"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 20 - Five Have a Mystery to Solve" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

‘Never mind, Wilfrid,’ said Anne, feeling sorry for the boy, who really did look rather shaken. ‘Now go on, tell us everything that happened.’
Wilfrid sat down. He was still trembling a little. Everything seemed to have happened at once. He began to tell the others about the Wailing Cliffs, and all he had seen.
They all listened with intense interest. ‘So that’s the other way to the underground treasure-chamber - through a passage in the clips!’ said Julian. ‘I never thought of that! My word, that’s something to know. I vote we go and explore the cliffs ourselves, when there’s nobody about.’
‘Well, it had better be in the evening,’ said Wilfrid. ‘Just in case we were spotted climbing down the cliffs to find the passage - if there is one, and I think there must be! Those men might be on the watch, now they know there’s someone on the island. I bet they guess I’m not the only one - even though I told them I came alone.’
‘I vote we have something to eat,’ said George. ‘We can talk over everything then. It’s ages since we had a meal. Let’s go and open some more tins, and plan what we’re going to do tonight. This is getting too exciting for words. Isn’t it, Timmy?’
‘Woof,’ agreed Timmy. Too exciting, he thought. Yes - and dangerous, too. He’d keep close to George that evening, as close as ever he could! If she went into danger, Timmy would be close by her side!


