"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 12 - Five Go Down to The Sea" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

СHeТs gone up the lane,Т said Dick. СMy word, he nearly wrenched my shoulder off. Half my shirtТs gone! Who was he? Did you see?Т
СNo, I didnТt,Т said Julian, clambering down. СLetТs find your torch before we go home. ItТs too good to lose. It must be by that stile.Т
They went to look. Julian still didnТt like to put on his torch, so that it was more a question of feeling for DickТs torch, not looking! Dick suddenly trod on it and picked it up thankfully.
СListen, thereТs that fellow coming back again, IТm sure!Т said Dick. СI heard the same dry little cough! What shall we do?Т
СWell, I donТt now feel like going up to the shepherdТs hill to see if that light is flashing from the tower,Т said Julian. СI vote we hide and follow this chap to see where he goes. I donТt think anyone who is wandering out tonight can be up to any good.Т
СYes. Good idea,Т said Dick. СSquash into the hedge again. Blow, there are nettles here! Just my luck.Т
The footsteps came nearer, and the cough came again. СI seem to know that cough,Т whispered Dick.
СSh!Т said Julian.
The man came up to the stile, and they heard him climbing over it. After a short time both boys followed cautiously. They couldnТt hear the manТs footsteps across the grass, but the sky had cleared a little and they could just make out a moving shadow ahead of them.
They followed him at a distance, holding their breath whenever they kicked against a stone or cracked a twig beneath their feet. Now and again they heard the cough.
СHeТs making for the farm,Т whispered Julian. He could just see the outline of the big barns against the sky. СDo you think heТs one of the labourers? They live in cottages round about.Т
The man came to the farm-yard and walked through it, trying to make as little sound as possible. The boys followed. He went round the barns and into the little garden that Mrs Penruthlan tended herself. Still the boys followed.
Round to the front door went the man, and the boys held their breath. Was he going to burgle the farmhouse? They tiptoed nearer. There came the sound of a soft click, and then of bolts being shot home! After that there was silence.
СHeТs gone in,Т said Julian in amazement.
СDonТt you know who it was? CanТt you guess now?Т said Dick. СWe both ought to have known when we heard that cough! It was Mr Penruthlan! No wonder he almost dislocated my shoulder with his strong hand!Т
СMr Penruthlan - gosh, yes, youТre right,Т said Julian, astonished, almost forgetting to speak in a whisper. СWe didnТt notice that the front door was undone because we went out the back way. So it was he we followed. How silly! But what was he doing out on the hills? He didnТt go to see the horse, she wasnТt ill.Т
СPerhaps he likes a walk at night,Т suggested Dick. СCome on, letТs go in ourselves. I feel a bit chilly with practically no shirt on!Т
They crept round to the back door. It was still open, thank goodness! They went inside, bolted and locked it, and tiptoed upstairs. They heaved sighs of relief when they were safely in their room again.
СSwitch on your torch, Julian, and see if my shoulder is bruised,Т said Dick. СIt feels jolly painful.Т
Julian flashed his torch on DickТs shoulder. He gave a low whistle. СMy word, youТve got a wonderful bruise all down your right shoulder. He must have given you an awful wrench.Т
СHe did,Т said poor Dick. СWell, I canТt say we had a very successful time, followed our host through the night, got caught by him, and followed him all the way back here. Not very clever!Т
СWell, never mind, I bet no light flashed in that tower,Т said Julian, getting into bed. СWe havenТt lost much by not going all the way to see!Т

Chapter Eight

HERE COME THE BARNIES!

The two boys looked curiously at Mr Penruthlan the next morning. It seemed strange to think of their little adventure the night before with him, and he didnТt even know it was they he had tried to catch! He gave the curious little dry cough again, and Julian nudged Dick and grinned.
Mrs Penruthlan was beaming at the head of the breakfast table as usual. СDid you sleep well, all of you?Т she asked. СThe storm soon died down, didnТt it?Т
Mr Penruthlan got up said СAh, ock, oooh!Т or something that sounded like that, and went out.
СWhat did he say?Т asked Anne curiously. She could not think how anyone could possibly understand Mr PenruthlanТs extraordinary speech. Julian had said that he thought he must talk in shorthand!
СHe said he might not be back for dinner,Т said Mrs Penruthlan. СI hope heТll get some somewhere. He had his breakfast at half past six, and thatТs very early. IТm glad he came in and had a cup of your breakfast tea now. The poor man had a very bad night, IТm sorry to say.Т
The boys pricked up their ears. СWhat happened?Т asked Julian at once.
СOh, he had to get up and go and spend two hours with poor Jenny,Т said Mrs Penruthlan. СI woke when he left, but luckily Benny didnТt bark, and it wasnТt till two hours later he came back, heТd been sitting with the horse all that time, poor man.Т
Julian and Dick did not feel at all sympathetic. They knew quite well where Mr Penruthlan had been, not with the horse, that was certain! Anyway, Jenny hadnТt been ill when they had looked at her in the night. What a lot of untruths!
They were puzzled. Why should Mr Penruthlan deceive his wife and tell her what wasnТt true? What had he been doing that he didnТt even want her to know?
They told the girls everything immediately after breakfast, when they went to pick currants, raspberries and plums for a fruit salad. Anne and George listened in surprise.
СYou never told us you were going,Т said George, reproachfully. СIТd like to have come with you.Т
СI always thought Mr Penruthlan looked sort of strange and - and sinister,Т said Anne. СIТm sure heТs up to no good. What a pity. His wife is so very nice.Т
They went on picking the endless red-currants. Anne suddenly got the feeling that somebody was hiding somewhere near. She looked round uncomfortably. Yes, there was someone in the tall raspberry canes, she was sure! She watched.
It was Yan, of course. She might have guessed! He flashed his smile at her and came towards her. He liked Anne best of all! He held out his hand.
СNo, IТve no sweets,Т said Anne. СHow did you get on last night in the storm, Yan? Were you frightened?Т
Yan shook his head. Then he came nearer and spoke softly.
СI seen the light last night!Т
Anne stared at him, astonished. What light?
СYou donТt mean - the light that flashes in that old hidden tower?Т she said.
He nodded. Anne went quickly to Julian and Dick, who were picking white currants and eating just about as many as they put into the basket!
СJulian! Dick! Yan says he saw that light flashing last night, the one in the tower!Т
СGosh!Т said the boys together. They turned to Yan, who had followed Anne. СYou saw that light?Т said Julian.
Yan nodded. СBig light. Very big,Т he said. СLike - like a fire.Т