Read Online Five Go Down to the Sea by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Enid Blyton
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he said. „Did Sid tell you about the time Clopper"s head dropped off the wagon and we didn"t miss him til we were miles away? My word, what a state the Guv"nor was in! Said we couldn"t give a show without Clopper, and nearly gave us all the sack!"
„We"re important, we are," said Sid, throwing out his chest and doing a funny little strut with the horse"s head in front of him. „Me and Binks and Clopper - no show without us!"
„Don"t you put that horse down even for a moment," warned Mr Binks. „The Guv"nor"s got his eye on you, Sid. Look, he"s calling you."
Sid went over to the Guv"nor, looking rather alarmed. He carried the horse"s head safely under his arm.
The grim-faced man said a few sharp words and Sid nodded. Julian went up to him when he came back. „Let me feel how heavy the horse"s head is," he said. „I"ve often wondered, when I"ve seen something like this on the stage."
Sid immediately put the horse under his other arm, and glared at Julian, looking round quickly to see if the Guv"nor had heard.
„That"s a fool thing to ask me," he said. „After I"ve told you I"m not al owed to put the horse down! And didn"t the Guv"nor just this minute say to me “Keep away from those kids, you know what tricks they"re up to. They"l have that horse away from you if you"re not careful.” See? Do you want me to lose my job?"
Julian laughed. „Don"t be sil y. You wouldn"t lose your job for that! When are you and Mr Binks going to do a bit of practice? We want to see you!"
„Oh well, we could manage that al right," said Sid, calming down. „Here, Binks. Bit of practice wanted. Get the legs."
Binks and Sid went to a cleared space in the big barn and proceeded to clothe themselves in the horse"s canvas skin and legs. Sid showed the boys how he worked the tail with one of his hands when he wanted to.
Binks put on the head and the front legs. His head only went into the neck of the horse, no farther. He was able to use his hands for pul ing strings to open the horse"s mouth and work its rolling eyes.
Sid got his legs in the horse"s back legs, bent over and put his head and arms over towards Binks, so making the horse"s back. Somebody came up and zipped up the two halves of the horse"s „skin".
„Oh! What a jolly good horse!" said Dick, delighted. It looked a lively, comical, extremely supple beast, and the two men inside at once proceeded to make it do ridiculous things.
It marched - left-right, left-right, left-right. It did a little tap-dance with its front feet, which then remained perfectly stil , and then the back feet did the same little tap-dance.
The back feet got themselves entangled and fel over, and the horse"s head looked round at itself in astonishment.
Al four children were now watching, and Yan was peeping in at the door. They roared with laughter at the ridiculous horse.
It took its tail in its mouth and marched round and round itself. It stood up on its hind legs only. It jumped like a kangaroo, and made peculiar noises. The whole company stood and watched and even the grim-faced Guv"nor had to smile.
Then it sat down on its hind-legs and crossed its front ones in the air, looking round comical y. It then gave an enormous yawn that showed dozens of large teeth.
„Oh, don"t do any more!" cried Anne, who was weak with laughing. „Don"t! Oh, I can quite well see how important you are, Clopper! You"l be the best part of the show!"
It was a mad, gay morning, for the Barnies were ful of chatter and jokes and laughter. Sid and Binks took off their horse garments, and Sid thereupon went about as before, the horse"s head, grinning comical y, tucked safely under his arm.
Mrs Penruthlan cal ed the children in to dinner. Yan ran after Julian, and caught hold of his arm.
„I seen that light," he said, urgently. „You come, see it tonight. Don"t forget. I seen that light!"
Julian had forgotten it in the excitement of the morning. He grinned down at the small boy.
„Al right, al right. I
„We"re important, we are," said Sid, throwing out his chest and doing a funny little strut with the horse"s head in front of him. „Me and Binks and Clopper - no show without us!"
„Don"t you put that horse down even for a moment," warned Mr Binks. „The Guv"nor"s got his eye on you, Sid. Look, he"s calling you."
Sid went over to the Guv"nor, looking rather alarmed. He carried the horse"s head safely under his arm.
The grim-faced man said a few sharp words and Sid nodded. Julian went up to him when he came back. „Let me feel how heavy the horse"s head is," he said. „I"ve often wondered, when I"ve seen something like this on the stage."
Sid immediately put the horse under his other arm, and glared at Julian, looking round quickly to see if the Guv"nor had heard.
„That"s a fool thing to ask me," he said. „After I"ve told you I"m not al owed to put the horse down! And didn"t the Guv"nor just this minute say to me “Keep away from those kids, you know what tricks they"re up to. They"l have that horse away from you if you"re not careful.” See? Do you want me to lose my job?"
Julian laughed. „Don"t be sil y. You wouldn"t lose your job for that! When are you and Mr Binks going to do a bit of practice? We want to see you!"
„Oh well, we could manage that al right," said Sid, calming down. „Here, Binks. Bit of practice wanted. Get the legs."
Binks and Sid went to a cleared space in the big barn and proceeded to clothe themselves in the horse"s canvas skin and legs. Sid showed the boys how he worked the tail with one of his hands when he wanted to.
Binks put on the head and the front legs. His head only went into the neck of the horse, no farther. He was able to use his hands for pul ing strings to open the horse"s mouth and work its rolling eyes.
Sid got his legs in the horse"s back legs, bent over and put his head and arms over towards Binks, so making the horse"s back. Somebody came up and zipped up the two halves of the horse"s „skin".
„Oh! What a jolly good horse!" said Dick, delighted. It looked a lively, comical, extremely supple beast, and the two men inside at once proceeded to make it do ridiculous things.
It marched - left-right, left-right, left-right. It did a little tap-dance with its front feet, which then remained perfectly stil , and then the back feet did the same little tap-dance.
The back feet got themselves entangled and fel over, and the horse"s head looked round at itself in astonishment.
Al four children were now watching, and Yan was peeping in at the door. They roared with laughter at the ridiculous horse.
It took its tail in its mouth and marched round and round itself. It stood up on its hind legs only. It jumped like a kangaroo, and made peculiar noises. The whole company stood and watched and even the grim-faced Guv"nor had to smile.
Then it sat down on its hind-legs and crossed its front ones in the air, looking round comical y. It then gave an enormous yawn that showed dozens of large teeth.
„Oh, don"t do any more!" cried Anne, who was weak with laughing. „Don"t! Oh, I can quite well see how important you are, Clopper! You"l be the best part of the show!"
It was a mad, gay morning, for the Barnies were ful of chatter and jokes and laughter. Sid and Binks took off their horse garments, and Sid thereupon went about as before, the horse"s head, grinning comical y, tucked safely under his arm.
Mrs Penruthlan cal ed the children in to dinner. Yan ran after Julian, and caught hold of his arm.
„I seen that light," he said, urgently. „You come, see it tonight. Don"t forget. I seen that light!"
Julian had forgotten it in the excitement of the morning. He grinned down at the small boy.
„Al right, al right. I
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