, Timmy, old fellow. Very good of you to go digging for me. What about a hammer-head next?' The others came to see the stone arrow-head. Anne thought she would never have known what it was -- but Julian and Dick exclaimed over it in admiration.
'Jolly good specimen,' said Dick. 'See how it's been shaped, George? To think that this was used thousands of years ago to kill the enemies of a cave-man! Martin did not say much. He just looked at the arrowhead, which certainly was a very fine unspoilt specimen, and then turned away. Dick thought he was a queer fellow. A bit dull and boring. He wondered if they ought to ask him to their picnic. He didn't want to in the least.
But George did! 'Are you having a picnic here too?' she asked. Martin shook his head.
'No. I've not brought any sandwiches.' 'Well, we've plenty. Stay and have some with us when we eat them,' said George, generously.
'Thanks. It's very nice of you,' said the boy. 'And will you come and see my television set this afternoon in return! I'd like you to.' 'Yes, we will,' said George. 'It would be something to do! Oh Anne -- just look at those violets! I've never seen such big white ones' before. Won't Mother be pleased?' The boys went deeper down, scraping about with their trowels in any likely place. They came to where a shelf of stone projected out a good way. It would be a nice place to have their lunch. The stone would be warm to sit on, and was flat enough to take, ginger-beer bottles and cups in safety.
At half past twelve they all had their lunch. They were very hungry. Martin shared their sandwiches, and became quite friendly over them.
'Best sandwiches I've ever tasted,' he said. I do like those sardine ones. Does your mother make them for you? I wish I had a mother. Mine died ages ago.' There was a sympathetic silence. The four could not think of any worse thing to happen to a boy or girl. They offered Martin the nicest buns, and the biggest piece of cake immediately.
'I saw your father flashing his signals last night,' said Martin, munching a bun.
Dick looked up at once. 'How do you know he was signaling?' he asked. 'Who told you?' 'Nobody,' said the 'boy. 'I just saw the six flashes, and I thought it must be George's father.' He looked surprised at Dick's sharp tone. Julian gave Dick a nudge, to warn him not to go off the deep end again.
George scowled at Dick. 'I suppose you saw my father signaling this morning too,' she said to Martin. 'I bet scores of people saw the flashes. He just heliographs with a mirror at half past ten to signal that he's all right -- and flashes a lantern at the same time at night.' Now it was Dick's turn to scowl at George. Why give away all this information? It wasn't necessary. Dick felt sure she was doing it just to pay him out for his sharp question. He tried to change the subject.
'Where do you go to school?' he asked.
'I don't,' said the boy. 'I've been ill.' 'Well, where did you go to school before you were ill?' asked Dick.
"I -- I had a tutor,' said Martin. 'I didn't go to school.' 'Bad luck!' said Julian. He thought it must be terrible not to go to school and have all the fun, the work and the games of school-life. He looked curiously at Martin. Was he one of these rather stupid boys who did no good at school, but had to have a tutor at home? Still he didn't look stupid. He just looked rather sullen and dull.
Timmy was sitting on the warm stone with the others.