Five Get Into Trouble by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online Page B

and she longed to be with the others. Slowly she came down, with Julian's help, and he lifted her to the ground.

    She clung to him, and he put his arm round his young sister. 'It's al right, Anne. I'm with you now. And here's George too — and old Timmy.'

    'Who's that? said Anne, suddenly seeing Richard in the shadows.

    'Only Richard. He's behaved badly,' said Julian, grimly. 'It's all because of him and his idiotic behaviour that this has happened. Now — tell us slowly and careful y about Dick and the two men, Anne.'

    Anne told him, not missing out anything at al . Timmy stood near her, licking her hand all the time. That was very comforting indeed! Timmy always knew when anyone was in trouble. Anne felt very much better when she had Julian's arm round her, and Timmy's tongue licking her!

    'It's quite clear what's happened,' said Julian, when Anne had finished her alarming tale.
    'This man Rooky recognized Richard, and he and the other two came after him, seeing a chance to kidnap him, and so get even with his father. Rooky was the only one who knew Richard, and he wasn't the man who caught Dick. The others got him — and they didn't know he wasn't Richard — and of course, hearing that his name was Dick they jumped to the conclusion that he was Richard — because Dick is short for Richard.'

    'But Dick told them he wasn't Richard Kent,' said Anne, earnestly.

    'Of course — but they thought he wasn't telling the truth,' said Julian. 'And they've taken him off. What did you say was the name of the place they were going to?'

    'It sounded like Owl's Dene,' said Anne. 'Can we go there, Julian — if you told the men Dick was Dick and not Richard, they'd let him go, wouldn't they?'

    'Oh yes,' said Julian. 'In any case, as soon as that fel ow Rooky sets eyes on him he'l know there's a mistake been made. I think we can get old Dick away all right.'

    A voice came out of the shadows nearby. 'What about me? Wil you take me home first? I don't want to run into Rooky again.'

    'I'm certainly not going to waste time taking you home,' said Julian, coldly. 'If it hadn't been for you and your tomfoolery we wouldn't have run into this trouble. You'l have to come with us. I'm going to find Dick first.'

    'But I can't come with you — I'm afraid of Rooky!' wailed Richard.

    'Well, stay here then,' said Julian, determined to teach Richard a lesson.

    That was even worse. Richard howled loudly. 'Don't leave me here! Don't!'

    'Now look here — if you come with us, you can always be dropped at a house somewhere, or at a police-station — and get yourself taken home somehow,' said Julian, exasperated. 'You're old enough to look after yourself. I'm fed up with you.'

    Anne was sorry for Richard, although he had brought al this trouble on them. She knew how dreadful it was to feel really frightened. She put out a hand and touched him kindly.

    'Richard! Don't be a baby. Julian wil see that you're all right. He's just feeling cross with you now, but he'll soon get over it.'

    'Don't you be too sure about that!' said Julian to Anne, pretending to be sterner than he real y felt. 'What Richard wants is a jol y good hiding. He's untruthful and deceitful and an absolute baby!'

    'Give me another chance,' almost wept poor Richard, who had never in his life been spoken to like this before. He tried to hate Julian for saying such things to him — but oddly enough he couldn't. He only respected and admired him all the more.

    Julian said no more to Richard. He real y thought the boy was too feeble for words. It was a nuisance that they had him with them. He would be no help at all — simply a tiresome nuisance.

    'What are we going to do, Julian?' asked George, who had been very silent. She was fond of Dick, and was very .worried about him. Where was Owl's Dene? How could they possibly find it in the night? And what about those awful men? How would they treat Julian if he demanded Dick back at once? Julian was fearless and straightforward