Читать книгу Secret Seven Fireworks - Enid blyton - Страница 6

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The next Saturday morning all the Seven met again. ‘Wee Willie Winkie!’ said everyone, and passed quickly into the shed. Peter shot a sharp look at each of them—yes, they all had on their badges—good!

The shed looked very neat and tidy now, swept out, and with sand sprinkled all over the floor by Peter, except where an old rug lay, given by Pam’s mother. Two shelves were up, and on them stood some plastic cups and a plate or two. There was also a tin of toffees, and a second tin in which were home-made biscuits made by Peter’s mother.

Scamper went to sit under the biscuit shelf, looking up longingly, giving little whines every now and again.

‘No, Scamper—it’s not biscuit-time yet,’ said Peter. ‘Don’t take any notice of him, anyone. He’s had a good breakfast already. Scamper, be quiet.’

‘I’ve got a report to make on the guy,’ said Pam, importantly. ‘He’s coming along nicely.’

‘Fine,’ said Peter. ‘Tell us about him.’

‘Well, we took Barbara’s old rug,’ said Pam, ‘and Janet’s old eiderdown—goodness, it was moth-eaten! It’s a good thing it’s going to be burnt.’

‘And we did a bit of rolling up and shaping,’ said Janet, ‘and really, it’s not a bad body at all. Would you like to see it? It’s just behind the shed, covered over with an old rubber sheet.’

‘You shouldn’t leave it there,’ said Jack. ‘Susie might get it.’

Janet went to fetch the guy’s body. It certainly was quite fat, and the girls had really managed to shape it very well. It had a round head, a plump body, with a rope tied round it for a waist, and plump arms and legs.

‘We haven’t made the feet and hands yet!’ said Janet. ‘It’s not bad, is it?’

Scamper was amazed to see such a curious-looking creature. He barked frantically, and seemed quite scared of it. The children laughed at him.

‘Wait till it’s all dressed up, Scamper,’ said Janet. ‘You’ll bark all right then!’

‘If any of us have old clothes that will fit this big fellow, please bring them to our next meeting,’ said Peter. ‘Or give them to Janet before that, if you can.’

‘The guy had better be kept in here, hadn’t it?’ said Jack. ‘If Susie comes snooping round, she might find it outside—and she’s still thinking of making a club of her own, you know. If she does, they’re sure to make a raid on the shed!’

‘All right, we’ll leave it here—right at the back, in its rubber sheet,’ said Janet. ‘I’m glad you all approve of it. Please don’t forget to look out some nice big clothes—and a big hat or cap. We shall put a mask on him, and he’ll look really fine.’

‘Now about money,’ said Peter. ‘Anyone brought any?’

To everyone’s delight, the money poured in! A shilling from Pam, two shillings from Barbara, one and six from Colin, one and nine from George, ninepence from Jack, and four shillings between Peter and Janet.

‘Eleven shillings already,’ said Peter, writing down names and money quickly, and adding it up. ‘Pretty good.’

‘Sorry about my ninepence,’ said Jack. ‘But my Gran had a birthday this week, and I spent most of my money on a present. I’ll bring more next week. Dad has promised me half a crown if I’ll clean up the garage for him. I’ll bring that.’

‘That’s all right,’ said Peter. ‘We’ve made a jolly good start. Now, what about a biscuit or two, and then we’ll set off to look for dead wood for our bonfire.’

‘Wuff!’ said Scamper, at once, thumping his tail on the ground.

Everyone laughed.

‘I don’t know whether you deserve a biscuit, Scamper,’ said Peter. ‘You haven’t brought in any money—you didn’t help with the guy, and ...’

‘Wuff-wuff-wuff!’ said Scamper, running over to Peter and putting a paw on his knee.

‘He says, can he have a biscuit if he goes and picks up dead wood with us,’ said Peter, solemnly. ‘Shall we let him?’

‘Yes!’ shouted everyone, and Scamper received the very first biscuit out of the tin. Everyone took one, and then, locking the shed behind them, they set off, munching their own biscuits, to the field behind Peter’s garden.

‘Let’s choose a place for the bonfire,’ said Peter. ‘Not too near the hedge, in case it gets burnt.’

‘Just here then,’ said Jack, walking to a nice flat patch. ‘It’s well away from the hedge, and we can all dance round it with plenty of room to spare, and let off fireworks.’

Everyone agreed, and Peter nodded. ‘Another thing settled,’ he said. ‘Hallo, look—there’s Dad’s hedger-and-ditcher man. He might let us have all the trimmings to burn!’

An old fellow was standing a little way up the hedge, slashing at it with a sharp-edged tool. He was cutting away the untidy new growth made that year, and was shaping the hedge skilfully. The children went to him and watched him, admiring the way he cut and trimmed.

‘Good morning, Burton,’ said Peter. ‘You’re making a jolly good job of that. Do you like hedging and ditching? You’ve cleared out the ditch well.’

‘I likes any job that takes me outdoors,’ said the old fellow. ‘Sun and wind and rain, that’s what I likes.’

‘Could we have the hedge trimmings, do you think?’ asked Peter. ‘For a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night?’

‘You be welcome to them,’ said Burton. ‘I’ll leave this little lot here for you. Take them any time.’

‘Oh good,’ said Peter. ‘We’ll do that. Come along, all of you. We’ll be off to the wood now, and hope we’ll find stacks of dead wood. We’re going to have a jolly busy morning!’

And across the field they ran to the wood, Scamper barking joyfully. What were the Secret Seven up to now? Scamper would help them, whatever it was!