"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 19 - Five Go to Demon's Rock" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Chapter Eleven

JEREMIAH BOOGLE

When it began to get dark, Tinker left the card-table, and fetched an old-fashioned oil-lamp. He shook it.
‘It’s still got some oil in,’ he said. ‘Good. I’ll light it, then we can see properly.’
‘What a pity we can’t light the great oil-lamp at the top of the light-house,’ said George. ‘That must have been the light-house keeper’s great moment - lighting up the lamp to warn ships away. I wonder who first thought of a light-house - someone whose folk sailed, and might be wrecked on rocks, I suppose?’
‘One of the first great light-houses was built ages ago on an island called Pharos at the mouth of the Nile, not far from the great port of Alexandria,’ said Julian.
‘What was it built of - stone, like this one?’ asked Tinker.
‘No. It was built of white marble,’ said Julian. ‘I thought of it today when we went up the spiral staircase here - because the Pharos light-house had one too - much, much bigger than ours.’
‘What was their lamp like?’ asked Tinker.
‘I don’t know if it had a lamp,’ said Julian. ‘It’s said that an enormous fire was built each night on the top of the light-house, whose flames could be seen by ships a hundred miles away!’
‘Goodness - it must have been a pretty high light-house, then, this Pharos!’ said Dick. ‘Well, it was supposed to be 600 feet high!’ said Julian.
‘Whew! I wonder the wind didn’t blow it down!’ said Dick. ‘Let’s go and see it one day - if it’s still there.’
‘Ass!’ said Julian. ‘It’s gone long since. After all, it was built over twenty-two hundred years ago! An earthquake came along one day and the magnificent light-house was shaken to bits - completely destroyed!’
There was a shocked silence. Everyone looked round at the walls of the light-house they were in. An earth-quake! What a catastrophe that would be for even a little light-house!
‘Cheer up, Anne!’ said Julian, with a laugh. ‘We’re not likely to visited by an earthquake tonight! That old light-house on Pharos Island was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. No - don’t ask me the others - I’m getting too sleepy to remember!’
‘I wish we could light the lamp in this light-house,’ said Anne. ‘It can’t like being a blind light-house, after shining brightly for so many years. Could the lamp be lighted, Tinker, or is it broken now?’
‘Anne - if you think we’re going to scramble round that lamp-room and light the lamp just because you feel sorry about it, you’re mistaken,’ said Dick, firmly. ‘Anyway, it’s sure to be out of order after all these years.’
‘I don’t see why it should be,’ objected Tinker. ‘The lamp’s never been interfered with.’
‘Look - are we going to go on with our game, or are we not?’ said Julian. ‘l may as well remind you that I have won practically every game so far! Unless someone else wins a game soon I shall consider that I’m playing with a set of nitwits!’
That was quite enough to make everyone pick up their cards, and see if they couldn’t possibly beat Julian!
‘We’ll jolly well play till you’re well and truly beaten!’ said Dick.
But no - nobody could beat Julian that night. Luck went his way all the time. At the end of the fifth game Anne yawned loudly.
‘Oh sorry!’ she said. ‘Don’t think I’m bored. That yawn came too suddenly for me to stop it.’
‘Well, I feel decidedly yawny too,’ said Dick. ‘What about a snack of something - and then we’ll go to bed. We had such an enormous tea-sup that I feel I can’t manage another meal - but a chocolate biscuit or two would be quite welcome.’
‘Woof!’ said Timmy at once, agreeing heartily, and Mischief said something in his little chattering voice, and tugged at Tinker’s sleeve.
‘I’ll bring you a snack or two,’ said Anne, getting up. She soon came back with a tray on which she had put lemonade, large slices of Joan’s new cake, and a chocolate biscuit for everyone, including Timmy and Mischief.
They ate with enjoyment, feeling lazy and comfortable. ‘And now to bed!’ said Julian. ‘Girls, do you want any help with your mattress or rugs or anything?’
‘No, thanks,’ said Anne. ‘Do you boys want to wash, and clean your teeth at the sink here? Because if so, do it now.’
Before a quarter of an hour had gone, everyone was bedded down comfortably. The three boys curled up in rugs in the bedroom below, with Mischief cuddled into Tinker’s neck. The two girls and Timmy lay on a mattress, with a blanket over them, Timmy lay beside George, occasionally licking her ear with his big tongue.
‘Dear Timmy!’ said George, sleepily. ‘I love you - but do please keep your tongue to yourself!’
And soon they were all asleep, boys, girls, and animals too. Outside, the sea sighed and splashed and swirled, and the wind cried like the day-time gulls. But all was peace and quiet inside the old light-house. Not even Mischief the monkey stirrred in his sleep.
It was fun to wake up in the morning, and hear the gulls screaming round; fun to have breakfast of eggs and bread-and-butter, and apples to crunch afterwards - fun to plan what to do that day.
‘I vote we do a bit of shopping and buy some more eggs, and fresh bread, and a bottle or two of creamy milk,’ said Anne.
‘And we might try and find that car-driver’s greatgrandad, and ask him a few things about the lighthouse, and the wreckers that came in the old days,’ said Dick.
‘Yes - and he might show us the Wreckers’ Cave!’ said Julian. ‘I’d like to see that! Buck up with whatever jobs there are to do, Anne and George - and we’ll go over the rocks to the jetty. The tide should be out, so we ought to be able to walk over.’
‘Well, we must be back before the tide comes in, then,’ said Tinker. ‘Because if we leave the boat tied up here by the light-house, we shan’t be able to get back once the sea sweeps over the rocks and cuts us off!’
‘Right,’ said Julian. ‘Be ready as soon as you can, girls.’
The girls were ready very quickly, and the little party set off over the rocks that at low tide lay between the light-house and the shore. Wicked rocks they were too - with sharp edges and points that would hole a ship at once!
Soon the children were on the little stone jetty. ‘What was the name of old great-grandad?’ said Dick frowning.
‘Jeremiah Boogie,’ said Anne. ‘And he smokes a long pipe, and scowls at people.’
‘Well - he should be easy to find!’ said Julian. ‘Come along. He’s probably somewhere on the quay.’
‘There he is!’ said George, spotting an old man with a long pipe in his mouth. ‘That’s Jeremiah, I’m sure!’
Yes, there he was, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, an old old man, smoking a very long pipe! He had a fine beard, a yachting cap askew on his head, and such enormous shaggy eyebrows that it was difficult to see his eyes beneath them!
The Five went up to him, with Timmy trotting behind, and Mischief on Tinker’s shoulder. The old man spotted Mischief at once.
‘Well, well - a monkey!’ he said. ‘Many’s the little monkey I’ve brought home from my voyages.’ He snapped his fingers and made a curious noise in his throat. Mischief stared at him, listening. Then he leapt from Tinker’s shoulder on to the old man’s, and rubbed his head against the old sailor’s hairy ear.
‘Mischief!’ said Tinker, amazed. ‘Look at that, George. He never goes to a stranger!
‘Well, maybe I knew his great grandfather!’ said the old sailor, laughing, and scratching Mischief’s neck.