Enid Blyton (12 page)

After a few minutes Mr. Pink-Whistle went indoors. He went to Harry's desk and put half his books into George's. He put George's pencils into Harry's box. That was the kind of thing the two boys were always doing to other people. Well, let them see if they liked it or not!

They didn't like it a bit. Harry wailed aloud when he found half his books gone, because the teacher was always very cross when anyone was careless with books. And George was furious to find his best pencils missing.

"Who's taken them? Wait till I find out!" he cried angrily. "Teacher —all my best pencils have gone!"

They were found in Harry's box almost at once, and George almost flew at him in rage. He would have hit him then and there if the teacher hadn't suddenly discovered that Harry's books were in George's desk! She was really disgusted.

"I thought you two boys were friends. Look at this—your books in George's desk, Harry, and all George's pencils in your box. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Any more nonsense from either of you and you will stay in for half an hour."

Well, there was quite a lot of nonsense of course—but it was from Mr. Pink-Whistle, not from the boys! He upset George's paint-pot all over his painting—a thing that George himself did to somebody almost every painting lesson! And he smudged Harry's best writing when he wasn't looking. And that, too, was something that Harry was very fond of doing to the smaller children.

The teacher was cross. "Stay in for half an hour, both of you," she said. "I don't care if you are going out to a party. You can be half an hour late."

"But you know it's my cousin's birthday party,'* said George, indignantly. "I can’t be late."

"I know all about the party—and I'm afraid you will be late, both of you!" said the teacher firmly. The two boys glared at one another. Each felt sure it was the other who had got him into all this trouble!

They had to stay in for half an hour and do most of their work again. Then they said a sulky good-bye and went out.

As soon as they got out in the road they began to quarrel, "I sup¬pose you think you were very clever this afternoon!" said George angrily. "Well, take that”

And he hit Harry hard on the back. Mr. Pink-Whistle grinned. A fight? Well, he would join in as well. He would repay both George and Harry for the smacks and slaps and biffs and thuds that they had many a time dealt out to the younger children.

So, quite invisible, he hopped in and out, dealing a slap here and a smack there, and making the boys yell in pain, and go for each other all the more.

Biff! That was George hitting Harry on the nose. It began to bleed.

Smack! That was Harry hitting George on his right eye. It began to go black at once.

Thud, bang, slap! That was Mr. Pink-Whistle doing his share!

GEORGE HIT HARRY ON THE BACK, AND THEN THEY BEGAN TO FIGHT.

BIFF-BANG! That was both boys at once—and they fell over, crash, into a muddy puddle. They sat up, howling.

"Let's stop," wept George. "My eye hurts. And your nose is bleeding. We're terribly late for the party. We shall miss all the good things at tea."

So, sniffling and snuffling, muddy, wet and very much the worse for wear, the two boys arrived at their cousin's house. But when their aunt saw them, she was very cross indeed.

"George! Harry! How can you come to a party looking like that? Have you been fighting one another? You should be ashamed of yourselves. One with a black eye and one with a bleeding nose! And so dirty and untidy too. I won't let you in. You shan't come to the party!"

And she slammed the door in their faces. They went howling down the street, very sorry for themselves.

Mr. Pink-Whistle began to think they might have learnt their lesson. He suddenly appeared beside them, a kind little man with pointed ears.

"Come and have tea with me," he said. "I live not far off with my cat Sooty."

"TAKE ANOTHER PIECE OF CAKE, JUST TO SHOW THERE'S NO ILL-FEELING," SAID MR. PINK-WHISTLE.

So they went with him, still sniffling He made them wash and brush their hair. He stopped Harry's nose from bleeding, and he bathed George's eye. Then he sat them down to bread and butter and honey, and a seed-cake.

"You're very kind," said George, surprised.

"I'm not always," said Mr. Pink-Whistle, solemnly. "Sometimes, when I see mean, unkind people I get that way myself—just to punish them, you know. I've had a good time this afternoon, punishing two nasty little boys. My word, they were horrid little things—always teasing the smaller ones and getting them into trouble."

The two boys gazed at him, afraid.

"You've no idea of the things I did!" said Mr. Pink-Whistle, passing them the seed-cake. "My, the tricks I played in their class this afternoon—and what a time I had when those boys fought. I fought, too—biff, bang, thud!"

The boys looked at one another uncomfortably. They both felt very scared.

"You know, T always think that If mean, unkind people get treated meanly and unkindly themselves sometimes, they learn how horrid it is," said Mr. Pink-Whistle. "Of course—they sometimes need more than one lesson—perhaps two, or four, or even six!"

He looked hard at the two boys. They looked back. "Sir," said George, in a small voice. "We shan't need more than that one lesson. I promise you that."

"I promise you, too," said Harry, in a whisper. "It's—it's very kind of you, sir, to take us home and give us this tea—when you know we're mean."

"Bless us all, you can come again as often as you like—so long as you don't need another lesson from me, but only a nice tea!" said kind Mr. Pink-Whistle. "Now do take another piece of cake each— just to show there's no ill-feeling between us!"

Well, they did, of course. And, so far as I know, Mr. Pink-Whistle hasn't had to give them another lesson—yet! But he would, you know, .f they broke their promise. He's kind—but he's fierce, too, when he's putting wrong things right!

THE END

SMcG