"Cooper, Susan - Dark is Rising 01 - Over Sea, Under Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cooper Susan)

'And we should have to take provisions with us, so we can have a picnic when we get there,' said Barney, brightening.

'We haven't got any.'

'We can ask Mrs Palk,' said Jane. 'She's making cakes for Mother in the kitchen. Come on.'

Mrs Palk, in the kitchen, laughed all over her red face and said, 'What will 'ee think of next, I wonder?' But she gave them, neatly wrapped, a stack of freshly-baked scones cut in half, thickly buttered and put together again; a packet of squashed-fly biscuits, three apples and a great slab of dark yellowy-orange cake, thick and crumbling with fruit.

'And something to drink,' said Simon commandingly, already captain of the expedition. So Mrs Palk good-humouredly added a big bottle of home-made lemonade 'to finish 'n off.

'There,' she said, 'that'll take 'ee to St Ives and back, I reckon.'

'My rucksack's upstairs,' said Simon, 'I'll get it.'

'Oh really,' said Jane, who was beginning to feel a little foolish. 'We aren't even going outdoors.'

'All explorers have rucksacks,' Simon said severely, making for the door. 'I won't be a minute.'

Barney nibbled at some yellow cake crumbs from the table. This is smashing.'

'Saffron cake,' Mrs Palk said proudly. You won't get that in London.'

'Mrs Palk, where's Rufus?'

'Gone out, and a good job too, though I dare say we shall have his great wet feet all over the floor afore long. Professor took'n for a walk. Now stop pickin' at that cake, midear, or you'll spoil that picnic o' yours.'

Simon came back with his rucksack. They filled it, and went out into the little dark passage away from the kitchen, Mrs Palk waving them farewell as solemnly as if they were of to the North Pole.

'Who did she say had taken Rufus for a walk ? ' said Jane.

'Great-Uncle Merry,' Barney said. 'They all call him the Professor, didn't you know ? Mr Penhallow did as well. They talk as if they've known him for years.'

They were on the first-floor landing, long and dark, lit only from one small window. Jane waved her hand at a big wooden chest half hidden in one corner. 'What's that ? '

'It's locked,' said Simon, trying the lid. 'One of the things we mustn't touch, I suppose. Actually it's full of native gold and ornaments, we'll collect it on the way back and stow it in the hold.'


'Who's going to carry it?' demanded Barney practically. 'Easy, we've got a string of native porters. All walking behind in a row and calling me Boss.'

'Catch me calling you Boss.'

'Actually you ought to be the cabin-boy, and call me Sir. Aye, aye, Sir!' Simon bellowed suddenly.

'Shut up,' said Jane. 'Mother's working at the other end of the landing, you'll make her do a smudge.'

'What's in here?' said Barney. There was a dark door in the shadows at the far end of the landing. 'I haven't noticed it before.' He turned the handle, and the door opened outwards with a slow creak. 'I say, there's another little corridor down some steps, and a door at the end of it. Come on.'

They went down over the worn carpet, beneath rows of old maps hanging on the walls.

The little corridor, like all the house, had a smell of furniture polish and age and the sea; and yet nothing like these things really but just the smell of strangeness.