Audio fairy tale lamb or a big reward is promised. Mikhail Bartenev - a lamb, or a big reward is promised

It wasn't like that at all.
Not the way they wrote about it in newspapers, magazines and scientific articles.
They wrote about aliens from outer space or from parallel worlds, about some kind of ghosts, poltergeists and other abnormal phenomena.

On TV, eyewitnesses were shown who actually saw nothing, but only heard. And what they heard, they could not explain.
Boom-boom-boom, knock-knock-knock, break - break, there-ta-ra-ram ...

PART ONE
Chapter one
"Boom-boom-boom" - may mean repairs in the entrance.
"Knock-knock-knock" - this is journalist Savva Shchekotikhin from the thirteenth apartment typing an article on a typewriter.
"Bryak-bryak" - this is a homeless Potemkin sorting his bottles in the basement.
And “tam-ta-ra-ram” is a serviceman Skvortsov explaining to his wife who is in charge in their house.
All this can be explained and even understood.
But how to explain something in between “boom-boom”, “knock-knock” and “break-break” three steps away from you, and even in complete darkness? ..
- Yura, do you hear, again ...
- Well, I hear.

May I come to you? I'm scared…
- Here's another! .. You're disturbing my sleep.
In fact, Yura, of course, did not sleep. Try to fall asleep when someone walks nearby, breathes and seems to knock on the walls with a hammer. Horror! But he - the elder brother - could not admit this to his younger sister, who was afraid of everyone, starting with the brutal killer Freddy Krueger and ending with the last little cockroach.
Meanwhile, "boom", "knock" and "blink" became louder and more impudent. It seems that the one who made these sounds felt completely safe. And in vain ...
Because the door suddenly swung open, and in the illuminated opening a neighbor of Skupidonov appeared in green camouflage pajamas.
- Ah-ah-ah! he shouted in a terrible voice. - Do you play on nerves? Knock? Finish the game! Get through! Get through!
- It's not us knocking, - said Yura.
- Who's knocking? Am I knocking? I'm knocking, right? shouted Skupidonov.
"Don't knock," Nyura said very calmly.
- That's right, I'm not knocking.
- And that's wrong. You should just knock before bursting into a room that is not yours. - It's strange, but Nyura was not afraid of her evil neighbor at all.
- Rude?! - Skupidonov turned green and merged with his camouflage pajamas. Everything will be reported to your mother. And she will put you in a corner. It's clear?
- But it's not us! Tell him Yura!
Yura didn't say anything. He looked in surprise at the corner in which he was supposed to be placed.
Without waiting for an answer, the neighbor slammed the door, and the room became dark again.
- Did you see? Yura asked in a whisper.
- What? Nyura asked in a whisper too.
- There, in the corner ... Boot.
- What boot?
- How do I know which ... Now we'll see.
Yura rallied with all his courage, put his hand out from under the blanket and turned on the light. There was no boot in the corner.
He stood in the middle of the room. Big, black, pretty worn...
- Ouch! Nura said. - Where did he come from?
- From where, from where ... - Yura muttered. - From a camel.
"That's not true," Nyura was offended. - Camels don't wear boots.
- What difference does it make what camels wear? You better tell me how he could be in the middle of the room. I just saw him in the corner!
- Probably ... he walks? .. - suggested Nyura.
- How can one boot walk? Think! Only two boots can walk. Look for the second one.
They searched the whole room, but did not find the second boot.
And then a plan formed in Yuri's head.
- Think, boots! he said suddenly very loudly. - Let him go where he wants. Wherever he wants, let him go there. You never know what business they have, boots? And we will sleep. Yes, Nura?
“I won’t sleep,” Nyura sobbed, not guessing the cunning plan. - I'll wait for my mother.
Yura wanted to hit her slow-witted sister properly, but instead he hissed affectionately:
- Okay, Nyurochka, lie down with me. I will tell you three magic words, and you will immediately fall asleep. You'll fall asleep right away, okay?
