"Blyton, Enid - Barney Junior Mystery 02 - The Rilloby Fair Mystery" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

"Mother! Here's Great-uncle in a taxi with Roger."

Mrs. Lynton got up hurriedly. She wondered what Uncle Robert would say when he found the front garden full of yells and yelps, howls and yowls, and screaming children.

She went into the garden, and hissed at Snubby. "Catch Loony at once. Take him away. Go and wash your hands or something!"

Snubby gave her a startled glance. How cross she sounded! He gave a piercing whistle and Loony responded at once. He arrived like a cannon-ball at Snubby's heels, and the two disappeared indoors just as Great-uncle Robert opened the front gate. Diana smoothed back her hair and went to welcome him too.

"So nice to be here at last, my dear Susan," said the old fellow. "Such a peaceful place — far from thieves, and wars and spies!"

Mrs. Lynton felt astonished. "Oh, we're peaceful enough here, out in the country," she said. "Come along up to your room. You will like a wash, I expect."

"Thank you, my dear, thank you," said Uncle Robert, and followed his niece up the stairs. She took him to the guest-room ,and put his bag down for him.

"Very nice room," said Uncle Robert. "Very nice view too. Beautiful. Ah — who's this?"

It was Loony. He came nosing into the bedroom, having smelt somebody new. He stood at the door, wagging his black stump of a tail, his long ears drooping like a judge's wig at each side of his head. Uncle Robert looked at him.

"Most peculiar," he said. "There was a dog in the train, in my carriage, exactly like that!'

"Oh, well — black cockers are very much alike," said Mrs. Lynton. "Now you wash, Uncle Robert, and then come down to lunch. You must be hungry."

She went to a cupboard on the landing to put some things away. Snubby was whistling in Roger's room, brushing his wiry hair and making it stand up straighter than ever. He suddenly missed Loony.

"Hey, Loony! Where have you got to?" he said. He went to find him. Ah, there he was, standing in the doorway of the room next but one. He went to get him. Somebody came walking out at the same moment, stepping carefully over Loony, who didn't attempt to move out of the way. He never did if people were stupid enough to walk round or over him.

Snubby stopped in the utmost amazement when he saw Great-uncle Robert. He stared as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

Great-uncle Robert stared too.

"Incredible!" he muttered, taking a step backwards and nearly falling over Loony. "You again! What are you doing here?"

"I'm staying with my cousins," said Snubby, horrified to see that the old man in the train had suddenly become Great-uncle Robert. Gosh, this was frightful. That awful story he had told him — about the gang called Green Hands! Suppose he told Aunt Susan about it, what in the world would she say? She wouldn't understand at all. She would be furious!

"So you ran away here," began Uncle Robert. "Do your cousins know why?"

"Sh!" said Snubby desperately. "Don't say a word to anyone. Remember the Green Hands! They'll get you too if you split."

"Split?" repeated Uncle Robert faintly, not understanding the word.

"Blab. Spill the beans. Give the game away," said Snubby urgently. "Don't say a word. Just remember the Green Hands!"

The gong in the hall suddenly sounded for lunch, and both Uncle Robert and Snubby jumped violently.

"Sh!" said Snubby again, and looked all round him as if he were being hunted.

"I'll remember the Green Hands," said Uncle Robert in a stronger voice. "But be careful, my boy, do be careful."

He went downstairs, wiping his broad forehead with his silk handkerchief. He had escaped from one house where thieves made their way through locked doors — only to come to another place where there was a boy hunted by the Green Hands. Where should he go next? Incredible, quite incredible.