"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 06 - Five On Kirrin Island Again" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)
She told them how she had watched for Timmy in the glass room of the tower and hadn't seen him - and that had worried her and made her suspicious. So she had come across to the island in her boat at night, and had seen where the men came from. She had gone down the tunnel, and kept on till she came to the cave, where she had found her father.
The three men listened in silence. 'Well, you're a tiresome nuisance,' one of the men said to George, 'but my word, you're a son to be proud of. It's not many boys would have been brave enough to run so much risk for anyone.' 'Yes. I'm really proud of you, George,' said her father. He looked at her anxiously. She knew what he was thinking what about his precious book? Had she been sensible enough to hide it? She 4id not dare to let him know anything while the men were there.
'Now, this complicates matters,' said the other man, looking at George. 'If you don't go back home you'll soon be missed, and there will be all kinds of search parties going on - and maybe someone will send over to the island here to tell your father you have disappeared! We don't want anyone here at present - not till we know what we want to know!' He turned to George's father. 'If you will tell us what we want to know, and give us all your notes, we will set you free, give you whatever sum of money you ask us for, and disappear ourselves.' 'And if I still say I won't?' said George's father. 'Then I am afraid we shall blow up the whole of your machines and the tower - and possibly you will never be found again because you will be buried down here,' said the man, in a voice that was suddenly very hard.
There was a dead silence. George looked at her father. 'You couldn't do a thing like that,' he said at last. 'You would gain nothing by it at all!' 'It's all or' nothing with us,' said the man. 'All or nothing. Make up your mind. We'll give you till half past ten tomorrow morning about seven hours. Then either you tell us everything, or we blow the island sky-high!' They went out of the cave and left George and her father together. Only seven hours! And then, perhaps-- the end of Kirrin Island! Chapter Eighteen
HALF PAST FOUR IN THE MORNING
As soon as the men were out of earshot, George's father spoke in a low voice.
'It's no good. I'll have to let them have my book of notes. I can't risk having you buried down here, George. I don't mind anything for myself - workers of my sort have to be ready to take risks all their lives -- but it's different now you're here !' 'Father, I haven't got the book of notes,' whispered George, thankfully. 'I gave them to Timmy. I 'did manage to get that stone away from the entrance to his little prison - though the men think I didn't! I gave the book to Timmy and told him to go and hide till I fetched him.' 'Fine work, George!' said her father. 'Well - perhaps if you got Timmy now and brought him here -- he could deal with these two men before they suspect he is free! He is quite capable of getting them both down on the ground at once.' 'Oh yes! It's our only chance,' said George. 'I'll go and get him now. I'll go a little way along the passage and whistle. Father -- why didn't you go and try and rescue Timmy?' 'I didn't want to leave my book,' said her father. 'I dared not take it with me, in case the men came after me and found it. They've been looking in all the caves for it. I couldn't bear to leave it here, and go and look for the dog. I was sure he was all right, when I saw the men taking biscuits out of the bag. Now do go, George, and whistle to Timmy. The men may be back at any moment.' George took her torch and went into the passage that led to the little cave where Timmy had been. She whistled loudly, and then waited. But no Timmy came. She whistled again, and then went further along the passage.
Still no Timmy.
She called him loudly. 'TIMMY! TIMMY! COME HERE!' But Timmy did not come. There was no sound of scampering feet, no joyful bark.
'Oh bother!' thought George. 'I hope he hasn't gone so far away that he can't hear me. I'll go a little further.' So she made her way along the tunnel, past the cave where Timmy had been, and then on down the tunnel again. Still no Timmy.
George rounded a corner and then saw that the tunnel split into three. Three different passages, all dark, silent and cold. Oh dear! She didn't in the least know which to take. She took the one on the left.
But that also split into three a little way on! George stopped. 'I shall get absolutely lost in this maze of passages under the sea if I go on,' she thought. 'I simply daren't. It's too frightening. TIMMY! TIMMY!' Her voice went echoing along the passage and sounded very queer indeed. She retraced her steps and went right back to her father's cave, feeling miserable.
'Father, there's no sign of Timmy at all. He must have gone along one of the passages and' got lost! Oh dear, this is awful. There are lots of tunnels beyond this cave, it seems as if the whole rocky bed of the sea is mined with tunnels!' George sat down and looked, very downhearted.
