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

He had his share of the sandwiches, but had to be rationed, as Martin had to have some too.
He was funny with Martin. He took absolutely no notice of him at all. Martin might not have been there! And Martin took no notice of Timmy. He did not talk to him, or pat him. Anne was sure he didn't really like dogs, as he had said. How could anyone be with Timmy and not give him even one pat?
Timmy did not even look at Martin, but sat with his back to him, leaning against George. It was really rather amusing, if it wasn't so odd. After all, George was talking in a friendly way to Martin; they were all sharing their food with him - and Timmy behaved as if Martin simply wasn't there at all! Anne was just about to remark on Timmv's odd behaviour when he yawned, shook himself, and leapt down from the rock. 'He's going rabbiting again,' said Julian. 'Hey, Tim - find me another arrow-head will you, old fellow?' Timmy wagged his tail. He disappeared under the shelf of rock, and there came the sound of digging. A shower of stones and soil flew into the air.
The children lay back on the stone and felt sleepy. They talked for some minutes, and then Anne felt her eyes closing. She was awakened by George's voice.
'Where's Timmy? Timmy! Timmy! Come here! Where have you got to?' But no Timmy came. There was not even an answering bark. 'Oh blow' said George., 'Now he's gone down some extra-deep rabbit hole, I suppose. I must get him. Timmy! Wherever are you?'
Chapter Nine
GEORGE MAKES A DISCOVERY - AND LOSES HER TEMPER
GEORGE slipped down from the rock. She peered under. it; There was a large opening there, scattered with stones that Timmy had loosened in his digging.
'Surely you haven't at last found a rabbit hole big enough to go down!' said George. 'TIMMY! Where are you?' Not a bark, not a whine came from the hole. George wriggled under the shelf of rock, and peered down the burrow. Timmy had certainly made it very big. George called up to Julian.
.'Julian! Throw me down your trowel, will you?' The trowel landed by her foot. George took it and began to make the hole bigger. It might be big enough for Timmy, but it wasn't big enough for her! She dug hard and soon got very hot. She crawled out and looked over on to the rock to see if she could get one of the others to help her. They were all asleep! 'Lazy things!' thought George, quite forgetting that she too would have been dozing if she hadn't wondered where Timmy had gone.
She slipped down under the rock again and began to dig hard with her trowel. Soon she had made the hole big enough to get through: She was surprised to find quite a large passage, once she had made the entrance big enough to take her. She could crawl along on hands and knees! 'I say - I wonder if this is just some animal's runway -or leads somewhere!' thought George. 'TIMMY! Where are you?' From somewhere deep in the quarry side there came a faint whine. George felt thankful. So Timmy was there, after all. She crawled along, and then quite suddenly the tunnel became high and wide, and she realized that she must be in a passage. It was perfectly dark, so she could not see anything, she could only feel.
Then she heard the sound of pattering feet, and Timmy pressed affectionately against her legs, whining. 'Oh Timmy -- you gave me a bit of a fright!' said George. 'Where have you been? Is this a real passage -- or just a tunnel in the quarry, made by the aid miners, and now used by animals?' 'Woof,' said Timmy, and pulled 'at George's shorts to make her go back to the daylight.
'All right, I'm coming!' said George. 'Don't imagine I want to wander alone in the dark! I only came to look for you.' She made her way back to the shelf of rock. By this time Dick was awake, and wondered where George had gone. He waited a few minutes, blinking up into the deep blue sky, and then sat up.
'George!' There was no answer. So, in his turn Dick slipped down from the rock and looked around. And, to his very great astonishment he saw first Timmy, and then George on hands and knees, appearing out of the hole under the rock. He stared open-mouthed, and George began to giggle.
'It's all right. I've only been rabbiting with Timmy!' She stood beside him, shaking and brushing soil from her jersey and shorts. 'There's a passage behind the entrance to the hole under the rock,' she said. 'At first it's just a narrow tunnel, like an animal's hole -- then it gets wider -- and then it becomes a proper high wide passage! I couldn't see if it went, on, of course, because it was dark. Timmy was a long way in.' 'Good gracious!' said Dick. 'It sounds exciting.' 'Let's explore it, shall we?' said George. 'I expect Julian's got a torch.' 'No,' said Dick. 'We won't explore today.' The others were now awake, and listening with interest. 'Is it a secret passage?' said Anne, thrilled. 'Oh do let's explore it!' 'No, not today,' said Dick again. He looked 3t Julian. Julian guessed that Dick did not want Martin to share this secret. Why should he? He was not a real friend of theirs, and they had only just got to know him. He nodded back to Dick.
'No, we won't explore today. Anyway, it may be nothing - just an old tunnel made by the quarry-men.' Martin was listening with great interest. He went and looked into the hole. 'I wish we could explore,' he said. 'Maybe we could plan to meet again with torches and see if there really is a passage there.' Julian looked at his watch. 'Nearly two o'clock. Well, Martin, if we're going to see that half past two television programme of yours, we'd better be getting on.' Carrying baskets of primroses and violets, the girls began to climb up the steeep side of the quarry. Julian took Anne's basket from her, afraid she might slip and fall. Soon they were all at the top. The air felt quite cool there after the warmth of the quarry.
