"Blyton, Enid - Adv 05 - Mountain of Adventure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Chapter 6

OFF TO THE VALE OF BUTTERFLIES



IT happened the very next day. It was when Mrs. Mannering had gone with Mrs. Evans to the big barn. The door suddenly blew shut, and caught her hand in it, trapping it tightly.

Mrs. Mannering screamed. Mrs. Evans ran to open the door, but poor Mrs. Mannering's hand was badly bruised and crushed.

Bill was very concerned. "I must take you down to the doctor," he said. "I'll get the car. Where are the children? Out on their donkeys? Tell them where we've gone, Mrs. Evans, when they come back. They needn't worry. I'll have Mrs. Mannering's hand seen to, and properly bandaged. I don't expect it will be very much, but I'd like her to have it X-rayed in case any small bone is broken."

Looking rather white, Mrs. Mannering was driven off by Bill, down the steep mountain road to the town that lay some way off in the next valley. It was about fifteen miles and soon Mrs. Mannering was in hospital having her hand X-rayed and bound up.

The children were very upset when they heard what had happened. "Poor Mother!" said Philip. "It must have hurt dreadfully when her hand got caught in that heavy door."

"Indeed to gootness, it did," said Mrs. Evans, who looked quite upset too. "She gave one scream, poor soul, and then made not a sound, whateffer. Now don't look so sadly — she'll be back tonight."

"Will she be able to go off to the mountains tomorrow?" asked Lucy-Ann. "How can she ride with a bad hand?"

"Well, there now, she can't," said Mrs. Evans. "But she can stay here with me and I'll look after her for you. You can go with Mr. Cunningham and David."

"But will Bill go if Mother's hurt?" wondered Philip. "He thinks the world of her. Oh, blow! It's bad luck for this to happen just when we had such a lovely plan. Poor Mother! I do hope her hand's better now."

Mrs. Mannering arrived back in Bill's car that evening, just before high tea. She looked better, and made light of her hand.

"We've had it X-rayed," said Bill. "She's broken a tiny bone just here," and he showed them where, on the back of his hand. "It's got to be bandaged and kept at rest. I'm to take her down to have it seen again in three days' time."

"I'm so sorry, dears," said Mrs. Mannering. "And Bill, you don't need to take me down, you know. I'm quite able to drive myself down even with an injured hand. Take the children on their trip tomorrow. I can't bear to have them disappointed."

"What! And leave you like this!" said Bill. "Don't be silly, Allie. I shall take you down myself in the car on Friday. The children can go with David, if he'll take them on by himself. It's a perfectly ordinary trip, and they'll be back in a few days' time. They can all ride their donkeys as easily as David — and probably they'll enjoy a trip without us!"

"We'd much rather you and Aunt Allie came," said Jack. "But as you can't, it's decent of you to let us go alone. We'll be perfectly all right, Bill. David knows the way, and we can all look after ourselves."

So it was settled that the four children should go by themselves on the donkeys with their guide David, taking with them tents, bedding and food. Philip questioned Bill to make sure that his mother's hand was not seriously hurt.

"Oh, no — it will soon be right," said Bill. "But I want to be sure she doesn't use it, and I want to take her down to the doctor in three days' time. I'm sorry not to come with you — but you'll be all right by yourselves. I don't see that you can get into any trouble, or any startling adventure, going donkey-riding in the mountains with David. Maybe we can all go together, later on."

The children were very excited that night, getting ready the things they wanted to take. They had two small tents, a sleeping-bag each, two ground-sheets, cameras, field-glasses, a change of clothes — and food.

The food was Mrs. Evans' care. Bill watched her packing up what she thought they would eat in the next few days.

"I didn't like to stop her," he told the others. "But, honestly, she's packed enough for a month. She's put in a whole ham!"

"Golly!" said Jack. "What else?"