Pigeon Post. Arthur Ransome

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      HOW DICK MADE THE PIGEON RING A BELL

      “Quick, quick before we faint,” said Nancy.

      “But do tell us what it was like,” said Dorothea.

      “Grand Gobi isn’t in it,” said Nancy. “Not a drop of water anywhere. The beck by the old pitstead, where we meant to camp, is dry. We saw a dead sheep in it … at least in the place where it was. Vultures overhead …”

      “A peregrine,” said John, who had caught the eager look in Dick’s eyes.

      “And what about Atkinson’s?” said Mrs Blackett.

      “Is it Squashy?” said Dorothea.

      “Yes it is,” said Nancy. “Well done, Peggy. Ow, I’d forgotten it’d be boiling … And I haven’t breath to blow it.

      “It is Squashy,” she went on. “He’s taken rooms at Atkinson’s, so he’d be bound to find out everything we’re doing. We’ll have to keep away from there altogether. And I say, we know he’s prospecting. There was a copy of the Mining World on Mrs Atkinson’s window-sill.”

      “Last week’s,” said John. “I saw the date.”

      “Shove a little more milk in,” said Nancy, “and then I’ll be able to drink it.”

      “But do go on,” said Dorothea. “What did you do in the desert?”

      “Walked and walked,” said Susan.

      “Tightened our belts and staggered on,” said Nancy. “There’s no water for a camp. Not on the Topps, or even near the Topps. Up in the higher reaches the Amazon itself is only a trickle.”

      “Never mind,” said Mrs Blackett. “Worth while going up there just to find out for certain that that particular plan is no good.”

      “No good,” exclaimed Nancy, spilling some of her tea. “No good! But didn’t you hear Squashy Hat is really a miner and lodging at Atkinson’s? We can’t let him have all the Topps to himself. Just think how sick Uncle Jim would be if Squashy found it … Of course we’re going. What about the pigeons? …”

      “We got your two messages,” said Titty.

      “Homer and Sophocles are back,” said Dorothea. “And Dick has got the bell working. It wasn’t done when Homer came, but Sophocles rang it like anything.”

      “Not very loud,” said Mrs Blackett.

      “But what about Sappho?” said Nancy. “We sent her off second, ages before Sophocles.”

      “She must have got lost on the way,” said Titty.

      At that moment there came from the house the violent shrilling of a bell, a long jangling rattle and a resounding crash of broken crockery.

      “Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr …”

      “What about that?” said Roger.

      They started to their feet.

      “Whatever was that smash?” said Mrs Blackett.

      Nancy looked at Dick.

      “It’s Sappho coming home,” he said.

      “Br!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r! …”

      Tired as they were, the pioneers raced across the lawn with the stay-at-homes. The bell rang louder and louder. They turned into the yard. Cook was standing at the kitchen door with her hands to her ears.

      “Br!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r! …”

      “Where is it?” cried Nancy.

      “In the passage,” said Roger.

      As they went in, the noise was almost deafening. There, above their heads the bell was whirring, the big tea-tray throbbing like a sounding-board. In the passage was a pile of broken plates.

      “Lucky it wasn’t the best service,” said cook. “A noise like that, and me just crossing to the pantry …”

      “Gosh!” said Nancy. “Jib-booms and bobstays!”

      “Br!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r!r! …”

      “Is that loud enough?” said Peggy, and ran after Dick up the steps to the pigeon-loft.

      The bell suddenly stopped. Dick had turned it off from inside the loft. Peggy, who had caught the dawdling Sappho, came down again with a scrap of paper in her hand. Gloom showed in her face.

      “Do read it aloud,” said Titty.

      “It’s the second message really,” said John, looking doubtfully at Mrs Blackett.

      Peggy read it, while Nancy watched her with dancing eyes.

      “WELLS DRY. BONES SCATTER THE DESERT. LIFE IMPOSSIBLE.”

      “Well, that settles it,” said Mrs Blackett.

      “No it doesn’t,” said Nancy. “We sent that off before going down to Mrs Tyson’s. She says their pump’s all right. And we can have all the milk we want. Only she wants to see you first about where we’re to camp. She’s in an awful stew about fires. And we promised you’d come tomorrow to talk to her.”

      “But Mrs Tyson’s right down in the valley,” said Mrs Blackett. “You might just as well stay here.”

      “Oh, mother, how can you?” said Nancy. “Tyson’s is miles nearer than here. It isn’t like being on the wrong side of Ling Scar …”

      “Oh dear, oh dear …” said Mrs Blackett.

      “What about those hammers?” said Nancy.

      “We’ve got them,” said Titty.

      “And gorgeous goggles,” said СКАЧАТЬ