Mystery of Tally-Ho Cottage (5 page)

‘COO!’ said Ern, light dawning on him suddenly. ‘You mean - I say, do you mean I can come into this because I’ll be able to pop my head over the hedge and watch any goings-on at the house next door?’

‘You’ve got it, Ern!’ said Fatty, and clapped him on the back. ‘We were almost on the point of giving up the mystery when you came in - now we’ll be on it full-speed! Wa bit of luck that you’ll be staying with the Wooshes!’

Ern was so overcome that he was speechless for a moment. He stared round with bright eyes, and opened and shut his mouth like a goldfish.

He suddenly found his voice. ‘I’ll do my bit,’ he said, in a suddenly solemn voice, just as if he were going off to war. ‘You just give me my orders, Fatty - and I’ll obey!’

Thereupon a most animated conversation began. The newspapers were fetched from downstairs, and everyone pored over the reports of the Lorenzo case. The Five Find-Outers meant to get every single bit of information they could find.

‘It even says here that they left Poppet the poodle behind,’ said Bets. ‘And here’s a picture of her in Mrs. Lorenzo’s arms. And listen, it says: “Gloria Lorenzo is passionately attached to her little poodle, whom she has had for seven years. It is the first time she has ever left the little dog behind - and therefore it seems that the Lorenzos meant to flee the country.” ’

‘Ern could keep an eye on those awful Larkins, too,’ said Daisy, ‘and see that they don’t ill-treat dear little Poppet.’

‘I’ll keep an eye on them,’ promised Ern. ‘You just give me my orders!’

‘He could keep an eye on Tally-Ho, the house, as well,’ said Larry. ‘Just in case the picture has been left behind, hidden there somewhere after all. If he sees any suspicious strangers about, he’d have to report to us at once.’

‘Yes, I will,’ said the excited Ern. ‘I’ll have my bike, see - and I’ll keep it all pumped up and ready to fly off to Fatty’s if I’ve anything to report.’

They talked and talked. It was all most exciting. Ern’s face grew redder and redder and his hair became more and more tousled. He had never had such a thrilling morning in his life!

‘I expect old Goon will be round there quite a bit,’ said Fatty. ‘He’ll keep an eye on the Larkins, and on the house too. So look out for him.’

‘Lovaduck!’ said Ern, suddenly doleful. ‘I forgot about my uncle. I’d better keep out of his sight. He’ll go mad if he sees me snooping around.’

‘He certainly will,’ agreed Fatty. ‘Don’t let him know you’re staying at the Wooshes if you can help it. Don’t let him see you at all, in fact!’

‘Oh, I won’t,’ said Ern fervently. ‘I’m scared of my uncle, I really am, sure as my name’s Ern Goon.’

Buster gave a sudden growl when he heard the name of Goon. ‘There!’ said Ern, ‘he thinks the same as me. Good old Buster. I know how you feel about biting his ankles. I’d like to bite him too.’

Buster thumped his tail on the floor, and looked at Ern with approval.

‘I say,’ said Pip, ‘how old are these twins of your aunt’s? About Sid and Perce’s age did you say? You could have a game of ball with them, perhaps - and let the ball go into Tally-Ho gardens - and slip over and look for it - or…’

‘Coo yes - I’ll be able to think of plenty of excuses for slipping into next door,’ said Ern. ‘I’ll pry into every corner - you never know where that picture might be hid, do you!’

‘Well, it probably wouldn’t be in the rubbish-heap or in the coal-cellar,’ said Fatty gravely. ‘I wouldn’t bother about the picture, Ern - just keep your eyes and ears open and report anything unusual to us - strangers about, or noises in the night, or lights.’

‘Yes - and report to us if the Larkins are cruel to little Poppet!’ said Bets. ‘If they are I’ll get the R.S.P.C.A. to report them. I will. I really will!’

‘Good old Bets,’ said Fatty. ‘Don’t worry - the dog is a valuable one and the Larkins won’t dare to starve it or hurt it badly.’

‘I say - just look at the time!’ said Pip, in horror. ‘We’ll be late for our dinner again - and Mother will blame you, Fatty, as well as us! Come on, Bets, for goodness’ sake!’

Larry and Daisy came to the front gate to see them off. They all rode away on their bicycles, Ern too.

‘So long!’ he said, with his usual beaming smile. ‘I’m off to the Wooshes now. They’re expecting me for dinner. I’ve got all my things in my bike-basket!’

‘So long!’ said Fatty, amused at the tiny bundle in Ern’s basket. Ern obviously didn’t think he needed much luggage for a week’s stay at the Wooshes! ‘And thanks most awfully for the splendid table, Ern.’

