Five Have a Mystery to Solve by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online Page B

landed and searched everywhere, and they found nothing except the great white castle-like house in the woods and hundreds of wild animals, so tame that they"d sit and watch you as you walked by."
    „Al very mysterious," said Julian, getting up. „Well, thanks for the welcome orangeade, and for your information! We"d already heard a bit from a groundsman of yours - Lucas -
    a real old countryman, and a born story-tel er!"
    „Ah, Lucas - yes, he knows that island wel ," said the pro. „He was once one of the keepers, I believe! Well - come and see me again some time - thanks for the bal s. It isn"t everyone who"s honest enough to come and give them in when they find them!"

    They all said good-bye and went out. Timmy pranced along in joy. Sitting down outside the clubhouse didn"t suit him at al !
    „Did you enjoy your biscuits, Tim?" asked George, and he ran up and gave her hand a quick lick. What a question! He always enjoyed biscuits! He ran off into the bracken and began to nose about there again, hunting for bal s.
    The others went to walk up the hil , talking about the island. „I wonder what really did happen to those two collector men who were never heard of again," said Anne. „Funny that their boat was found adrift and empty."
    „They must have been drowned, of course," said Dick. „I wonder if anything is left of the old treasures that were once taken there. No - there wouldn"t be - the police would have made a very thorough search!"
    „I wish we could go to the island!" said George. „I don"t expect the keepers would shoot at us, would they? They might even let us on, to make a change for them - they must be so bored with only themselves to talk to."
    „That"s very wishful thinking, George," said Julian. „We are CERTAINLY not going near the island, so put that right out of your head."
    „Well - I knew it was impossible, real y," said George. „But wouldn"t it be a grand adventure if we managed to get on the mysterious Whispering Island and explore it without the keepers knowing!"
    „Not such a grand adventure if we were all peppered with shot from the keepers" guns!"
    said Dick. „Anyway, we wouldn"t find anything of interest - the treasures must have been removed long ago. The only possible things of interest would be the very tame wild creatures there! Wilfrid would go mad with joy - wouldn"t you Wilfrid?"
    „I"d like it very much," said the boy, his eyes shining. „What"s more, I might hire a boat myself and row round the island to see if I could spot any animals there."
    „You"l do nothing of the sort!" said Julian, at once. „So don"t try any sil y tricks, see?"
    „I shan"t promise!" said Wilfrid, irritatingly. „You just never know!"
    „Oh yes, I do know! You"re just trying to sound big!" said Julian. „Come along quickly, everyone - it"s past our dinner-time, and I"m ravenous! What"s for lunch, Anne?"
    „We"ll open a tin of tongue," said Anne, „and there"s plenty of bread left, and lettuce, which I left in water. And tomatoes. And heaps of fruit."
    „Sounds good!" said George. „Dinner, Timmy, dinner!"
    And, hearing that welcome word, Timmy shot up the steep hil at top speed, his tail waving joyously.
    „Wish I was a dog and could tear up a hil like that!" said Anne, panting. „Give me a push, Julian! I"l never get to the top!"

Chapter Eight
MOSTLY ABOUT WILFRID

    Timmy was waiting for the children at the top of the hil , his tail waving, his mouth open as he panted. He picked something up, as the children came, threw it into the air, and caught it.
    „Another golf-bal , Timmy?" said Dick, as Timmy threw the bal into the air again with a toss of his big head.
    „No - it"s too big for that," said George. „Drop it, Timmy. What have you found?"
    Timmy dropped the ball at George"s feet. It was bigger than a golf-bal , and had a hole right through it. „Oh, it"s one of those bal s that children throw up and try to catch on a stick," said George. „Somebody must have dropped