A minute later, the children lay in the dark under one blanket and snored loudly. So loudly that they did not hear a slight sniffling, groaning, hurried short steps ... They heard only a heart-rending cry. Or rather, peep. Rather, something in between a heart-rending cry and a heart-rending squeak:
"Uy-yu-yu-yuSh"
And this “uy-yu-yu” was so not terrible, so plaintive ...
The children jumped up, turned on the light and ...
Here it should be said that Yura and Nyura Ivanovs, their mother Tanya Ivanova, their neighbor Skupidonov Sidor Markovich, as well as journalist Shchekochikhin, serviceman Skvortsov, district police officer Lomonosov and even homeless Potemkin - they all lived in a very old Moscow house. And in old Moscow houses, sometimes there are not only cockroaches, but also mice ...
So. In the mousetrap near the bookcase, the children found... No, not a mouse. And not a rat. Rather, it was a hare. That is, not that a real hare, but a strange creature with hare ears.
However, Yura and Nyura could not really see anything - Skupidonov's barefoot spanking was heard in the corridor.
There was no time to think. In one second, Yura freed the eared creature from the mousetrap, and without waiting for an invitation, it darted under the covers.
At the same instant, the indignant Skupidonov burst into the room.
- What's going on here, I ask you? What do you think, I'm going to joke with you? BUT?
The children knew that Skupidonov did not know how to joke. They were silent, afraid of only one thing, that the neighbor would not pay attention to the strange bump on the bed. But that is exactly what happened.
- Yeah! - Skupidonov said triumphantly and with a sharp movement pulled off the blanket.
Skupidonov's small eyes grew large. And in children they just climbed on their foreheads: Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was standing in the bed. Short, bronze, with sideburns and a tag on his leg.
In the life of Sidor Markovich Skupidonov there was one, but a very strong passion - things. Especially the old ones. And so his hands greedily reached for the figure of the great poet.
- Do not touch the exhibits with your hands! - there was a piercing female voice.
Skupidonov jumped back and turned around. However, I did not see anyone to whom this voice could belong. He fumbled around the room for a long time, and then suddenly turned sour and, muttering: “You will still finish playing with me,” went out.
Silence reigned in the room.
- How beautiful he is! Nura whispered. She also loved things, but not all, but only very beautiful ones. And she really wanted to touch this brilliant uncle.
- Do not touch! Yura shouted. - Did you hear what he said?
- Who is he"?
- Who, who - Pushkin! That is, this is not Pushkin, you understand? Actually, it's a boot. That is, this is not a boot, but one ... with ears ... - Yura got confused and began to get angry ...
- In general, so, - he resolutely turned to Pushkin. - Get out! We've already seen you anyway.
"All right," said a hoarse voice. - Just turn around.
The children honestly turned away and froze in anticipation.
- Well, how long will I wait for you?

Sitting on the bed… How should I put it?.. Probably a boy after all. Only very shaggy and with long, like a hare, ears. He was of medium height: a little shorter than a boot and a little taller than Pushkin.
- Caught, - the boy sighed and folded two figs from his fingers. - Well, then what?
- And who are you? Yura asked.
- And why are you showing us figurines? Nura added. - It's not beautiful.
- I'm a lamb, - said the boy, frowning. - And this is not any tricks at all, but a trick against the evil eye. And there is nothing ugly here. My grandfather taught me how to fold them. And as grandfather said: grandfather will not teach bad things. Understandably?
There was nothing to argue against the "grandfather".
- Is Barabashka a given name or surname?
The drummer thought.
“Both…” he said. - And the third...
- What is the third one? Yura was surprised.
- "What, what" ... Are you a man? And your dad is a man. And mom is human. Correctly? And I am Barabashka. And my mom is Barabashka. And dad is Barabashka. And grandfather - Lamb ... - Then Lamb made a sad face, hung his ears and sighed deeply: - There was ...
- Where is your grandfather now? Nyura asked.
- And don't ask. The lamb twitched its nose. - Drowned. Terrible drama, an unpleasant incident!
