The six bad boys : Family adventures, By Enid Blyton

Chapter 4 Mostly About Tom

After five or six weeks the three families felt as if they had known each other for quite along time, at least, the children did.They went to the same school at the same times each day. They knew the same teachers,they played the same games. Eleanor and Hilda soon lost their “stuckupness” when they sawthat the other children didn't care whether the Berkeleys thought themselves grand or not. Butthe two girls still thought themselves superior to the others, though they didn't show it veryoften.All three boys were friends, but because Jeanie was Donald's twin she went everywherewith them, and they thought of her almost as a boy. Pat was more left out than ever!But she wasn't as lonely as before, because Bob was very good to her. He often left theothers and went in search of her. He would pop his head round the sitting-room door and callher.“Pat! You are a mouse! Come out and have a run with me. We'll go down to the canal andsail a boat.”Mr.Mackenzie would nod to Pat. “Yes, go with Bob.”She knew she could trust the boywith Pat,and she saw how happy the little girl was to be with him. She thought it was good ofthe big boy to take so much notice of such a small girl.“If I had a sister, Pat, I'd like her to be just like you,” Bob said one day to Pat. Shebeamed."I'd like you for a brother too,” she managed to say.“But you've got Donald,” Bob said.“Yes,I know. But he always seems to be Jeanie's brother, not mine,” explained Pat.“I'dlike to have a brother of my own-like Jeanie has Donald.”“Well, I'll be your brother,” said Bob. “You're one on your own and so am I. If you wantanything, you come to me,see?”Those few words meant all the world to Pat. Here was someone who didn't push her asideas the twins did, although they never meant to be unkind. She began to talk to Bob as she hadnever talked to anyone before, and he listened gravely and seriously.But he wasn't grave or serious with the others: he was loud-voiced and bold and daring! Itwas always he who jumped first over the stream to see if it was too wide for safety. It wasalways he who climbed the tallest trees, and dropped from the highest walls. He thrilled theclass at school by being cheeky to the teachers, he was ready to do anything.Tom admired him. Tom was a determined boy too, but given to sulks and resentments.Often he would exasperate the others by flaring up unexpectedly, and walking off in a fury.“Now what's the matter with Tom?” Jeanie would say. “He's so awkward to-day-keepson spoiling everything. Really, I could slap him!”“Had a row at home, I expect,” said Bob. And more than likely Bob would be right. Thebickering went on all the time, with poor Tom pulled first one way and then the other. It washeaven to him to slip into the Mackenzie's home after a quarrel, and sit and listen to thefamily talk of the whole Mackenzie family.

