the house where it all happened, and I’m not going back there. I don’t like thieves who go through locked doors. Do you?”
Snubby put down his book. If there was to be a bit of story-telling, well he would do some too.
“Funny you should tell me this, sir,” he said earnestly. “I’m running away too. I’ve unearthed a Plot, sir, a very sinister Plot.”
“Good gracious!” said the old man, alarmed. “What kind of a plot?”
“Sort of atom-bomb plot, sir,” went on Snubby, enjoying himself. “They tried to get me, sir—and they very nearly did.”
“Who tried to get you?” asked the old man, amazed.
“Sh!” said Snubby mysteriously, looking all round the compartment as if he thought “They” were listening. “It’s the Green Hands, sir—surely you’ve heard of that gang?”
“No. No, I can’t say I have,” said the old man. “Who are they?”
“An international gang, sir,” said Snubby, enjoying himself more and more, and marvelling at his powers of invention. “They’ve got the secret of the atom bomb, sir—and I stumbled on it by accident. They captured me and wanted me to work for them.”
“What—a boy like you?” said the old man.
“They can use boys,” said Snubby. “For experiments and so on, you know. Well, I didn’t want to be blown to bits, did I?”
“Good heavens!” said the old fellow. “This is incredible. You should go to the police.”
“I’m running away,” said Snubby, sinking his voice to a whisper. “But They’re after me, sir—the Green Hands. I know they are. They’ll track me down. They’ll get me in the end.”
“But this is unbelievable!” said the old man, mopping his forehead with a big white silk handkerchief. “First I stay in a house where thieves go through locked doors and fastened windows—and now I travel with a boy hunted by—by what, did you say—the Green Hands. Do they—do they have green hands?”
“They wear green gloves,” invented Snubby wildly. “Beware if you ever see anyone wearing green gloves, won’t you? Man or woman.”
“Yes. Yes, I certainly will,” said the old man. “My poor boy—have you no parents to look after you?”
“No,” said Snubby, telling the truth for the first time in five minutes. “I haven’t. I’m fleeing to the country to stay with my cousins. I hope the Green Hands don’t track me there. I don’t want the whole lot of us blown up.”
“Good heavens! Incredible! The things that happen these days!” said the old man. “Take my advice, my boy, and go to the police.”
The train drew to a stop. Snubby looked out casually, and then leapt to his feet suddenly, startling the old man considerably.
“Golly! This is my station! Here, Loony, wake up! Stir yourself. Good-bye, sir—and I hope you catch your locked-door thief.”
“Good-bye, my boy. We’ve had a most interesting conversation—and take my advice, go to... ”
But his words were lost in the whistling of the engine and the slamming of the door. Snubby was gone and so was Loony. The old man sank back in his seat. Well, well, well—what was the world coming to? To think that even a young boy could be mixed up in such extraordinary plots. Most alarming.
“Nobody’s safe these days!” thought the old man gloomily. “It’s all most alarming.”
CHAPTER 3
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
Snubby arrived on the platform very hurriedly, fell over Loony and sat down with a bump. A squeal of laughter greeted him.
“Oh, Snubby!” cried Diana’s voice. “You always fall out of a train! Hallo, Loony!”
Loony flung himself on Diana in a mad bound, almost knocking her over. He barked and yelped, pawing her ecstatically. She had to push him off at last.
“No, Loony, no more. Get down. Snubby, tell him. He’s just as loony as ever, isn’t he? I say, Roger’s sorry he couldn’t come and meet you, but he’s gone to the next station to meet Great-uncle Robert. Why you couldn’t both come to the same station, I don’t know! I suppose Great-uncle thought the next one was nearer to us.”
“Who’s Great-uncle?” asked Snubby in surprise. “I’ve never heard of him before. Surely he’s not coming to stay?”
“Yes, he is. Maddening, isn’t it, considering it’s our hols,” said Diana as they walked out of the station. “He’s not a bad old thing, only awfully pompous and polite. Mother didn’t know till yesterday that he was coming. We’ve had to put you in Roger’s room.”
“Oooh, good,” said Snubby. “Loony will like that.”
“Does he still take every brush he can find?” asked Diana. “He was awful last summer hols.”
“Yes, he’s still pretty bad about brushes,” said Snubby. “And mats. And cats too. I say—you’ve got a cat now, haven’t you?”
“Yes. A big black one called Sardine,” said Diana. “She’s almost a year old, so she’s still pretty idiotic at times. I don’t know how she’ll get on with Loony.”
“It’ll be a lively household,” said Snubby, pleased. “Cats and dogs flying all over the place, and us three, and your old Great-great-uncle.”
“Only one Great,” said Diana. “He’s Daddy’s uncle. Well, there’s our house. Loony remembers it, look! He’s rushing in at the gate. My word, he’ll startle old Sardine—she’s basking on the wall!”
Snubby ran after Loony. Loony had already discovered Sardine, and was chasing her madly round the front garden, yelping in excitement. Sardine flew into the house, Loony raced after her, and Snubby tore after them both.
Mrs. Lynton was amazed to see Sardine flash past her head and land on top of the bookcase. She was even more amazed to see Loony coming in like a streak of black lightning, followed by a shouting Snubby.
“Oh! It’s you arriving, Snubby. I might have guessed,” she said. “There’s really not much difference between you and a tornado. How are you, dear?”
“Hallo, Aunt Susan!” said Snubby. “Come here, Loony. Oh, good—Sardine’s gone out of the window now. Gosh, so has Loony.”
He disappeared at top speed, and Mrs. Lynton sat down again with a sigh. Peace always vanished when Snubby arrived. There were loud cries from the garden, and finally a scream from Diana.
“Mother! Here’s Great-uncle in a taxi with Roger.”
Mrs. Lynton got up hurriedly. She wondered what Uncle Robert would say when he found the front garden full of yells and yelps, howls and yowls, and screaming children.
She
