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

Chapter Sixteen

DOWN IN THE CAVES

Next morning George awoke with a jump. Timmy was pushing her gently with his nose. ‘What is it, Tim?" said George. Timmy gave a bark, and ran to where the spiral stairway led downwards.
‘Go down and tell the boys what it is you want,’ said George, sleepily. So down the stairway went Timmy, and into the room where the boys were sleeping. He trotted in and nudged Julian with his nose, but Julian was so fast asleep that he didn’t stir.
Timmy pawed at him, and Julian awoke with a jump. He sat up. ‘Oh, it’s you, Tim - what on earth do you want? Is anything wrong with the girls?’
‘Woof,’ said Timmy, and ran to the spiral stairway. He disappeared down it, barking.
‘Blow! He’s heard someone!’ said Julian, yawning. ‘Well, if it’s Ebenezer or Jacob - no, it can’t be Jacob, of course - I’ll tell him what I think of people who steal!’
He unjammed the door of the light-house and opened it. On the step stood two milk-bottles! ‘Well, really, Timmy, fancy waking me because the milkman came!’ said Julian, taking in the bottles. ‘Good old milkman - I wonder if he had to come by boat - the sea’s pretty high this morning - but I suppose he could just about have waded over the rocks!’
At breakfast the Five remembered that they meant to see the caves that morning. They had a very fine meal of fried bacon, bought the day before, and eggs, with buttered toast and marmalade to follow. Anne had made some good hot coffee, and they all enjoyed themselves immensely. Mischief made himself a real nuisance by putting a paw deep in the marmalade jar and then, when smacked, running all over the place leaving sticky marmaladey marks everywhere!
‘We’d better all take a wet rag with us as we go about the room,’ said Anne, in disgust. ‘He’s run over the table and desk and everything. BAD Mischief! I do so hate feeling sticky!’
Mischief was sad to feel himself in disgrace, and leapt on to Tinker’s shoulder, putting his sticky paws lovingly round the boy’s neck. ‘That’s right!’ said Tinker, ‘rub all your stickiness off on me, you little monkey!’
‘We’ll wash up in the sink, and you boys can tidy up the rooms,’ said Anne. ‘Then we’ll all go out. It’s a lovely day.’
‘Looks a bit stormy to me,’ said Dick. ‘What do you say, Tim?’
Tim agreed. He thumped his tail vigorously on the floor, making Mischief pounce on it in joy. Anne gathered up the crockery and took it to the sink.
In an hour or so they were ready to go out. ‘Let’s write a card to Aunt Fanny before we leave,’ said Anne. ‘Then that will be done. We won’t say a word about the things that were stolen, though. She might feel upset, and tell us to go back! And then what would Uncle Quentin and Professor Hayling say?’
‘I bet they’re having a wonderful time, arguing all day long, working out figures, and studying papers!’ said Julian. ‘And I’m pretty certain that Aunt Fanny will have to call them to a meal at least twenty times before they arrive at the table!’
Anne wrote the post-card and put on a stamp. ‘Now I’m ready,’ she said, standing up. Timmy ran to the top of the stairs, glad that everyone seemed to be on the move at last. He did so love a walk.
‘Darling Timmy,’ said George. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to be left behind to guard the light-house! You see, we haven’t a key - and we can’t jam the door from outside. So please, Timmy dear, stay behind - on guard. You know what that means, don’t you? ON
GUARD!
Timmy’s tail went right down. He gave a small whine. He did so hate being left out of anything - especially a walk. He pawed gently at George as if to say, ‘Do please change your mind.’
‘On guard, Timmy, now,’ said George. ‘The lighthouse is in your charge. Don’t let ANYONE in. You’d better lie on the mat just inside the entrance.’
Timmy ran slowly down behind Julian and the others, looking very mournful indeed. ‘Now lie there,’ said George, and gave him a pat on the head. ‘We’ll take you out again soon, and then one of us will stay to guard the light-house - but this time we all want to
go out. ON GUARD!’
Timmy lay down on the mat, and put his head on his paws, his big brown eyes looking up at George. ‘Dear old faithful,’ she said ruffling the hair on his head. ‘We won’t be very long!’
