Write a story!

[Ming]

Actually, I have hours of free time at the moment. But I'm using those to sleep -- I am currently taking this medicine that makes me oh-so-sleepy!

One doesn't really like to think when one has a 104°F fever!

Thanks for the reminder, though. I must write something sooner or later.

[Daisy]

I'm sorry to hear you are not well Ming and hope you will soon recover. Maybe you could practise some ventriloquism while you are lying there!!

[Daisy]

Ming gave this the title "The Mystery of the Empty House". Maybe it should be renamed "The Mystery of the Abandoned Story"??!

[Moonraker]

Poor old Tass - really sorry that you're under the weather. Trust you to follow me into the san!!!

Getter better soon, old thing, can't have you lying low for too long.

[Anita Bensoussane]

You're about two and a half months too late with your greetings to Ming!

Hope you're soon feeling better yourself though, Nigel!

Anita

[Moonraker]

Oh drat! I really must look at dates before making a fool of myself. It looks as if I followed you into the san, Ming; but of course you had gone!

Thanks, Anita - feeling much better now.

[Ming]

Okay, now I've seriously got plenty of time, and I will write a chapter, right now!

Time I told everyone that this whole thread was Nigel's idea, he was just too scared to start it himself! Even the title is his!!

[Ming]

This time Fatty could not resist putting on one of those red wigs of his. He also put on a horrible red beard. "This makes me look very like Ranni of the Secret Mountain!"

Larry and Pip grinned and put on face tan. Just a wig and they'd be ready. Ern was experimenting with various moustaches. In the end he settled for a big moustaches like Hercule Poirot's.

The 3 boys set off and just as they reached The Ivies, Buster, who wouldn't be parted from Fatty for even a minute, growled. They stood still and very quietly hid themselves in the bushes. Buster was still growling and Fatty could feel his hackles rising as he put his hand on Buster's collar.

In the distance, the boys could clearly see someone strike a match. The person used that to light a cigarette. He wandered around aimlessly, smoking and then, making an impatient clicking noise, he looked at his watch. He appeared to be waiting for someone and that someone appared to be late. The man began to grow restless and he started whistling.

Fatty and the others watched in excitement. There was something sinister about the way he dressed, in a huge overcoat and big heavy boots. His whistle was shrill and sharp and it did not quite suit him.

Very soon the humming of a car could be heard, and a small vehicle appeared on the road. It flashed its light once, then once again. "Fatty," Larry asked, "is it Morse?" "I don't know. It could be," Fatty replied.

Pip shivered. "I'm cold. Strange that man may look, but I must say he was sensible to dress in those clothes!" Ern grinned and then he suddenly went stiff. Was that a shadow over there? Oh no, it seemed to have transported itself to the walls. Now it seemed to be standing just nearby. Ern groaned. His eyes must be playing tricks on him.

The car came quite near; it stopped just a few metres away from the walls. The man, who was standing just there, opened the door for the driver. "You are late," he growled, in a furious voice.

"Sorry boss," said the second man. "I had to hide the car in a corner for quite a while, just down the lane. That pompous bobby of a Goon was hiding there. I waited quite a while, for the constable to go away. Fair half an hour it was. Then he walked away sneezing and I then came."

"You fool, Jim!" almost thundered the first man. "That bobby must have heard the humming of the car! I always told you not to use this one! It makes too much noise! No doubt that felllow Goon will have followed you!"

Ern heard this in horror. Hadn't he left his uncle snoring on his armchair by the fire? Had he not actually seen him go upstairs? He must have been pretending! "Fatty!" he whispered, "do you think uncle is around here somewhere?"

"Could be," replied Larry before Fatty could speak. Pip interrupted, "Jim and his boss just climbed over the wall! And something fell out of Jim's pocket!"

"We'll pick it as soon as I think the coast is clear," said Fatty, excited.

He didn't for one moment think Larry and Ern could be right. He simply totally forgot the fact that Goon could be nearby. As he left the bushes and picked up whatever the man called Jim had dropped, he felt a sharp blow on his head.

"Ho!" he heard Goon say as he slowly started to faint. "Here's one of you!"

[Daisy]

Larry, Pip and Ern froze in horror as they recognised Goon's voice and then they heard a thud as Fatty's body hit the ground. Pip clutched Larry by the arm and pulled him back further into the shadows before breathing into his ear,
"What on earth do we do now?"
"Don't know," muttered Larry. "Where's Ern?"
Ern was still standing where the others had left him, his ears straining to hear anything else. Peering forward into the darkness he thought he could just make out the shape of his uncle as he bent over the now groaning form on the ground. He didn't know what to do. If he tried to help Fatty he would be in trouble straight away and yet he hated the thought of leaving him in his uncle's clutches. He put his hand up to his face to scratch his nose and jumped as he felt the hairy moustache he had put on earlier. He had quite forgotten he was in disguise. Suddenly feeling much braver he strode forward and in a deep voice said,
"And what do you think you are doing to this fellow? That was an unprovoked attack and I shall be pleased to act as a witness when you are prosecuted for assault!"
Goon leapt back with a surprised grunt. Fatty immediately sat up and then groaned as he felt his head thumping. Even so he managed a grin to himself as he recognised Ern. Good old Ern. Fatty knew how frightened he was of his uncle and yet here he was challenging him when he could have run off to safety. He wondered where the others had got to.