'Quite likely,' said her father. 'Well - that's a perfectly good plan gone wrong. We must try and think of another.' 'I do wonder what Julian and the others will think when they wake up and find me gone,' said George, suddenly. 'They might even come and try to find me 'here.' 'That wouldn't be much good,' said her father. Then we'll simply come down here and wait, and nobody will know where we are. The others don't know of the entrance in the little stone room, do they?' 'No,' said George. 'If they came over here I'm sure they'd never find it! We've looked before. And that would mean they'd be blown up with the island. Father, this is simply dreadful.'' 'If only we knew where Timmy was!" said her father. Or if we could get a message to Julian to tell him not to. come. What's the time? My word, it's half past three in, the early morning! I suppose Julian and the others are still asleep.' Julian was fast asleep. So was Anne. Dick was in a deep sleep as well, so nobody guessed that' George's bed was empty.
But, about half past four Anne awoke, feeling very hot, really must open the window!' she thought. 'I'm boiling!' She got up and went to 'the window. She opened it, and stood looking out. The stars were out and the bay one faintly.
'George,' whispered Anne. 'Are you awake?' She listened for a reply. But none came. Then she listened more intently. Why, she couldn't even hear George's' breathing! Surely George was there?
She felt over George's bed. It was flat and empty. She' switched on the light and looked at it. George's pyjamas were still on the bed. Her clothes were gone.
'George has gone to the island!' said Anne, in a fright, 'in the dark by herself!' She went to the boys' room. She felt about Julian's bed for his shoulder, and shook him hard. He woke up with a jump. 'What is it? What's up?' 'Julian! George is gone. Her bed's not been slept in,' whispered Anne. Her whisper awoke Dick, and soon both boys were sitting up wide awake.
'Blow! I might have guessed she'd do a fool thing like that,' said Julian. 'In the middle of the night too -- and all those dangerous rocks to row round. Now what are we going to do about it? I told her she wasn't to go to the island -- Timmy would be quite all right! I expect Uncle Quentin forgot to take him up to the tower with him yesterday, that's all. She might have waited till half past ten this morning then she would probably have seen him.' 'Well - we can't do anything now, I suppose, can we?' said Anne, anxiously.
'Not a thing,' said Julian. 'I've no doubt she's safely on Kirrin Island by now, making a fuss of Timmy, and having a good old row with Uncle Quentin. Really,. George is the limit!' They talked for half an hour and then Julian looked at his watch. 'Five o'clock. We'd better try and get a bit more sleep. Aunt Fanny will b.e worried in the morning when she hears of George's latest escapade!' Anne went back to her room. She got into bed and fell asleep. Julian could not sleep - he kept thinking of George and wondering where exactly she was. Wouldn't he give her a talking-to when she came back! He suddenly heard a peculiar noise downstairs. Whatever could it be? It sounded like someone climbing in, at a window. Was there one open? Yes, the window of the little wash-place might be open. Crash ! What in the world was that? It couldn't be a burglar - no burglar would be foolish enough to make such a noise. There was a sound on the stairs, and then the bedroom door was pushed open. In alarm Julian put out his hand to switch on the light, but before he could do so something heavy jumped right on top of him! He yelled and Dick woke up with a jump. He put on the light -- and then Julian saw what was on his bed -Timmy! 'Timmy! How did you get here? Where's George! Timmy, is it really you?' 'Timmy!' echoed Dick, amazed. 'Has George brought him back then? Is she here too?' Anne came in, wakened by the noise. 'Why, Timmy! Oh Julian, is George back too, then?' 'No, apparently not,' said Julian, puzzled. 'I say, Tim, 'what's this you've got in your mouth? Drop it, old chap, drop it!' Timmy dropped it. Julian picked it up from the bed. 'It's a' 'book of notes - all in Uncle's handwriting! What does this mean? How did Timmy get hold of it - and why did he bring it here? It's most extraordinary!' Nobody could imagine why Timmy had suddenly 'appeared with the book of notes - and no George.
'It's very queer,' said Julian. 'There's something I don't understand here. Let's go and wake Aunt Fanny.' So they went and woke her up, telling her all they knew. She was very worried indeed to hear that George was gone. She picked up the book of notes and knew at once that it was very important.
'I must put this into the safe,' she said. 'I know this is valuable. How did Timmy get hold of it?' Timmy was acting queerly. He kept pawing at Julian and whining. He had been very pleased to see everyone, but he seemed to have something on his mind.
'What is it, old boy?' asked Dick. 'How did you get here? You didn't swim, because you're not wet. If you came in a boat, it must have, been with George -- and yet you've left her behind!' 'I think something's happened to George,' said Anne, suddenly. 'I think Timmy keeps pawing you to tell you to go with him and find her. Perhaps she brought him back in the boat, and then was terribly tired and fell asleep on the beach or something. We ought to go and see.' 'Yes, I think we ought,' said Julian. 'Aunt Fanny, would you like to wake Joanna and get something hot ready, in case we find George is tired out and cold? We'll go down to the beach and look. It will soon be daylight now. The eastern sky is just beginning to show its first light.
