"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 20 - Five Have a Mystery to Solve" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Special Note from ENID BLYTON

My readers will want to know if Whispering Island is real, set in the great blue harbour in the story - and if the little cottage on the hills is there still - and the golf-course in the story - and Lucas, who tells the children about the island. Yes, the island is real, and lies in the great harbour, still full of whispering trees. The little cottage on the hills is still there, with its magnificent view and its old well - and Lucas can be found on the golf-course, nut-brown and bright-eyed, telling stories of the animals and birds he loves so much. I have taken them all and put them into this book for you - as well as the friends you know so well - The Famous Five


Chapter One
EASTER HOLIDAYS

СThe nicest word in the English language is holidays!Т said Dick, helping himself to a large spoonful of marmalade. СPass the toast, Anne. Mother, do you feel down-hearted to have us all tearing about the place again?Т
СOf course not,Т said his mother. СThe only thing that really worries me when holidays come, is Food - Food with a capital F. We never seem to have enough in the house when all three of you are back. And by the way - does anyone know what has happened to the sausages that were in the larder?Т
СSausages - sausages - let me think!Т said Julian, frowning. Anne gave a sudden giggle. She knew quite well what had happened.
СWell, Mother - you said we could get our own meal last night, as you were out,Т said Julian. СSo we poked about and decided on sausages.Т
СYes, but Julian - two whole pounds of sausages!Т said his mother. СI know Georgina came over to spend the evening - but even so... !Т
СShe brought Timmy,Т said Anne. СHe rather likes sausages too, Mother.Т
СWell, thatТs the last time I leave the larder door unlocked, when I go out!Т said her mother. СFancy cooking those lovely pork sausages for a dog - especially Timmy, with his enormous appetite! Really, Anne! I meant to have them for our lunch today.Т
СWell - we rather thought weТd go and spend the day at Kirrin, with George and Timmy,Т said Dick. СThatТs if you donТt want us for anything, Mother.Т
СI do want you,Т said his mother. СMrs Layman is coming to tea, and she said she wants to see you about something.Т
The three groaned, and Dick protested at once. СOh Mother - the first day of the holidays - and we have to be in to tea! ItТs too bad - a glorious spring day like this too!Т
СOh - weТll be in to tea all right,Т said Julian, giving Dick a sharp little kick under the table, as he saw his motherТs disappointed face. СMrs LaymanТs a nice old thing - she was always giving us little treats when we were little.Т
СAnd she never forgets our birthdays,Т said Anne. СDo you think we could ask George over too - with Timmy? George will be awfully disappointed if we arenТt with her the first day of the hols.Т
СYes, of course you can,Т said her mother. СGo and ring her up now, and arrange it. And donТt forget to put our old Tibby-cat into the shed, with a saucer of milk. SheТs scared stiff of Timmy - heТs so enormous. And please, all of you, TRY to look clean at tea-time.Т
СIТll see to Dick and Anne,Т said Julian, with a grin. СI must remember to find their overalls!Т
СIТm going to phone George now, this very minute,Т said Anne, getting up from the table. СDo you mind, Mother? IТve finished - and IТd like to catch George before she takes Tim for a walk, or does some shopping for Aunt Fanny.Т
СUncle Quentin will be glad to be rid of George even for a meal,Т said Dick. СHe fell over her lacrosse stick yesterday, and wanted to know why she left her fishing net about! George didnТt know what he was talking about!Т
СPoor old Georgina,Т said his mother. СItТs a pity that both she and her father have exactly the same hot tempers. Her mother must find it dificult to keep the peace! Ah - hereТs Anne back again. Did you get George on the phone, dear?Т
СYes. SheТs thrilled,Т said Anne. СShe says itТs just as well weТre not going to spend the day with her, because Uncle Quentin has lost some papers he was working on, and heТs turning the house upside down. George said she will probably be mad as a hatter by the time she arrives this afternoon! Uncle Quentin even made Aunt Fanny turn out her knitting bag to see if the papers were there!Т
СDear old Quentin,Т said her mother. СSuch a truly brilliant scientist - remembers every book heТs ever read - every paper heТs ever written - and has the finest brain I know - and yet loses some valuable paper or other almost every week!Т
СHe loses something else every day of the week too,Т said Dick, with a grin. СHis temper! Poor old George - sheТs always in some sort of trouble!Т
СWell, anyway, sheТs jolly glad to be coming over here!Т said Anne. СSheТs biking over, with Timmy. SheТll be here for lunch. Is that all right, Mother?Т
СOf course!Т said her mother. СNow - seeing that you had todayТs dinner for last nightТs supper, youТd better do a little shopping for me. What shall we have?Т
СSAUSAGES!Т said everyone, at once.
СI should have thought you were quite literally fed up with sausages, after last nightТs feast,Т said their mother, laughing. СAll right - sausages. But Timmy can have a bone - a nice meaty bone. I am NOT going to buy any more sausages for him, thatТs quite certain.Т
СAnd shall we get some nice cakes for tea as Mrs Layman is coming?Т said Anne. СOr are you going to make some, Mother?Т
СIТll make a few buns,Т said her mother. СAnd you can choose whatever else you like - so long as you donТt buy up the shop!Т
The three went off shopping, cycling along the lane to the village. It was a truly lovely spring day. The celandines were golden in the ditches, and daisies were scattered everywhere. Dick burst into song as they went, and the cows in the nearby fields lifted their heads in surprise, as DickТs loud voice swept round them.
Anne laughed. It was good to be with her brothers again She missed them very much when she was at school. And now - they would have almost a whole month together - with their cousin George too. She was suddenly overwhelmed with joy, and lifted up her voice and joined Dick in his singing. Her brothers looked at her with affection and amusement.
СGood old Anne,Т said Dick. СYouТre such a quiet little mouse, itТs nice to hear you singing so loudly.Т
СI am NOT a quiet little mouse!Т said Anne, surprised and rather hurt. СWhatever makes you say that? You just wait - you may get a surprise one day!Т
СYes - we may!Т said Julian. СBut I doubt it. A mouse canТt suddenly turn into a tiger! Anyway, one tigerТs enough. George is the tiger of our family - my word, she can put out her claws all right - and roar - and ramp and rave!Т
Everyone laughed at the picture of George as a tiger. Dick wobbled as he laughed and his front wheel touched AnneТs back wheel. She turned round fiercely.
СLOOK OUT, IDIOT! You nearly had me over! CanТt you see where youТre going? Be sensible, canТt you?Т
СHey, Anne - whateverТs the matter?Т said Julian, amazed to hear his gentle little sister lashing out so suddenly.
Anne laughed. СItТs all right. I was just being a tiger for a moment - putting out my claws! I thought Dick and you might like to see them!Т
СWell, well!Т said Dick, riding beside her, СIТve never heard you yell like that before. Surprising - but quite pleasing! What about you showing old George your claws sometime when she gets out of hand?Т
СStop teasing,Т said Anne. СHereТs the butcherТs. For goodness sake go and get the sausages and be sensible. IТll go and buy the cakes.Т
The bakerТs shop was full of new-made buns and cakes, and smelt deliciously of home-made bread. Anne enjoyed herself choosing a vast selection. СAfter all,Т she thought, Сthere will be eight of us - counting Timmy - and if weТre all hungry, cakes soon disappear.Т
The boys were very pleased to see all the paper bags.
СLooks like a good tea today,Т said Dick. СI hope the old lady - whatТs her name now - Layman - whoТs coming to tea today, has a good appetite. I wonder what sheТs going to tell us about.Т
СDid you buy a nice meaty bone for Timmy?Т asked Anne. СHeТll like that for his tea.Т