Mystery of the Disappearing Cat by Enid Blyton Page B

come to them one night.
    “And ever since then we’ve fed Luke and let him sleep in the summer-house,” said Pip. “But now we think Clear-Orf — Mr. Goon, I mean — has guessed we’re hiding him, and we’re afraid if we go on doing it we may get him and ourselves into trouble.”
    “Very wise of you to come to me,” said the Inspector. “Yes; you mustn’t hide Luke, that is certain. For one thing it tells against Luke, if he runs away and hides. That is never a good thing to do. But he won’t be put into prison, don’t be afraid of that For one thing, he is only fifteen — and for another thing, we don’t put people into prison unless it is really proved that they have committed a crime. And it is by no means proved that Luke stole the cat, although I admit that things do look very black against him. I am sure you agree with me?”
    “Yes. We think they do too,” said Fatty. “It has puzzled us very much. Because, you see, Inspector, we know and like Luke, and we don’t see how a boy like him could have done such a thing.”
    “Well, I would advise Luke to come out of hiding and go back to his job,” said the Inspector. “Er — I don’t see that he need say anything about where he has been, or who has hidden him. No need for that at all.”
    “He’ll have to go back to his stepfather,” said Bets, “and oh, Inspector Jenks, he’s got such a cruel stepfather. He’ll beat him.”
    “No, he won’t,” said the Inspector. “I shall have a word with him. I think you’ll find that he’ll let Luke severely alone. In the meantime, I will look more carefully into this mystery and see if I can get a little light shed on it. It certainly sounds most interesting now that I have heard all you have told me.”
    “What’s up with Buster?” said Fatty at that moment Buster had left the little company and could be heard barking madly at the top of the bank. Then a voice came to their ears.
    “Call this dog orf! Get him under control, or I’ll report him!”
    “It’s old Clear-Orf!” whispered Daisy gleefully. “He’s tracked us after all! I bet he thinks we’ve got Luke down here! Old Buster must have heard him creeping up and gone and barked at him!”
    Fatty went up the bank and through the overhanging bushes, and stood on the top, looking at a very angry Mr. Goon.
    “Ho! I knew you were down there,” said Mr. Goon. “Yes, and I know who you’ve got with you too!”
    “Then I wonder you’re not a bit more polite about it,” said Fatty in a smooth voice.
    “Polite about it! Why should I be?” said Mr. Goon. “Ah, I’ve caught you properly, I have — harbouring someone who’s done a crime! You’ve gone too far this time, you have. You call this dog orf, and let me go down the bank and get my hands on you-know-who.”
    Fatty gave a chuckle. He called Buster off and held him by the collar, standing politely aside whilst Mr. Goon pushed his way through the bushes, and then jumped down beside the water, expecting to find four frightened children and a very scared Luke.
    Instead, to his awful horror and amazement, he found his Inspector! Mr. Goon simply could not believe his eyes. They always bulged out, but now they looked as if they were going to drop out. He stood and stared at Inspector Jenks and could not utter a word.
    “Good afternoon, Goon,” said the Inspector.
    “G-g-g-g-g-g,” began Goon, and then swallowed hastily. “G-g-g-g-good afternoon, sir, I d-d-d-didn’t expect to see you here.”
    “I thought I heard you say you wanted to get your hands on me,” said the Inspector. Goon swallowed hard again, loosened his collar with his finger, and then tried to smile.
    “You will have your joke, sir,” he said in a rather trembling voice. “I — er — I — expected to find somebody else. It’s — it’s a great surprise to see you here, sir.”
    “Well, these children have paid me the honour of consulting me about this little affair of the stolen cat,” said the Inspector.