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

Jack patiently tried to learn a few Welsh words, and then got tired of it. He threw a few pebbles down the mountainside, and gazed round at the many summits towering up in the distance. There was one queer one, shaped like three teeth, that amused him. He decided to look it up on the map.

The map, however, was rather disappointing. It showed very few names in the district where they were, probably because it had been very little explored, and there were no farm-houses or other buildings to put on record. Jack found a name that seemed to him to fit the mountain. "Fang Mountain," he read. "That might be it. Gosh, what a lot of mountains there are about here! I bet nobody has ever explored them all. I'd like to fly over them in an aeroplane and look down on them. We haven't seen a plane since we've been here. Off the route, I suppose."

David had gone to round up the donkeys. Jack woke up the others. "Come on, lazy things! We'd better get on, or David will think we mean to camp here for the night. There's a heavenly wind now. It will be gorgeous riding this afternoon."

Soon they were all on their donkeys again, jogging along round the mountainside, enjoying the wind and the sun, gazing on the different vistas that opened up before them round every bend of the track. New mountains reared up far-away heads, new skylines appeared. For long stretches the children said nothing at all to one another, but simply drank in the beauty around them, and the sun and wind.

They travelled until six o'clock, having decided to keep to the high tea that Mrs. Evans had at the farm. Jack spoke to David when six o'clock came.

"David! We stop at half-past six. Do you know a good place to camp for the night near here?"

David did not understand and Jack repeated it more slowly. David smiled and nodded.

"Iss! Iss!" This meant "yes," and Jack looked as David pointed to a wooded spot some way ahead. David said something else in Welsh, and Jack caught a few words here and there which he understood. One was "water," the other was "trees."

"David says there's a good place to camp in a little way off!" Jack shouted back to the others. "There's water there, and trees."

"Gosh! However do you understand him?" said Philip in admiration. "Jolly clever of you, Jack!"

Jack grinned all over his freckled face. "Oh, I just caught the words 'water' and 'trees,' that's all! Come on, let's get there in time to watch the sun sink over the mountains. I'd like to have a sunset with my sandwiches!"

Philip laughed. They all ambled on towards the spot pointed out by David. It was a little further than they thought, but when they got there they all agreed it was just the right place to camp for the night.

A spring, as cold as ice, gushed out beside the small wooded patch. The trees sheltered the campers from the night-wind, which could be very chilly at times. The donkeys could be tied to trees so that they would not wander in the night. Everything was perfect!

The children were tired but happy. They slid off their donkeys' backs, and the little beasts, tired now too, were taken to the spring to drink. They stood patiently waiting their turn, whilst Snowy skipped about like a mad thing, not in the least tired with his long trip.

"We'll put up the tents after we've had a meal and a rest," said Philip. "Get out the food, Lucy-Ann and Dinah. There's a nice flat stone here we can use as a table."

Soon the supper, or high tea, was spread out on the big flat stone, and mugs of lemonade were set by each plate. The children drained them at once, and Jack was sent to get more ice-cold water from the spring.

They all ate quickly, for they were very hungry again. They said very little until the first edge of their appetite had worn off, then they all talked with their mouths full, eager to make the others remember the lovely day.

David ate too and listened. The donkeys pulled at the grass. Snowy was with Dapple, and Kiki was eating a tomato and dripping juice down Jack's neck. They all felt as if they couldn't possibly be happier.

"Now we'll put up the tents," said Jack at last. "Come on, Philip! It'll be dark before we've put them up if we don't make haste!"





Chapter 8

FIRST NIGHT IN CAMP



THE girls washed the dirty crockery in the cold spring water while David and the boys unpacked the tents from the donkey that carried them. They took off the whole of his pack, and also unstrapped the heavy panniers from the other donkey. Both were delighted to be rid of their loads. They lay down on the ground and rolled, kicking their legs up into the air.