"Blyton, Enid - Famous Five 21 - Five Are Together Again" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

‘Aunt Fanny - don’t worry. We’ll all turn to and help,’ called back Julian, cheerfully.
‘Dear Julian - you still don’t understand,’ said his aunt. ‘You see, neither your uncle nor I have had scarlet fever - so we are in quarantine, and mustn’t have anyone near us, in case we get it, and give it to them - and that might mean we’d give it to all you four.’
‘Would Timmy get it?’ asked George, still sniffing dolefully.
‘No, of course not. Don’t be silly, George,’ said her mother. ‘Did you ever hear of dogs getting measles or whooping-cough or any of our illnesses? Timmy isn’t in quarantine. You can get him out of his kennel as soon as you like.’
George’s face lighted up immediately, and she shot round the back of the house, yelling Timmy’s name. At once there came a volley of barks!
‘Aunt Fanny - what do you want us to do?’ asked Julian. ‘We can’t go to my home, because my people are still in Germany. Should we go to a hotel?’
‘No, dear, I’ll think of somewhere you can all go,’ said his aunt. ‘Good gracious, what a row Timmy is making! Poor Joan - she has such a splitting headache.’
‘Here’s the ambulance,’ cried Anne, as a big hospital van drew up outside the gate. Mrs Kirrin disappeared from the window at once to tell Joan. The ambulance man went up to the front door, his mate behind him carrying a stretcher. The four children watched in surprise. ‘He’s gone to fetch dear old Joan,’ said Julian. And sure enough the stretcher was soon carried out with Joan lying on it, wrapped round in blankets. She waved to the children as the men carried her out.
‘Soon be back!’ she said, in rather a croaky voice. ‘Help Mrs Kirrin if you can. So sorry about this!’
‘Poor Joan,’ said Anne, with tears in her eyes. ‘Get better quickly, Joan. We shall miss you so!’
The ambulance door closed and the van went off very smoothly and quietly.
‘Whatever shall we do?’ said Dick, turning to Julian. ‘Can’t go home - can’t stay here! Oh, here’s TIMMY! How are you, Tim, old thing? Thank goodness you can’t get scarlet fever. Don’t knock me over, old boy. Down! Gosh, what a licky dog you are!’
Timmy was the only one in high spirits. The others felt really down in the dumps. Oh dear - what was to be done? Where could they go? What a horrid beginning to a holiday! Down, Timmy, DOWN! What a dog! Anyone would think he had never even heard of scarlet fever! WILL you get down, Timmy!