Ern rode off, pleased at the sight of Fatty riding away on his bicycle with the table under one arm. He’d be able to tell those twins something, when he got to his aunt’s!

Ern arrived late at his aunt’s, having quite forgotten that his uncle, the Daniels’ gardener, knocked off work at half-past twelve and went in for his dinner.

Mrs. Woosh was not too pleased with him. ‘Oh - here you are at last, Ern!’ she said. ‘Well, we’ve almost finished dinner - and thinking you weren’t coming, Liz and Glad have eaten your share of the stew.’

‘Oh!’ said Ern, dismayed, for he was very hungry indeed. ‘Sorry I’m late, Aunt. I’ve been with my friends and forgot the time.’

‘What friends?’ asked his aunt, in surprise.

‘Well, there’s Frederick Trotteville, and the Hiltons and…’ began Ern proudly.

Liz and Glad tittered. ‘Oooh, isn’t he grand!’ said Liz. ‘Those aren’t his friends, are they, Mum?’

‘You hold your tongue, Liz,’ said Mrs. Woosh. Liz nudged Glad and they both went off into giggles that made Ern long to slap them.

‘If you were my sisters,’ he began, glaring at them, but Mrs. Woosh stopped him.

‘Now, Ern, don’t start throwing your weight about as soon as you come. There’s some cheese over there that your uncle left, and some bread. Help yourself. We’ve got plenty of pudding left.’

Ern sighed in relief and began on the bread and cheese. The twins sat and stared steadily at Ern for a few minutes, nudging each other every time he put a huge bit of bread and cheese into his mouth. He decided that they required a firm hand. They needed a brother, that’s what they needed - someone like Ern himself, Ern decided. He would Keep Them in Their Place all right!

At last Glad and Liz slipped away from the table and went out into the garden to play. Mrs. Woosh heaved a sigh of relief.

‘I’ll be glad when the holidays are over,’ she said. ‘Always under my feet, those twins are. I don’t know how your Ma manages with Sid and Perce, Ern - but twins are a handful, my word they are! If one isn’t in mischief, the other is.’

‘Mum’s always saying the same about Sid and Perce,’ said Ern. ‘I’ll take the twins off your hands for you a bit, Auntie - play ball with them, and such-like.’

‘That’s right, Ern,’ said Mrs. Woosh. ‘I expect you know about the happenings next door, don’t you? The Lorenzos, I mean, who were in the papers today. My word - I could tell you of some goings-on there, I could!’

Ern felt excited. He might hear Something Important - something he could report back to Fatty. He wondered if he ought to write anything down in his notebook. Yes, perhaps he’d better - his aunt might let a few clues drop! That would be fine. So Ern pulled a notebook out of his pocket, licked his pencil, and glued his eyes on his aunt.

‘You tell me everything’’ he said. ‘And don’t leave NOTHING out, Auntie!’

His aunt was pleasantly surprised to find Ern so interested in her chatter. Neither her husband nor the twins ever listened to her for more than a few seconds, and she was a born talker. She leaned her elbows on the table and began.

‘Well, the Lorenzos came about six months back. They took the house, furnished, from the Peters’ who are in America. They brought their own servants with them, and…’

‘What about the Larkins?’ said Ern, remembering what the Five had said about them. He’d better ask for news of them too!

‘Oh, the Larkins - they’ve been in that cottage for donkeys’ years,’ said Mrs. Woosh. ‘Don’t interrupt me, Ern. I don’t hold with them Larkins - dirty, untidy couple they are, shuffling and sniffling about. I just pass the time of day and that’s all. He’s supposed to look after the boilers, and go up to the house for the boots to clean and things like that. Dirty old man!’

‘They’ve got the little poodle, Poppet, haven’t they?’ said Ern, trying to scribble fast enough to keep up with Mrs. Woosh’s chatter.

‘Yes - and why the Lorenzos left it with them, goodness knows!’ said Mrs. Woosh. ‘We once had a cat, and it wandered into their garden - and will you believe it, they stoned the poor creature, and almost broke one of its legs.’

Ern was horrified, and wrote down ‘legs’ and underlined it. On and on went his aunt, telling him about the extraordinary parties that the Lorenzos gave; ‘midnight bathing in the river and hide-and-seek in the garden afterwards,’ she said. ‘And once they all dressed up as animals, and I wasn’t half startled to meet a giraffe and a bear going along the lane that night!’

Ern was soon so fascinated that he forgot to write in his notebook. He began to wish that he too lived next door to people like the Lorenzos - there would always be plenty of excitement!

‘The house is shut up now,’ said Mrs. Woosh, ‘no lights, no smoke from the chimneys. I passed the time of day with Mr. Larkin yesterday, and he said that even he and his wife can’t get in. Not even to air the house. He says the police have got the keys.’

