Читать книгу Good Work Secret Seven! - Enid blyton - Страница 5

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The Secret Seven were so thrilled that their excitement made Scamper begin to bark again. He just couldn’t help it when he heard them all talking at once. He waved his plumy tail and pawed at Peter, who took no notice at all.

“It must be a note-book kept by one of the thieves—a list of things he stole!”

“What else does it say? I wish we could understand all this stuff in secret code. Wait—look—here’s a note scribbled right across this page! See what it says?”

“ ‘Gang meet in old workmen’s shed, back of Lane’s garage,’ ” read Peter. “ ‘5 p.m. Wednesday.’ Whew! That’s to-morrow. I say—we are on to something.”

Everyone began to talk excitedly again, and Scamper thought it was a very good time to sample a chocolate biscuit and perhaps a ginger bun. Before he did so he ran to the door and sniffed.

Yes. Susie was outside. Scamper could smell her. He growled a little, but as no one took any notice, and he was afraid to bark again, he went back to the good things on the little boxtable.

“What are we going to do about this? Tell the police?” asked Colin, who felt most important at bringing all this exciting news to the Seven.

“No. I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said Peter. “We’ll creep round to that old shed to-morrow night ourselves—and as soon as we see the gang is safely there, one of us can rush round to the police-station, while the rest keep guard on the shed.”

It was decided that that would be a good, sensible and exciting thing to do. Pam gave a huge sigh.

“Excitement makes me feel jolly hungry. Can’t we start on the buns and things? Oh, Scamper—you’ve been helping yourself! Thief-dog!”

“Scamper! Have you really been taking things?” said Peter, shocked. “Go into the corner.”

“He’s only taken a choc biscuit and a ginger bun,” said Jack, counting everything quickly. “There should be eight of each thing, but there are only seven of the biscuits and the buns. So really he’s only eaten what we brought for him—the eighth person.”

“Well, he shouldn’t begin before we do,” said Peter. “He ought to know his manners. Corner, Scamper!”

Poor Scamper retired to the corner, licking his lips for stray chocolate crumbs. He looked so woe-begone that everyone felt extremely sorry for him.

The fireworks brought by the Seven were quite forgotten. Jack’s Humdinger lay on the top of the pile, but not even he remembered it—the evening’s happenings were much too exciting even for fireworks to be examined. The Seven made their plans as they ate.

“I say—we forgot all about Susie!” said Peter, suddenly. “We’ve been yelling out our plans at the tops of our voices. Blow! Scamper, see if Susie is at the door!”

Scamper obediently ran to the door and sniffed. No, Susie was no longer there. He came back and sat down by Peter, putting his lovely golden head on the boy’s knee, hoping for a forgiving pat.

“Oh—so she’s not there—you’d have growled if she had been, wouldn’t you, Scamper?” said Peter, stroking the dog’s silky head and fondling his long ears. “Well, Susie will be most astonished to hear about our adventure when it’s over—serve her right for laughing at us and trying to spoil our meeting!”

It was arranged that all the Seven should go quietly to Lane’s garage the next night, after tea. Colin knew Larry, the garage lad there, and it would be quite easy for the Seven to talk to him and admire the cars until it was time to look about for the workmen’s shed behind the garage. Then—what would happen? A little thrill of excitement ran all the way up Peter’s back when he thought of it.

“The Secret Seven are on the move again!” he thought. “What a good thing, after all these dull weeks when nothing happened!”

It seemed a long time till the next afternoon. Everyone at the schools the Secret Seven went to was sure that something was up. The Seven wore their badges, and a lot of whispering went on. All the members looked important and serious.

Susie was very annoying. She kept looking at Pam, Janet and Barbara, who were in her class, and giggling. Whenever she passed them she whispered in their ear:

“Guy Fawkes! Guy Fawkes!”

This was very annoying because it was still the password of the Secret Seven! They had completely forgotten to change it the night before, in the excitement of making plans. Now Susie still knew it. They must change it as quickly as they could.

At four o’clock all the Secret Seven rushed home early to tea, so that they could be off again immediately to the garage. They were to meet Colin there at a quarter to five.

All their mothers were astonished to see how quickly the children gobbled their teas that afternoon, but luckily nobody was made to stop at home afterwards. One by one they made their way to the garage. Scamper was left behind, in case he barked at an awkward moment.

Everyone was at the garage at a quarter-to-five. Only fifteen minutes more! Now—where was the garage boy? They must talk to him for a little while—and then creep round to the shed at the back. How exciting!