The Mystery of Banshee Towers (Discontinued-Nearly Finished)

Home again - And a good long talk

'Well - that was a rather surprising expedition!' said Fatty, when they were well away from Banshee Towers. 'I feel we have quite a lot of to think about. The wailing of the banshee - I don't mean my wailing, of course, that wasn't a patch on the old banshee's - my word, she could wail all right!'

  'Don't remind me of it,' said Bets, with a shudder. 'I just want to put Banshee Towers behind me and ride away home down this hill, as quickly as I can!'

  'And then there was that trap door in the hearth,' said Larry. 'And the puzzle of how on earth the dogs arrived underneath it.'

  'And I didn't like the look of that turnstile man at all,' announced Daisy. 'I thought he looked like a villain.'

  'Oh, not as bad as that, said Pip. 'He just looked bored and bad-tempered - and I must say I would too, if I had a turnstile job on the top of a cold hill in a place where banshees wailed!'

  'I'd like to get home and talk about it,' said Larry. 'I don't know what you think, Fatty, but it all seems pretty weird to me.'

  'A bit of a mystery, you mean?' said Fatty. 'Well, it's about time that the Five Find-Outers had a good juicy mystery to solve, isn't it?'

  'Oh yes!' said Pip, in delight. 'We've never had one with banshee in before.'

  'Well, I could do without banshees, really,' said Bets. 'What about telling the Chief Inspector - you know, Inspector Jenks - he might . . .'

  'Bets, we really can't tell him silly stories of banshees,' said Fatty. 'They don't really exist, you know. They . . .'

  'All right - well, what was it that we heard this afternoon?' said Bets. 'I don't care what its name is, it was as bad and weird and horrible as any banshee, so there!'

  'You're right, Bets. It was pretty awful,' said Pip. 'I didn't like it myself. Real or unreal, that banshee is most mysterious. Look out, now, we're coming to a very steep bit. Go as slowly as you can all the way, in case your brakes are weak.'

  Away down the hill they sailed in a long line, the two dogs galloping manfully - or 'dogfully', as Bets said - after them. What a day they had had - and how they longed to be down in Fatty's workroom and talk about it, and make plans to solve yet another mystery! Bets shivered with excitement. There always seemed to be a mystery of some sort when Fatty was around!

  Everyone was glad to be in Fatty's cozy workroom, especially the two dogs, who were quite tired out with their long run. Buster flopped down in his basket, panting, and Bingo  fell on top of him, too tired to play. In half a second they were sound asleep.

  'One great basketful of dog,' said Bets, smiling. 'I'm glad they're such friends.'

  'It's nice for Bingo to have a friend like Buster - you know, well-brought-up, like,' said Ern. 'I want Bingo to have good manners. He'll learn from old Buster - real, copy-cat Bingo is!'

  'No, no,' said Fatty, gravely. 'There you make a mistake, Ern. Not a copy-cat, surely - a copy-dog!'

  'Ha ha, funny joke,' said Pip, who was tired, and not in the mood for Fatty's quips.

  'I'm thirsty,' said Larry. 'Any orange squash, Fatty?'

  'Plenty in my cupboard,' said Fatty. 'And glasses too. And there's some chocolate somewhere. Hurry up and get what you want. I'm longing to discuss the stranger happenings of this morning. You know, I think something's going on up there.'

  'Up where?' asked Ern.

  'Banshee Hill, idiot,' said Fatty. 'Two things puzzle me - that banshee wail - and the hole under the hearth, where that cauldron stands.'