Nyura was embarrassed, and Yura decided to change the subject.
“Listen,” he asked Barabashka, “did you knock?”
- And who is Pushkin, or what? - Barabashka instantly forgot about his drowned grandfather and perked up: - Did you like it?
- We liked it, - Yura exaggerated. - But the neighbor is not very.
Your neighbor doesn't understand anything.
Yura was embarrassed to admit that he also did not quite understand why it was necessary to knock at night. But then Nura came to the rescue:
- You probably wanted to scare us?
- More nonsense! - Barabashka was indignant.
- Then why? Nyura didn't let up.
- How is it why? We - drummers - are always knocking, - Barabashka said proudly. But apparently this was not enough for him. - And then ... and then ... - His ears trembled, and he switched to a solemn whisper: - I'm looking for a treasure!
Treasure! If Lamb knew what an important word he just said. After all, for half a year the most cherished dream of children was to get rich. Get rich and become rich. How they still did not know exactly, but they knew exactly what they would do after that. Yura will buy himself a video camera. And Nyura will buy powder with a mirror. And Yura will buy a Pentium computer. And Nyura - a diamond necklace and a manicure set with a mirror. And Yura is the six hundredth Mercedes. And Nyura is seven hundredth, with two mirrors. And they dreamed about their mother that she would never, ever work again, Nyura would let her wear her best dresses, and Yura would take her in his car on weekends to the Canary Islands.
Treasure!
Here is the opportunity to make the dream come true. How simple! They were going to wash cars, play Lotto-Million or hand over bottles, like the homeless Potemkin. And wealth, it turns out, is so close! ..
- And how do you know that the treasure is in our house? Yura asked Barabashka suspiciously.
- The military secret of the drums.
“Then you don’t have to give it away, since it’s a secret,” Nyura said.
- And I can give it out if you want. It was my grandfather who crucified me about the treasure. That is, no, it’s better not to tell, but write. In his last will, he wrote directly: “Look, Barabashka, do you know where the treasure is? ..”
- Where?!
- As where? In this… No. Like this: "on old old street... in an old, old house ... in brick-brick wall!..” He said - and died. That is, he wrote - and drowned.
The children sighed in sympathy.
- And I got ready and went to look for the treasure, - continued Barabashka. - Because when I find the treasure, you know what I'll do?
And then he fell silent. Alert. One of his ears lifted, turned like a locator.
- Athas! Someone is coming. Everyone please leave the room!
In front door the lock clicked.
- It's mom. Yura quickly turned off the light and crawled under the covers.
- Barabashka, will you come again tomorrow? - Nyura asked in a whisper.
- We'll see tomorrow. Not a word about me! Understandably?
Chapter Two
From six in the morning, Skupidonov's neighbor was waiting for my mother in ambush. He set up an ambush between the bathroom and the kitchen, so that it was impossible to bypass him.
- That's what, Tatyana Nikolaevna, - the neighbor said menacingly. - Our times are difficult, my pension is small, and my nerves are on edge. And if I have a heart attack, or I go crazy, or I jump out of the window, then you will be responsible according to the law.
- Yes, you speak directly, Sidor Markovich!
- And I will say: your children are seeking my death. I will say more: they do it with your tacit consent. Because you sleep and see how to take over my room. But I will not die, I warn you: I will never give you such pleasure. I will complain!
Skupidonov was dissatisfied with something every morning, but in such a state his mother saw him for the first time.
- Can you please explain what happened? What have my children done?
- They gave me Chinese torture!
- My God! Mom threw up her hands, imagining how Yura and Nyura, having tied up Skupidonov, were pouring molten lead on his head.
- Yes Yes! While you don't know where you go, your kids… - Skupidonov made an ominous pause. - Knock on my wall! But even this is not enough. Do you know who I found in your son's bed? Push-ki-na!
Mom was happy:
- A book, right?
- No, Tatyana Nikolaevna, not a book. And a monument.
Mom suddenly felt sorry for Skupidonov.
