Five Have Plenty of Fun (16 page)

„So Berta went to stay with Jo!" she said. „I bet Jo didn"t like that.

„She didn"t," said Julian. „But she"s been quite a help. I only wish she was here now, and could do one of her ivy-climbing stunts, or something!"

„I say - Timmy"s very quiet al of a sudden!" said George, listening. „What"s happened?"

They listened. Timmy was not barking or whimpering. There was no sound of him at all.

What was happening? George"s heart sank - perhaps those men had managed to do something to him?

But suddenly they heard him again, whimpering - but whimpering gladly and excitedly.

And then a familiar voice came to their ears.

„Dick! Julian! Where are you?"

„Gosh - it"s JO!" said Dick, astounded. He limped to the door. „We"re in here, Jo. Unlock the door!"

Jo unlocked it and looked in, grinning. Timmy tore in like a whirlwind and flung himself on George, almost knocking her over. Dick limped out of the room immediately. Jo rushed in, much to everyone"s astonishment. Then he returned, looking rather pleased with himself.

„Let"s go while the going"s good," he said.

„Yes - but be careful, those men wil be out, now that Timmy isn"t there to guard them!"

cried Julian, suddenly realising that the two angry fel ows could easily escape while Timmy was in with them - and might lock the door on the lot of them, Timmy too!

„It"s al right - there"s no desperate hurry!" said Dick. „I thought of that. I slipped out and locked their door on them, as soon as Jo rushed in to us. And there they can stay til the police arrive in the morning. They can then col ect the whole lot - the men upstairs too."

„And I"m sure the police wil be quite pleased to search the house and the cel ars," said Julian. „There wil be plenty of stuff here that they wil be interested in! Well, let"s go at once."

They cal ed a cheery good-bye to the two men. „We"re off!" shouted Dick. „You"d better look out for the dog in case he gets you!" They all went down the hal , Dick hobbling, for his ankle was stil painful.

„We might as well leave in style," said Julian, and unbolted and unlocked the front door.

„Also it would be as wel to leave this door open for the police to come in by - I don"t expect they wil want to come in through the coal-hole! It was a good idea of yours to let the men think we were leaving Tim behind to guard them, Dick - they won"t dare even to climb out of the windows in case he"s waiting for them!"

„We"ve left a good many lights on," said George, looking back. „Never mind - we"re not paying the bil ! Come on, Timmy, out into the dark, dark night!"

They went down the front steps and into the dark drive. Everyone felt safe with Timmy running ahead.

„Jo - exactly how did you get here?" said Dick, suddenly. „You were forbidden to come."

„I know," said Jo. „Well, I just took Anne"s bike and followed you, that"s all. And I walked in through the front gates when you"d left them open, of course. That was easy."

„Gosh - I kept feeling there was someone behind me!" said Dick. „And there was - it was you, you little horror! No wonder Timmy didn"t bother to bark or growl."

„Yes, it was me," said Jo. „And I fol owed you round and round the house, while you were trying to get in - and I thought you never would see that coal-hole - so I took the lid off and put it on the ground, hoping you"d see it then. And you did!"

„So you did that!" said Dick. „I must say I was astonished to see it. I knew we must have passed it before. So that was you too! You want spanking, you disobedient, cheeky little wretch!"

Jo laughed. „I couldn"t bear you to go off without me," she said. „It"s a good thing I did come! I waited and waited inside that coal-hole for you to come back with George - and when you didn"t, I left the coalhole and got into the house. And Timmy heard me and came running down the stairs. He nearly knocked me over, he was that pleased!"

„Here are the gates at last," said George. „What are we going to do about bikes? There isn"t one for me."

„Jo can stand behind on my step and hold on to my shoulder," said Julian. „You take Anne"s bike, George. We"ll leave these gates open. The police ought to be pleased with us for saving them so much trouble!"

Off they went down the steep hil , Timmy running behind, his tail wagging happily. He had got George back again. Al was well again in his doggy world!

What shrieks and shouts there were from Joan and Anne when the four arrived at Kirrin Cottage at last, at half past three in the morning! Joan was awake, but Anne had just gone to sleep. She was sleeping in Joan"s room for company and Sally was there too.

