"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 18 - Five On Finniston Farm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Chapter One

THE FIVE ARE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN

СPhew!Т said Julian, mopping his wet forehead; СWhat a day! LetТs go and live at the Equator - it would be cool compared to this!Т
He stood leaning on his bicycle, out of breath with a long steep ride up a hill. Dick grinned at him. СYouТre out of training, Ju!Т he said. СLetТs sit down for a bit and look at the view. WeТre pretty high up!Т
They leaned their bicycles against a nearby gate and sat down, their backs against the lower bars. Below them spread the Dorset countryside, shimmering in the heat of the day, the distance almost lost in a blue haze. A small breeze came wandering round, and Julian sighed in relief.
СIТd never have come on this biking trip if IТd guessed it was going to be as hot as this!Т he said. СGood thing Anne didnТt come - sheТd have given up the first day.Т
СGeorge wouldnТt have minded,Т said Dick. СSheТs game enough for anything.Т
СGood old Georgina,Т said Julian, shutting his eyes. СIТll be glad to see the girls again. Fun to be on our own, of course - but things always seem to happen when the four of us are together.Т
СFive, you mean,Т said Dick, tipping his hat over his eyes. СDonТt forget old Timmy. What a dog! Never knew one that had such a wet lick as Tim. I say - wonТt it be fun to meet them all! DonТt letТs forget the time, Julian. Hey, wake up, ass! If we go to sleep now, weТll not be in time to meet the girlsТ bus.Т
Julian was almost asleep. Dick looked at him and laughed. Then he looked at his watch, and did a little calculating. It was half past two.
СLetТs see now - Anne and George will be on the bus that stops at Finniston Church at five past three,Т he thought. СFinniston is about a mile away, down this hill. IТll give Julian fifteen minutes to have a nap - and hope to goodness I donТt fall asleep myself!Т
He felt his own eyes closing after a minute, and got up at once to walk about. The two girls and Tim must be met, because they would have suitcases with them, which the boys planned to wheel along on their bicycles.
The Five were going to stay at a place called Finniston Farm, set on a hill above the little village of Finniston. None of them had been there before, nor even heard of it. It had all come about because GeorgeТs mother had heard from an old school friend, who had told her that she was taking paying guests at her farm-house - and had asked her to recommend visitors to her. George had promptly said she would like to go there with her cousins in the summer holidays.
СHope itТs a decent place!Т thought Dick, gazing down into the valley, where corn-fields waved in the little breeze. СAnyway, we shall only be there for two weeks - and it will be fun to be together again.Т
He looked at his watch. Time to go! He gave Julian a push. СHey - wake up!Т
СТNother ten minutes,Т muttered Julian, trying to turn over, as if he were in bed. He rolled against the gate-bars and fell on to the hard dry earth below. He sat up in surprise. СGosh - I thought I was in bed!Т he said. СMy word, I could have gone on sleeping for hours.Т
СWell, itТs time to go and meet that bus,Т said Dick. СIТve had to walk about all the time you were asleep, I was so afraid IТd go off myself. Come on, Julian - we really must go!Т
They rode down the hill, going cautiously round the sharp corners, remembering how many times they had met herds of cows, wide farm-carts, tractors and the like, on their way through this great farming county. Ah - there was the village, at the bottom of the hill. It looked old and peaceful and half-asleep.
СThank goodness it sells ginger-beer and ice-creams!Т said Dick, seeing a small shop with a big sign in the window. СI feel as if I want to hang out my tongue, like Timmy does, IТm so thirsty!Т
СLetТs find the church and the bus-stop,Т said Julian. СI saw a spire as we rode down the hill, but it disappeared when we got near the bottom.Т
СThereТs the bus!Т said Dick, as he heard the noise of wheels rumbling along in the distance. СLook, here it comes. WeТll follow it.Т
СThereТs Anne in it - and George, look!Т shouted Julian. СWeТre here exactly on time! Whoo-hoo, George!Т
The bus came to a stop by the old church, and out jumped Anne and George, each with a suitcase - and out leapt old Timmy too, his tongue hanging down, very glad to be out of the hot, jerky, smelly bus.
