CHAPTER 17

Sid finds his voice

"Come on, it's time," said Ciccio, bored. "We are definitely on the right track here. Wherever Prince Bongawah is, he is probably still wearing his blue and gold pajamas. Good luck to him! "

They left and greeted Emand Perce. Sid was nowhere to be seen, so everyone was grateful. "Chew like he's chewing the drool," Pip said. 'Have you noticed how he is stained? I think he lives only on coffee and nothing else. ' "I don't want to see him ever again," Bets said. "He makes me sick."

"Well, there's no reason why we should visit him again," said Ciccio. "Until Em just comes to see us. I have no intention of visiting dear Sid and Perce. '

But she saw Sid again, and that same night! Ciccio was trying on one of his last disguises with his coat when someone knocked on the door. Fatty looked through a hole in the door to spy, to see who was outside. Damn, it was Ern, with Sid! How annoying it was, just as he went

he wears this disguise. Fatty turned quickly and looked at himself in the full-length mirror. She smiled. She would try the disguise on Emand to see if it worked!

Fatty opened the door. She stood outside, ready with a smile. Close to him. The smile faded as Emsaw, not fat, but a low-key old man with sideburns, shaggy beard, wiry white eyebrows and thinning white hair on bare skin. He wore a loose, mismatched old coat with pockets pulled down and frayed, frayed corduroy trousers. "Oh-eh-good evening," said Ern, surprised. "Is-is Mr. Frederick Trotteville there?"

The old man put a trembling hand after the other and said, 'Speak your mouth! Don't grumble. What are you saying? "His voice trembled like his hand. He shouted," IS MR.FREDERICKIN? "

"Don't scream," the old man said hoarsely. 'I'm not deaf. Who is Mr. Frederick?

Em stared. Then I remembered that Dik was always called Dik. Perhaps this old man only knew him by that name. "Fat," he said aloud. "FAT."

"You're a very rude boy," the old man said, his voice trembling louder than him. "Swear to me."

"I'm not," Em said desperately. "Look, where's the boy that lives here?"

"Gone," the old man said, shaking his head sadly. "Gone to live in London."

I'm starting to think you have to dream. Fatty is going to London! He only saw him about an hour ago. He looked anxiously at the cabin. Did it arrive at the right place? "Why did she leave? he finally asked. "Did he leave a message?" And what are you doing here? "

"I am his keeper," said the old man, taking up a large handkerchief. He blows his nose with a trumpet blast so loud that Emfell is alarmed again. He had no idea that Ciccio was washing his smile in that big red handkerchief!

Sid also backed away. He slid down the path, but grabbed him by the arm. "Oh no, that's not true, Sid! You came here to say something important, and to say ...

You will if it takes all night to find Fatty. When you get back to the camp, fill your mouth with caramel again and we won't hear you! You're the only one of us with a Real Clue and Fatty will know! '

'To say! Do you really have an idea? ' the old man said in Ciccio's clear, clear voice. He jumped violently out of the water and looked around. Where was Fatty? The old man pushed him in the ribs and burst into laughter, which suddenly turned into a Fat Laughter. So did Sid. "Lovaduck! He is fat! " Em exclaimed, delighted and amazed. "You got me right. Coo, you are an old man of life. How do you go bald? ' "Simply," said Ciccio, lifting him from his head and appearing in his own lock of hair. He smiled. "I was practicing this disguise when you came. It's a new wig and new eyebrows, mustache and a matching beard. Well, isn't it?

"You're surprised, fat, honest," Em said surprised. «But your voice ... and your smile! You can't buy them! You should be on stage. " "I can't," said Ciccio. "I will become a detective. Of course, it helps to be a good actor. Come in. What the hell is all this about Sid and Aclue?

"Well," Em said solemnly, "it is. Sid wanted to tell us all something this afternoon and he couldn't because of his business.

"Tirous work," said Fatty sympathetically. "And then, I guess, he got his voice back. Can you say anything other than 'ar' here?"

"Well, not much," Ern said honestly. "But he said someone thought very strangely

very very strange, Fatty. So I brought him here to tell you. It can be very, very important. Go ahead, Sid, tell him."

Sid cleared his throat and opened his mouth. "Ar," he began. "See, I heard him scream. Ar, I have.

"Who is screaming? asked Fett. "Ah, well," Sid said, clearing his throat again. "They shouted, you see." "Yes. We know that," Fatty said.

This embarrassed Sidoff. He looked at Em pleadingly. Em looked back disdainfully. "Feel what happens to you when you go crazy for candy?" He said. "Lose your voice and faint. Let this be a lesson for you, young Sid. '

"Did I just come here to tell me someone was yelling?" Grasso asked. "Isn't there anything else?"

'Oh yeah. But I better tell you, "Em said, and Sid's face immediately lit up." Ah, "he said. "And don't interrupt," Em said threateningly. Sid had no intention of interrupting him. He shook his head vigorously and didn't even venture another "sled".

"Well, that's what Sid told us," Em said, enjoying himself. "It's weird, Fatty, that's right. You hardly believe it. "

"Oh, come on, Em," said Ciccio. "This might be important. Start at the beginning, please."

"I told you - I told Larry and Pip anyway - our Sid loves kids here," said Em. Well, next to our tent is a trailer - you saw it. It's empty now. People left today.

Fatty nodded. He listened carefully.