The Enid Blyton Society

What happened to this story? I was just starting to get hooked!

The main contributors haven't been posting on here for quite a while now.

Well, this was a pretty good idea! SOMEONE should resume it!

Have a go yourself.

The train came steaming in-- Buster was rather scared of tralis-- he retired under a set , trembling away. The Find-outers looked at the people getting off the train.-- None of them seemed to be Fatty in disguise-- but wait---- who's this getting off -- plumpish, stout, with a policeman's cap set at a cheeky angle-- wearing a policeman's uniform too--- he took out a very large handkerchief and blew his nose just as Fatty did--- He brushed past Bets,-- walking jauntily--- like Fatty often did. The Find-outers were sure it was Fatty--- he must have bought a policeman's uniform to add to his wardrobe of disguises.--

Gracious! I only just saw Daisy's post, "Have a go yourself", but it seems like Nair Snehalatha already tried it before me. What a pity I didn't see it before! Never mind, I'll just continue the story.
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Pip walked confidently to the 'policeman' and gave him a friendly punch in the back. "Hey, Fatty - cool disg -".But he couldn't complete what he wanted to say, because the next moment the policeman gave him such a hard punch that he fell to the ground! It was not Fatty! It was a real policeman, and a cross one too, right now!

"S - sorry, Sir," stammered Pip, "We thought that -". "We? You mean there are more rude children around?" interrupted the policeman. "No, I mean yes, but," said poor Pip, who was trying to give this policeman the message that it was all a big mistake, but was interrupted once again by the policeman. "Give a clear answer, young man, or I'll have to report you and your little friends too!" "It was all a mistake, Sir, that's what I'm trying to say - we thought that it was a friend of ours we call Fatty, as we were expecting him at this station, and we mistook you for him - we are very sorry." "You should be," replied the policeman, "Next time you should look andand think before you speak. I won't report you this time, but if I catch even a glimpse of you calling the wrong person Fatty, I will!" And with that threat the policeman marched away.

"Goodness, Pip," said Larry, as soon as the policeman was gone. "What were you thinking of? You know you should have looked closely before you approached him so informally!" "I was so sure it would be him," said Pip, going red. "Well, next time be more careful, for Heaven's sake," replied Larry. "No point in quarreling now, both of you. The question is, what do we do now?" said Daisy.

"We go back home and wait for Fatty to come and see us," said Larry firmly. "We have made fools of ourselves too often before!"
"But it was your idea to come and see if we could recognise him," said Daisy.
"I know, but we make too many mistakes," replied her brother. "I'm tired of having to apologise to people we mistake for Fatty!"
"If you all go home, I will stay with Buster," said Bets. "Even if I don't see Fatty I'm sure Buster will be able to smell him out!"
The others grinned. "Okay," said Pip, "We'll be waiting in our playroom . Come on you two, let's go and ask Cook to give us some lemonade and biscuits."

When everyone had gone, Bets sat down on a nearby bench fondling Buster, and looked around every minute to see if she could see Fatty anywhere. But no matter where she looked, she could not see him. Soon, most of the people who had alighted from the train had gone, and Bets decided that this was the time to 'hunt' for him, before more people came to catch the next train. She looked closely at the few children that were still around, but she couldn't see any resemblance between them and Fatty. Buster did not seem very excited either, so Fatty was certainly not near these children.

Just as she was about to give up and go back to the others, Buster barked loudly. She looked around, jumpily, expecting to see Fatty disguised as a porter or something like that, but she didn't see anyone she recognized. Then she saw a boy going out of the station. He was rather plump, but that was the only resemblance he had to Fatty. Bets decided to follow him and see where he went.

I'm enjoying this story - please keep it up!

(Join in if you want Courtenay)

Bets followed the fat boy out of the station but now Buster was pulling back.
"It can't be Fatty" thought Bets. "Now what shall I do?"
Buster came up alongside her and looked up as if to say "What are you following him for? Where is my master?"

I'm glad you are enjoying, Courtenay.
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Bets was really tired of looking for Fatty now. When she was with the others, she could at least talk about what to do next. But now she was all alone and didn't have a clue on where Fatty was. She walked onwards until the road forked into two. While she was wondering whether to go onwards or not, Buster suddenly growled.

