"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 21 - Five Are Together Again" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

СAunt Fanny - donТt worry. WeТll all turn to and help,Т called back Julian, cheerfully.
СDear Julian - you still donТt understand,Т said his aunt. СYou see, neither your uncle nor I have had scarlet fever - so we are in quarantine, and mustnТt have anyone near us, in case we get it, and give it to them - and that might mean weТd give it to all you four.Т
СWould Timmy get it?Т asked George, still sniffing dolefully.
СNo, of course not. DonТt be silly, George,Т said her mother. СDid you ever hear of dogs getting measles or whooping-cough or any of our illnesses? Timmy isnТt in quarantine. You can get him out of his kennel as soon as you like.Т
GeorgeТs face lighted up immediately, and she shot round the back of the house, yelling TimmyТs name. At once there came a volley of barks!
СAunt Fanny - what do you want us to do?Т asked Julian. СWe canТt go to my home, because my people are still in Germany. Should we go to a hotel?Т
СNo, dear, IТll think of somewhere you can all go,Т said his aunt. СGood gracious, what a row Timmy is making! Poor Joan - she has such a splitting headache.Т
СHereТs the ambulance,Т cried Anne, as a big hospital van drew up outside the gate. Mrs Kirrin disappeared from the window at once to tell Joan. The ambulance man went up to the front door, his mate behind him carrying a stretcher. The four children watched in surprise. СHeТs gone to fetch dear old Joan,Т said Julian. And sure enough the stretcher was soon carried out with Joan lying on it, wrapped round in blankets. She waved to the children as the men carried her out.
СSoon be back!Т she said, in rather a croaky voice. СHelp Mrs Kirrin if you can. So sorry about this!Т
СPoor Joan,Т said Anne, with tears in her eyes. СGet better quickly, Joan. We shall miss you so!Т
The ambulance door closed and the van went off very smoothly and quietly.
СWhatever shall we do?Т said Dick, turning to Julian. СCanТt go home - canТt stay here! Oh, hereТs TIMMY! How are you, Tim, old thing? Thank goodness you canТt get scarlet fever. DonТt knock me over, old boy. Down! Gosh, what a licky dog you are!Т
Timmy was the only one in high spirits. The others felt really down in the dumps. Oh dear - what was to be done? Where could they go? What a horrid beginning to a holiday! Down, Timmy, DOWN! What a dog! Anyone would think he had never even heard of scarlet fever! WILL you get down, Timmy!


