Blyton, Enid – Famous Five 14 – Five Have Plenty of Fun

‘Yes,’ said Julian. ‘She lives with your cousin now, doesn’t she?’

‘She does,’ said Joan. ‘And my cousin would have Berta straightaway if she knew about this. She lives in a quiet little village where nothing ever happens, and nobody would think anything of my cousin having a child to stay with Jo. She often does.’

‘It really seems an idea,’ said Dick. ‘Doesn’t it, Julian? We’ve simply got to get Berta away at once. We could trust Jo to look after her, too – Jo’s as sharp as a packet of needles!’

‘The police would know, too,’ said Julian, ‘and would keep an eye on her as well. Joan, can you ring up and get a taxi and take Berta now, this very minute?’

‘It’ll be a surprise for my cousin, my arriving this time of the morning,’ said Joan, standing up and taking off her apron, ‘but she’s quick on the uptake, and she’ll do it, I know. Master Lesley, get a few things together – nothing posh, mind, like your silver hairbrush.’

Berta looked extremely scared by now, and was inclined to refuse to go. Julian put his arm round her.

‘Look,’ he said, ‘I bet George is holding her tongue so that we can get you away in safety before the men tumble to the fact that they’ve got the wrong boy – so you can play up, too, can’t you, and be brave?’

‘Yes,’ said Berta, looking up at Julian’s kind, serious face. ‘I’ll do what you say – but what’s this Jo like? Joan said she was a little gypsy girl. I don’t like gypsies.’

‘You’ll like this one all right,’ said Julian. ‘She’s a pickle and a scamp and a scallywag – but her heart’s in the right place – isn’t it, Joan?’

Joan nodded. She had always been fond of the reckless, cheeky little Jo, and it was she who had found a home for her when Jo’s father had had to go to prison. ‘Come on, Master Lesley,’ she said. ‘We must hurry. Master Julian, is she to go as a girl or a boy now – we’ve got to decide that too.’

‘A girl, please – please, please, a girl!’ said Berta, at once.

Julian considered. ‘Yes, I think you’re right,’ he said. ‘You’d better be a girl now – but for goodness’ sake don’t call yourself Berta yet.’

‘She can be Jane,’ said Joan, firmly. ‘That’s a nice name, but quite ordinary enough for nobody to notice. Berta is too noticeable a name. Come along, now – we’ll have to pick out your simplest clothes!’

‘Now I’ll ring up the police,’ said Julian, ‘and also ring for a taxi.’

‘No, don’t get a taxi for us,’ said Joan. ‘I don’t want to arrive at my cousin’s little cottage in a taxi, and make everyone stare! Jane and I will catch the market bus and people will think I’m going off to market. We can get another bus there, that will take us almost all the way to my cousin’s. We’ve only to walk down the lane then.’

‘Good idea,’ said Julian, and went to the telephone. He got hold of the police sergeant, and told his tale. The man showed not the least excitement, but took down quickly all that Julian told him. ‘I’ll be up in ten minutes,’ he said. ‘Wait in till I come.’

Julian put down the receiver. Dick and Anne were watching him with troubled eyes. What was happening to George? Was she frightened – or furious – or perhaps hurt?

Timmy was absolutely miserable. He knew by now that something had happened to George. He had gone a dozen times to the place where her dressing-gown girdle had been found, and had sniffed round disconsolately.

Sally knew he was unhappy and trotted after him soberly. When he lay down she lay down beside him. When he got up, she got up too. It would have been amusing to watch if anyone had felt like being amused. But nobody felt that way!

Footsteps came up the path. ‘The police!’ said Julian. ‘They’ve not been long!’

Chapter Fifteen

DISCOVERIES IN THE WOOD

The sergeant had come and also a constable. Anne felt comforted when she saw the big, solid, responsible-looking men. Julian took them into the sitting-room, and began to tell all that had happened.

In the middle of it there came the sound of footsteps racing down the stairs, and up the hall. ‘We’re just off!’ shouted Joan’s voice. ‘Can’t stop to say good-bye, or we shall miss the bus!’

