Mystery of the Disappearing Cat Read Online Free PDF

neatly-planted, well-watered little strawberry plants he bent down and wrenched every one of them up. He tore them up into tiny pieces and threw them on to the bonfire that was smouldering nearby. Bets sobbed bitterly. Poor little strawberry plants!
    “You’re a bad girl,” said Mr. Tupping. “And I tell you this — if you come into my garden again, I’ll go straight to Mr. Goon the policeman. Great friend of mine, he is, and he’ll be along to see your father before you can say ‘Jack Robinson.’ As for that Luke — well, he’ll end up in prison, no doubt about that.”
    With that Mr. Tupping began to walk back to the wall; but before he could get there, Buster came running up. He heard Bets sobbing, he smelt Mr. Tupping, and he put two and two together at once. Buster certainly had brains!
    He flew straight at Tupping and caught him by the trouser-leg, growling in a most fearsome way. Mr. Tupping gave a howl.
    “Call your dog off!” he yelled. Bets called Buster.
    “Oh, Buster, don’t! Come here, Buster!”
    But Buster was having a lovely time. Here was his enemy ill-treating his beloved little Bets. Grrrrrrrrr!
    Tupping was frightened. He kicked out and picked up a stick. Buster tore a large piece out of Tupping’s trouser-leg, and retired under a bush to chew it Tupping took his chance and shinned up the wall. Buster was out from the bush in a trice, snapping at Tupping’s ankles, getting another bit of trouser and a nice piece of woollen sock too. Tupping gave a yell, and fell off on the other side of the wall.
    Bets was half-laughing and half-crying by now. “Oh, Buster, darling Buster, I think you’re marvellous!” she said.
    “Grrrrrrrr!” said Buster happily, still chewing a bit of trouser.
    Bets sat down and thought. She longed to run in and tell her mother all about everything, and feel her mother’s arms round her. The little girl had had a shock. But she was afraid that if she told her mother, Mummy would go and tell Lady Candling, and Lady Candling would scold Tupping, and Tupping would go to the police and say that Luke had stolen things to give to her, Bets.
    “And Mr. Goon doesn’t like us, ever since we solved the mystery of the burnt cottage before he did!” said Bets to herself. “So he would love to listen to everything that Tupping said and make a fuss about it. And Luke might really and truly be sent to prison. Oh, I do wish the others were here.”
    They came back at last. Fatty noticed Bet’s tear-stained face at once.
    “What’s up?” he said. “Got into a row, little Bets?”
    “Oh, an awful thing happened this morning,” said Bets, glad to pour out everything to the others. She told them the whole story. The three boys went red with rage to think that little Bets should have been treated like that. Daisy put her arms round her and gave her a hug.
    “Poor old Bets,” she said. “Go on — what happened next?”
    Then Bets told about Buster and how he had torn pieces out of Tupping’s trouser-legs. The children roared with laughter, and gave Buster a great petting. “Good dog, good dog!” said Pip. “That’s the stuff to give to surly old Tupping. Good dog!”
    Fatty put his arm round Bets. “You did quite right not to tell your mother,” he said. “I mean — it will save Luke a lot of trouble if we keep this quiet, because he would be terribly scared if the policeman came to question him. You know what old Luke is — frightened of all grown-ups simply because most of them have been so beastly to him.”
    “Fancy tearing up Bet’s plants like that,” said Pip. “If I was old enough I’d go and shake Tupping till his teeth fell out!”
    The others laughed. They all felt like that when they thought of poor frightened little Bets and her precious strawberry plants. Buster barked and wagged his tail.
    “He says he did his best to give Tupping a shaking?” said Daisy.
    The children did their best to make up to Bets for her fright They were very kind to her.