The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters — Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton - Mystery 04 - Mystery of the Spiteful Letters

CHAPTER I
THE EXTRAORDINARY TELEGRAM
Bets and Pip were waiting impatiently for Larry, Daisy and Fatty to come. Bets
was on the window-seat of the play-room looking anxiously out of the window.
‘I wish they'd buck up,' she said. ‘After all, they came home from
boarding-school yesterday, and they've had plenty of time to come along. I do
want to know if Fatty's got any more disguises and things.'
‘I suppose you think there'll be another first-class mystery for us to solve
these hols,' said Pip. ‘Golly, that was a wizard one we had in the Christmas
hols, wasn't it?'
‘Yes,' said Bets. ‘A bit too wizard. I wouldn't really mind not having a
mystery these hols.'
‘Bets! And I thought you were such a keen detective!' said Pip. ‘Don't you
want to be a Find-Outer any more?'
‘Of course I do. Don't be silly!' said Bets.
‘I know you don't think I'm much use, because I'm the youngest and only nine,
and you're all in your teens now - but I did help an awful lot last time, when
we solved the mystery of the secret room.'
Pip was just about to say something squashing to his little sister when she
gave a yell. ‘Here they are! At least - here are Larry and Daisy. Let's go
down and meet them.'
They tore downstairs and out into the drive. Bets flung herself on the boy and
girl in delight, and Pip stood by and grinned.
‘Hallo, Larry! Hallo, Daisy! Seen Fatty at all?'
‘No,' said Larry. ‘Isn't he here? Blow! Let's go to the gate and watch for
him. Won't it be fun to see old Buster again too, wagging his tail and
trotting along on his short Scottie legs!'
The four children went to the front gate and looked out. There was no sign of
Fatty and Buster. The baker's cart drove by. Then came a woman on a bicycle.
Then up the lane plodded a most familiar figure.
It was Mr. Goon the policeman, or old Clear-Orf as the children called him. He
was going round on his beat, and was not at all pleased to see the four
children at Pip's gate, watching him. Mr. Goon did not like the children, and
they certainly did not like him. There had been three mysteries to solve in
their village of Peterswood in the last year, and each time the children had
solved them before Mr. Goon.
‘Good morning,' said Larry politely, as Mr. Goon came by.....