They slammed the door and went down the lighthouse steps. The tide was still out far enough for them to be able to wade over the rocks to the jetty. ‘We must be back before it’s well in,’ said Julian. ‘Or we’ll have to stay ashore till it’s out again. Our boat is tied to the light-house post, remember!’
They went for a stroll along the front and who should be there, sitting on a stone seat, but old Jeremiah Boogie, smoking his long pipe, staring solemnly out to sea.
‘Good-morning, Jeremiah,’ said Dick, politely. ‘I hope we bought the right tobacco for you from Tom.’
‘Oh aye,’ said Jeremiah, puffing out very strong-smelling smoke. ‘Hallo, little monkey - so you’ve come to my shoulder again, have you? Well, what’s the news from Monkey-Land?’
The others laughed as Mischief at once poured out a stream of monkey-chatter into the old man’s ear. ‘We thought we would go and see the caves today,’ said Julian. ‘Especially the old Wreckers’ Cave.’
‘Now don’t you let that Ebenezer take you round!’ said the old man, at once. ‘You won’t find Jacob there - oho - I know what’s happened to him. And serve him right. Never could keep his fingers to himself, that one! Ebenezer’s as bad. He could steal the buttons off your coat, and you’d never know! Now look - what about me showing you the caves? I know them inside out, and I can show you things that that rat of an Ebenezer doesn’t even know of.’
‘Well - we’d certainly much rather you took us, and not Ebenezer,’ said Julian. ‘Ebenezer may be feeling rather angry because we told the police about his brother stealing things. We’ll give you some more tobacco - I mean baccy - if you’ll guide us round.’
‘Well, let’s go now,’ said Jeremiah, getting up very spryly. ‘This way!’
And off they all went, Mischief too - the little monkey did Jeremiah the honour of sitting on his shoulder all the way down the village street. The old old man was delighted to see how everyone stared and laughed.
He took them round the foot of some very high cliffs. They came to a rocky beach farther along, and walked over it. ‘There’s the entrance,’ said the old man, pointing to a large hole in the cliff nearby. ‘That’s the way to the caves. Got a torch?’
‘Yes - we brought one each,’ said Julian, patting his pocket. ‘Do we have to pay to go in?’
‘No. People give Ebenezer a tip - five pence or so - if he shows them round - or Jacob, when he’s there,’ said Jeremiah. ‘I’ll deal with Ebby, though. Don’t you waste your money on that scoundrel!’
The hole in the cliff led to the first cave, which was a big one. Lighted lanterns hung here and there, but gave very little light.
‘Mind your step, now,’ warned Jeremiah. ‘It’s real slippery in places. This way - through this old arch.’
It was cold and damp in the cave, and the children had to go carefully, and avoid the puddles left by the sea. Then suddenly Jeremiah turned a corner and went in a completely different direction! Down and down and down they went!
‘Hey - we’re going towards the sea now surely?’ said Julian, in surprise. ‘Do the caves go under the sea, then? Not away back into the cliff?’
‘That’s right,’ said Jeremiah. ‘This is a real rocky coast - and the way we’re taking leads down a tunnel under the rocks, and then into the caves deep under ground. See the rocky roof over our heads - well, if you listen, you can hear the sea now, mumbling and grumbling over it - that roof is the bed of the sea!’
That was a very strange thought indeed, and rather alarming! Anne gazed fearfully up at the rocky roof overhead, and shone her torch on it, half-expecting to see a few cracks leaking salt-water from the sea rolling over the rocky roof! But no - there was a little moisture shining on it, and that was all.
‘Are we soon coming to the Wreckers’ Cave?’ asked George. ‘Mischief, stop making those noises. There’s nothing to be scared of!’
Mischief didn’t like this cold, dark strange walk underground, and had begun to make harsh frightened noises, and then suddenly gave a loud scared screech.
‘Don’t! You made me jump!’ said Anne. ‘Goodness - listen to the monkey’s screech echoing all along the tunnel and back! Sounds like a hundred monkeys chattering at once! Our voices echo too!’
Mischief was most alarmed to hear the enormous amount of screeches and chattering noises that now filled the tunnel. He began to cry almost like a baby, and clung to Tinker as if he would never let him go.