The stories had to be told again and again. First Dick, then Julian, then George, then Jo -

they all talked without stopping, excited and happy. Sal y ran from one to the other, and followed Timmy about - but sometimes her little stiff tail drooped when she remembered that Berta was not there.

„I say," said Dick, suddenly drawing back the sitting-room curtains - it"s daylight! The sun"s up! And all the time I"ve been thinking it was stil night!"

„No use going to bed, then," said Jo, at once. She was so much enjoying this that she felt as if she never wanted it to stop!

„Well, I suppose it isn"t," said Joan. „I know what we"ll do - we"l have a big breakfast now, a very big one to celebrate - and then we"l all go back to bed and sleep til lunchtime.

We"re tired out real y - just look at our black-rimmed eyes and pale cheeks!"

„Joan! We"re all as sunburnt as can be, you"re just making that up!" said George. „Come on - let"s get this celebration breakfast going! Bacon - eggs - tomatoes - fried bread. Oh, and mushrooms too - have you any mushrooms, Joan? And lots and lots of hot coffee, and toast and marmalade. I"m ravenous."

They discovered that they all were, and twenty minutes later they sat at the table tucking in as if they had eaten nothing for a month.

„I can"t eat a thing more," said Dick, „and I don"t know what"s happening to my eyes -

they keep closing!"

„So do mine," said George, with an enormous yawn. „Joan - don"t say we"ve got to do the washing-up, wil you?"

„Of course not!" said Joan. „Go on up to your beds now - don"t even bother to undress."

„I feel as if there"s something I ought to do - but I can"t remember it," said Julian, sleepily, staggering upstairs. „I - just - can"t remember!"

He flopped on his bed and was asleep as soon as his head fel on the pillow. In two minutes everyone but Joan was asleep too. Joan stopped to give Timmy a drink, and then he bounded up to George and curled up in the crook of her knees as usual.

Joan went to lie down too, thinking she would just have a rest, but not go to sleep. But in half a second she slept too.

The sun rose higher in the sky. The milkman came whistling up the path and left four bottles of milk on the step. The gulls in the bay circled and soared and cal ed loudly. But nobody stirred in Kirrin Cottage.

A car came up to the front gate, and another one followed. Out of the first stepped Uncle Quentin, Aunt Fanny, Mr Elbur Wright - and Berta! Out of the second car stepped the sergeant and his constable.

Berta flew to the front door, but it was shut. She raced round to the garden door. That was locked too - and so was the kitchen door!

„Pops! We"ll have to ring - all the doors are locked!" she cal ed. And then, from up above came a sound of excited barking, and Sal y"s head appeared at a bedroom window.

When she saw it real y was Berta down below, she tore down the stairs and scraped at the front door.

„What"s happened? Where is everyone?" said Aunt Fanny in amazement. „Al the doors locked? But it"s ten o"clock in the morning. Where are the children?"

„I"ve got my key," said Uncle Quentin, and he put it into the front door lock. He opened the door and Sal y leapt straight into Berta"s arms, licking her face from forehead to chin!

Aunt Fanny went into the hall and cal ed, „Anyone at home?"

No answer. Timmy heard her cal , but as George did not stir, he didn"t either. He was not going to leave George for a minute, not even to go downstairs!

Aunt Fanny walked into all the rooms on the ground floor. Nobody there! She marvelled at the remains of the meal spread al over the dining-room table, and even more at the dirty pans and dishes in the kitchen. What was Joan thinking of? WHERE was everybody? She did not expect George to be there, because she knew George had been kidnapped -

but where in the world were al the others?

She went upstairs and her husband fol owed with Berta and her father. They were al feeling most astonished now. They went into Julian"s room - good gracious he was there, then! And Dick too - lying choppily on their beds, absolutely sound asleep! Aunt Fanny couldn"t understand it.

And then she went into the girls" room - and there was Anne fast asleep too - and GOOD

GRACIOUS, could that be George? But surely George was kidnapped - then how - why -

where...

Her mother suddenly put her arms round the sleeping George and kissed her and hugged her. She had worried so much about her - and now here she was, safe and sound after al !

George awoke at once. She sat up and gazed at her mother and father in astonishment.

„Oh - you"re back! Oh, how lovely! When did you come?"

„Just now," said her mother. „But George - why is everyone asleep - and how did you get here - we thought you were..."