“What's up, Tom?”Mr. Mackenzie said one evening, when the boy slipped into the room,said a word to Donald, and then sat perfectly silent in a corner.“Nothing,” said Tom. “I like this room, that's all.”Mrs. Mackenzie knew that it wasn't the room he liked. It was sitting there in peace,hearing no hard words and no tearful cries. She frowned warningly at her husband to tell himto take no notice of Tom.“It's Pat's birthday soon,” said Mrs. Mackenzie. “We'll have to have a birthday party forher. Well,well, Pat-to think you'll be eight!”“I've got a fine surprise for you, Pat,” said Donald. “I've been making it for weeks.”“And I've been saving up my money to buy you something you badly want!” said Jeanie.“Frisky's going to give you something too!”“Wuff-wuff,”said Frisky, obligingly,and thumped his tail on the floor.“That dog understands every word we say,” said Mr. Mackenzie, looking up from hispaper. “I remember once I had a dog who used to die for the king...”Frisky at once rolled over and lay perfectly still. Mr. Mackenzie went on:“And he could sit up and beg too.Frisky leapt up, sat on his haunches and begged, waving his paws in the air.“And he could even shut the door when somebody left it open,” said Mr. Mackenzie,witha grin at Tom, who had left it open when he came in.And to Tom's enormous surprise Frisky ran to the door, stood himself up and shut it with aclick!“Gosh,isn't he clever!” said Tom. “I'm sorry I left the door open. But I say-do go ontalking and see if Frisky will do all you say. What about telling him that that other dog youknew could turn the wireless on! I'd love to see Frisky do that!”Donald and Jeanie roared. “i***t, Tom-you don't really believe Frisky did all thosethings for the first time, do you? They're tricks he knows quite well. Daddy was justpretending to talk about another dog, knowing that Frisky was listening and would do thethings he understood.”“I once knew a dog who would turn on the wireless, Frisky,” said Tom, suddenly. But thiswas a trick that Frisky didn't know, so he merely wagged his tail politely and lookedinquiringly up at Tom.It was very pleasant in the Mackenzies' house. True the twins got into trouble sometimes,and were firmly and immediately punished. They said they were sorry-and then no more wassaid about the matter at all. Everything was just the same as ever!“No bickering, no nagging, no quarrelling, no weeping and crying!” Tom often thought tohimself. “When I do anything wrong I'm grumbled at for ages, and punished and scolded andreminded of what I've done for days! It's easy, too, for the Mackenzies to be loyal to boththeir parents-they're not pulled this way and that as I am.”Poor Tom often brooded over this. If he tried to please his father then his mother wouldlook at him reproachfully. If he did his best to make his mother happy his father would look athim scornfully. Tom thought he had a most uncomfortable family!No wonder he tried to get away from it so often. No wonder he liked to slip into theMackenzie's house and listen to their talk. He was not at all surprised when he found hisfather there one evening, listening-in to a special concert with Mr.Mackenzie!His father spoke to him as they went home together. “Don't tell your mother I waslistening to that concert at the Mackenzies', Tom. She was so cross with me this evening that I knew she would grumble at me all through the concert if I had the wireless on at home, and Idid want to hear it in peace.”So when Tom was asked by his mother wvhere he and his father had been, he told anuntruth.“We just went for a walk,” he said looking sulky because he felt uncomfortable.“Where to?” asked his mother.“Er-to the canal,” said Tom.“Whatever for?” asked Eleanor. “Pouring with rain and you go down to the canal! I betyou weren't there. I bet you were next door with those Mackenzies. You simply live therethese days! That's where you were, isn't it?”“I told you, I was with Dad,” said Tom, desperately. “Shut up talking at me like that. Iwant to read.”“I shall ask Jeanie to-morrow if you were at her house,” said Hilda, maliciously. Tom saidnothing, but his heart sank. He didn't want the Mackenzies to know he had lied-but howcould he let his father down? Tom was torn in two again! He sat and sulked all the rest oftheevening and would hardly say a word even to his father.It was Dad who had got him into this muddle. Now if Hilda found out they had both beenat the Mackenzies' that evening, and not down to the canal, there would be another big row-not only with him, but with his father as well. Tom brooded over it, and felt that he dislikedhis father too that evening.But fortunately Hilda forgot all about the matter, and didn't ask the Mackenzies anyawkward questions, so Tom breathed more freely.“I'll be more careful next time I tell a lie,” he thought. “It's no good tellig my family thetruth. If I'd said we were listening to the Mackenzies' wireless Mother would have raged allevening. I don't blame Dad for popping in there, I like it myself.”After that Tom often told lies when he wanted to get out of trouble,or if he wanted to dosomething he thought his mother wouldn't like him to do.“I'm going to see if Harry's at home,” he would say, knowing that he wasn't going there atall. He was off to the cinema! It was a film he wasn't supposed to see, but he knew a door hecould slip in by without getting a ticket. He had found it by accident one evening.Or he would say he was going off for a walk with one of his school friends when all thetime he was hanging round a fun-fair that had set itself up in the town. His father and motherbelieved him, and off he went. He liked the blare of the cheerful music, and the bright lights ofthe fair. He liked to watch the people working the automatic machines there. It was better thansitting at home and hearing quarrels!He met Bob there once. Bob had been out to tea and was coming back. The boys bumpedinto one another.“Hallo,Bob!” said Tom. “Come and look at these machines with me. There's rather agood one with little men that play football. If you win you get your money back.”Bob looked on, fascinated. He had a penny and he produced it. Tom produced one too.They worked the handles feverishly, making the little figures kick at a ball that rolled here andthere. At last Tom made one of his side kick a goal.He got his penny back.“Have another game!” he asked Bob.Bob shook his head. “No. That was my last penny. I don't get much pocket-money, youknow. Not as much as you do! Come on home.

"No,” said Tom. “I'll stay here for a bit.” So Bob left him and went home, wondering whatTom's father would say if he could see Tom down in the fun-fair so late at night.