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

"A big wave probably caught it and it sank to the bottom," said Pip, solemnly. "That's the simplest explanation, Bets."

"Don't be so _silly_!" said Bets, quite worried over the vanished boat. "Fatty, I'd like to look at some of the other pictures too."

But before they could do that, dogs, who had been wandering happily about together, suddenly stood still and began to growl, their hackles rising on their necks. Fatty shushed everyone at once.

"Get back into the Armour Room, girls. Somebody's coming!" he whispered. "Buck up. You'll have to get down the trap-door quickly, and run for your lives! We shall be in real trouble if we're found here. Larry and Pip, look after the girls!"

The two girls shot off into the Armour Room with Pip and Larry, and were soon down the steps. They wanted to wait for Ern and Fatty, but Larry wouldn't let them. "You're in my charge now," he said. "Quickly now - get along underground!"

Fatty too went to the Armour Room with Ern, hoping there would be time for them both to slip down the hole. But there wasn't! He just managed to push the cauldron quickly over the trap-door and step back on to the hearth-rug.

Footsteps came to the door of the room and a voice snapped out. "Stand where you are! What's all this? How did you get in, you boys! Answer me at once!"



14 - PRISONERS - _NOW_ WHAT CAN BE DONE?


It was Mr Engler who stood there, shouting! He looked extremely angry, and his face was very red. Behind him stood the turnstile man, a sneering smile on his face. Buster flew at them, with Bingo behind him, and both dogs were kicked hard by the two men, and howled in pain.

"Call off these dogs, or I'll kill them," said Mr Engler, pulling a great sword from the wall, where it had been hanging.

"SIT, Buster, SIT, Bingo!" shouted Fatty, his heart cold with fear. To his enormous relief both dogs sat at once, growling savagely, their hackles still up. Thank goodness Buster had been trained to be instantly obedient, thought Fatty. Bingo, of course, had just copied Buster. How fierce they both looked, showing their teeth, longing to get at these two men who dared to shout at Fatty and Ern.

"Good thing they obey you," said Mr Engler, still holding the sword. "I like dogs, or I wouldn't give them a chance. Now explain your presence here, please. The door was locked - so I presume you came in through one of the windows. I saw that one was open when I came - the one on the first floor. Easy enough to climb up ivy, isn't it - easy to break into a place. You boys will have to explain all that when you come before the police!"

Fatty was thankful that the man thought they had broken in through an open window. He said nothing. He was certainly not going to explain about the trap-door in the hearth! If the man didn't know of it, well and good!

"Oh, don't take us to the police, sir," blurted out Ern, thinking of Goon's face, if he, Ern, were taken to the police station. "Please don't. We weren't doing any harm, reely we weren't. We were just looking round, like."

"I've seen these kids before, sir," said the turnstile man. "Cheeky lot they are, too. Six of them have been coming up - with these dogs. I _told_ them dogs weren't allowed. I was a bit afraid these kids might find out what we..."

"Shut up, Flint, you fool!" snapped Mr Engler, clearly afraid that he was about to say something he didn't want the boys to hear. "Go and begin to load the van. and be sharp about it. I'll deal with what's not ready, and you can fetch it later."

He turned to the two listening boys. "I'm afraid you are going to have a very poor week-end," he said. "I've decided _not_ to hand you over to the police - but to leave you all alone here, without food or drink for two or three days. Just to teach you what happens to lads who break into places! Oh, you needn't think you can get out of the window you so easily slipped in by! I shall tie you up and lock you in this room, and when I come back on Monday - or maybe Tuesday - I'll listen to your apologies and let you go - perhaps!"

"But, sir - our parents will be so worried," began Fatty. "We haven't done any harm. We apologize _now_. We do really. Don't we, Ern? "

"Ooooh yes," said Ern, fervently, a little surprised to hear Fatty talking in such a humble voice. Why, Fatty sounded _scared_! "First time I've ever seen him frightened," thought Ern.

"You can apologize when you next see me, and have had time to think what fools you have both been," said Mr Engler. The turnstile man grinned sarcastically. He was very, very glad to see that "cheeky fat boy" as he thought of him, standing there, caught so easily.

"Tie them up," said Mr Engler, to the turnstile man. "I'm going to see if Poussin is there. He's about due now."

Fatty wondered who Poussin was. It was a French name, so maybe it was the French artist. He stood waiting for the turnstile man to tie up him and Ern. "Got to go and get some rope, if you want me to tie them up," said the man, turning.

"No. Use those curtain cords," said Mr Englar. "I must go and see if Poussin has come. These boys are not to be left alone until their wrists are tied tightly, behind their backs! TIGHTLY, I said, Flint. And DON'T talk to them - else I'll talk to _you_! Do you hear me? "