Enid Blyton - Five Go to Mystery Moor (Famous Five)

Chapter Twenty-one

Mrs Johnson was amazed to hear that the police wanted Julian and Dick to go out on the moors again.

But theyre tired out! she said. They need something to eat. Cant it wait?

Im afraid not, said the sergeant. You neednt worry, Mrs Johnson. These boys are tough!

Well actually I dont think that the gypsies can possibly find the packets, said Julian. So it wouldnt matter if we had a bite to eat. Im ravenous!

All right, said the big policeman, putting away his note-book. Have a snack and well go afterwards.

Well, of course, George, Anne and Henry all wanted to go too, as soon as they heard about the proposed jaunt over the moors!

What! Leave us out of that! said George, indignantly. What a hope! Anne wants to come too.

So does Henry, said Anne, looking at George, even though she didnt help to find the packages of notes.

Of course Henry must come, said George at once, and Henry beamed. George had been very struck indeed with Henrys courage in coming with William to rescue her and Anne, and very pleased that she hadnt boasted about it! But Henry knew that William was the one mostly to praise, and she had been unexpectedly modest about the whole affair.

It was quite a large party that set off after everyone had made a very good breakfast. Mrs Johnson had set to work cooking huge platefuls of bacon and egg, exclaiming every now and again when she thought of all that had happened up on the moors.

Those gypsies! And fancy that plane coming like that - dropping money all over the place! And the gypsies tying up Anne and George in that hill. I never heard anything like it in my life!

Captain Johnson went with the party too. He could hardly believe the extraordinary tale that the four had to tell, five, with old Timmy! Timmy now had a beautiful patch on his head, and was feeling extremely important. Wait till Liz saw that!

Ten people set out, including Timmy, for William had been included in the party too. He tried to guess where Julian had hidden the notes, but he couldnt, of course. Julian firmly refused to tell anyone. He wanted it to be a real surprise.

They came to the quarry at last, having walked all the way up the old railway line. Julian stood on the edge of the quarry and pointed out the gypsy camp.

Look, theyre leaving, he said. I bet they were afraid wed spread the news of their behaviour, after the girls escaped.

Sure enough, the caravans were moving slowly away.

Wilkins, as soon as you get back, give word to have every gypsy watched if he leaves the caravans, said the sergeant. One of them is sure to have arranged a meeting-place to give the gang the packets dropped from the plane, and if we watch those caravans, and every gypsy in them, well soon be able to put our hands on the gang that spends the forged notes.

I bet its Sniffers father, said Dick. Hes the ringleader, anyway.

They watched the caravans move away one by one. Anne wondered about Sniffer. So did George. What had she promised him last night, if he would help them? A bicycle, and to live in a house so that he could ride it to school! Well, it wasnt likely she would ever see the dirty little boy again, but if she did she would certainly have to keep her word!

Now, wheres this wonderful hiding-place? asked the sergeant, as Julian turned from watching the caravans. He had tried to make out Sniffer and Liz, but the vans were too far away.

Follow me! said Julian, with a sudden grin and led the way back up the lines to where they broke off. The gorse-bush was there, and the old engine lay on its side as before, almost hidden.

Whatevers that? said the sergeant, surprised.

Its the old Puffing Billy that used to pull the trucks of sand from the quarry, said Dick. Apparently there was a quarrel long ago between the owners of the quarry and the gypsies, and the gypsies pulled up the lines and the engine ran off and fell over. There its been ever since, as far as I can see!

Julian went round to the funnel-end, and bent back the prickly gorse-branch that hid it. The sergeant looked on in surprise. Dick scraped the sand out of the top of the funnel and then pulled out one of the packages. He had been afraid they would not be there.

Here you are! he said, and tossed the packet to the sergeant. There are plenty more. Ill come to the one we opened in a minute - yes - here it is.

The sergeant and Wilkins were amazed to see the packages hauled up from such a peculiar hiding-place. No wonder the gypsies hadnt found them. Nobody would ever have looked down the funnel of the old engine, even if they had spotted it, half-buried as it was.

The sergeant looked at the hundred-dollar notes in the opened parcel and whistled. My word, this is it! Weve seen these before, beautiful forgeries they are! If the gang had got rid of this lot, a great many people would have suffered. The money is worth nothing! How many packets did you say there were?

Dozens! said Dick, and pulled more of them out of the funnel. Gosh, I cant reach the ones at the bottom.

Never mind, said the sergeant. Put some sand in to hide them and Ill send a man to poke the rest out with a stick. The gypsies have gone and they are the only people likely to hunt for them. This is a wonderful scoop! You kids have certainly put us on to something.

Im glad, said Julian. I say, wed better collect all the things we left here yesterday, hadnt we? We went off in rather a hurry, you see, Sergeant, and left our things in the quarry.

He and George went into the quarry to collect the things they had left there. Timmy went with them. He suddenly growled, and George stopped, her hand on his collar.

Whats up, Tim? Ju, there must be somebody here! Is it one of the gypsies, do you think?

Then Timmy stopped growling and wagged his tail. He dragged away from Georges hand and ran over to one of the little caves in the sandy walls. He looked most peculiar with the patch on his head.

Out of the cave came Liz! As soon as she saw Timmy she began to turn head-over-heels as fast as she could. Timmy stared in wonder - what a dog! How could she turn somersaults like that?

Sniffer! called George. Come on out. I know youre there!

A pale, worried face looked out of the cave. Then Sniffers thin, wiry little body followed, and soon he was standing in the quarry, looking scared.

I got away from them, he said, nodding his head towards where the gypsy camp had been. He went up to George, and gave a sniff.

You said I could have a bike, he said.

I know, said George. You shall have one, Sniffer. If you hadnt left us patrins in that hill, wed never have escaped!

And you said I could live in a house and ride my bike to school, said Sniffer urgently. I cant go back to my father, hed half-kill me now. He saw those patrins I left in the hill and he chased me all over the moor for miles. But he didnt catch me. I hid.

Well do the best we can for you, promised Julian, sorry for this little waif. Sniffer sniffed.

Wheres that hanky? demanded George. He pulled it out of his pocket, still clean and folded. He beamed at her.

Youre quite hopeless, said George. Listen, if you want to go to school, youll have to stop that awful sniff and use your hanky. See?

Sniffer nodded, but put the hanky carefully back into his pocket. Then the sergeant came into the quarry and Sniffer fled at the sight of him!

Funny little thing, said Julian. Well, I should imagine that his father will be sent to prison for his share in this affair, so Sniffer will be able to get his wish and leave the caravan life to live in a house. We might be able to get him into a good home.