Chapter Two

PLANS FOR THE FIVE

George was still looking upset. What with her fears that Timmy might be ill or hurt, and now her distress at Joan being carried off in the ambulance, she wasn’t much help to anyone.
‘Do stop. sniffing, George,’ said Anne. ‘We’ve just got to be sensible and think of some way out of this.’
‘I’m going to find Mother,’ said George. ‘I don’t care if she’s in quarantine or not.'
‘Oh no you’re not,’ said Julian, taking her firmly by the arm. ‘You jolly well know what quarantine means. When you had whooping-cough you weren’t allowed to come near any of us, in case we caught it too. You were infectious, and that meant that you didn’t have close contact with anybody for at least a few weeks. I think it’s only two weeks for scarlet fever, so it won’t be too bad.’
George went on sniffing, trying to pull away from Julian’s hand. Julian winked at Dick, and said something that made George pull herself together at once.
‘Well, REALLY, George!’ he said. ‘You’re acting just like a weepy girl. Poor Georgina! Poor little old Georgina!’
George stopped sniffing immediately and glared at Julian in fury. If there was one thing she really hated it was to be told she was acting like a silly girl! And how awful to be called by her real name, Georgina! She gave Julian a hefty punch, and he grinned at her, warding her off.
‘That’s better,’ he said. ‘Cheer up! Just look at Timmy staring at you in amazement. He’s hardly ever heard you crying before.’
‘I’m NOT crying!’ said George. ‘I’m - well, I’m upset about Joan. And it’s awful to have nowhere to go.’
‘I can hear Aunt Fanny telephoning,’ said Anne, who had very sharp ears. She fondled Timmy’s head, and he licked her hand. He had already given everyone a wonderful welcome, whining with pleasure, and licking lavishly. He had been mad with joy to see George again, and was surprised and sad to find her looking so miserable now. Dear Timmy - he certainly belonged to the Five!
‘Let’s sit down and wait for Aunt Fanny,’ said Julian, settling himself on the grass. ‘We look a bit silly standing staring at Kirrin Cottage like this. Aunt Fanny will come to the window in a minute. She is sure to have thought of a good idea for us. TIMMY! I shan’t stay sitting down for long if you keep licking my neck like that. I shall send you for a towel in a minute, so that I can wipe it dry!’
The little joke made everyone feel better. They were all sitting on the grass now, and Timmy went lovingly from one to the other. All his family back again - it was too good to be true! He settled down at last, his head on George’s knee, George’s hand caressing his ears.
‘Aunt Fanny’s put down the telephone,’ said Anne. ‘Now she’ll come to the window.’
‘You’ve got ears like a dog - just as good as Timmy’s,’ said Dick. ‘I couldn’t hear a thing!’
‘Here’s Mother!’ said George, and leapt to her feet as Mrs Kirrin came to the window and leaned out.
‘It’s all right, dears,’ she called. ‘I’ve been able to arrange something for you. I have been telephoning the scientist that your father has been working with, George - Professor Hayling. He was coming here for a day or two, and when I told him he couldn’t because we’re in quarantine, he at once said that you must all go there - and that Tinker, his son - you remember him, don’t you - would be delighted to have your company!’
‘Tinker! Goodness, yes, I shall never forget him - or his monkey either!’ said Julian. ‘He’s the boy who owns that old lighthouse at Demon’s Rocks, isn’t he? We went to stay there with him, and had a marvellous time.’
‘Well - you’re not staying at the lighthouse, I’m afraid,’ said his aunt, from the window. ‘Apparently a storm blew up one night and damaged it, and it’s not safe to live in any more.’
Groans from all the Five, of course, Timmy joining in as usual! ‘Where are we to go then? To Tinker’s home?’ asked Dick.
‘Yes. You can get a bus from here, at Little Hollow, that will take you almost to Big Hollow, where Professor Hayling lives,’ said Aunt Fanny. ‘You’re to go today. I’m so very sorry about this, dears, but it’s just one of those things we have to put up with. I’m sure you’ll have a good time with Tinker, and that monkey of his. What was it called now?’
‘Mischief,’ said everyone together, and Anne smiled in delight to think of being with the naughty little creature, and watching its wicked ways.
‘The bus will pass in ten minutes,’ said her aunt. ‘Julian, if you can’t manage to get your things on the bus, ask the gardener over the way to help you. And have a good time, dears, and send me a card or two. I’ll let you know how we get on - but I really don’t think that either your uncle or I will catch scarlet fever, so don’t worry. And I’ll send you some money to spend. You’d better run for the bus now.’
‘Right, Aunt Fanny, and thank you!’ called Julian. ‘I’ll look after everyone and keep them in order - especially old George. Don’t worry at all - and I DO hope you or uncle don’t go down with the fever. Good-bye.’
They all went to the front gate where the luggage still stood. ‘Anne, go out into the road and stop the bus when it comes,’ ordered Julian. ‘Then Dick and I will heave our bags aboard. Gosh, I wonder what it will be like with old Tinker at Big Hollow. I’ve a feeling it might be rather exciting!’
‘I don’t think so,’ said George, mournfully. ‘I like Tinker all right - he’s funny - and that little monkey is a darling - such a naughty little thing too. But oh dear, don’t you remember what it was like when Tinker’s father came to stay with us? It was awful! He never remembered to come to meals, and was always losing his coat or his hanky or his money, and losing his temper too. I got very tired of him.’
‘Well, he’ll probably get very tired of us!’ said Julian. ‘He won’t find it very funny to have four kids parked on him, especially if he’s in the middle of difficult work - to say nothing of a rather large, licky dog leaping round the house as well.’
‘Timmy isn’t likely to lick him,’ said George, at once, and put on one of her scowls. ‘I didn’t like Tinker’s father at all.’
‘Well, don’t look like a thunderstorm,’ said Julian. ‘I don’t expect he’ll like any of us either. But it’s decent of him to give us an invitation to stay at Big Hollow, and we’re jolly well going to behave ourselves, see? There’s to be no back-chat from you, George - even if he dares to disapprove of Timmy!’
‘He’d better not,’ said George. ‘In fact, I’ve a good mind not to go. I think I’ll live in the summer-house with Timmy, at the bottom of the garden!’
‘You will NOT!’ said Julian, taking firm hold of her arm. ‘You’ll play fair, come with us, and behave properly! Listen, there’s the bus. Come on, we’ll all wave, and hope the driver has a few empty seats.’
Anne had already stopped the bus, and run round to the back of it to ask the conductor if he could help with the bags. He knew the children very well, and leapt down at once.