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

‘Well! Of all the luck!’ said Dick. ‘Would that be where G …’ He stopped at a sharp nudge from Julian, and remembered that he mustn’t give too much away to the helpful Jim.

Julian passed over fifty pence to the pleased garage boy, who pocketed it at once, grinning. ‘Now, you just come along to me if you want to know about any more cars,’ he said. ‘I’ll phone all over the place for you! Thanks a lot!’

They sped back to Kirrin Cottage, too excited even to talk. They flung their bicycles against the wall and ran in to tell Anne and Joan. Timmy and Sally sensed their excitement and danced round, barking loudly.

‘We know where George is!’ cried Dick. ‘We know, we know!’

Joan and Anne listened eagerly. ‘Well, Master Julian,’ said Joan, in admiration, ‘it was really smart of you to make Jim phone up like that. The police couldn’t have done better. What are you going to do now? Ring up that sergeant?’

‘No,’ said Julian. ‘I’m so afraid that if the police get moving on this now, they’ll alarm Gringo and he’ll spirit George away somewhere else. Dick and I will go to this place tonight, and see if we can’t get hold of George and bring her back! After all – it’s only an ordinary house, I imagine – and as Gringo doesn’t suspect that anyone knows where George is, he won’t be on the look out!’

‘Good!’ said Dick. ‘Good, good, good!’

‘I’m coming too,’ said Jo.

‘You are not,’ said Julian, at once. ‘That’s flat – you are NOT COMING, Jo. But I shall take Timmy, of course.’

Jo said no more, but looked so sulky that Anne laughed. ‘Cheer up, Jo. You can keep me and Sally company. Oh Julian – wouldn’t it be wonderful to find George and rescue her!’

There was more map-reading as the boys decided which was the best way to bicycle over to Graysfield. ‘Look out the best torches we’ve got, Anne, will you?’ said Dick. ‘And let me see – how can we bring George back once we’ve got her? On my bike-step, I think, though I know it’s not allowed. But this is very urgent. We can’t very well take a third bike with us. Gosh, isn’t this exciting!’

‘We really ought to ring up the police,’ said Joan, who kept saying this at intervals.

‘Joan, you sound like a parrot!’ said Julian. ‘If we’re not back by morning you can ring up all the police in the country if you want to!’

‘There’s been another phone-call from your aunt today, Master Julian – I nearly forgot to tell you,’ said Joan. ‘Your uncle is better and they are coming home as soon as possible.’

‘Not this evening, I hope,’ said Julian, in alarm. ‘Did they tell you anything about Mr Elbur Wright – Berta’s father?’

‘Oh, he’s hanging on to his secrets quite happily now that he knows it isn’t Berta who is kidnapped,’ said Joan. ‘I don’t know if the kidnappers even know they’ve got the wrong girl yet. It’s all very hush-hush. Even your uncle and aunt are having to obey the police. Your poor aunt is so terribly upset about George.’

‘Yes. She must be frightfully worried,’ said Julian, soberly. ‘We’ve had so much excitement today that I’ve almost forgotten to worry. And anyway when you’re able to do something, things don’t seem so bad.’

‘You be careful you don’t go and do too much and land yourself in trouble,’ said Joan, darkly.

‘I’ll be careful!’ said Julian, winking at Dick. ‘I say – isn’t it nearly supper-time? I feel awfully hungry.’

‘Well, we haven’t had any tea,’ said Dick. ‘How extraordinary to have forgotten about tea. No wonder we’re hungry.’

‘Would you like bacon and eggs for a treat?’ said Joan, and there was a chorus of approval at once. Timmy and Sally wagged their tails as if Joan’s question applied to them too!

‘We’ll set off as soon as it’s dark,’ said Julian. ‘Jo, you’d better go home after supper. They’ll be worrying about you.’

‘All right,’ said Jo, pleased to have been asked to supper, but still sulky at being forbidden to go with Julian and Dick that night.

Jo disappeared after supper, with many messages to Berta from Dick, Julian, Anne and Sally.

