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

СDad! DonТt yell at our friends like that!Т cried Tinker, dancing about in front of his angry father. СYou asked them here yourself, you know you did!Т
СI DID NOT!Т said the Professor. СWho are they?Т
СWell, George, that girl, is the daughter of Mr Kirrin, and the others are his niece and nephews. And thatТs their dog, Timmy. And you asked them all here because Mr and Mrs Kirrin are in quarantine for scarlet fever,Т shouted Tinker, still dancing about in front of his father.
СStop jigging about like that,Т said the Professor, crossly. СI donТt remember asking them. I would have told Jenny the maid, if I had.Т
СYou did tell her!Т shouted Tinker, still jigging about, with Mischief the monkey jigging too in delight. СSheТs already made up the beds. I helped her. SheТs angry because you left your breakfast and now itТs almost dinner-time. SheТs cleared it away.Т
СBless us all - so thatТs why I feel so hungry and cross!Т said Professor Hayling, and he began to laugh. He had a tremendous laugh, and the children couldnТt help laughing too. What an odd fellow - so brainy, such a fine scientist - with the most enormous amount of knowledge in his head - and yet no memory for such ordinary things as breakfast and visitors and telephone calls.
СIt was just a misunderstanding, sir,Т said Julian, politely. СIt was very, very kind of you to invite us here when we canТt be at home because of the scarlet fever. WeТll try not to be a nuisance, and if thereТs anything we can do to help you, please ask us. WeТll make as little noise as possible, and keep out of your way, of course.Т
СYou hear that, Tinker?Т said Professor Hayling, suddenly swinging round on the startled Tinker. СWhy canТt you do the same - make a very little noise, and keep out of my way? You know IТm very busy now - on a MOST IMPORTANT project.Т He turned to Julian. СYouТll be very welcome if you keep Tinker out of my way. And NOBODY - absolutely NOBODY - is to go up into that tower. Understand?Т
They all looked up to where he was pointing, and saw a tall, slender tower rising up amid the trees. It had curious tentacle-like rods sticking out at the top, and these shook slightly in the breeze.
СAnd donТt ask me questions about it,Т went on the Professor, looking fiercely at George. СYour fatherТs the only other man who knows what itТs for, and he knows how to keep his mouth shut.Т
СNone of us would dream of prying, sir,Т said Julian. СItТs very, very kind of you to offer to have us here, and do believe me when I say we shanТt be any trouble to you at all - but a help if youТll allow us.Т
СAh well, you sound a sensible fellow, I must say,Т said the Professor, who had now calmed down, and looked quite peaceable. СWell, IТll say good-bye for now and go and have my breakfast. I hope itТs fried eggs and bacon. IТm very hungry.Т
СDad - JennyТs cleared your breakfast AWAY! I told you that before!Т said Tinker in despair. СItТs almost dinner-time, now.Т
СAh good - good!Т said the Professor. СIТll come at once.Т
And he led the way indoors, followed by the five children, with Timmy and Mischief, all looking rather worried. Really, nobody ever knew what the Professor was going to do or say next!
Jenny certainly had a good dinner for them all. There was a large and delicious stew with carrots, onions and peas swimming in the gravy, and plenty of potatoes. Everyone tucked in well, and Mischief, who loved the peas, took quite a few from TinkerТs plate, his little paw creeping up, and neatly snatching a pea from the gravy.
The girls went out to help bring in the next course, which was a big steamed pudding with plenty of raisins in it. Mischief at once jigged up and down in delight, for he loved raisins. He leapt on to the table, and received a sharp smack from the Professor, who unfortunately smacked the pudding dish at the same time, making the pudding jump in the air.
СGood gracious, Dad - we nearly lost the pudding!Т cried Tinker. СAnd itТs my favourite. Oh, donТt give us such small pieces! Mischief, get off the table. You are NOT to put your paw into the white sauce!Т
So Mischief disappeared under the table, where he received quite a lot of raisins from various kindly hands, unseen by the Professor. Timmy felt rather left out. He was under the table too, having been rather scared by the ProfessorТs angry voice, but as he didnТt very much like raisins, he wasnТt as lucky as Mischief.
СHa - I enjoyed that!Т said the Professor, having cleaned his plate thoroughly. СNothing like a good breakfast!Т
СIt was midday dinner, Dad!Т said Tinker. СYou donТt have pudding at breakfast.Т
СDear me, of course - that was pudding!Т said his father, and laughed his great laugh. СNow you can all do exactly what you like, so long as you do NOT go into my study, OR my workroom OR that tower. AND DONТT MEDDLE WITH ANYTHING! Mischief, get off the water-jug, youТll upset it. CanТt you teach that monkey some table-manners, Tinker?Т
And with that he marched out of the room, and disappeared into some mysterious passage that apparently led to his study or workroom. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
СWeТll clear away and then IТll show you your rooms,Т said Tinker. СI do hope you wonТt be too dull here.Т
Dull, Tinker! You neednТt worry! There is far too much excitement waiting for the Five - and you too! Just wait a bit, and see!


