Read Online The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online
Authors: Enid Blyton
Tags: General Fiction
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«Can you vouch for the fact that you've got the horse?»
«Oh, yes – there's no doubt about it», said Peter's father. «You can see him whenever you like. Peter, tell your story.»
«We're going to take it in turns to tell bits», said Peter. He began. He told about how they had made snowmen in the field. Then Jack went on to tell how he had gone to look for his Secret Seven badge in the field, and how he had seen the car and its trailer-van. «Of course I know now it was a horse-box», he said. «But I didn't know then. I couldn't think what it was – it looked like a small removal van, or something. I couldn't see any proper windows either.»
So the story went on – how they had interviewed the caretaker and what he had said – how they had tracked the car down to the field gate and up the lane again. Then how four boys had dressed up as snowmen with Scamper and gone to watch.
Then came the exciting bit about Peter and Jack creeping into the house to find the prisoner – and being caught themselves. And then Colin and George took up the tale and told how they in their turn went into the old house to find Jack and Peter.
«Adventurous kids, aren't they?» said the Inspector, with a twinkle in his eye, turning to Peter's mother.
«Very», she said. «But I don't at all approve of this night-wandering business, Inspector. They should all have been in bed and asleep.»
«Quite», said the Inspector. «I agree with you. They should have told the police, no doubt about that, and left them to solve the mystery. Wandering about at night dressed up as snowmen – I never heard anything like it!» He spoke in such a severe voice that the three girls felt quite alarmed. Then he smiled and they saw that actually he was very pleased with them. «I'll have to find out the name of the owner of the old house», he said, «and see if he knows anything about these goings-on.»
«It's a Mr. Holikoff, 64, Heycom Street, Covelty», said George at once. «We – Pam and I – found that out.»
«Good work!» said the Inspector, and the other policeman wrote the address down at once. «Very good work indeed.»
«I suppose they don't know the number of the car, do they?» asked the second policeman. «That would be a help.»
«No», said Colin, regretfully. «But the other two girls here know something about the horse-box, sir. They took the measurements of the tyres and even drew a copy of the pattern on them – it showed in the snow, you see.»
«Janet did that», said Barbara, honestly, wishing she hadn't laughed at Janet for doing it. Janet produced the paper on which she had drawn the pattern and taken the measurements.
The Inspector took it at once, looking very pleased. «Splendid. Couldn't be better! It's no good looking for tracks today, of course, because the snow's all melted. This is a very, very valuable bit of evidence. Dear me, what bright ideas you children have!»
Janet was scarlet with pleasure. Peter looked at her and smiled proudly. She was a fine sister to have – a really good member of the Secret Seven!
«Well, these children seem to have done most of the work for us», said the Inspector, shutting his notebook. «They've got the address of the owner – and if he happens to have a horse-box in his possession, whose tyres match these measurements and this pattern, then he'll have to answer some very awkward questions.»
The police went to see Kerry Blue. The children crowded into the stable too, and Kerry Blue put his ears back in alarm. But Peter soon soothed him.
«Yes. He's been partly dyed already», said the Inspector, feeling his coat. «If he'd had one more coat of colour he'd be completely disguised! I suppose those fellows meant to come along and do that tonight – and then take him off to some other stable. But, of course, they had to hide him somewhere safe while they changed the colour of his coat – and so they chose the cellars of the old empty house – belonging to Mr. J. Holikoff.
«Oh, yes – there's no doubt about it», said Peter's father. «You can see him whenever you like. Peter, tell your story.»
«We're going to take it in turns to tell bits», said Peter. He began. He told about how they had made snowmen in the field. Then Jack went on to tell how he had gone to look for his Secret Seven badge in the field, and how he had seen the car and its trailer-van. «Of course I know now it was a horse-box», he said. «But I didn't know then. I couldn't think what it was – it looked like a small removal van, or something. I couldn't see any proper windows either.»
So the story went on – how they had interviewed the caretaker and what he had said – how they had tracked the car down to the field gate and up the lane again. Then how four boys had dressed up as snowmen with Scamper and gone to watch.
Then came the exciting bit about Peter and Jack creeping into the house to find the prisoner – and being caught themselves. And then Colin and George took up the tale and told how they in their turn went into the old house to find Jack and Peter.
«Adventurous kids, aren't they?» said the Inspector, with a twinkle in his eye, turning to Peter's mother.
«Very», she said. «But I don't at all approve of this night-wandering business, Inspector. They should all have been in bed and asleep.»
«Quite», said the Inspector. «I agree with you. They should have told the police, no doubt about that, and left them to solve the mystery. Wandering about at night dressed up as snowmen – I never heard anything like it!» He spoke in such a severe voice that the three girls felt quite alarmed. Then he smiled and they saw that actually he was very pleased with them. «I'll have to find out the name of the owner of the old house», he said, «and see if he knows anything about these goings-on.»
«It's a Mr. Holikoff, 64, Heycom Street, Covelty», said George at once. «We – Pam and I – found that out.»
«Good work!» said the Inspector, and the other policeman wrote the address down at once. «Very good work indeed.»
«I suppose they don't know the number of the car, do they?» asked the second policeman. «That would be a help.»
«No», said Colin, regretfully. «But the other two girls here know something about the horse-box, sir. They took the measurements of the tyres and even drew a copy of the pattern on them – it showed in the snow, you see.»
«Janet did that», said Barbara, honestly, wishing she hadn't laughed at Janet for doing it. Janet produced the paper on which she had drawn the pattern and taken the measurements.
The Inspector took it at once, looking very pleased. «Splendid. Couldn't be better! It's no good looking for tracks today, of course, because the snow's all melted. This is a very, very valuable bit of evidence. Dear me, what bright ideas you children have!»
Janet was scarlet with pleasure. Peter looked at her and smiled proudly. She was a fine sister to have – a really good member of the Secret Seven!
«Well, these children seem to have done most of the work for us», said the Inspector, shutting his notebook. «They've got the address of the owner – and if he happens to have a horse-box in his possession, whose tyres match these measurements and this pattern, then he'll have to answer some very awkward questions.»
The police went to see Kerry Blue. The children crowded into the stable too, and Kerry Blue put his ears back in alarm. But Peter soon soothed him.
«Yes. He's been partly dyed already», said the Inspector, feeling his coat. «If he'd had one more coat of colour he'd be completely disguised! I suppose those fellows meant to come along and do that tonight – and then take him off to some other stable. But, of course, they had to hide him somewhere safe while they changed the colour of his coat – and so they chose the cellars of the old empty house – belonging to Mr. J. Holikoff.
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