- Well, what are you talking about, Sidor Markovich? Maybe you feel bad? Perhaps you should see a doctor?
- I'll contact you! I will definitely contact! Just not to the doctor. I will contact the house administration, the prefecture, the district police officer. I'll go to the mayor!
Poor mother Tanya! Of course, her children are not angels. But she blamed herself for the fact that Yura and Nyura were hanging out in hot Moscow in the summer, in an apartment with a quarrelsome neighbor.
Usually at this time the children were already in the village. But just a month and a half ago, she found a job. And what: she was taken as a secretary by the president of the commercial bank Gutalinov himself! I had to work seven days a week, until late at night, and there was even no question of carving out a couple of days and taking the children to their grandmother.
However, today she firmly decided to talk with Gutalinov ... True, at first she still had to deal with the children.
“Just now,” she said at breakfast, “Sidor Markovich complained to me that you were knocking on his wall. It's true?
- True, - said Nyura, - Only it's not us.
- Then who?
- This is ... - Nyura began.
- This is ... - Yura pushed his sister under the table: it was not enough for her to blurt out. - It was I who knocked with the ball.
Mom valued honesty and directness in people. And she was direct and honest.
- Did I warn you? she asked Yura. After that, without waiting for an answer, she went to the nursery, brought the ball and threw it out the window.
The ball was, of course, a pity. But compared to the treasure they were about to find, the loss didn't seem so serious.
Mom's throw came out accurate: the ball hit the net. Into the grid with empty bottles, which carried to hand over the homeless Potemkin.
"Four two in my favor," he thought, counting the surviving bottles.
And my mother thought: “What can you do in a hurry!”, But she didn’t show it. And, leaving for work, she said in a stern voice:
- Don't forget to clean your room!
Cleaning was not one of my favorite activities. But this time, Yura and Nyura cleaned up extremely carefully: they were looking for Barabashka. Under the bed, on the closet, in the closet and even behind the closet. But neither a boot, nor bronze statues, nor any other unfamiliar objects came across.
- Yura, look! Nyura pulled a ball out of the toy box.
- So what?
- But after all, mom just threw it out the window ...
- Great! Yura shouted. - Barabashka found!
Nyura also shouted “cool!” and began to gently wipe the ball with a wet cloth.
- Drum! Barabashka!
But the ball was still a ball.
- Still ... - Yura looked expressively at his sister. - You would have a wet rag on the head.
Nyura quickly wiped the ball with a dry cloth and asked for forgiveness. But that didn't help either. It dawned on Yura:
- This is no Barabashka!
- Who?
- This is our ball, And Lamb is there! Yura pointed to the window.
The children ran into the yard. But there was no ball in the yard.
"Disappeared," Yura said gloomily, sitting down on the bench.
- Yura, what if he doesn't come back?
How is it not coming back? Why did he come then? Why did you tell about the treasure?
- And that's why he won't come back: he told in a rush, and now he regrets it.
- You blabbed, then? Yura thought. - Well, don't come back. The main thing is that we now know everything. We can search for treasure without it.
- Hello! A familiar voice came from behind. - Wow zayavochki for collective tours! I told them everything, and they gathered to look.
Yura and Nyura jumped up on the bench.
- Is that you, Barabashka?
- And who else? As my grandfather used to say: turn into money, and you will definitely be picked up ... - Next to the bench in the dust lay an old copper penny.
- You were some valuable coin, Yes? Yura asked when they returned to their room, and Barabashka finally became himself.
- So-so. We had a lot of these in the palace.
- Did you live in the palace?
- But how! Well, that is, in the former. Now it is a local history museum of the city of Kimry. We, the drummers, always live in palaces and museums. We guard treasures. Do you think we only have boots and Pushkins there? We have all sorts of wealth there! Yes, I would like to - I could turn into a golden crown. Only grandfather taught: be modest. The more modest, the more inconspicuous. We're not allowed to show up. Oh, grandfather finds out that I'm here with you - he will kill!
So you said that your grandfather...
