"Blyton, Enid - Adv 03 - Valley of Adventure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Kiki pecked lovingly at Jack's ear, and made a crooning noise. She sat as close to him as she could. The children began to talk about their exciting day.

"Wasn't it lovely going to the aerodrome and getting in on our passes, and walking up to Bill just as if we were grown-ups?" said Philip. "And golly, wasn't Bill's aeroplane fine?"

"I didn't think it would be so big," said Lucy-Ann. "You know, it was funny — I sort of held my breath when we started off, thinking I'd get a funny feeling when we left the ground, like I do in a lift — and I never even knew when the wheels left the runway and we were in the air! I got quite a shock when I looked down and saw we were over the house-tops."

"It seemed awfully easy to fly a plane," said Jack. "Easier than driving a car. I wish Bill would let me have a shot."

"Well, he won't," said Philip. "I say, wasn't it queer when we got into that air-pocket and the plane suddenly dropped down without warning? My tummy sort of went up into my throat."

The others laughed. "Mine did too," said Lucy-Ann. "I'm glad I wasn't sick. It was a waste of that nice strong paper bag, but I'm glad I felt all right."

"We went hundreds of miles, I should think," said Jack. "I felt a bit funny when we were over the sea. It looked so enormous and so flat. I shouldn't like to fall out over that! What a splash!"

"I bet Mother will say we can go on a night flight with Bill," said Dinah. "I could see in her face that she was going to say yes. If only we could! Bill said we could fly to his old home, land at dawn, and spend the rest of the night with him, sleeping all we liked in his two spare rooms — we needn't get up till twelve if we didn't want to. Fancy flying all night and going to bed at dawn!"

"Then we'd fly back in the afternoon, I suppose," said Jack. "Gosh, I'm glad we've got Bill for a friend. I do think he's an exciting sort of person. It's thrilling, too, to know that he's always on some sort of secret job, and never says a word about it — always snooping out some deadly secret. I wonder if he's on any job now?"

"You bet he is!" said Philip. "That's why he's got this aeroplane. May have to take off at any moment after spies or somebody. Hope I'm with him when he does."

"Well, you won't be," said Dinah. "Bill would never run us into danger."

"I shouldn't mind if he did," said Philip. "Hallo, there's the gong for supper! I'm jolly hungry."

"That's nothing new," said Dinah. "Come on — let's go and see what there is. Smells like bacon and eggs."

They went to their supper. They were all hungry, and finished up the eggs and bacon and plum-cake in no time. Kiki helped herself to the plum-cake too, till Mrs. Mannering protested.

"Jack! Will you stop Kiki picking all the raisins out of that cake? Look at the mess she's making! There won't be any cake left soon. Smack her on her beak."

"Naughty Kiki!" said Jack, and tapped her on her beak. "Don't eat it all."

"How many times have I told . . ." began Kiki, but Jack was too tired to talk to her.

"Don't argue," he said. "I'm so sleepy I'll have to go to bed."

Everyone felt the same — so off they went, and were soon asleep and dreaming of flying aeroplanes over the clouds, somersaulting and looping the loop in a most amazing but perfectly safe manner.





Chapter 2

BILL GETS HIS WAY



BILL came along to lunch the next day. He had a ruddy face, twinkling eyes and a rather bald head with plenty of hair at each side. The children rushed to meet him. Mrs. Mannering smiled at him.