They made their way to the cliff-path and before long were passing the coastguard's cottage. He was out in his garden, and he waved to them.
They went in the gateway of the next-door cottage. Martin pushed the door open. His father was sitting at the window of the room inside, reading. He got up with a broad, welcoming smile.
'Well, well, well! This is nice! Come along in, do. Yes, the clog as well. I don't mind dogs a bit. I like them.' It seemed rather a crowd in the small room. They all shook hands politely. Martin explained hurriedly that he had brought the children to see a television programme.
'A good idea,' said Mr. Curton, still beaming. Anne stared at his great eyebrows. They were very long and thick. She wondered why he didn't have them trimmed but perhaps he liked them like that. They made him look very fierce, she thought.
The four looked round the little room. There was a television set standing at the far end, on a table. There was also a magnificent wireless and something else that made the boys stare with interest.
'Hallo! You've got a transmitting set, as well as a receiving set,' said Julian.
'Yes,' said Mr. Curton. 'It's a hobby of mine. I made that set.' 'Well! You must be brainy!' said Dick.
'What's a transmitting set?' asked Anne. 'I haven't heard of one before.' 'Oh, it just means a set to send out messages by wireless like police-cars have, when they send back messages to their police stations,' said Dick. 'This is a very powerful one, though.' Martin was fiddling about with the television switches. Then the programme began.
It was great fun seeing the television programme.
When it was over Mr. Curton asked them to stay to tea.
'Now don't say no,' he said. 'I'll ring up and ask your aunt, if you like, if you're afraid she might be worried.' 'Well if you'd do that, sir,' said Julian. 'I think she would wonder where we'd gone!' Mr. Curton rang up Aunt Fanny. Yes, it was quite all right for them to stay, but they mustn't be too late back. So they settled down to an unexpectedly good tea. Martin was not very talkative, but Mr. Curton made up for it. He laughed and joked and was altogether very good company.
The talk came round to Kirrin Island. Mr. Curton said how beautiful it looked each evening. George looked pleased.
'Yes,' she said. 'I always think that. I do wish Father hadn't chosen this particular time to work on my island. I'd planned to go and stay there.' 'I suppose you know every inch of it!' said Mr. Curton.
'Oh yes!' said George. 'We all do. There are dungeons there, you know real dungeons that go deep down - where we once found gold ingots?
'Yes I remember reading about that,' said Mr. Curton. 'That must have been exciting. Fancy finding the dungeons too! And there's an old well too you once got down, isn't there?' 'Yes' said Anne, remembering. 'And there is a cave where we once lived it's got an entrance through the roof, as well as from the sea.' 'And I suppose your father is conducting his marvellous experiments down in the dungeons?' said Mr.Curton. 'Well, what a strange place to work in!' 'No we don't' began George, when she got a kick on the ankle from Dick. She screwed up her face in pain. It had been a very sharp kick indeed.
'What were you going to say?' said Mr. Curton, looking surprised.
'Er I was just going to say that - er -- er -- we don't know which place Father has chosen,' said George, keeping her legs well out of the way of Dick's feet.
Timmy gave a sudden sharp whine. George looked down at him in surprise. He was looking up at Dick with a very hurt expression.
'What's the matter, Timmy?' said George, anxiously.
'He's finding the room too hot, I think,' said Dick. 'Better take him out, George.' George, feeling quite anxious, took him out. Dick joined her. She scowled at him. 'What did you want to kick me for like that? I shall have a frightful bruise.' 'You know jolly well why I did,' said Dick. 'Giving away everything like that. Can't you see the chap's very interested in your father being on the island? There may be nothing in it at all, but you might at least keep your mouth shut. Just like a girl, can't help blabbing. I had to stop you somehow. I don't mind telling you I trod jolly hard on poor old Timmy's tail too, to make him yelp, so that you'd stop talking!' 'Oh you beast!' said George, indignantly. 'How could you hurt Timmy?' 'I didn't want to. It was a shame,' said Dick, stopping to fondle Timmy's ears. 'Poor old Tim. I didn't want to hurt you, old fellow.' 'I'm going home,' said George, her face scarlet with anger. 'I hate you for talking to me like that telling me I blab like a girl and stamping on poor Timmy's tail You can go back and say I'm taking Timmy home.' 'Right,' said Dick. 'And a jolly good thing too. The less you talk to Mr. Curton the better. I'm going back to find out exactly what he is and what he does. I'm getting jolly suspicious. You'd better go before you give anything else away!' Almost choking with rage, George went off with Timmy. Dick went back to make her apologies. Julian and Anne, sure that something was up, felt most uncomfortable. They rose to go, but to their surprise, Dick became very talkative and appeared to be suddenly very much interested in Mr. Curton and what he did.