СThere are the boys!Т shouted George, and waved wildly as the bus went off again. СJulian! Dick! IТm so glad youТre here to meet us!Т
The two boys rode up, and jumped off their bikes, while Timmy leapt round them, barhng madly. They thumped the girls on their backs, and grinned at them. СJust the same old couple!Т said Dick. СYouТve got a spot on your chin, George, and why on earth have you tied your hair into a pony-tail, Anne?Т
СYouТre not very polite, Dick,Т said George, bumping him with her suitcase. СI canТt think why Anne and I looked forward so much to seeing you again. Here, take my suitcase - havenТt you any manners?Т
СPlenty,Т said Dick, and grabbed the case. СI just canТt get over AnneТs new hair-do. I donТt like it, Anne - do you, Ju? Pony-tail! A donkey-tail would suit you better Anne!Т
СItТs all right - itТs just because the back of my neck was so hot,Т said Anne, shaking her hair free in a hurry. She hated her brothers to find fault with her. Julian gave her arm a squeeze.
СNice to see you both,Т he said. СWhat about some ginger-beer and ice-cream? ThereТs a shop over there that sells them. And IТve a sudden longing for nice juicy plums!Т
СYou havenТt said a word to Timmy yet,Т said George, half-offended. СHeТs been trotting round you and licking your hands - and heТs so dreadfully hot and thirsty!Т
СShake paws, Tim,Т said Dick, and Timmy politely put up his right paw. He shook hands with Julian too and then promptly went mad, careering about and almost knocking over a small boy on a bicycle.
СCome on, Tim - want an ice-cream?Т said Dick, laying his hand on the big dogТs head. СHark at him panting, George - I bet he wishes he could unzip his hairy coat and take it off! DonТt you, Tim?Т
СWoof!Т said Tim, and slapped his tail against DickТs bare legs.
They all trooped into the ice-cream shop. It was half dairy, half bakerТs. A small girl of about ten came to serve them.
СMumТs lying down,Т she said. СWhat can I get you? Ice-creams, I suppose? ThatТs what everyone wants today.Т
СYou supposed right,Т said Julian. СA large one each, please - five in all - and four bottles of ginger pop as well.Т
СFive ice-creams - do you want one for that dog, then?Т said the girl in surprise, looking at Timmy.
СWoof,Т he said at once.
СThere you are,Т said Dick, Сhe said yes!Т
Soon the Five were eating their cold ice-creams, Timmy licking his from a saucer. Before he had had many licks, the ice-cream slid from the saucer, and Timmy chased it all the way round the shop, as it slid away from his vigorous licks. The little girl watched him, fascinated.
СI must apologize for his manners,Т said Julian, solemnly. СHe hasnТt been very well brought up.Т He at once had a glare from George, and grinned. He opened his bottle of ginger-beer. СNice and cold,Т he said.
СHereТs a happy fortnight to us all!Т He drank half the glass at top speed, and set it down with a great sigh.
СWell, blessings on the person who invented ice-cream, ginger-pop and the rest!Т he said. СIТd rather invent things like that any day than rockets and bombs, Ha - I feel better now. What about you others? Do you feel like going to find the farm?Т
СWhose farm?Т asked the little girl, coming out from behind the counter to pick up TimmyТs saucer. Timmy gave her a large, wet and loving lick as she bent down.
СOoooh!Т she said, pushing him away. СHe licked all down my face!Т
СProbably thought you were an ice-cream,Т said Dick, giving her his hanky to wipe her cheek. СThe farm we want is called Finniston Farm. Do you know it?Т
СOh yes,Т said the little girl. СYou go down the village street, right to the end, and turn up the lane there - up to the right. The farmhouse is at the top of the lane. Are you staying with the Philpots?Т