Free Mystery Of The Missing Necklace by Enid Blyton Page A

Parp-parp!
    "Do you sell many?" asked Pip, whilst the two girls ambled round the shop, pretending to look at everything.
    "Only sold three this week," said the boy.
    "All to cyclists?" asked Pip.
    "How should I know?" said the boy. "The customers don't wheel their bikes into the shop with them!"
    Pip didn't quite know what to say next. He joined the girls, and they all examined the contents of the rather interesting shop.
    "You've got an awful lot of things here," said Daisy. "Do you remember all the prices and everything?"
    " 'Course. I've got a good memory," said the boy. "At the end of the day I remember every blessed thing I've sold!"
    "Gracious!" said Daisy admiringly. "I bet you don't remember every customer too!"
    "Oh yes, I do," said the boy proudly. "Never forget a thing, I don't!"
    "Well— I bet you don't remember the customers who bought the three hooters!" said Daisy, quick as a flash. Pip and Bets thought how clever she was!
    " 'Couse I do," said the boy. "One was the fellow that lives down the road at Kosy-Kot. The second one was a fellow with rather queer eyes — one blue and one brown — I don't know his name and never saw him before. But I'd know him again all right. And the third one was a fat boy who seemed in a bit of a hurry."
    "That was Fatty," thought the three children. Daisy smiled at the shop-boy. "What a memory you've got!" she said. "You really are a marvel. Well, we must be going. Got your hooter, Bets? Well, come on, then!"
    They hurried out of the shop, rejoicing. The man at Kosy-Kot — and a man with odd eyes. They might be Cl ues, they really might!
    Looking For More Clues .
    Pip was having a boring time in the sweet-shop. There was nothing to see outside, except the old man on the bench. Nobody went near him at all. Mr. Goon breathed heavily behind Pip, evidently finding the shop a very hot place to be in on this blazing day. Pip made his lemonade last out a long time and then, to Mr. Goon's annoyance, asked for an ice.
    "You children seem to live here," said Mr. Goon, at last.
    "You seem to, as well," said Pip. "Nice shop, isn't it?"
    Mr. Goon didn't think so at all. He was sick and tired of the shop — but it was the best place to watch that old man from, no doubt about that!
    "You look hot," said Pip sympathetically. "Why don't you go for a row on the river, Mr. Goon? It would be cool there. Seems a pity to spend all your holiday cooped up here."
    Mr. Goon gave one of his snorts. He wasn't on holiday. He was on a case, a most important case. And for reasons of his own he had to wear plain clothes. But he couldn't explain all that to this irritating boy. Mr. Goon wished Pip was a mosquito. Then he would slap at him, and finish him off.
    Bets came in next, and Pip was very glad to see her. "Going to have an ice?" he said. "Well, sorry I can't wait with you, Bets. So long!"
    He went out and, to Mr. Goon's annoyance, yet another of those children, Bets this time, settled down at the window-table, obviously intending to be there for some time. Bets was afraid of the policeman, so she kept her back to him and said nothing at all, but kept a sharp eye on the old man opposite on the bench. She thought how bored poor Fatty must be!
    Fatty had a coughing fit, and Bets watched in alarm. The cough seemed so very real that she felt sure poor Fatty must be getting a terrible cold.
    Then Fatty had a fit of the sniffles, and hunted all over himself for a handkerchief, at last producing a violent red one. Then he got up and hobbled round a bit, as if he had got stiff with sitting. Nobody in the world would have guessed he was anything but a poor, stiff old man.
    Bets enjoyed the performance immensely. She knew that Fatty was putting it on for her benefit. Fatty liked little Bets' admiration, and he was pondering whether or not he should actually light the pipe he had filled, and try smoking it. That would send Bets into fits!

 

     
     
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    But he didn't dare to. He had tried already and it had made