Mystery of the Strange Bundle Read Online Free PDF Page A

mouth open and his tongue hanging out because of the heat of the fire. Fatty tipped up a piece of buttery toast and let two or three drops of the melted butter drip down to Buster’s pink tongue. Buster was agreeably surprised. He swallowed twice and then held out his tongue again.
    “Quark, quark, quark,” said Fatty, down in his throat. Buster looked at him inquiringly and wagged his tail.
    “Cluck-cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk,” clucked Fatty. “Where’s that hen, Buster, where is it?”
    Buster thumped his tail on the ground. But he didn’t go and look for either duck or hen.
    “Too sensible, aren’t you?” said Fatty, with his mouth full. “No matter where I pretend the sounds come from, you jolly well know they’re made by me, don’t you? Quark, quark, quark!”
     
    Mr. Goon hears Strange Voices
     
    In three days’ time all the Find-Outers were apparently completely themselves again. Perhaps a spurt of brilliantly fine weather had something to do with it. All of them felt that they must be out in the sunshine, however cold it was otherwise.
    They went for their first walk together that holiday, enjoying the stroll, though only Bets really felt like running. “I vote we pop into the dairy and have a hot cup of chocolate,” said Fatty, as they turned into the High Street. “Come on, Buster, it’s no use staring at cats that are safely sitting on walls. They won’t come down for you to chase them! Funny that a clever dog like you shouldn’t have learnt that elementary fact yet!”
    They went into the little dairy and sat down at one of the tables there. In the summer they had ice-cold milk there, and ice-creams, or lemonade. In the winter the little shop did a roaring trade in hot milk, cocoa, and hot chocolate.
    A short, plump woman came to serve them. “Well, well,” she said, beaming at them. “I thought you must have gone back to school. I’ve not seen you for so long. What would you like?”
    “Hot chocolate, ginger biscuits, and currant buns, please,” said Fatty. He drew a handful of change out of his pocket to pay. Fatty always had plenty of money!
    “I’ll pay,” said Larry. “I’ve not spent half my Christmas money yet. You’re always paying out for us!”
    Fatty let him pay. He knew that it often made Larry feel embarrassed when he so often had to allow him, Fatty, to pay for their treats. Anyway, Fatty could always pay for the second round of chocolate and biscuits! “Flu seems to have enlarged my appetite,” he said. “I’ve not stopped feeling hungry for two days,”
    “Only because you jolly well know you’re going to get plenty to eat,” said Pip. “It wouldn’t be any fun being hungry if you thought there wasn’t going to be even a bit of bread to chew for days!”
    Nobody could think of an answer to that remark. Buster suddenly got up and went to the door. He barked loudly.
    “Be quiet!” said Fatty. “Behave yourself, Buster. Don’t bark at that dear old lady.”
    “He’s not,” said Bets suddenly, peering through the shop window from where she sat. “It’s Mr. Goon.”
    “Well, I hope he keeps out of here,” said Pip, beginning on a currant bun. “I say, these are good - new as anything.”
    Bets let her eyes wander round the shop. Up on the mantelpiece was a model of a cow, standing about two feet high. It had a head that would nod up and down if any one set it going. She got up and went over to it.
    “I like this cow,” she said. “I’ll set its head nid-nodding. Let’s see if it manages to nod it all the time we’re here.”
    She set the head nodding and went back to her chair, watching the cow. Buster began to bark again, and the five swung their heads round to the door.
    Mr. Goon was standing there, looking so plump that the buttons on his tunic were stretched to bursting-point. “Call this dog to you,” he commanded Fatty. “Put him on a lead. I won’t have him dancing round my ankles.”
    “Why? Are you coming to have a drink of hot milk or something?” asked Fatty. He deftly put Buster on the lead, and made him sit