"Is it Fatty, Buster?" Bets asked excitedly. But Buster's next growl told her it was someone else. And because of the way he was growling, it wasn't someone very pleasant.

Bets was rather frightened now. ""What is it?" she whispered. Buster growled more. "Be quiet," she hissed at him, "I'll see what it is you're growling at." Then, crouching near some wild bushes on the side of the road, she looked onwards intently.

At first she saw nothing, but then she noticed a movement behind another bush, and someone got up from it. He dashed to the road, and then quickly ran up to the forked road, and chose the right side, "That's not Fatty," Bets thought to herself. "That's a grown-up man, for sure. But why was he running like that?"

Bets stood still, holding Buster's lead tightly. "Now what would Fatty do?" she asked herself. Suddenly she knew what she should do. Walking quietly to the where the road forked she looked for a sign to tell her what the name of the road was. "Willoughby Way," she said to herself when she reached the road sign. "I must go back and tell the others."

Just as Bets and Buster turned round a scrap of paper blew by in the breeze. Bets ignored it but Buster started sniffing it and barked excitedly. "It's probably just an order that Tupping has put in for paint and brushes, or Twit may be ordering some new shoes," said Bets, "as I heard mummy saying this morning that they were both out of The Scrubs, whatever that means, although why would they want to go clambering about in scrubland in this weather? C'mon, let's go and find the others."

Just then, an old, plump street cleaner went by. "Spare me a couple of shillings for a tea, young miss, cos me back's killing me and I need to sit down." Bets was astonished that Buster went mad and was jumping on the old street cleaner. He peered through matted grey hair and a cap was pulled down over his forehead, although his eyes were sparkling and bright. His corduroy's were stinking and his toes poked through holes in his ill-fitting shoes. "Let's go, Buster," said Bets, and Buster whined in disagreement, although then to his sheer delight he saw Goon pedalling by on his bicycle. Goon was puffing and panting, his tight uniform bursting at the seams following Cookie's hearty full English breakfast that morning, but Goon wasn't interested in Buster as he was too busy roaring at the street cleaner, "Go back to your posh private school you Toad of a Boy, and keep your fat, middle-class nose out of my new case." And after one last shout to Bets to check the street cleaner's fingernails, Goon was gone.

"Well, I'm glad to get rid of him", said Bets. Her attention was then caught by the piece of paper which was still blowing about in the wind, and which the street cleaner hadn't managed to sweep up. There was a message written on it.

"Thursday night, mid-night, The Meadows in Holly Lane"

"Ooh," said Bets, shivering in excitement. It's a glue to a brand new mystery! If only Fatty was here!

A loud droning noise in the sky suddenly caught her attention.
It was a spitfire plane doing acrobatic manoeuvres right over their heads low above Peterwood.
Bets,who had keen eyes spotted that it was trailing behind it a large banner that fluttered and twisted in the warm currents of air.
As it arched over her and Buster and did a final loop the loop the message on the banner suddenly unfurled straight and legible above them.
Bets read the message out loud.

The message on the banner said..............

The message said-- Hi there, let's all of us meet at our usual place in my shed at the bottom of the garden'' Bets knew it to be a message from Fatty and rushed off to tell the others. They went to the shed at 10 o clock in the morning .Fatty was there grinning all over his face as usual ,and looking as cheerful as ever. ''Well-- '' said Bets ''what were you doing in that plane?'' Fatty grinned cheekily and said'' Oh! it was just a joy ride I wanted to tease you people . Come now, lets have some eats--- look what we have here.'' They saw there were currant buns, cup cakes , and gingerbread squares-- what lovely things to eat--- The Findouters' mouth watered. As they started on the buns Fatty sprang a surprise on them-- ''Well Findouters--'' he began--- there is a mystery looming up.'' Pip ans Larry almost choked over their buns and Daisy an Bets stared open mouthed. ''Ah! manners !manners!'' said Fatty , looking at Daisy and Bets.-- Don't open your mouths with your mouthfuls''. Bets and Daisy shut their mouths-- ''Sorry ,Fatty'' ,they said '' Tell us the mystery'' -- ''Well'', said Fatty ,lowering his voice-- ''it's like this----''