"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 16 - Five Go to Billycock Hill" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Chapter One

A WEEKТS HOLIDAY

СWhereТs the map?Т said Julian. СIs that it, George? Good! Now - where shall we spread it?Т
СOn the floor,Т said Anne. СA map is always easiest to read on the floor. IТll push the table out of the way.Т
СWell, be careful, for goodnessТ sake,Т said George. СFatherТs in his study, and you know what happened before when someone pushed the table right over!Т
Everyone laughed. GeorgeТs father so often came pouncing out of his study if any sudden noise was made when he was working.
The table was pushed out of the way and the big map unfolded and spread out over the floor. Timmy was surprised to see the four children kneeling down around it, and barked, imagining this was some kind of new game.
СBe quiet, Timmy!Т said Dick. СYouТve got into trouble once this morning already for making a row. And stop brushing my face with your tail.Т
СWuff,Т said Timmy and lay down heavily on the map.
СGet up, idiot,Т said Dick. СDonТt you know weТre in a hurry? We want to trace our route to Billycock Hill...Т
СBillycock Hill - what a lovely name!Т said Anne. СIs that where weТre going?Т
СYes,Т said Julian, poring over the map. СItТs near some caves we want to see - and thereТs a Butterfly Farm not far off, and...Т
СA Butterfly Farm!Т said George, surprised. СWhateverТs that?Т
СJust what it sounds like!Т said Dick. СA farm for butterflies! Toby, a friend of ours at school, told me about it. He lives quite near it and he says itТs a most interesting place - they breed butterflies - and moths, too - from eggs, and sell them to collectors.Т
СDo they really?Т said Anne. СWell, I must say I used to enjoy keeping caterpillars and seeing what they turned into - it was like magic to see a lovely butterfly or moth creep out of the chrysalis. But a farm for them - can we really go and see it?Т
СOh, yes - Toby says the men who run it are very decent about showing anyone round,Т said Julian. СApparently Billycock Hill is a good place for rare butterflies, too - thatТs why theyТve got their farm there. They rush about with nets half the time - and at night they go moth-hunting,Т
СIt sounds exciting,Т said Dick. СWell, what with caves to see, and a butterfly farm, and Toby to visit, and...Т
СAnd just Five together again on a sunny weekТs holiday!Т said George, giving Timmy a sudden thump of joy. СHurrah for Whitsun - and thank goodness our two schools had a weekТs holiday at the same time!Т
The four cousins sprawled on the floor, looking with great interest at the map, following out a route with their fingers. As they traced out the way, there came an angry noise from the study, where GeorgeТs father was at work.
СWhoТs been tidying my desk? Where are those papers I left here? Fanny, Fanny - come here!Т
СHe wants Mother - IТll get her,Т said George. СNo, I canТt - sheТs gone shopping,Т
СWhy canТt people leave my papers alone?Т came her fatherТs voice again. СFanny! FANNY!Т
Then the study door was flung open and Mr Kirrin came striding out, muttering to himself. He didnТt see the four children on the floor, and fell right over them. Timmy barked in delight and leapt at him, thinking that for once in a way GeorgeТs father was actually having a game with them!
СOooh!Т said George, as her fatherТs hand came over her face. СDonТt! What are you doing, Father?Т
СUncle Quentin - sorry you fell over us!Т said Julian. СShut up, Timmy - this isnТt a game!Т
He helped his uncle up and waited for the explosion. His uncle brushed himself down and glared at Julian. СHave you got to lie on the floor? Get down, will you, Timmy? WhereТs your mother, George? Get up, for goodnessТ sake! WhereТs Joan? If sheТs been tidying my desk again IТll give her notice!Т
Joan the cook appeared at the doorway, wiping her floury hands on her apron. СWhateverТs all this noise about?Т she began. СOh, sorry, sir - I didnТt know it was you. I...Т
СJoan - have you been tidying my desk again?Т almost shouted GeorgeТs father.
СNo, sir. Have you lost something? Never you mind, sir, IТll come along and find it,Т said Joan, who was used to Mr KirrinТs ways. СPick up that map, you four - and put the table back. Stop barking, Timmy. George, take him out for goodnessТ sake, or your father will go mad.Т
СHeТs only excited because weТre all together again,Т said George, and took Timmy into the garden. The others followed, Julian folding up the map, grinning.
СWe ought to put Uncle Quentin into a play,Т said Dick. СHeТd bring the house down! Well - do we know the way, Julian? And when do we start?Т
СHereТs Mother,Т said George as someone came to the front gate with a basket.
Julian ran to open it. He was very fond of his kindly, pleasant-faced aunt. She smiled round at them all.
СWell - have you decided where to go - and what to take with you? YouТll be able to camp out this beautiful weather - what a lovely Whitsun itТs going to be!Т
СYes,Т said Julian, taking his auntТs basket from her and carrying it indoors. СWeТre going to Billycock Hill, and as our friend Toby lives at the bottom of it, at Billy-cock Farm, heТs going to lend us all the camping gear we need.Т
СSo we shanТt need to load our bikes with tents and mattresses and things,Т said Dick.
СOh - good!Т said his aunt. СWhat about food? You can get it at TobyТs farm, I suppose?Т
СRather! We shanТt feed there, of course,Т said Julian. СBut we shall buy any eggs or milk or bread we need - and Toby says the strawberries are already ripening!Т
Aunt Fanny smiled. СWell, I neednТt worry about your meals, then. And youТll have Timmy with you, too, so heТll look after you all. WonТt you, Timmy? You wonТt let them get into any trouble, will you?Т
СWoof,Т said Timmy, in his deepest voice, and wagged his tail. СWoof.Т
СGood old Tim,Т said George, patting him. СIf it wasnТt for you weТd never be allowed to go off so much on our own, I bet!Т
СUncle QuentinТs a bit on the war-path, Aunt Fanny,Т said Dick. СHe wants to know whoТs been tidying his desk. He came rushing out of the study, didnТt see us lying on the floor round our map - and fell right over us.Т
СOh dear - IТd better go and find out what papers heТs lost now,Т said his aunt. СI expect he forgot that he had a tidying fit on last night, and tidied his desk himself. HeТs probably put a lot of his most precious papers into the waste-paper basket!Т
Everyone laughed as Mrs Kirrin hurried into the study.
СWell, letТs get ready,Т said Julian. СWe wonТt need to take much, as old TobyТs going to help us. Macs, of course - and donТt forget yours, Timmy! And jerseys.' And one or two maps.Т
СAnd torches,Т said Anne, Сbecause we want to explore those caves. Oh, and letТs take our swimsuits in case we find somewhere to bathe. ItТs warm enough!Т
СAnd candles and matches,Т said George, slapping the pocket of her shorts. СIТve got those. I got Joan to give me three boxes. And letТs take some sweets.Т