„Oh, Mother - yes, of course you don"t know half the story, do you?" said George. „Gosh, there"s Berta here too - and your Pops, Berta! Hal o, everyone."

She was stil so sleepy that she was not quite sure whether this was a dream or not. But then Anne woke up and squealed, and that woke Julian and Dick. They came into the very crowded bedroom, and soon there was such a noise that Joan and Jo, in the room above, awoke too.

Down they came, looking very dishevelled, Joan full of apologies. She rushed downstairs to put some coffee on and bumped into the two policemen in the hall. She screamed.

„Excuse me, Miss," said the sergeant to Joan. „Isn"t anyone ever coming down again?

We"re supposed to be guarding Miss Berta."

„Oh my - you don"t need to do that now!" said Joan. „Didn"t Master Julian telephone you last night - this morning, I mean - I thought he was going to."

„What about?" said the sergeant.

„About the kidnappers. Everything"s al right," explained Joan to the two astonished policemen. „We"ve got Miss George back - and oh, bless us al , there"s those kidnappers -

you haven"t been told they"re all locked up and waiting for you, have you?"

„Look here, Miss, what are you talking about?" said the sergeant bewildered. „This is too bad - what do you mean - kidnappers locked up and waiting!"

„Master Julian!" cal ed Joan, „the police are here - and you forgot to telephone and tel them what happened last night. They"d better go to that house and get the men, hadn"t they?"

„I knew there was something I"d forgotten," said Julian, running down the stairs. „I did mean to telephone, but I was so tired that I forgot."

Everyone then came downstairs and went into the sitting-room. Jo was shy with so many people there, and wouldn"t sit anywhere near the two policemen.

„I"ve just been told, Mr Wright, sir, that there"s no need to guard your daughter now," said the sergeant, rather stiffly. „Seems as if the police are the last to hear about anything!"

„Well, the fact of the matter is that we found out that Gringo, who owns the Fair called Gringo"s Fair, was paid to kidnap Berta," said Julian. „He kidnapped George instead, by mistake. We found out where Gringo had taken her and went to rescue her last night. You go on, Dick."

„And we left Gringo and somebody else locked up in a room on the ground floor, and two other people locked up in a top-floor room - and we"ve left the front door open for you and the drive gates open too," said Dick. „So don"t be too annoyed about it, Sergeant, because we real y have tried to make things easy for you! We"ve rescued George, as you see - and now you can get the men."

The sergeant looked as if he found it difficult to believe a single word! Uncle Quentin tapped him sharply on the shoulder.

„Well, look alive, man - they"l escape before you can get them if you don"t hurry."

„What"s the address?" said the sergeant, stolidly.

„I don"t know the name of the house, or the lane it"s in," said Julian. „But you go through the vil age of Twining, turn to the left, and it"s the house up on the hil ."

„How did you find out all this?" said the sergeant.

„It"s too long to tel you now!" said Dick. „We"ll write it al down in a book, and send you a copy. We"ll cal it - er - we"ll cal it - what shal we cal it, you others? It"s a peculiar adventure real y - it ended with everyone fast asleep in bed!"

„I want some coffee," announced Uncle Quentin. „I think we"ve talked enough. Do go and catch your kidnappers, my good men."

The policemen disappeared. Mr Elbur Wright beamed round happily, Berta on his knee.

„Well, this is a very happy ending!" he said. „And I can take my little Berta back with me after al !"

„Oh no!" wailed Berta, much to her father"s surprise.

„What do you mean?" he asked.

„Gee, Pops, be a honey and let me stay on here," begged Berta. „These kids sure are wunnerful."

„WonDERful, wonDERful, wonDERful!" chanted the others.

„Of course let her stay on if she"d like to," said Aunt Fanny. „But as a girl this time, not a boy!"

George heaved a sigh of relief. That was al right then. She wouldn"t mind Berta as a girl, even though she was a sil y girl!

„Woof!" said Timmy suddenly, and made everyone jump.

„He says he"s jolly pleased you"re staying, Berta, because now Sal y-dog wil have to stay too," said Dick. „So he"ll have someone to play with as well!"

„Shall we really send the sergeant a book about this adventure?" said Anne. „Did you real y mean it, Dick?"

„Rather!" said Dick. „Our fourteenth adventure - and may we have many more! What shall we cal the book?"