Five Go Down to the Sea by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online Page B

think it wil flash tonight? Can"t we - can"t we go and see?"

Chapter Seven
OUT IN THE NIGHT

    Before the children had finished their high tea, the big kitchen-sitting-room was quite dark.
    Thunder clouds had moved up from the west, gathering together silently, frowning and sinister. Then, from far off, came the first rumble of thunder.
    The little Scottie came and cowered against Mrs Penruthlan"s skirts. He hated storms. The farmer"s wife comforted him, and her big husband gave a little unexpected snort of laughter. He said something that sounded like „oose".
    „He"s not as timid as a mouse," said his wife, who was real y marvel ous at interpreting her husband"s peculiar noises. „He just doesn"t like the thunder. He never did. He can sleep with us in our room tonight."
    There were a few more sounds from Mr Penruthlan to which his wife listened anxiously.
    „Very well, if you have to get up and see to Jenny the horse in the night, I"l see Benny doesn"t bark the house down," she said. She turned to the children. „Don"t worry if you hear him barking," she said. „It wil only be Mr Penruthlan stirring."
    The thunder crashed and rumbled again, this time a little nearer, and then lightning flashed. Then down came the rain. How it poured! It rattled and clattered on the roof in enormous drops, and then settled down into a steady downpour.
    The four children got out their cards and played games by the light of the oil lamp. There was no electricity at Tremannon. Timmy sat with his head on George"s knee. He didn"t mind the thunder but he didn"t particularly like it.
    „Well, I think we"d better go to bed," said Julian at last. He knew that the Penruthlans liked to go to bed early because they got up so early, and as they did not go upstairs until after the children did, Julian saw to it that they, too, went early.
    They said good night and went up to their bare little rooms. The windows were stil open and the smal curtains drawn back, so that the hil s, lit now and again by lightning, showed up clearly. The children went and stood there, watching. They all loved a storm, especial y Dick. There was something powerful and most majestic about this kind of storm, sweeping over hil s and sea, rumbling al round, and tearing the sky in half with flashes of lightning.
    „Julian, is it possible to go up to that place the shepherd showed us and see if the light flashes tonight?" said George. „You only laughed when I asked you before."
    „Well, I laugh again!" said Julian. „Of course not! We"d be drenched, and I don"t fancy being out in this lightning on those exposed hil s, either."
    „Al right," said George. „Anyway, I don"t feel quite such an urge to go now that it"s so pitch dark."
    „Just as well," said Julian. „Come on, Dick, let"s go to bed."
    The storm went on for some time, rumbling al round the hil s again, as if it were going round in a circle. The girls fel asleep, but the boys tossed about, feeling hot and sticky.
    „Dick," said Julian, suddenly, „let"s get up and go out. It"s stopped raining. Let"s go and see if that light is flashing tonight. It should be just the night for it, according to old Grandad."
    „Right," said Dick, and sat up, feeling for his clothes. „I simply can"t go to sleep, even though I felt real y sleepy when I undressed."
    They pul ed on as few clothes as possible, for the night was stil thundery and hot. Julian took his torch and Dick hunted for his.

    „Got it," he said at last. „Are you ready? Come on, then. Let"s tiptoe past the Penruthlans"
    door, or we may wake that dog Scottie! He"s sleeping there tonight, don"t forget."
    They tiptoed along the passage, past the Penruthlans" door and down the stairs. One stair creaked rather alarmingly, and they stopped in dismay, wondering if Ben the Scottie would break out into a storm of barking.
    But he didn"t. Good! Down they went again, switching on their torches to see the way.
    They came to the bottom of the stairs. „Shall we go