This book is all about three boys called Roger, Snubby and Barney, and a girl called Diana, who all like to solve mysteries.
Barney and Snubby are orphans but are both good friends of Roger and Diana. Barney works in the circus and has a pet monkey called Miranda. Snubby has a dog called Loony who throws things in the pond.
Snubby is travelling by train to visit his aunt and uncle. The only other person in his carriage is an old man who asks about the book Snubby’s reading. Snubby answers that it’s all about spies. The man then tells him about robberies of important papers that have been happening. Snubby does not quite believe him and makes up a story about the Green Hand Gang. Diana meets Snubby off the train but he doesn’t realise that the old man is Roger and Diana’s grandfather.
They all start to investigate the robberies but everyone falls ill after eating sausage sandwiches, apart from Snubby. They have discovered a coincidence that the robberies always happen when the fair is nearby and they have found a note saying “oes Castle, midnigh’” – they work out that it means Marloe’s Castle at midnight. Snubby goes on his own and sees the thief climbing the wall. The book is very exciting at this point. The thief is deft and confident. But Snubby falls asleep and when he wakes the robber has gone!
I like this book and other Enid Blyton stories because they are very adventurous and I feel like I’m there seeing the action, passing through walls although not being able to do anything about it. I often wished I was one of the characters in the book.
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