"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 15 - Five On a Secret Trail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Chapter One

GEORGE IS RATHER DIFFICULT

Mother! Mother, where are you?Т shouted George, rushing into the house. СMother, quick!Т
There was no answer. GeorgeТs mother was out in the garden at the back of Kirrin Cottage, picking flowers. George yelled again, this time at the top of her very strong voice.
MOTHER! MOTHER! Where are you? ITТS URGENT.Т
A door was flung open nearby and GeorgeТs father stood there, glaring at her.
СGeorge! WhatТs this row about? Here am I in the middle of some very difficult...Т
СOh Father! TimmyТs hurt!Т said George. СHe went...Т
Her father looked down at Timmy, standing meekly behind George. He gave a little snort.
СHurt! He seems all right to me. I suppose heТs got a thorn in his paw again - and you think itТs the end of the world or something, and come yelling in here and...Т
СTimmy is hurt!Т said George, with tears in her voice. СLook!Т
But her father had gone back into his study again, and the door slammed. George glared at it, looking exactly like her hot-tempered father.
СYouТre unkind!Т she shouted, Сand ... oh thereТs Mother. Mother!Т.
СDear me, George, whatever is the matter?Т said her mother, putting down the flowers. СI heard your father shouting, and then you.Т
СMother - TimmyТs hurt!Т said George. СLook!Т
She knelt down by the dog, and gently pulled forward one ear. Behind it was a big cut. Timmy whined. Tears came into GeorgeТs eyes, and she looked up at her mother.
СNow donТt be silly, George,Т said Mrs Kirrin. СItТs only a cut. How did he do it?Т
СHe tried to jump over a ditch, and he didnТt see some old barbed wire there,Т said George. СAnd a rusty piece caught his ear, and ripped that awful cut. I canТt stop it bleeding.Т
Her mother looked at it. It certainly was quite deep. СTake him to the vet, George,Т she said. СPerhaps it ought to be stitched. It does look rather deep. Poor old Timmy-boy - well, itТs a good thing it wasnТt his eye, George.Т
СIТll take him to the vet at once,Т said George, getting up. СWill he be in, Mother?Т
СOh yes - itТs his surgery hour,Т said her mother. СTake him along now.Т
So Timmy was hurried along the country lanes to the pretty little house where the vet lived. George, very anxious indeed, was most relieved to see that the vet seemed quite unconcerned.
СA couple of stitches and that cut will heal well,Т he said. СHold him, will you, while I do the job? HeТll hardly feel it. There, old boy - stand still - thatТs right.Т
In five minutesТ time George was thanking the vet wholeheartedly. СThank you! I was worried! Will he be all right now?Т
СGood gracious, yes - but you mustnТt let him scratch that wound,Т said the vet, washing his hands. СIf he does, it may go wrong.Т
СOh. But how can I stop him?Т asked George anxiously. СLook - heТs trying to scratch it now.Т
СWell, you must make him a big cardboard collar,Т said the vet. СOne that sticks out right round his neck, so that his paw canТt get near that cut, however much he tries to reach it.Т
СBut - but Timmy wonТt like that a bit,Т said George. СDogs look silly wearing cardboard collars like great ruffs round their neck. IТve seen them. HeТll hate one.Т
СWell, itТs the only way of stopping him from scratching that wound,Т said the vet. СGet along now, George - IТve more patients waiting.Т
George went home with Timmy. He padded along quietly, pleased at the fuss that George was making of him. When he was nearly home, he suddenly sat down and put up his hind leg to scratch his bad ear.
СNo, Timmy! NO!Т cried George, in alarm. СYou must NOT scratch. YouТll get the plaster off in no time, and break the stitches. NO, Timmy!Т
Timmy looked up in surprise. Very well. If scratching was suddenly upsetting George, he would wait till he was alone.
But George could read TimmyТs thoughts as easily as he could read hers! She frowned.
СBlow! IТll have to make him that cardboard collar. Perhaps Mother will help me.Т
Her mother was quite willing to help. George was not good at things of that sort, and she watched her mother cutting out a big cardboard collar, fitting it round the surprised TimmyТs head, and then lacing the edges together with thread so that he could not get it off. Timmy was most surprised, but he stood very patiently.
As soon as the collar was finished, and safely round his neck, he walked away. Then he raised his hind leg to scratch at his smarting ear - but, of course, he couldnТt get it over the collar, and merely scratched the cardboard.
СNever mind, Timmy,Т said George. СIt will only be for a few days.Т
The study door nearby opened and her father came out. He saw Timmy in his collar and stopped in surprise. Then he roared with laughter.
СHey, Timmy - you look like Queen Elizabeth the First in a fine big ruff!Т he said.
СDonТt laugh at him, Father,Т said George. СYou know that dogs canТt bear being laughed at.Т
Timmy certainly looked offended. He turned his back on GeorgeТs father and stalked off to the kitchen. A little squeal of laughter came from there and then a loud guffaw from someone at the kitchen door - the milkman.
СOh Timmy - whatever have you got that collar on for?Т said the cookТs voice. СYou do look peculiar!Т
George was angry. She remained angry all that day and made everyone most uncomfortable. How mean of people to jeer at poor Timmy! DidnТt they realize how terribly uncomfortable a collar like that was - and Timmy had to wear it night and day! He couldnТt even lie down comfortably. George mooned about looking so angry and miserable that her mother felt worried.
СGeorge dear - donТt be silly about this. You will make your father cross. Timmy will have to wear that collar for at least a week, you know - and he does look a bit comical when you first see him. HeТs getting used to it, he soon wonТt notice it.Т
СEverybody laughs at him,Т said George, in an angry voice. СHe went into the garden and a lot of kids hung over the wall and laughed like anything. And the postman told me it was cruel. And Father thinks itТs funny. And...Т
СOh dear, George, donТt get into one of your moods,Т said her mother. СRemember, Anne is coming soon. She wonТt enjoy things much if you behave like this.Т
George bore it for one day more. Then, after two upsets with her father over Timmy, another with a couple of boys who laughed at him, and one with the paper-boy, she decided she wouldnТt stay at Kirrin Cottage for one day longer!