'Well, go and dress then,' said Aunt Fanny, still looking very worried indeed. 'Oh, what a dreadful family I've got - always in some scrape or other!' The three children began to dress. Timmy watched them, waiting patiently till they were ready. Then they all went downstairs and out of doors. Julian turned towards the beach, but Timmy stood still. He pawed at Dick and then ran a few steps in the opposite direction.
Chapter Nineteen
A MEETING WITH MARTIN
TIMMY ran round the house and made for the moor behind. It was most extraordinary. Wherever was he going?
'This is awfully queer,' said Julian. 'I'm sure George can't be anywhere in this direction.' Timmy went on swiftly, occasionally turning his head to make sure everyone was following him. He led the way to the quarry! 'The quarry! Did George come here then?' said Dick. 'But why?' The dog disappeared down into the middle of the quarry, slipping and sliding down the steep sides as he went. The others followed as best they could. Luckily it was not as slippery as before, 'and they reached the bottom without accident.
Timmy went straight to the shelf of rock and disappeared underneath it. They heard him give a short sharp bark as if to say 'Come on! This is the way! Hurry up!' 'He's gone into the tunnel under there,' said Dick. 'Where we thought we might explore and didn't. There must be a passage or something there, then. But is George there?' 'I'll go first,' said Julian, and wriggled through the hole. He was soon in the wider bit and then came out into the part where he could almost stand. He walked a little way in the dark, hearing Timmy bark impatiently now and then. But in a moment or two Julian stopped.
'It's no good trying to follow you in the dark, Timmy!' he called. 'We'll have to go back and get torches. I can't see a foot in front of me!' Dick was just struggling through the first part of the hole. Julian called to him to go back.
'It's too dark,' he said. 'We must go and get torches. If George for some reason is up this passage, she must have had an accident, and we'd better get a rope, and some brandy.' Anne began to cry. She didn't like the idea of George lying hurt in that dark passage. Julian put his arm round her as soon as he was in the open air again. He helped her up the sides of the quarry, followed by Dick.
'Now don't worry. We'll get her all right. But it beats me why she Went there and I still can't imagine how Tim and she came from the island, if they are here, instead of on the beach!' 'Look there's Martin!' suddenly said Dick in surprise. So there was! He was standing at the top of the quarry, and seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him! 'You're up early,' called Dick. 'And goodness me -- are you going gardening or something? Why the spades?' Martin looked sheepish and didn't seem to know what to say. Julian suddenly walked up to him and caught hold of his shoulder. 'Look here, Martin! There's some funny business going on here! What are you going to do with those spades? Have you seen George? Do you know where she is, or anything about her? Come on, tell me!' Martin shook his shoulder away from Julian's grip, looking extremely surprised.
'George? No! What's happened to him?' 'George isn't a him - she's a her,' said Anne, still crying. 'She's disappeared. We thought she'd gone to the island to find her dog -- and Timmy suddenly appeared at Kirrin Cottage, and brought us here!' 'So it looks as if George might be somewhere near here,' said Julian. 'And I want to know if you've seen her or know anything of her whereabouts?' 'No, Julian. I swear I don't!' said Martin.
'Well, tell me what you're doing here so early in the morning, with spades,' said Julian, roughly. 'Who are you waiting for? Your father?' 'Yes,' said Martin.
'And what are you going to do?.' asked Dick. 'Going exploring up the hole there?' 'Yes,' said Martin again, sullen and worried. 'No' harm in that, is there?' 'It's all - very - queer,' said Julian, eyeing him and speaking slowly and loudly. 'But - let me tell you this -we're going exploring -- not you! If there's anything queer up that hole, we'll 'find it! We shall not allow, you or your father to get through the hole. So go and find him and tell him that!' Martin didn't move. He went very white, and stared at Julian miserably. Anne went up to him, tears still on her face and put her hand on his arm.
'Martin, what is 'it? Why do you look like that? What's the mystery?' And then, to the dismay and horror of everyone, Martin turned away with a noise that sounded very like a sob! He stood with his back to them, his shoulders shaking.
'Good gracious! What is up?' said Julian, in exasperation. 'Pull yourself together, Martin! Tell us what's worrying you.' 'Everything, everything!' said Martin, in a muffled voice. Then he swung round to face them. 'You don't know what it is to have no mother and no father - nobody who cares about you - and then...' 'But you have got a father!' said Dick at once.
'I haven't. He's not my father, that man. He's only my guardian, but he makes me call him father whenever we're on a job together.' 'A job? What sort of job?' said Julian.
