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

And with that, out went the Inspector, murmuring something to himself. "Let's see now - my car's number is VGF - and Fatty said it stood for Very Good Fellow. Hm - I just wonder what _else_ Fatty makes those letters stand for, when I'm _out_ of favour. He's certainly worth watching, is Master Frederick Trotteville!"



18 - YOU _NEVER_ KNOW WHAT OLD FATTY IS UP TO!


Mr Goon was amazed to hear what Inspector Jenks had to say. He simply couldn't believe his ears.

"All those pictures copied, and the originals _sold_! That fellow Engler must have made a fortune. And you say Ern - ERN, my nephew, was the one that spotted the first clue! I'd never have thought it of Ern, never."

"Well, Goon, I shouldn't be surprised if your nephew doesn't make a very fine police-officer in some years' time," said Inspector Jenks, briskly. "It's a pity you scared him so much, and he ran away. He might have been of some use to you."

"Yes, sir. I sort of lost my temper," said Mr Goon. "I'd like him back, sir. If he's going to be as brainy as you think he is, well, I wouldn't mind teaching him a few things myself, sir, that might be useful to him later on."

"_That's_ the way to talk. Goon," said the Chief, getting up, and clapping the policeman on the back. "Youngsters nowadays have some fine stuff in them, you know. As for that boy Frederick Trotteville - well, I pity all the rogues and swindlers and thieves in a few years' time. Once Frederick gets those brains of his to work, they won't have a chance!"

"I think I'll go down to the Trottevilles' house, and have a word with Ern," said Goon, getting up. "His mother's been after me about him, when she heard he wasn't here. Downright angry she was - not with Ern, but with _me_. Just like her sauce!"

"Ah, you just tell her how clever Ern has been - that will smooth her down," said the Inspector. "Well, good-bye, Goon. I'll let you know when we catch those swindlers. You'll have Ern back, of course, and no hard words said on either side. And by the way, what a VERY nice, well-behaved dog he has, hasn't he! Even SITS when he's told. I'm sure you'll enjoy having Bingo back, too, Goon!"

He departed, leaving Mr Goon feeling rather like a pricked balloon, with the air slowly departing from him. Well, he'd better go down and see those "Find-Outers" as they called themselves. Silly name - but no doubt about it, somehow or other they _did_ solve mysteries, and find out extraordinary clues.

"Maybe it's silly of me to go against them," thought Goon, frowning. "Be better if I was more friendly, like, then they'd tell me things. That Ern now - whoever would have thought he had a brain in his head? I can't believe it!"

He set off on his bicycle to ride to Fatty's house, keeping a sharp look-out for dogs. It was a curious thing, but as soon as dogs saw Mr Goon riding majestically down the road on his old bicycle, they seemed to have but one thought in their doggy minds, and that was to race out into the road at top speed, barking at the top of their voices, and leap at poor Mr Goon's ankles, as his feet went up and down on the pedals.

Down in the shed no one guessed that Mr Goon was coming. They were all talking about their adventures in Banshee Towers. "THE most exciting part was where we set off the wailing banshee machinery," said Larry. "My word, that was a clever stunt of Mr Engler's, wasn't it!"

"I _wish_ we had that machinery here," said Fatty. "What a shock everyone would get in the middle of the night!"

"Well, if you particularly _want_ to give your neighbours a shock, _you_ don't need banshee machinery!" said Pip, giving Fatty a friendly punch. "All you need is your own frightful wail - you're as good as any banshee, Fatty. My word, when you wailed in that Armour Room, the first day we were there, I nearly died of fright!"

"There's only one part of the Mystery we didn't solve," said Larry. "And that was why the banshee apparently chose Thursday for its weekly wail. Why Thursday?"

"Well, apparently there really _wasn't_ any mystery about that," said Fatty. "And I needn't have bothered my head over it. Thursday is the turnstile man's half-day off - so he used to set the machinery going to clear everyone away early! Then he'd be able to shut up the place and get off in good time. And I've no doubt that the French artist used to do a bit of packing up then - carefully putting the pictures into those lead pipes, ready for collection."

"Sh! Someone's coming." said Bets. "Oh, Fatty -it's Mr Goon. Whatever is _he_ here for?"

"To complain about me 'harbouring' Ern, I suppose," said Fatty, hurrying to the window at the back of the shed. "Look, I'm not seeing him this morning. I might be a bit rude if he starts saying anything nasty about old Ern. Now you others tell him that Ern's been marvellous, and that even the banshee must have been pretty scared of Ern, and..."

"Bang-bang!" That was Mr Goon knocking at the shed door.

Fatty immediately leapt out of the window with Buster. "If you have any trouble with Goon, don't let it worry you," he said, popping his head through the window. "I'll be listening out here, and I'll come to your help at once."

Larry then opened the door, and there stood Mr Goon, not looking nearly so fierce as usual. He stepped in, and to everyone's immense astonishment, smiled and nodded.

"Good morning, Mr Goon," said Bets, politely. The others muttered a greeting too.