‘And I bet she doesn’t give a single one of them!’ said Dick. ‘Now, let’s have a game before we set off, Julian. Just to take our minds off the excitement. I’m getting all worked-up!’

Joan went up to bed at ten because she was tired. Anne stayed up to see the boys off. ‘You will be careful,’ she kept saying. ‘You will be careful, won’t you? Oh dear, I think it’s almost worse to stay behind and wonder what’s happening to you, than to go with you and find out!’

At last the time came for the boys to go. It was a quarter to twelve and, except for a small moon, was a dark night, with great clouds looming up, often hiding the moon.

‘Come on, Timmy,’ said Dick. ‘We’re going to find George.’

‘Woof!’ said Timmy, delighted. Sally wuffed too, and was most disappointed at being left behind. The boys wheeled their bicycles to the front gate.

‘So long, Anne!’ said Dick. ‘Go to bed – and hope to see George when you wake up!’

They set off on their bicycles, with Timmy loping along beside them. They soon arrived at the field where the Fair was, and went swinging away to the east, following the road the silver-grey car had gone that afternoon.

They knew the way by heart, for they had studied the map so well. As they passed the signposts they felt their excitement beginning to mount. ‘Graysfield next,’ said Dick at last. ‘Soon be there, Timmy! You’re not getting tired, are you?’

They came into Graysfield silently. The town was asleep, and not a single light showed in any window. A policeman suddenly loomed up out of the shadows, but when he saw two boys cycling, he did not stop them.

‘Now – into Twining Village, turn to the left – and look for the house on the hill!’ said Dick.

They rode through the tiny, silent village of Twining, and took the lane to the left. It led up a steep, narrow lane. The boys had to get off and walk because the hill was too much for them.

‘There’s the house!’ said Julian, suddenly whispering. ‘Look – through those trees. My word, it looks a dark and lonely one!’

They came to some enormous iron gates, but when they tried to open them, they found them locked. A great wall ran completely round the grounds. They followed it a little way, leaving their bicycles against a tree by the gate, but it was soon certain that nobody could climb a wall like that!

‘Blow!’ said Julian. ‘Blow!’

‘What about the gates?’ whispered Dick. Then he glanced round him nervously, hearing a twig crack. ‘Did you hear that? There’s nobody following us, is there?’

‘No! Don’t get the jitters, for goodness’ sake!’ said Julian. ‘What was it you were saying?’

‘I said “What about the gates?” ’ said Dick. ‘I don’t see why we can’t climb over them, do you? Nobody would do that in the daytime, they’d be seen – but I can’t see why we can’t do it now – they didn’t look too dificult – just ordinary wrought-iron ones.’

‘Yes! Of course!’ said Julian. ‘That’s a brain-wave. Come on!’

Chapter Twenty

A THRILLING TIME

The two boys went back to the gates. Dick turned round and looked behind him two or three times. ‘I do hope nobody is shadowing us!’ he said. ‘I keep on feeling somebody’s watching us all the time.’

‘Oh, stuff!’ said Julian, impatiently. ‘Look – here are the gates. Give me a leg-up and I’ll be over in a jiffy.’

Dick gave him a shove, and Julian climbed over the gates without much difficulty. They were bolted, not locked. He slid the great bolts carefully, and opened one gate a little for Dick and Timmy. ‘Timmy can’t be left behind!’ he said. ‘And he certainly couldn’t climb this gate!’

They kept to the shadowed side of the drive as they walked up towards the house. The small moon came out from behind a cloud as they came near. It was an old house, with high chimneys, an ugly house with narrow windows that seemed like watching eyes.

Dick glanced behind him suddenly and Julian saw him. ‘Got the jitters again?’ he said, impatiently. ‘Dick, don’t be an ass. You know perfectly well that if anyone was shadowing us, Timmy would hear them and go for them at once.’

‘Yes, I know,’ said Dick. ‘I’m an idiot – but I’ve just got that feeling tonight – the feeling that someone else is there!’

They came right up to the house. ‘How shall we get in?’ whispered Julian. ‘The doors are all sure to be locked. We’ll have to try the windows.’