[Daisy]

No more offers? - then here's a bit more.

When Larry and Pip heard this exchange they went forward to see if they could help Ern as they were sure Mr Goon would round on him at once. At the sight of two more figures Goon changed his mind about finding out what Fatty was doing and hastily withdrew from the scene. Although he felt more wide awake now than he had when he had left the house, he was actually still suffering from his over-indulgence at the local pub and now his head was beginning to ache again. He thought longingly of a warm bed and decided these ruffians could fight things out between themselves. So, little realising he was leaving his nephew and the three boys he would most dearly have liked to catch redhanded, Mr Goon marched away from the scene.
The four friends listened in amazement as Mr Goon's footsteps faded into the night.
"Well!" exclaimed Pip, "Can you beat that? Fancy old Clear-Orf clearing orf so quickly!"
The others stifled giggles and Fatty groaned as he struggled up and felt his head for the large lump he was sure must now be there.
"Are you OK now Fatty?" asked Larry anxiously.
"Yes, I think so, thanks. Come on we must find out what's happening here. Now where's that thing I went to pick up just before old Goon conked me on the head?"
The others looked round where Fatty had fallen.
"Can't see anything, but it's a bit dark anyway." said Ern.
"Didn't you put it in your pocket?" asked Pip.
"I can't remember." said Fatty "Let's see." and Fatty started feeling in the pockets of the old jacket he was wearing.

[Daisy]

"No, nothing here!" he said after a few moments fumbling inside all his pockets."It must be still on the ground. Shine a torch around here someone, and let's see if we can find anything."
Larry shone his torch in the direction Fatty had fallen. At first they couldn't see much but grass and then Pip caught sight of something shining in the beam of the torch.
"Hey, look there" he said pointing, and moved forward to pick up the shiny object.
"Stop!" said Fatty in a loud whisper. "Be careful Pip, we've no idea what it might be!"

[Daisy]

I don't like leaving things unfinished so let's wind this up!

The boys waited a few more minutes then Fatty quietly crawled to where the fallen object lay. Carefully picking it up he came back to the others. They all crowded round and tried to make out what Fatty was holding.
" Something dangerous did you say Fatty?" grinned Pip as he saw what was in Fatty's hand.
Fatty looked at it in disgust. A screwed up ball of silver paper lay in the palm of his hand.
"It just goes to show what your imagination can do on a cold dark night." he said with a wry grin. "You know, I'm really feeling a bit groggy now - let's go home and meet again tomorrow."
The others were quick to agree as they were all feeling rather chilly by now and it wasn't long before they were back in the shed taking off the various pieces of disguise they had donned so excitedly a few hours earlier.
"Meet tomorrow, first thing." said Fatty as the others were about to go.
The next day all six, for Ern was there too, were sitting once more in Fatty's shed. Fatty himself was rather quiet and when asked about his head he said slowly,
"I think that blow was rather harder than I first thought. My head is better today but I still feel a bit fuzzy."
"Should you see a doctor?" asked Bets anxiously.
"I don't think so but I promise if I feel any worse I will get proper medical attention."
"OK then," said Larry "What now?"
To everyone's surprise Fatty said "We give up now. We know what's going on and we go back to school tomorrow, so I suggest we leave it for Goon to have the victory."
"Hang on" said Pip. "Do we know what's going on?"
"Of course we do - just think about it" said Fatty " The noise from the empty house, the news about fake money, the secret comings and goings in the night - it all adds up and old Clear-Orf will eventually realise the events are connected and sail in for the kill!"
"I think you're right Fatty", said Daisy. "Much as we dislike the idea of letting Clear-Orf win, we haven't got the time to do anything more. I think Ern could let us know what happens though, couldn't you Ern?"
Ern looked a bit doubtful. "If Uncle tells me then of course I will, but he won't say anything to me - you know he won't.
"Then you must just keep your ears and eyes open Ern." said Fatty.
Later that day the five find-outers met at Pip's as Mrs Hilton had invited them for tea in the playroom. As they sat round the well loaded table they talked over their half-term.
"It's been a funny few days altogether" said Daisy as she bit into a very creamy cake. "We could really have done with much longer, but never mind - we've had a bit of fun - especially with Ern's mystery to begin with!"
The others laughed as they recalled how Ern's clues had had them really puzzled.
"I hope Goon does get to the bottom of it all." said Larry. "We saw him as we were coming here and he was almost gloating over the thought that we would be off again tomorrow and the field would be left for him! He was looking quite important."
"Well, he often does, but it usually doesn't mean much," said Pip, "But maybe this time he really will clear up the mystery."
Some days later Fatty had a note from Ern saying that his Uncle had in fact been able to catch the forgers and had been congratulated by his superiors.
"There's no holding him now," Ern had written. "He'll need a new helmet if his head swells any more. Hope to see you next hols." and Fatty could almost hear him saying "Slong" as he finished off the letter.

[Moonraker]

Great, Daisy! I had forgotten all about this story - you wrote most of it anyway! Lovely to see the village bobby getting some credit. Well done to you and the Find-Outers!

[Eddie Muir]

Congratulations to all concerned! I've really enjoyed reading this thread.

[EnidFan2.0]

great story, do you mind if I borrow your idea and make a story myself?