Chapter Two

PLANS FOR THE FIVE

George was still looking upset. What with her fears that Timmy might be ill or hurt, and now her distress at Joan being carried off in the ambulance, she wasnТt much help to anyone.
СDo stop. sniffing, George,Т said Anne. СWeТve just got to be sensible and think of some way out of this.Т
СIТm going to find Mother,Т said George. СI donТt care if sheТs in quarantine or not.'
СOh no youТre not,Т said Julian, taking her firmly by the arm. СYou jolly well know what quarantine means. When you had whooping-cough you werenТt allowed to come near any of us, in case we caught it too. You were infectious, and that meant that you didnТt have close contact with anybody for at least a few weeks. I think itТs only two weeks for scarlet fever, so it wonТt be too bad.Т
George went on sniffing, trying to pull away from JulianТs hand. Julian winked at Dick, and said something that made George pull herself together at once.
СWell, REALLY, George!Т he said. СYouТre acting just like a weepy girl. Poor Georgina! Poor little old Georgina!Т
George stopped sniffing immediately and glared at Julian in fury. If there was one thing she really hated it was to be told she was acting like a silly girl! And how awful to be called by her real name, Georgina! She gave Julian a hefty punch, and he grinned at her, warding her off.
СThatТs better,Т he said. СCheer up! Just look at Timmy staring at you in amazement. HeТs hardly ever heard you crying before.Т
СIТm NOT crying!Т said George. СIТm - well, IТm upset about Joan. And itТs awful to have nowhere to go.Т
СI can hear Aunt Fanny telephoning,Т said Anne, who had very sharp ears. She fondled TimmyТs head, and he licked her hand. He had already given everyone a wonderful welcome, whining with pleasure, and licking lavishly. He had been mad with joy to see George again, and was surprised and sad to find her looking so miserable now. Dear Timmy - he certainly belonged to the Five!
СLetТs sit down and wait for Aunt Fanny,Т said Julian, settling himself on the grass. СWe look a bit silly standing staring at Kirrin Cottage like this. Aunt Fanny will come to the window in a minute. She is sure to have thought of a good idea for us. TIMMY! I shanТt stay sitting down for long if you keep licking my neck like that. I shall send you for a towel in a minute, so that I can wipe it dry!Т
The little joke made everyone feel better. They were all sitting on the grass now, and Timmy went lovingly from one to the other. All his family back again - it was too good to be true! He settled down at last, his head on GeorgeТs knee, GeorgeТs hand caressing his ears.
СAunt FannyТs put down the telephone,Т said Anne. СNow sheТll come to the window.Т
СYouТve got ears like a dog - just as good as TimmyТs,Т said Dick. СI couldnТt hear a thing!Т
СHereТs Mother!Т said George, and leapt to her feet as Mrs Kirrin came to the window and leaned out.
СItТs all right, dears,Т she called. СIТve been able to arrange something for you. I have been telephoning the scientist that your father has been working with, George - Professor Hayling. He was coming here for a day or two, and when I told him he couldnТt because weТre in quarantine, he at once said that you must all go there - and that Tinker, his son - you remember him, donТt you - would be delighted to have your company!Т
СTinker! Goodness, yes, I shall never forget him - or his monkey either!Т said Julian. СHeТs the boy who owns that old lighthouse at DemonТs Rocks, isnТt he? We went to stay there with him, and had a marvellous time.Т
СWell - youТre not staying at the lighthouse, IТm afraid,Т said his aunt, from the window. СApparently a storm blew up one night and damaged it, and itТs not safe to live in any more.Т
Groans from all the Five, of course, Timmy joining in as usual! СWhere are we to go then? To TinkerТs home?Т asked Dick.
СYes. You can get a bus from here, at Little Hollow, that will take you almost to Big Hollow, where Professor Hayling lives,Т said Aunt Fanny. СYouТre to go today. IТm so very sorry about this, dears, but itТs just one of those things we have to put up with. IТm sure youТll have a good time with Tinker, and that monkey of his. What was it called now?Т
СMischief,Т said everyone together, and Anne smiled in delight to think of being with the naughty little creature, and watching its wicked ways.
СThe bus will pass in ten minutes,Т said her aunt. СJulian, if you canТt manage to get your things on the bus, ask the gardener over the way to help you. And have a good time, dears, and send me a card or two. IТll let you know how we get on - but I really donТt think that either your uncle or I will catch scarlet fever, so donТt worry. And IТll send you some money to spend. YouТd better run for the bus now.Т
СRight, Aunt Fanny, and thank you!Т called Julian. СIТll look after everyone and keep them in order - especially old George. DonТt worry at all - and I DO hope you or uncle donТt go down with the fever. Good-bye.Т
They all went to the front gate where the luggage still stood. СAnne, go out into the road and stop the bus when it comes,Т ordered Julian. СThen Dick and I will heave our bags aboard. Gosh, I wonder what it will be like with old Tinker at Big Hollow. IТve a feeling it might be rather exciting!Т
СI donТt think so,Т said George, mournfully. СI like Tinker all right - heТs funny - and that little monkey is a darling - such a naughty little thing too. But oh dear, donТt you remember what it was like when TinkerТs father came to stay with us? It was awful! He never remembered to come to meals, and was always losing his coat or his hanky or his money, and losing his temper too. I got very tired of him.Т
СWell, heТll probably get very tired of us!Т said Julian. СHe wonТt find it very funny to have four kids parked on him, especially if heТs in the middle of difficult work - to say nothing of a rather large, licky dog leaping round the house as well.Т
СTimmy isnТt likely to lick him,Т said George, at once, and put on one of her scowls. СI didnТt like TinkerТs father at all.Т
СWell, donТt look like a thunderstorm,Т said Julian. СI donТt expect heТll like any of us either. But itТs decent of him to give us an invitation to stay at Big Hollow, and weТre jolly well going to behave ourselves, see? ThereТs to be no back-chat from you, George - even if he dares to disapprove of Timmy!Т
СHeТd better not,Т said George. СIn fact, IТve a good mind not to go. I think IТll live in the summer-house with Timmy, at the bottom of the garden!Т
СYou will NOT!Т said Julian, taking firm hold of her arm. СYouТll play fair, come with us, and behave properly! Listen, thereТs the bus. Come on, weТll all wave, and hope the driver has a few empty seats.Т
Anne had already stopped the bus, and run round to the back of it to ask the conductor if he could help with the bags. He knew the children very well, and leapt down at once.