Down the garden path rushed Joan, carrying a small suitcase of her own, which she had lent Berta, because Berta’s was too grand. In it she had packed the very simplest of Berta’s clothes, but secretly she had thought that she would tell her cousin to dress Berta in some of Jo’s things.

Berta ran behind her – a different Berta now, dressed in a frock instead of jeans and jersey. She waved to the others as she went, trying to smile.

‘Good old Berta!’ said Dick. ‘She’s got quite a lot in her, that kid.’

‘In fact, she’s quite a honey!’ said Julian, trying to make Anne smile.

‘What’s all that?’ said the sergeant, in surprise, nodding his head towards the front path, down which Joan and Berta had just rushed.

Julian explained. The sergeant frowned. ‘You shouldn’t have arranged about that till you’d consulted us,’ he said. Julian was quite taken aback.

‘Well, you see,’ he said, ‘it seemed to me that I must get Berta out of the house and hidden away at once in case the kidnappers realised quickly that they’d got the wrong girl.’

‘That’s so,’ said the sergeant. ‘Still, you should have consulted us. It seems quite a good idea to put her in that quiet village, with Jo to see to her – she’s sharp, that Jo. I wouldn’t put it past her to hoodwink the kidnappers any day! But this is a very serious business, you realise, Master Julian – it can’t be dealt with by children.’

‘Can you get George back?’ asked Anne, breaking in with the question she had been longing to ask ever since the police came.

‘Maybe,’ said the sergeant. ‘Now I’ll get in touch with your aunt and uncle, Master Julian, and with Mr Elbur Wright, and…’

The telephone rang just then and Anne answered it. ‘It’s for you, Sergeant,’ she said, and he took the receiver from her.

‘Ha. Hm. Just so. Yes, yes. Right. Ha. Hm.’ The sergeant replaced the receiver and went back to Julian and the others. ‘News has just come in that the kidnappers have contacted Mr Elbur Wright, and told him they’ve got his daughter Berta,’ he said.

‘Oh! And have they demanded that he shall tell them the secret figures he knows?’ asked Julian.

The sergeant nodded. ‘Yes. He’s almost off his head with shock! He’s promised to give them all they want. Very foolish!’

‘Gosh – you’d better tell him it’s not Berta they’ve got, but George,’ said Dick. ‘Then he’ll sit tight!’

The sergeant frowned. ‘Now, you leave this to us,’ he said, ponderously. ‘You’ll only hinder us if you interfere or try meddling on your own. You just sit back and take things easy.’

‘What! With George kidnapped and in danger’?’ exploded Dick. ‘What are you going to do to get her back?’

‘Now, now!’ said the sergeant, annoyed. ‘She is in no danger – she’s not the person they want. They will free her as soon as they realise that.’

‘They won’t,’ said Dick. ‘They’ll get on to her father and make him give up a few secrets!’

‘Well, that will give us a little more time to find these men,’ said the irritating sergeant, and he stood up, big and burly in his navy blue uniform. ‘Let me know at once if you have any other news, and please do not try to meddle. I assure you that we know the right things to do.’

He went out with the constable. Julian groaned. ‘He doesn’t see that this is urgent. It’s so complicated too – the wrong girl kidnapped, the wrong father informed, the right one not at all inclined to give up powerful secrets – and poor old George not knowing what is happening!’

‘Well, thank goodness we got Berta out of the way,’ said Dick. ‘Anne, you look queer – are you all right?’

‘Yes. I think I’m just shocked – and oh dear, I feel awfully empty!’ said Anne, pressing her tummy.

‘Gosh – we forgot all about breakfast!’ said Dick staring at the clock. ‘And it’s almost ten o’clock now! What have we been doing all this time? Come on, Anne – get us some food, there’s a dear. We shall all feel better then.’

‘I’m so sorry for poor old Timmy and little Sally,’ said Anne, going into the kitchen. ‘Timmy, darling, don’t look at me like that! I don’t know where your beloved George is, or I’d take you to her straight away! And Sally, you will have to put up with me for a little while, because although I do know where Berta is, I can’t possibly take you there!’