Chapter Four

JENNY HAS A VERY GOOD IDEA

Tinker raced out to the kitchen to fetch a tray or two. He made a most peculiar noise as he went, and for a moment Timmy looked extremely startled.
СGoodness - donТt say that Tinker still has that awful habit of pretending to be some kind of car!Т groaned Julian. СHow on earth does his father put up with it? WhatТs he think he is now? A motor-bicycle, by the sound of it.Т
There was a sudden crash and a loud yell. The Five raced down the kitchen passage to find out what had happened, Timmy at the front.
СAccident!Т bellowed Tinker, scrambling up from the floor. СI took the bend too quickly, and my front wheel skidded, and I went bang into a wall! IТve bent my mudguard.Т
СTinker - do you mean to say youТre still being fatheaded enough to pretend to be cars and bicycles and tractors and lorries,Т demanded Julian. СYou nearly drove us all mad, driving about all over the house, when you stayed with us. Have you got to be a machine of some sort?Т
СYes,Т said Tinker, rubbing one of his arms. СIt sort of comes over me, and away I go. You should have heard me being a lorry absolutely loaded with new cars for delivery yesterday. Dad really thought it was a great lorry and he rushed out into the drive to send it away. But it was only me. I hooted too - like this!Т
And the sound of a loud and deep hooter immediately filled the passage! Julian shoved Tinker into the kitchen and shut the door.
СI should have thought that your father would have been driven completely mad by now!Т he said. СNow you just shut up. CanТt you grow up a bit?Т
СNo,Т said Tinker, sullenly. СI donТt want to grow up. I might be like my father and forget to eat my meals, and go out with one sock on and one off. And IТd hate to forget my meals. Just think how awful it would be! IТd always be hungry.Т
Julian couldnТt help laughing. СPick up your tray, and help to clear away!Т he said. СAnd if you simply canТt HELP being a car sometimes, for goodness sake go outside! It sounds frightful in the house. YouТre much too good at awful noises.Т
СOh, am I really good?Т said Tinker, pleased. СI suppose you wouldnТt like to hear me being one of those new planes that go over here sometimes, making a queer, droning noise?Т
СNo. I WOULD NOT!Т said Julian, firmly. СNow will you PLEASE get that tray, Tinker. And tell Mischief to get off my right foot. He seems to think itТs a chair.Т
But Mischief clung to JulianТs ankle and refused to move. СAll right, all right,Т said Julian. СI shall just have to walk about all day with you riding on my foot.Т
СIf you stamp as you walk, he soon gets off,Т remarked Tinker.
СWhy didnТt you tell me that just now?Т asked Julian, and stamped a few steps round the room. Mischief leapt off his foot at once, and sat on a table, making an angry noise.
СHe sits on DadТs foot for ages, even when he walks about,Т said Tinker. СBut Dad doesnТt even notice him there! He even sat on DadТs head once, and Dad thought he was wearing his hat indoors and tried to take it off. But it was only Mischief there!Т
That made everyone laugh. СNow come on,Т said Julian, briskly. СWe really must clear away the dinner things. We three boys will carry out the loaded trays and you girls can wash up. And DONТT let Mischief think he can carry teapots or milk-jugs.Т
Jenny was very pleased with their help. She was short and fat, and waddled rather than walked, but managed to get here and there remarkably quickly.
СIТll show your visitors their bedrooms after weТve cleared,Т she said. СBut, you know, Tinker, those mattresses we sent to be remade havenТt come back yet. IТve told your father a dozen times to telephone about them, but IТm sure he hasnТt remembered.Т