Mystery of Banshee Towers by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online

Hill up there?”
    “Coo - what a hill!” said Ern, sounding as if he were beginning his “Coo” song again. “I bet we’ll have to walk half way up it. I’ll push your bike for you, Bets.”
    Yes, it was Banshee Hall - a very high one, running up steeply, with a winding road twisting to the summit. As they came near to it, the sun suddenly went in and a great black cloud blew up behind it.
    “I suppose that’s Banshee Towers right at the very top,” said Bets. “Queer-looking place - it stands there as if it’s glowering down at us. I don’t like it very much - especially with that black cloud behind it.”
    “You’re right,” said Ern, as they began to cycle slowly up the winding road that led to the top. “Very banshee-ish. I should say. Looks as if it wants to grumble and growl and wail! Buck up, young Bets - I believe it’s going to pour with rain. Here, let me wheel your bike for you - it’s too steep to ride just here!”
    Fatty had just turned round to see if the girls were managing all right, and was pleased to see Ern wheeling Bets’ bicycle for her. Ern might be rough and ready sometimes, but he had very nice ways, thought Fatty. He called to Daisy.
    “Want any help, Daisy? “
    “No, I’m all right,” said Daisy, panting. “I just hope we’ll get to the top before it pours! I say - that looks a pretty grim place up on the hill, doesn’t it?”
    “Yes - more like an old fortress than anything!” shouted back Fatty. “Look at the two dogs - we’ve left them far behind! Never mind - they’ll catch us up sometime.”
    They arrived at the gloomy old place at last, and stacked their bicycles in a convenient shed. Then they made their way to the entrance.
    “This way to the Wailing Banshee!” said Larry, grinning at Daisy and Bets. “Make ready to run for your lives!”
    “Ass!” said Fatty, seeing Bets’ alarmed face. “I’ll make you run for your life if you say any more, Larry! Come on - we have to pay to go in so dub up!

7 - INSIDE BANSHEE TOWERS
    “How much to go in, please?” asked Fatty.
    “One shilling each,” said the dour-looking man behind the turnstiles.
    “Whew - that’s rather a lot for us children to pay,” said Pip. “Don’t we go in for half-price?”
    “You do not,” said the man, looking at them severely over the top of his spectacles.
    “Do you charge for dogs?” asked Fatty.
    “No. They are NOT allowed in here,” said the man. “Anyway, you haven’t any dogs with you.”
    “We seem to have lost them,” said Fatty. “Er - do you charge for cats? I can see one sitting in your office.”
    “And what about horses?” said Larry, joining in. “Any objection to horses or a sheep or two?”
    “No horses and no sheep,” said the man. “And no silly asses, either, so be careful if you want to go in, see?”
    “He’s smarter than he looks,” said Fatty to the others when they were safely inside. “Let’s buy a catalogue shall we? I say - what a place!”
    “And what a VIEW!” said Daisy, going to one of the great windows that looked down over the countryside. “Glorious! You can see everything for miles around!”
    “Fatty! Come and look at this picture!” called Bets. “It’s so real you can almost hear the swish of the waves!”
    They all went across the stone floor, their feet clattering, to a wall where a great picture was displayed - a stormy sea, the waves rising high, the spray flying.
    “I feel as if my face is getting wet with spray when I look at that,” said Bets, in awe. “Isn’t it magnificent! Do buy a catalogue, Fatty. I want to see what it says about this picture.”
    Fatty went back to the man at the turnstiles, took a catalogue and put down a shilling, the man didn’t even look up. “Surly fellow!” thought Fatty and went back to the others, leafing through the catalogue to find a description of the picture that Bets liked.
    “It’s called ‘Fury of the Storm’,” he said. “It says the artist is one of