"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 13 - Five Go to Mystery Moor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

СLetТs go back to those two trees,Т said George. СWe can still just see them. If itТs so easy to lose the way there, there might be a patrin, although there are no camp-marks. After all, a patrin is left to show the way, in case the ones following take the wrong route.Т
So back they rode to the two trees, and there, sure enough, was SnifferТs patrin! Henry found it set carefully between the trees, so that nothing could disturb it.
СHereТs the cross, and the single sticks, and the leaves!Т she said. СBut look, the long stick of the cross points to the east and we went off to the north. No wonder we found no signs of the caravans!Т
They set off to the east this time, across the thick, springy heather, and almost at once found signs of the passing of caravans, twigs broken off the bushes, a wheel rut on a soft piece of ground.
СWeТre right now,Т said Julian, pleased. СI was beginning to think it was all too easy for words! But it isnТt!Т
They rode for two hours, and then decided to have tea. They sat down in a little glade of silver birches, with an unexpected copse of pale primroses behind. Timmy had to make up his mind which to choose, a rabbit-chase, or titbits from the childrenТs tea!
He chose both, racing after an imaginary rabbit, and then coming back for a sandwich!Т
СYou know, itТs a lot better for us when Mrs Johnson makes sandwiches of tomato or lettuce or something like that,Т said Henry. СWe do get them all then, but when we have meat or sardine or egg sandwiches Timmy gets as much as we do!Т
СWell, surely you donТt mind that, Henrietta,Т said George at once. СYou make Timmy sound very greedy. After all, you donТt need to give him any of your sandwiches!Т
СNow, Georgina!Т murmured Dick, in her ear,
СSorry, Georgina,Т said Henry, with a grin. СI just canТt help giving him a sandwich or two when he comes and sits down and looks at me so longingly.Т
СWoof,Т said Timmy, and at once sat down in front of Henry, his tongue out, and his eyes fixed unblinkingly on her.
СHe sort of hypnotizes me,Т complained Henry. СMake him go away, George, I shanТt be able to keep a single sandwich or bit of cake for myself. Go and stare at someone else, Timmy, for goodnessТ sake!Т
Julian looked at his watch. СI donТt think we ought to spend too long over tea,Т he said. СI know weТve got summertime now, and the evenings are nice and light, but we havenТt reached the gypsy camp yet, and after that weТve got to go all the way back. What about starting off again?Т
СRight,Т said everyone and remounted their horses. They set off through the heather. Soon they found it unexpectedly easy to follow the caravan route, because the soil became sandy, and there were many bare patches on which the marks of the wheels could plainly be seen.
СGoodness, if we go to the east much more, weТll come to the sea!Т said Dick.
СNo, itТs still some miles away,Т said Julian. СHallo, thereТs a little hill or something in the distance. First time weТve seen anything but complete flatness!Т
The wheel-marks led steadily towards the little hill, which, as they came near, seemed to grow considerably bigger. СI bet the caravans are there,Т said George. СThat hill would give a nice bit of shelter from the wind that came from the sea. I believe I can see one!Т
George was right. The caravans were there. They showed up well against the hill, in their bright colours.
СTheyТve even got up a washing-line as usual!Т said Anne. СClothes flapping in the wind!Т
СLetТs go and ask if Clip is all right,Т said Julian. СIt will be a very good excuse for going right up to the camp.Т
So they cantered straight up to the little group of five caravans. Four or five men appeared as soon as they heard the sound of hooves. They looked silent and rather forbidding. Sniffer ran out and shouted.
СHallo! ClipТs fine! Quite all right again!Т
His father gave him a push and said something sharp to him. He disappeared under the nearest caravan.
Julian rode up to SnifferТs father. СDid I hear Sniffer say that Clip was quite all right?Т he asked. СWhere is he?Т
СOver there,Т said the man, with a nod of his head. СNo need for you to see him. HeТs mended fine.Т
СAll right, all right! IТm not going to take him away from you!Т said Julian. СThis is a nice sheltered place youТve got, isnТt it? How long are you staying?Т
СWhatТs that to do with you?Т said an old gypsy, unpleasantly.
СNothing,Т said Julian, surprised. СJust a polite question, thatТs all!Т
СHow do you get water?Т called George. СIs there a good spring here?Т
There was no reply at all. The four or five men had now been joined by others, and there were three mangy-looking dogs growling round. Timmy was beginning to growl back.
СYouТd better go before our dogs get at you,Т said SnifferТs father, sourly.
СWhereТs Liz?Т said George, remembering SnifferТs dog, but before she got an answer the three dogs suddenly made an attack on Timmy! They pounced on him and he had hard work to keep them off. He was far bigger than they were, but they were nippy little things.
СCall off those dogs!Т yelled Julian, seeing that George was dismounting to go to TimmyТs help. She would get bitten. СDo you hear me? Call off those dogs.Т
SnifferТs father whistled. The three dogs reluctantly left Timmy and went over to the men, their tails down. George had reached Tim and had now got her hand on his collar to stop him from chasing the other three dogs.
СMount your horse, whistle Timmy, and weТll go,Т shouted Julian, not at all liking the silent, sour-looking gypsies. George did as she was told. Timmy ran beside her, and they all cantered away from the unpleasant camp.
The men stood watching them in complete silence. СWhatТs up with them?Т said Dick puzzled. СAnyone would think they were planning another Bartle affair!Т
СDonТt!Т said Anne. СTheyТre planning something, all alone out here, far away from anywhere! I shanТt go near them again.Т
СThey thought we were prying and spying,Т said Dick. СThatТs all. Poor old Sniffer. What a life he has!Т
СWe couldnТt even tell him that we found his patrins useful,Т said George. СOh well, thereТs probably nothing in it, not even an adventure!Т
Was she right or wrong? Julian looked at Dick and Dick looked back, his eyebrows raised. They didnТt know. Oh well, time would tell!


Chapter Eleven

A NICE LITTLE PLAN

The five of them told Captain and Mrs Johnson about their afternoonТs experience, as they were having supper.
СPatrins!Т said Mrs Johnson. СSo Sniffer told you about those? But I really donТt think you should visit the gypsy camp. Those particular gypsies are a surly, bad-tempered lot.Т
СDid you ever hear the tale of the Big Bartles?Т said Henry, getting ready to relate it, and add little bits of her own, here and there!