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

‘I know I haven’t - but all the same I can drive!’ said Tinker. ‘I’ve driven my father’s car round and round our garden, see? And...’
‘Oh do shut up,’ said Dick. ‘You and your pretend cars! Julian, when shall we go to his light-house?’
‘Well, why not tomorrow morning?’ said Julian. ‘I’m sure everyone would be glad if we left as soon as possible! It’s hard on Aunt Fanny and Joan to have so many here. We’ll see about a car and someone to drive us, and then we’ll pack and make our getaway!’
‘Hurray’ said George in delight, and pounded on the table, making Mischief leap up to the top of a bookcase in fright. ‘Oh, sorry, Mischief - did I scare you? Timmy tell him I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. He probably understands your doggy language.’
Timmy looked up at Mischief, gave two little whines and a comforting wuff. Mischief listened with his head on one side, and then leapt down, landing neatly on Timmy’s back.
‘Thanks for giving him my messsage, Tim,’ said George, and everyone laughed. Good old Timmy! He wagged his long tail and put his head on George’s knee, looking up at her beseechingly.
‘All right old thing - I understand your language, whether you talk with your voice or your eyes,’ said George, patting him. ‘You want a walk, don’t you?’
‘Woof!’ said Timmy joyfully, and tore to the door.
‘Let’s walk down to the garage and see if they have a car or a van to hire out to us,’ said Julian. ‘We’ll have to have a driver too, because someone has to take back the car. Come on, Timmy-dog!’
They all set off to the garage in the village. The rain held off for a while, and the sun came out, making Kirrin Bay sparkle and shine.
‘I wish we could have gone to stay on my island,’ said George. ‘But it really is too damp to camp out. Anyway, a light-house will be nice for a change!’
The man at the garage listened to Julian’s tale of wanting a car to go to the light-house. ‘It’s the old light-house at Demon’s Rocks, not the new one at High Cliffs,’ he said. ‘We’re going to stay there.’
‘Stay at a light-house!’ said the man. ‘This isn’t a joke is it!’
‘No. It happens to belong to one of us,’ said Julian. ‘We have a few things to take there, of course, and we hoped you’d have a car and a driver tomorrow for us. We’d let you know somehow when we are ready to come back from the light-house, and you can send the same car for us then.’
‘Right,’ said the man. ‘And you’re staying at Kirrin Cottage now, you say? Oh - your uncle is Mr Kirrin? Well, I know Master George here, of course - but I wasn’t certain who you were. Some queer people order cars, you know!’
George was pleased to be called Master George. It was nice to be thought a boy. She dug her hands deep down in the pockets of her jeans.
‘We’d better take a few rugs and cushions,’ said Julian. ‘And some sweaters and wind-cheaters. I can’t imagine it’s very warm in the light-house.’
‘There’s an oil-heater there,’ said Tinker. ‘I think it was for the light-house lamp when it was in use. We can use that for warmth, if we’re cold.’
‘What sort of stores did you and your father leave there?’ asked Dick. ‘We’d better order some foodstuffs at the grocer’s - and some ginger-beer or something - and take it all in the car.’
‘Well - there’s plenty of tinned food, I think,’ said Tinker, trying to remember. ‘We left it there in case my father wanted to come back at any time and work again in peace and quiet.’
‘Hm. It’s a pity he didn’t fix up with Uncle Quentin to have him there with him,’ said Julian. ‘Then everyone would have been happy!’
They went to the grocer’s and Anne tried her best to order what she thought they would need, outside of tinned food. ‘Sugar - butter - eggs - oh dear - help me, George. How much shall I order?’
‘Don’t forget we can go shopping in Demon’s Rocks village,’ said Tinker. ‘Only it’s a bit of a nuisance if there’s windy weather - the path over the rocks isn’t very safe then. We might have to stay in the lighthouse for a day or two without leaving it. Even a boat might be too risky.’
‘It sounds thrilling!’ said George, picturing them all marooned by fierce storms, waiting to be rescued from peril and starvation! ‘Get some biscuits, Anne. And bars of chocolate. And lots of ginger-beer. And a big bottle of lemonade. And a...’
‘Wait a minute - do you know who’s paying for all this?’ said Julian. ‘I am. So don’t ruin me completely!’ He took out his wallet. ‘Here’s a pound,’ he said. ‘That’s all I can spare at present! Dick can buy the next lot of food we want!’
‘Well, I’ve plenty of money too,’ said Tinker, taking out a handful from his pocket.
‘You would have!’ said George. ‘I suppose your father just hands out money whenever you ask him. He’s so vague he wouldn’t know if he paid you three times a day!’
‘Well, yours seems pretty vague too,’ said Tinker, smartly. ‘He poured the coffee over his porridge this morning, instead of the milk. I saw him. And what’s more, he ate it without even noticing it was coffee!’
‘That’s enough,’ said Julian. ‘We don’t tell tales about our parents in public. Tinker, don’t you want to take anything for Mischief to eat while we’re in the light-house? George has bought biscuits for Timmy, and we’re going to lay in a supply of bones, too.’
‘I’ll buy Mischief’s food myself, thank you,’ said Tinker, not very pleased at being ticked off by Julian. He gave an order for a packet of raisins, a packet of currants, a pound of apple rings and some oranges. Mischief eyed all these with very great pleasure.
‘Paw’s off!’ said George, sharply, as the little monkey slyly slid his paw into the bag of biscuits put ready for Timmy. Mischief jumped on to Tinker’s shoulder and hid his face in his tiny paws, as if he were ashamed!
‘We’ll just buy some more fruit,’ said Julian, ‘and then I think we’ll have enough. We’ll have it all sent to the garage, and put in the car ready to take away tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow!’ said George, her eyes shining. ‘Oh, I hope it comes soon. I can’t wait for it!’


Chapter Seven

OFF AT LAST

It was very exciting that evening to talk about the next day - the car coming to fetch them - the drive round the coast to Demon’s Rocks - exploring the lighthouse - looking out over the endless sea, and watching the great waves coming in to pound on the rocks!
‘What I’m looking forward to is our first night there,’ said George. ‘All alone, high up in that old light-house! Nothing but wind and waves around! Snuggling down in our rugs, and waking up to hear the wind and waves again.’
‘And the gulls,’ put in Tinker. ‘They cry all the time. You can watch them from the light-house top. I wish I had wings like a gull - spread out wide - sitting on the wind as they glide!’
‘Sitting on the wind - yes, that’s exactly what they do!’ said Anne. ‘I just wish their cry didn’t sound so mournful, though.’
Mrs Kirrin was half-inclined not to let the children go after all! The weather forecast was bad, and she pictured them sitting half-frozen, and perhaps very scared, in the old deserted light-house. But no sooner did she begin to wonder out loud if she ought to let them go than the children raised their voices in indignant chorus!
‘But we’ve ordered the CAR!’
‘And heaps of food! And Joan has packed up a big tin of all kinds of things. She even baked a special cake for us!’
‘Mother! How could you think of saying no when you’ve already said yes!’
‘All right, all right, dears!’ said Mrs Kirrin. ‘I wouldn’t really stop you going. But do send me a card or two, will you? That’s if there’s anywhere to post one!’
‘Oh, there’s a tiny post-office in the village,’ said Tinker. ‘We’ll send a card every day. Then you’ll know we’re all right.’
‘Very well - but if a card doesn’t come I’ll be very worried,’ said Mrs Kirrin. ‘So please do keep your word! You won’t forget your anoraks will you - and your rubber boots, and...?’