"Blyton, Enid - The Five Find-Outers 15 - The Mystery of Banshee Towers 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

"I've got it. Here it is!" And he held up a shilling in triumph.

"Thanks," said Fatty, and held out his hand. But the man laughed in his face, and slipped the coin into his trouser pocket, "Finding's keeping," he said. "Now you go off, all of you. You've been here long enough. And how did those dogs get in? You ought to pay for them, you did."

"Oh, aren't they _your_ dogs?" said Ern, in such a surprised voice that Bets had to put her hand over her mouth to stop a laugh escaping.

"My dogs! I should think not. I can't bear them!" said the man, and made as if he were going to kick Buster. Buster growled and showed his teeth and the man backed hurriedly away. "Go on, now - you clear out," he said. "Thursday's my afternoon off, and I want a bit of peace!"

And, very thankfully, the children did clear out, and went to fetch their bicycles, the dogs gambolling round.

"What a bit of luck a shilling had been dropped in that hearth sometime, by somebody," said Ern, as they all mounted.

"Dear Ern - I dropped it there _myself_," grinned Fatty. "I knew if that fellow found it, as I meant him to, he wouldn't worry about the trap-door any more! Come on now, home, everyone. Home, Buster! Bingo! HOME!"



9 - HOME AGAIN - AND A GOOD LONG TALK


"Well - that was a rather surprising expedition!" said Fatty, when they were well away from Banshee Towers. "I feel we have quite a lot to think about. The wailing of the banshee - I don't mean _my_ wailing, of course, that wasn't a patch on the old banshee's - my word, _she_ could wail all right!"

"Don't remind me of it," said Bets, with a shudder. "I just want to put Banshee Towers behind me and ride away home down this hill, as quickly as I can!"

"And then there was that queer trap-door in the hearth," said Larry. "And the puzzle of how on earth the dogs arrived underneath it."

"And _I_ didn't like the look of that turnstile man at all," announced Daisy. "I thought he looked a villain."

"Oh, not as bad as _that_," said Pip. "He just looked bored and bad-tempered - and I must say I would too, if I had a turnstile job on the top of a cold hill in a place where banshees wailed!"

"I'd like to get home and talk about it," said Larry. "I don't know what _you_ think, Fatty, but it all seems pretty queer to me."

"A bit of a mystery, you mean?" said Fatty. "Well - it's about time that the Five Find-Outers had a good juicy mystery to solve, isn't it?"

"Oh _yes_!" said Pip, in delight. "We've never had one with banshees in before."

"Well, I could do without banshees, really," said Bets. "What about telling the Chief Inspector - you know, Inspector Jenks - he might..."

"Bets, we really _can't_ tell him silly stories of banshees," said Fatty. "They don't _really_ exist, you know. They..."

"All right - well, what _was_ it that we heard this afternoon?" said Bets. "I don't care what its name is, it was as bad and weird and horrible as any banshee, so there!"

"You're right, Bets. It was pretty awful," said Pip. "I didn't like it myself. Real or unreal, that banshee is MOST mysterious. Look out, now, we're coming to a very steep bit. Go as slowly as you can all the way, in case your brakes are weak."

Away down the hill they sailed in a long line, the the two dogs galloping manfully - or "dogfully" as Bets said - after them. What a day they had had - and how they all longed to be down in Fatty's workroom and talk about it - and make plans to solve yet another Mystery! Bets shivered with excitement. There always seemed to be a mystery of some sort when Fatty was around!

Everyone was glad to be in Fatty's cosy workroom, especially the two dogs, who were quite tired out with their long run. Buster flopped down in his basket, panting, and Bingo fell on top of him, too tired to play. In half a second they were sound asleep.

"One great basketful of dogs," said Bets, smiling. "I'm glad they're such friends."