'Oh any kind -- all beastly,' said Martin. 'Snooping round and finding things out about people, and then getting money from them if we promise to say nothing -and receiving stolen goods and selling them - and helping people like the men who are after your uncle's secret...' 'Oho!' said Dick at once. Now we're coming to it. I thought' you and Mr. Curton were both suspiciously interested in Kirrin Island. What's this present job, 'then?' 'My guardian will half-kill me for telling all this,' said Martin. 'But, you see, they're planning 'to blow up the island -- and it's about the worst thing I've ever been mixed up in - and I know your uncle is there - and perhaps George too now, you say. I can't go on with it!' A few more tears ran down his cheeks. It was awful to see a boy crying like that, and the three felt sorry for Martin now. They were also full of horror when they heard him say that the island was to be blown up! 'How do you know this?' asked Julian.
'Well, Mr. Curton's got a wireless receiver and transmitter as you know,' explained Martin, 'and so have the fellows on the island -- the ones who are after your uncle's secret -- so they can easily keep in touch with one another. They mean to get the secret if they can - if not they are going to blow the whole place sky-high so that nobody can get the secret. But they can't get away by boat, because they don't know the way through those rocks....' 'Well, how will they get away then?' demanded Julian.
'We feel sure this hole that Timmy found the other day, leads down to the sea, and under the sea-bed to Kirrin Island,' said Martin. 'Yes, I know it sounds too mad to be true - but Mr. Curton's got an old map which clearly shows there was once a passage under the sea-bed. If there is - well, the fellows across on the island can escape down it, after making all preparations for the island to be blown up. See?' 'Yes,' said Julian, taking a long breath. 'I do see. I see it all very clearly now. .1 see something else too! Timmy has found his way from the island, using that same passage you have just told us about - and that's why he's led us back here -- to take us to the island and rescue Uncle Quentin and George.' There was a deep silence. Martin stared at the ground. Dick and Julian thought hard. Anne sobbed a little. It all seemed quite unbelievable to her. Then Julian put his hand on Martin's arm.
'Martin! You did right to tell us. We may be able to prevent something dreadful. But you must help. We may need those spades of yours - and I expect you've got torches too.' We haven't We don't want to waste time going back and getting them - so will you come with us and help us? Will you lend us those spades and torches?' 'Would you trust me?' said Martin, in a low voice. 'Yes, I want to come and help you. And if we get in now, my guardian won't be able to follow, because he won't have a torch. We 'can get to the island and bring your unde and George safely back.' 'Good for you!' said Dick. 'Well, come on then. We've been talking far too long. Come on down again, Ju. Hand him a spade and torch, Martin.' 'Anne, you're not to come,' said Julian, to his little sister. 'You're to go back and tell Aunt Fanny what's happened. Will you do that?' 'Yes. I don't want to come,' said Anne. 'I'll go back ч now. Do be careful, Julian!' She climbed down with the boys and then stood and watched till all three had disappeared, into the hole. Timmy, who had been waiting impatiently during the talking, barking now and again, was glad to find that at last they were going to make a move. He ran ahead in the tunnel, his eyes gleaming green every time he turned to see if they were following. Anne began to climb up the steep side of the quarry again. Then, thinking she heard a cough, she stopped and crouched under a bush. She peered through the leaves and saw Mr. Curton. Then she heard his voice.
'Martin! Where on earth are you?' So he had come to look for Martin and go up the tunnel with him! Anne hardly dared to breathe. Mr. Curton called again and again, then made an impatient noise and began to climb down the side of the quarry.
Suddenly he slipped! He clutched at a bush as he passed, but it gave way. He rolled quite near Anne, and caught sight of her.' He looked astonished, but then his look became one of fear as he rolled more and more quickly to the bottom of the deep quarry. Anne heard him give a deep groan as at last he came to a stop.
Anne peered down in fright. Mr. Curtin was sitting up, holding one of his legs and groaning. He looked up to see if he could spy Anne. .
'Anne!' he called. 'I've broken my leg, I think. Can you fetch help? What are you doing here so early? Have you seen Martin?' ' ' Anne did not answer. If he had broken his leg, then he couldn't go after the others! And Anne could get away quickly. She climbed carefully, afraid of rolling down to the bottom and having to lie beside the horrid Mr. Curton.
'Anne!' Have you seen Martin? Look for him and get help for me, will you?' shouted Mr.' Curton, and then groaned again.
Anne climbed' to the top of the quarry' and looked down. She cupped her hands round her mouth and shouted loudly: 'You're a very wicked man. I shan't fetch help for you. I simply can't bear you!' 'Arid, having got, all that off her chest, the little girl shot off at top speed over the moor.
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