Free Enid Blyton by Mr Pink-Whistle's Party Page B

was happening to me!" groaned Peter.
    "Why do those bicycles take me the way I don't want to go? I believe it's all something to do with Mr. Pink-Whistle. I'd tell him a few things if he were here!"
    "Well—I am here," said a quiet voice, and suddenly, in front of Peter, Mr. Pink-Whistle appeared bit by bit—first his head, then his hands and legs, then his body. It was really very strange. Peter didn't like it at all.

    "Now tell me whatever you want to," said Pink-Whistle. "I'll listen."
    "No. I don't want to say anything," said Peter.
    "Not even about bicycles?" said Mr. Pink-Whistle. "I wonder whose bicycle you will take to-morrow, Peter—and where you will go? You're having some adventures, aren't you? You must enjoy taking those bicycles from the other children!"
    "I don't! I don't! And I won't any more, either!" cried Peter. "I won't go to those horrible places, so it's no use your putting spells on the bicycles. I'll never touch one again! Never!"
    "Peter! Who in the world are you talking to?" called his mother, coming into the garden. At once Mr. Pink-Whistle disappeared, and was quite invisible. Peter gave a gulp and ran indoors up to his bedroom.
    Well, as you can guess, Peter never took anyone's bicycle again—and will you believe it, when his father offered him one of his own for his birthday, he said no!
    "What! You've been pestering me for a bicycle for three years— and now I can buy you one, you say no!" said his father. "You don't mean it, surely?"
    But Peter did mean it, and you can guess why he didn't want one. He was afraid it would take him to that peculiar sign-post again!

CHAPTER X

    MR. PINK-WHISTLE AND  THE SCRIBBLER
    ONE day, when Mr. Pink-Whistle was sitting in his garden, he saw the front gate open, though he could see nobody there.
    "Now, what------" he began, in surprise—and then he saw a tabby cat slip through the gateway, shut the gate behind him, and run to the back door.
    "Ah—a friend of Sooty's, I suppose/' thought Mr. Pink-Whistle, and turned back to his book. Before he had read two pages, Sooty, his cat, came walking out to him, and behind him came the tabby cat, looking rather shy.
    "Mr. Pink-Whistle," said Sooty, "this is a friend of mine—Paddy-Paws. He is a very good and honest cat—but he is most upset because somebody has been scribbling untruths about him on a wall."
    "Dear me!" said Pink-Whistle, in surprise. "Well, Paddy-Paws, I wouldn't take any notice of that."
    "It isn't so much himself he has come about as his little mistress, Fanny," said Sooty. "This boy who scribbles on walls writes horrid things about Fanny, too, and they make her cry. Paddy-Paws says she's sweet and kind, and he's most upset about it. He wants to know if you can help him."
    "Yes, Mr. Pink-Whistle, sir," said the tabby, finding his tongue suddenly. "You do put wrong things right, don't you?"
    "I try to," said Pink-Whistle. "But what is it you want me to do, Paddy-Paws?"
    "Well, sir, stop this boy from scribbling more horrid things," said the tabby cat. "I'll take you to the wall he scribbles on and you'll see the dreadful things he writes. Everybody can read them, sir, and they get very upset. But this boy is big and strong, and nobody can stop him." '

    YOU DO PUT WRONG THINGS RIGHT, DON'T YOU ? " SAID THE TABBY.
    "Well, I'll come along now," said Pink-Whistle, and he shut his book.
    "Lead the way, Paddy-Paws!"
    So Paddy-Paws led the way. Over a field, across a stile, down a lane, through a small village, along a high road and into another village. Pink-Whistle padded along behind him. Sooty had been left behind at home.
    Paddy-Paws came to a wall—and there, written in different coloured chalks, were a great many horrid sentences. Pink-Whistle read them out loud. " 'Betty is a cry baby. Katie is a tell tale. George is a cowardly-custard.'" Pink-Whistle began to frown. "Dear, dear—what things to write for everyone to see! Most unpleasant!"
    He went on reading. "'Fanny is a thief. She took