"Martin, Ann M - Baby-sitters Club 009 - The Ghost at Dawn's House" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin Ann M)

"Yes," I said with a smile. I glanced at Mallory, who looked as if she wanted to dance around with excitement and pride, but was containing herself in the interest of appearing grown-up enough to baby-sit.
"The triplets are in their room, practically draped over the air-conditioner," Mrs. Pike went on.
I laughed. "Jeff's doing the same thing at home."
"Vanessa, Margo, and Claire are out in the
backyard, playing in the sprinkler. And Nicky is ... well, I'm afraid he's not in a very good mood today. He's in the rec room, sulking."
"Uh-oh," I said. "That's too bad." I thought about what Stacey and Mary Anne had told us at the meeting the other day Ч that Nicky wants to play with the triplets, but they won't let him.
"He's having a tough time," said Mrs. Pike, lowering her voice, "but he has to learn to deal with this."
"Tell Dawn about the two-block rule," Mal-lory spoke up.
"Oh, yes," said Mrs. Pike. "You know how we feel about rules around here, except where safety is concerned." (There are almost no rules at the Pikes'.) "Well, Nicky's been complaining that we treat him like a baby, so we told him that he's allowed to go off on his own during the day, as long as he stays within two blocks of the house. Two blocks is a rule for him."
"Okay," I said.
"So if he disappears, don't panic."
I knew Mrs. Pike was thinking of the time I'd been baby-sitting at the Barretts' and Buddy Barrett really had disappeared. We'd had to call the police and everything. So I was kind of touchy about little kids going off on their
own. I appreciated Mrs. Pike's understanding that.
Mrs. Pike left a few minutes later.
Mallory looked at me expectantly. "Well?" she said. "What do we do first?"
"At your house," I replied, "I usually check on everybody, just to make sure they're all accounted for. So why don't you go keep an eye on the girls, and I'll look in on the boys. Then I'll come outside with you. Maybe I can talk Nicky into playing in the sprinkler."
"Don't count on it," said Mallory darkly.
"Well, we'll see."
I went to the triplets' room first. Their door was closed to keep the cold air in. I knocked on it.
"Yeah?" called one of the boys. I wasn't sure which one.
"It's Dawn. Can I come in?"
"Okay."
I opened the door. The shades were drawn and the room was as dark as a room could be at two o'clock in the afternoon. The air-conditioner was going full-blast.
"What are you guys doing in the dark?" I asked.
"Playing with our glow-in-the-dark space creatures," whispered Byron.
"They're about to be attacked by the Wandering Frog People/' added Jordan.
"Oh," I said. "Well, I just wanted you to know I'm Ч "
"Shaof-shoof-shoof-shoof-BLAM!" Adam shouted suddenly. He thumped a Frog Person down on one of the space creatures.
" Ч here," I finished. I closed the door and left. The boys barely noticed.
Time to check on Nicky. I ran downstairs to the rec room. There he was, sitting in a ratty old armchair. A book was in his hands, but he wasn't reading it.
"Hi, Nick-O," I said.
"Hi "
"What are you reading?"
"Nothing."
"You want me to read to you?"
"Nah."
"Why don't you go out in the backyard? The sprinkler's on. You'll be much cooler there than you are inside. It's stuffy in here."
"Are the girls still out there?"
"Yes."
"I'm not playing with the girls. I'm a boy. I'm supposed to play with the boys."
"Not necessarily," I told him.
"I want to play with the triplets!"
"Well, then, come on. Let's go ask them."
Nicky looked at me with a hesitant smile. "Really?"
"Sure."
We were about halfway up the stairs when the triplets came stampeding out of their room. They were each wearing bathing trunks and carrying a towel.
"Dawn! Dawn!" cried Adam. "We're going swimming over at Joey's! We just called him. His mom said it was okay."
"She said we could bring a friend, too," Byron added.
"She did?" Nicky marveled. "Oh, boy! Thanks! I'll Ч "
But before he could finish, Jordan said, "We called your brother, Dawn. It's all right if Jeff comes, isn't it? We said we'd tell you where he's going to be."