Ern decided this might be important, so he wrote down ‘Shut house. Keys.’ His aunt frowned.

‘Why do you keep scribbling in that notebook of yours, Ern, when I’m talking to you? That’s rude. Anyone would think you were your uncle, P.C. Goon - he’s always got a notebook he’s scribbling in. My word, I’ve just thought of an idea!’

‘What?’ said Ern, his pencil poised over his notebook at once. ‘Quick, Aunt!’

‘I’ll ask Mr. Goon in to tea while you’re here - I’ll tell him it’s just so he can see his nephew. But really it’ll be because I want to hear what he’s got to say on this Lorenzo business!’ Mrs. Woosh looked delighted at her idea. ‘He’s a wonderful man, your Uncle Theophilus Goon - always on to something. Yes, I’ll ask him to tea.’

Ern stared at her in the utmost horror. He could think of nothing worse than having his uncle to tea, and being made to sit opposite his big, angry face. Why, he didn’t even want his uncle to know he was in Peterswood.

‘Please, Auntie, don’t ask him,’ begged Ern. ‘He - well, he isn’t very fond of me. I’m right down scared of him.’

‘Oh, go on with you!’ said Mrs. Woosh. ‘He’s not a bad fellow. I always say it’s useful to have a policeman in the family.’

Ern didn’t think so. He could have done without Mr. Goon in his own family, that was certain! He put away his notebook gloomily. What a pity it had reminded Mrs. Woosh of his uncle!

‘Well, I’d better wash up, I suppose,’ said Mrs. Woosh. ‘You go on out and play with Glad and Liz, Ern. You’ll get on with them fine!’

Ern wasn’t so sure that he would. He put on his coat and went out. He was immediately pelted with bits of earth, and greeted with squeals of laughter. He looked round to see where the twins were. Up in that tree!

Ern was about to shout at them, when he stopped. The tree was a tall one. It stood by the hedge, and overlooked the Larkins’ cottage and garden. It would, in fact, be a perfectly splendid spying-place!

Ern decided not to be angry about the clod-throwing. He called up the tree. ‘Hey, you kids! Like me to show you how to build a house in a tree?’

There was a moment’s silence. Then Glad looked down cautiously. ‘Yes. But don’t you try lamming us when you come up. We’ll push you down, if you do.’

Ern immediately felt like ‘lamming’ them. But he must keep guard on his temper. The twins might come in very useful!

The tree was some kind of evergreen fir, very tall and broad. Its branches were admirable for climbing. Ern went up to where the twins sat. They grinned at him.

‘Did we hit you with the clods of earth? We waited and waited for you. Did Mum talk to you all that time?’

As the twins never really expected any answers to their questions they didn’t at all mind when Ern ignored them, and began to make a peep-hole through the thick branches, so that he might look down on the Larkins’ cottage over the hedge.

‘What are you doing? Are you going to make a house up here? Can we live in it? Will it have a chimney?’

Ern found that he could see right down into the Larkins’ garden - in fact, the cottage was so near that he could smell the smoke from the chimney. He took out his knife and began to cut away some of the greenery, so that he could have a kind of window through the branches to peep from. The twins watched him with interest.

‘What are you doing? Is that a spy-hole? Can we spy on the Larkins? We don’t like them. Let’s throw a stone down their chimney!’

The last idea appealed to Ern very much. He had never tried throwing stones down a chimney, but it certainly looked quite easy from where he sat. Then he reluctantly dismissed the idea from his mind. No - he might be lucky enough to get one stone down the chimney, but there would be a dozen stones that missed - and they would rattle on the tiles and bring out the Larkins in fury. That would never do!

‘Now you listen to me,’ said Ern, taking command firmly. ‘We’ll play that the Larkins are our enemies, see? And we’ll play that we’ve got to keep a watch on them and all they do. So we’ll build a little house up here, and I’ll keep watch.’

‘Us too!’ said the twins, both together. Ern nodded.

‘All of us - when I’m not up here, you two can take a turn - and you’ll have to report to me, see, because I’m your chief. This is our hidey-hole!’

The twins were thrilled. They gazed at Ern in admiration. He was clearly much, much cleverer than he looked.

‘I’ll go down and see if there’s any bits of wood and stuff to bring up here,’ said Ern, and disappeared rapidly. He stood at the bottom and called up cautiously. ‘Now, keep watch while I’m gone, you two!’

He met his uncle as he walked back to the cottage. Uncle Woosh was a tall, silent man who only came into the house for meals and for very little else. Ern was rather afraid of him, but decided that his uncle was the man to ask about planks and nails.