But at last they said good-bye and went. 'Come again, do,' said Mr. Curton, beaming at the three of them. And tell the other boy what's his name, George - that I hope his dog is quite all right again now. Such a nice, well behaved dog! Well good-bye! See you again soon, I hope!'
Chapter Ten
A SURPRISING SIGNAL
'WHAT'S up with George?' demanded Julian, as soon as they were safely out of earshot. 'I know you kicked her at tea-time, for talking too much about the island -that was idiotic of her - but why has she gone home in a huff?' Dick told them how he had trodden on poor Timmy's tail to make him whine, so that George would turn her attention to him and stop talking. Julian laughed, but Anne was indignant.
'That was horrid of you, Dick.' 'Yes, it was,' said Dick. 'But I couldn't think of any other way to head George off the island. I really honestly thought she was giving away to that fellow all the things he badly wanted to know. But now I think he wanted to know them for quite another reason.' 'What do you mean?' said Julian, puzzled.
'Well, I thought at first he must be after Uncle Quentin's secret, whatever it is,' said Dick, 'and that was why he wanted to know all the ins and, outs of everything. But now that he's told me he's a journalist - that's a man who writes for the newspapers, Anne - I think after all he only wants the information so that he can use it for his paper, and 'make a splash when Uncle has finished his work.' 'Yes, I think that too,' said Julian, thoughtfully; 'in fact, I'm pretty sure of it. Well, there's no harm in that, but I don't see why we should sit there and be pumped all the time. He could easily say, "Look here, I'd be obliged if you'd spill the beans about Kirrin Island -- I want to use it in a newspaper story." But he didn't say that.' 'No. So I was suspicious,' said Dick. 'But I see now he'd want all, sorts of tit-bits about Kirrin Island to put in his newspaper, whatever it is. Blow! Now I shall have to explain to George I was wrong - and she really is in a temper!' 'Let's take the road to Kirrin Village and go to get some bones for Timmy at the butcher's,' said Julian. 'A sort of apology to Tim!' This seemed a good idea. They bought two large meaty ones at the butcher's, and then went to Kirrin Cottage. George was up in her bedroom with Timmy. The three went up to find her.
She was sitting on the floor with a book. She looked p sulkily as they came in.' 'George, sorry I was such a beast,' said Dick. 'I did it for a good cause, if you only knew it. But I've discovered at Mr. Curton isn't a spy, seeking out your father's secret - he's only a journalist, smelling out a story for a paper! Look - I've brought these for Timmy - 'I apologize to him too.' George was in a very bad temper, but she tried to pond to Dick's friendliness. She gave him a small smile 'All right. Thanks for the bones. Don't talk to me right anybody. I feel mad, but I'll get over it.' They left her sitting on the floor. It was always best 'How queer,' said Julian. 'Why twelve flashes? Hallo here we go again!' Another six flashes came from the tower, then no more at all. Julian wished he had a telescope, then he could see right into the tower! He sat and thought for a moment, puzzled. Then he heard the others come pounding up the stairs. They burst into the room.
'Julian! Father flashed eighteen times instead of six!' 'Did you count them, Ju?' 'Why did he do that? Is he in danger of some sort?' 'No. If he was he'd flash the S.O.S. signal,' said Julian.
'He doesn't know Morse!' said George.
'Well, I expect he just wants to let us know that he needs something,' said Julian. 'We must go over today and find out what it is. More food perhaps.' So, when Aunt Fanny came home they suggested they should all go over to the island. Aunt Fanny was pleased.
'Oh yes! That would be nice. I expect your uncle wants a message sent off somewhere. We'll go this morning.' George flew off to tell James she wanted her boat. Aunt Fanny packed up plenty of food with Joanna's help. Then they set off to Kirrin Island in George's boat.
As they rounded the low wall of rocks and came into the little cove, they saw Uncle Quentin waiting for them. He waved his hand, and helped to pull in the boat when it ran gently on to the sand.
'We saw your treble signal,' said Aunt Fanny. 'Did you want something, dear?' 'Yes, I did,' said Uncle Quentin. 'What's in your basket, Fanny? More of those delicious sandviches. I'll have some!' 'Oh Quentin haven't you been having your meals properly again?' said Aunt Fanny. 'What about that lovely soup?' 'What soup?' said Uncle Quentin, looking surprised. I wish I'd known about it. I could have done with some last night.' 'But Quentin! I told you about it before,' said Aunt Fanny. 'It will be bad by now. You must pour it away.
Now don't forget pour it away! Where is it? Perhaps I had better pour it away myself.' 'No. I'll do it,' said Uncle Quentin. 'Let's sit down and have our lunch.' It was much too early for lunch, but Aunt Fanny at once sat down and began to unpack the food. The children were always ready for a meal at any time, so they didn't in the least mind lunch being so early.