Chapter Fifteen
JULIAN HAS AN EXCITING PLAN

The five children talked and talked, as they opened more tins and had a most peculiar meal of ham spread with fruit salad and beans. They finished up with another barley sugar each. George gave hers to Timmy who disposed of it with a crick-crack-swallow!
‘Have we all got torches?’ asked Julian. ‘I know it will be bright moonlight tonight, but as we shall presumably be getting down - or up - dark caves, we shall want torches.’
Yes - they each had a torch. Wilfrid, for some reason, had two, rather small, but quite efficient.
‘What’s the plan going to be, Ju?’ asked George, and Timmy gave a little whine, as if to say, ‘Yes, tell us.’ He sat by George, listening earnestly, with Wilfrid on the other side of him. At times he sniffed at the baby hedgehog still in the boy’s pocket, and apparently quite happy there. Wilfrid had been busy catching insects for it, much to Timmy’s interest.
‘I propose that we go to the cliffs - the Wailing Cliffs - as soon as it’s twilight, and make our way down,’ said Julian. ‘There is probably some kind of pathway down, I should think - even if only a rabbit-path. I’ll lead the way down, of course. Anne and Wilfrid are to come between me and Dick, with George and Timmy behind.’
‘Right!’ said everyone.
‘We are, of course, to make as little noise as possible,’ said Julian. ‘And do try not to send stones hurtling down the path or cliff just in case anyone’s about! When we get down to the rocks, we’ll let Wilfrid go ahead, because he saw where the men went in and out earlier on.’
Wilfrid felt suddenly important. My word - it was like planning an exploration! He suddenly remembered something - the wailing noise.
‘I hope the girls won’t be scared when they hear the awful wailing noise,’ he said. ‘It’s only the wind screaming in and out of the holes and corners of the great cliffs.’
George made a scornful noise. ‘Who’s scared of the wind!’ she said.
‘Timmy might be,’ said Julian, smiling. ‘We know what makes the wailing. He doesn’t! You may have to hold him when it begins, George. He’ll be a bit restive.’
‘He won’t!’ said George. ‘Timmy’s not afraid of anything in the world!’
‘Oh yes, he is,’ said Dick, at once. ‘I know something that scares him dreadfully - makes him put his tail down and flop his ears.’
‘You do not!’ said George, angrily.
‘Well, haven’t you seen him when you speak sharply to him?’ said Dick, with a chuckle. ‘He goes all shaky in the legs!’
Everyone laughed except George. ‘He does not,’ she said. ‘Nothing scares Timmy, not even me. So shut up, Dick.’
‘It may be that it would be best for only one or two of us to go right into the depths of the caves,’ went on Julian. ‘If so, the rest must wait in hiding. Just keep on the look-out for any signal from me. I don’t expect we shall see a soul down there tonight, but you never know. If there is a way through the cliffs to that underground chamber where we saw the golden statues, we shall be in real luck. We shall then be absolutely certain how things can be taken in and out.’
‘Taken in? But I thought they had been there for ages,’ said Dick, ‘and were probably only taken out to sell. Smuggled out.’
‘Well, I think it may be more than that,’ said Julian. ‘It might even be a central clearing-ground for a great gang of high-class thieves, who would hide valuable stolen goods there till it was safe to sell them. However, that’s only guessing!’
‘I think somebody’s discovered the underground chamber, full of that rich old man’s treasures, and is taking them out bit by bit,’ said Dick. ‘Anyway, whatever it is, it’s awfully exciting. To think we know so much!’
‘All because we went down the well to get some water!’ said Anne.
‘Put on your sweaters,’ said Julian. ‘It may be freezing cold in the wind that rages round those cliffs!’
‘I’m longing to start!’ said George. ‘It’s an adventure, this - do you hear that, Timmy? An adventure!’
‘Anything more, Julian?’ asked Anne. Julian always sounded so very grown-up when he gave them a plan of campaign. She felt very proud of him.
‘That’s the lot,’ said Julian, ‘except that we’ll have some sort of a meal before we go this evening. Wilfrid will have to lead the way for us, as he’s the only one who knows it - but when we come to the cliff, I’ll lead you down. Can’t have anyone missing a footstep and rolling headlong, frightening any robber or smuggler!’
‘Do you hear that, Timmy?’ said George, and Timmy whined, and put a paw on George’s knee as if to say: ‘It’s a pity you haven’t sure feet like mine, with rubber pads beneath, so that your footing is always sure!’
George patted his paw. ‘Yes - you’ve fine sure feet, Tim. I wish I could buy some like them!’
The time seemed to go very very slowly after that. Everyone was eager to start, and kept looking at their watches! The sun left a bright glow in the sky, so they would probably start more or less in daylight, which would, however, soon fade into twilight.
They had another meal, but strangely enough, nobody felt very hungry! ‘We’re too excited!’ said Julian, giving Timmy a biscuit. Timmy was the only one who didn’t seem at all excited. As for George, she fidgeted and fidgeted until everyone was quite tired of her!
At last they started off. Wilfrid led them at first, as he knew the way. Actually he found that he didn’t really know it - it was the loud wind that guided him, just as it had done before. ‘Awfully like far-off voices shouting to one another,’ he said, and everyone at once agreed.
When they came near to the cliff, the sound gradually changed into the mournful wailing noise that gave the cliffs their name. ‘EEEE-ee-OOOOO-oo-EEEEEEEEAH-OOO!’
‘Not very nice,’ said Anne, shivering a little. ‘It sounds as if someone is crying and sobbing and howling!’
‘Good name for this place - Wailing Cliff’ said Dick. ‘I say - what a wind up here! I’m glad my hair’s my own! It would certainly be blown off if it weren’t! Hang on to old Timmy, George - he’s more blowable than we are - not so heavy!’
George put her hand on Timmy’s collar at once. How DREADFUL if Timmy were to be blown over the cliff! He gave her a grateful lick. He didn’t like the wind here very much - it had a truly miserable voice!
They came to the edge of the cliff and looked down cautiously, in case anyone should be on the rocks below. But, except for some big gulls preening their feathers there, there was no sign of life.
‘No boats about - no steamer - nothing,’ said Dick. ‘All clear, Julian!’
Julian had been looking for a good path down the cliff. There didn’t seem to be a continuous one. ‘We’ll have to go so far - then climb down a bit - then walk along that ledgy bit, see - then climb down that slanting rock - the great big one - and get down on to the more level rocks. OK everyone?’
‘I’ll let Timmy go first,’ said George. ‘He is so sure-footed and will know the best way. Go on, Timmy - lead us down!’
Timmy understood at once and went in front of Julian. He took the first little path down the cliff, slid down the next bit, walked along the ledge that Julian had pointed out, and then stood and waited for everyone. He gave a little bark as if to say, ‘Come along. It’s easy! Follow me!’