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

‘Go faster, Tim, go faster! You’re a very fine horse! You’d easily win the Derby! Go on gallop!’
‘I don’t want Timmy to give rides to the monkey,’ said George. ‘Stop it, Timmy! You look silly.’
The monkey suddenly leaned forward and hugged Timmy round the neck. Then he slid off and looked at George as if to say, ‘All right! I won’t make your dog look silly!’
Timmy knew that George was cross and he went to lie down on the rug. At once Mischief came sidling across to him, and settled himself between Timmy’s big front paws, cuddling there without fear. Timmy bent his big head and licked him very gently.
Tears came suddenly to Joan’s eyes. That Timmy! He was just about the nicest dog in the whole world.
‘See that!’ she said to George. ‘Big-hearted and kind that dog of yours is! Don’t you scold him now for being great enough to make friends with a little creature who stole his bone!’
‘I’m not going to scold him!’ said George, astonished and proud. ‘He’s a marvel - the best dog in the Kingdom! Aren’t you, Timmy darling?’
And she went over to Timmy and stroked his big soft head. He whined lovingly and licked her, looking up as if to say, ‘Well, everything’s all right now - we’re all friends!’
Tinker had been watching from a corner of the kitchen, saying nothing. He was rather afraid of George and her quick temper. He was delighted when he saw her go over and pat Timmy, without even disturbing the monkey. In his joy he began to honk like a lorry, and startled everyone so much that they yelled at him.
‘Stop it, Tinker!’
‘Be quiet, you little nuisance!’
‘Woof!’ That was from Timmy.
‘You’ll have Mr Kirrin in here if you honk like that,’ said Joan. ‘Can’t you be something quiet for a change - a bicycle, for instance?’
Tinker thought that was quite a good idea. He ran round the kitchen and out into the hall, making a hissing noise like the sound of a bicycle’s wheels on the road. Then he decided to make a noise like a bicycle bell, and produced a very loud ringing noise indeed! It was so like the ringing of a bell that Mrs Kirrin ran out of the living-room, thinking there was someone at the front door!
Then the study door flew open and out came Mr Kirrin and Tinker’s father. Poor Tinker was caught and his father shook him so hard that two pencils shot out of his pocket and rolled over the floor.
Tinker began to yell - and how he could yell! George came out of the kitchen to see what was happening, and Dick, Julian and Anne raced down the stairs. Joan rushed out into the hall, too, and almost sent Mr Kirrin flying.
Then George did a very silly thing. She began to laugh - and when George laughed properly, her laugh was wonderful to hear! But neither Mr Kirrin nor Professor Hayling thought it wonderful - they merely thought it rude! George was laughing at them - and that wouldn’t do at all!
‘This is absolutely the last straw!’ shouted Mr Kirrin, his face red with rage. ‘First this boy ringing bells all over the place - and George encouraging him by laughing! I won’t have it! Don’t you know that very very important work is going on here, in Kirrin Cottage - work that may bring great benefits to the world! Fanny, send these children away somewhere. I won’t have them in the house, disturbing us when we are doing such important work. Do you hear? SEND THEM AWAY! And that’s my LAST word!’
And he and the Professor stalked back to the study and banged the door. WELL! Now what was to be done?


Chapter Four

TINKER HAS A WONDERFUL IDEA

Mrs Kirrin had appeared during the row, and sighed when she heard her husband shouting. Oh dear dear - these scientists who liked to do wonderful things for the world - and yet often made their own families unhappy! She smiled at George’s angry face, and took her arm.
‘Come into the living-room, dear, and bring the others with you. We’ll have to decide what can be done. Your father really is doing wonderful work, you know - and I must say that Tinker and Mischief and Timmy don’t help very much! All right, all right, George - I know it isn’t Timmy’s fault - but he does have a very loud bark, you know!’
She took the five children and Timmy into the living room. The monkey, scared at the shouting had gone into hiding and was nowhere to be seen. Mrs Kirrin called to Joan.
‘Joan - come and help us to discuss what’s to be done. This kind of thing can’t go on.’
They all sat down, looking rather solemn. Timmy flopped down under the table, and put his nose on his paws. Where was that little monkey who had given him his biscuit?
The discussion began. George spoke first, most indignantly.
‘Mother, this is our home. Why do we have to go away just because Father wants this scientist friend to stay with him? I have to do holiday homework, and I don’t make a row every time Father bangs a door when I’m studying. But if I so much as...’
‘That will do, George,’ said her mother. ‘You ought to understand your father better than you seem to. You are both exactly the same - impatient, short-tempered, bangers-of-doors, and yet both so kind too! Now - let’s see if we can find a way out.’
‘I only wish we could stay at my home,’ said Julian, feeling awkward. ‘But it’s all shut up now that my parents have gone away.’
‘Can’t we take tents over to Kirrin Island?’ said George. ‘Yes, Mother, yes - I know what you’re going to say - it’s only the beginning of April, and it’s far too cold and all the rest of it, and...’
‘The forecast for the weather is very bad,’ said her mother. ‘Rain, rain, nothing but rain. You can’t possibly go and camp in the pouring rain - and row to and fro getting drenched each day - I’d have you all in bed with bronchitis before three days had gone - and then what should we do!’
‘All right, Mother - have you any good suggestions?’ said George, still cross.
‘Hey - what’s that monkey doing?’ said Dick, suddenly. ‘Stop him!’
‘He’s only poking the fire,’ said Tinker. ‘He thinks it’s cold in here.’
‘Well, what next!’ said Joan, and took the poker firmly from the monkey’s little paw. ‘Do you want to set the house on fire, you - you little...’
‘Monkey!’ finished Dick, with a grin. ‘I must say that Mischief is always up to mischief! Can’t keep your eye off him for a moment!’
‘Well, now - if we can’t go to Kirrin Island, or back home, or stay here - where can we go?’ said Julian, looking serious. ‘Hotels are too expensive - and which of our friends would like to have five of us to stay, plus a wicked little monkey and a big dog with an enormous appetite ?’
There was a silence. What a problem! Then suddenly Tinker spoke up.
‘I know where we could go - and we’d jolly well have some fun, too!’ he said.
‘Oh - and where is this wonderful place?’ asked George disbelievingly.
‘Well - I was thinking of my light-house,’ said Tinker most surprisingly. And then, as no one said anything, but merely stared at him in astonishment, he nodded at them. ‘I said my light-house - don’t you know what a light-house is?’
‘Don’t be silly, please,’ said Dick. ‘This is not time for jokes.’
‘It’s not a joke,’ said Tinker, indignantly. ‘It’s perfectly true. You ask my father.’
‘But Tinker dear - you can’t possibly own a lighthouse,’ said Mrs Kirrin, smiling.
‘Well, I do,’ said Tinker, quite fiercely. ‘You see, my father had some very special work to do, that couldn’t be done on land - so he bought an old empty lighthouse, and did his work there. I went to stay with him - my, it was grand there, with the wind and the waves crashing about all the time.’