Read Online Mystery of Tally-Ho Cottage by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online Page A

have seen somebody if he had been near the Larkins’ cottage! He would have seen Mr. Goon! Mr. Goon had ridden up to have another talk to the Larkins, and he was at that moment trying his hardest to get something out of Mrs. Larkin besides coughs, groans and sniffles.
    Fatty would also have seen two other people if he had looked up into the tall fir-tree that grew beside the hedge which separated Tally-Ho grounds from the grounds of High Chimneys next door. He would have seen Glad and Liz!
    They, faithful to their trust, had been on guard in the tree for two hours, while Ern was mending his bike. Ern’s brakes had gone wrong, owing to his crash with Mr. Goon, and he wanted to put them right.
    ‘Glad and Liz, you sit up there and keep your eyes open,’ he said. ‘And here’s two bull’s-eyes each to keep you going.’
    Glad spotted the strange foreigner as soon as he climbed over the fence. She was so surprised that she swallowed the bull’s-eye she was sucking and choked so violently that she nearly fell out of the treehouse.
    When at last she recovered, the foreigner had disappeared. She found that Liz had spotted him too, and the twins gazed at each other in excitement.
    ‘He must still be there!’ said Glad. ‘Come on, Liz - let’s climb down and tell Ern. He’ll go after him all right. Won’t he be pleased with us!’
     
    ERN SHADOWS A SUSPECT!
     
    Glad and Liz almost fell down the tree in their hurry. They went into the little shed where Ern was busy with his bicycle.
    ‘Ern! We’ve seen somebody,’ said Glad, in a penetrating whisper that could be heard all over the garden. Ern looked up, startled.
    ‘Where? Who?’ he asked, getting up at once.
    Glad and Liz told him, and Ern straightway made for the hedge, and disappeared through it. He went cautiously round the Larkins’ cottage - and then stopped in horror. Mr. Goon was standing at the door talking to Mrs. Larkin! The twins had not seen him because he had arrived after they had climbed down the tree.
    Mr. Goon caught sight of Ern at the same moment that Ern caught sight of him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Ern again! Ern here in the Larkins’ garden!
    Mr. Goon gave such a roar that Mrs. Larkin disappeared indoors immediately and shut the door with a slam. Ern was too petrified to move. Mr. Goon advanced on him majestically.
    ‘You here!’ said Mr. Goon. ‘Now you just come-alonga me, Ern. I’ve a few things to say to you, I have.’
    Ern fled just in time. He ran blindly down the path and charged full-tilt into Mr. Larkin, who was shuffling along still carrying his firewood. He dropped it for the second time as Ern ran straight into him and almost knocked him over. He caught hold of the boy and held on - and was then almost sent flying by the burly form of Mr. Goon chasing after Ern.
    ‘Ere! What’s all this!’ said Mr. Larkin, startled and annoyed.
    ‘Hold that boy!’ commanded Mr. Goon breathlessly. ‘Hold him!’ Mr. Larkin tried to hold the wriggling Ern, but had to let him go - and Mr. Goon just pounced in time to stop poor Ern from escaping. He shook him so hard that Ern didn’t quite know what was happening.
    ‘What you doing here?’ demanded Mr. Goon angrily. ‘Is that fat boy here too, snooping round?’
    ‘No,’ said Ern, feeling certain that Fatty and the others were playing some nice, friendly game far away in Fatty’s shed.
    ‘Mr. Goon, sir,’ said Mr. Larkin, ‘there’s bin a furriner wandering round Tally-Ho grounds just now. Name of Hoho-Ha.’
    ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ said Mr. Goon unfairly. ‘Standing there saying nothing. Where is the fellow?’
    He hung on to Ern so tightly that the boy groaned. ‘Uncle, let me go. I’m after him too. I’ll look for him, if you’ll let me go.’
    ‘What do you mean, you’re after him too?’ said Mr. Goon, looking all round as if he thought he would be able to see plenty of ‘furriners’.
    ‘You let that boy look for him, sir,’ suggested Mr. Larkin from under his old cap. ‘A kid can snoop round quietly and not be