"Yan Larri. The Extraordinary Adventures of Karik and Valya (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

afterwards? Now, go find them, go find them, Jack!"

Jack started wagging his tail, twisted himself around like a top,
scraped with his paws at the sand under the pipe and then, with a loud bark,
dashed to the main entrance to the flats.
"Ha-ha! he's got on the scent!" shouted Schmidt, and with his sandals
slithering he leaped after the dog.
"If you do find the children, send them home!" Mother called after him,
and started walking back through the yard. "Of course they are in one of the
neighbouring courtyards," she thought to herself.
Pulling hard on his lead, Jack hauled his master up a staircase.
"Not so fast! Not so fast!" puffed the fat man, barely able to keep up
with the dog.
On the landing of the fifth floor, Jack stopped for a second, gazed at
his master and with a short bark threw himself at a door which was covered
with oilcloth and felt.
On the door there hung a white enamelled plate with the inscription:

PROFESSOR

IVAN HERMOGENEVITCH ENOTOFF

Underneath was pinned a notice:

Bell does not work. Please knock.

Jack with a squeal jumped up, scratching at the oilcloth covering the
door.
"Down, Jack!" shouted the fat man. "It says knock, and not squeal."
The photographer Schmidt smoothed his hair with the palm of his hand,
carefully wiped the perspiration off his face with a handkerchief and then
knocked cautiously at the door with his knuckles.
Behind the door shuffling steps were heard.
The lock clicked.
The door opened. A face with shaggy eyebrows and a yellowish white
beard appeared in the widening gap.
"Do you want me?"
"Excuse me, Professor," said the photographer in some confusion, "I
only wanted to ask you - "
The stout man had not succeeded in finishing his sentence before Jack
tore the lead out of his hand and, almost knocking the Professor off his
feet, dashed into the flat.
"Come back! Jack! To heel!" shouted Schmidt.
But Jack was already rattling his chain somewhere at the end of the
corridor.
"I am so sorry, Professor, Jack is only young. . . . If you will let me
come in, I'll soon get hold of him."
"Yes, yes . . . of course," replied the Professor, absent-mindedly,
letting Schmidt into the flat. "Come in, please. I hope your dog does not
bite!"