- That's right, he's dead. Got hit by a car.
- And you said you drowned ...
- Is it? That's right, drowned. It's not clear, is it? Turned into an iron, fell into the river and drowned, And then turned into a log and swam up. And then - under the car ...
- Under what? Yura asked.
- Under the first one that came across. Now they are running like this! But grandfather showed them: he turned into a nail - and under the car! And pierced all four wheels at once. In short, he died a heroic death.
Nyura sighed with sympathy. She felt sorry for her grandfather.
Why did he dislike cars so much? Yura was surprised.
He himself loved cars more than anything. He had a myriad of them: Rolls-Royces, Mercedes, Peugeots, Buicks, and even a Lincoln that looked like a Dachshund. True, these were just small copies. But they are so accurate that the Lincoln, for example, had a key stuck in the lock.
- Listen, can you turn into a car? - Yura asked and took a silver limousine from the shelf. - Here in such ...
The lamb looked at the typewriter for a long time and carefully, scratched behind his hare's ear ... Finally he said:
- Easy.
And in an instant turned into the same small model.
Nyura clapped her hands, and Yura felt deceived.
I thought you were going to be real...
- And you'd better not think, but speak, - the Lincoln grumbled offendedly in the voice of Barabashka. - Is the real one really big?
- Of course, big.
So there's nowhere for you to turn around.
- Can you do it in the yard?
- I'll try...
A few minutes later there was a huge limousine at the entrance. Shocked, Yura walked around, not knowing what to do. But Nyura immediately found a use for the new toy and looked at herself with interest in the side mirror. However, the car shone so that you could look anywhere. It reflected the sky with clouds, and a house with pigeons on the roof, and a playground with a sandbox, in which the young son of a serviceman Skvortsov played. And the wife of a serviceman was also reflected, enthusiastically reading a book. And then the astonished face of the homeless Potemkin, who had never seen such cars in such close proximity, was reflected in the front left door.

And whose crew will it be? he asked politely.
- My. - Yura suddenly realized that he really is the owner of this dazzling miracle.
“Good, good thing,” Potemkin approved.
- Nothing, - Yura agreed and patted the car on the wing.
There was a pause.
Yura understood that something had to be done. Moreover, Nyura had been sitting in the front seat for a long time. So he calmly sat behind the wheel and was about to press the clutch pedal. There was no pedal. “Probably an automatic,” Yura thought, and tried to turn the ignition key. The key did not turn, and the caring Potemkin was already looking out the window.
- Won't start, huh?
- Candles, - Yura said the first thing that came to his mind.
He got out of the car and opened the hood. And then he tried to close the lid. But it was too late: Potemkin was already looking with curiosity to where the car should have a motor. There was no motor.
- Excuse me, but where ... - Potemkin began, but Yura interrupted him:
- This is the model. Full automatic!
- Just think about it! - respectfully sighed the bum.
Idiot situation! Instead of turning into a real car, this stupid Lamb turned into a toy again, only a big one. Yura didn't know what to do.
Barabashka didn't know either. But in order to somehow correct the situation, he began to rattle softly.
Hole-hole-hole-hole...
- Oh, got it on! - happily said Potemkin.
Yura pressed all the buttons, but the car, of course, did not budge.
- Maybe you push?
- Yes perishing, please, be kind! - said Nyura, tired of waiting.
The car was surprisingly light. Potemkin was just about to pull himself up, and she herself was already smoothly rolling down the slope, gradually picking up speed.
The trip was short, but eventful.
The first on the way was the neighbor Skupidonov, who was returning from the police.
Groaning hoarsely “holes, holes, holes!”, A huge terrible foreign car flew right at him, driven by his sworn enemy Yura.
“Exactly, they want my death!” thought Skupidonov, barely managing to dodge.
And the car rushed down the hill faster and faster. Straight to the playground, where young Skvortsov played in the sandbox.
Yura, of course, would have slowed down, but this Lincoln did not have not only an engine, but also brakes.
Nyura closed her eyes first, Yura second, and Skupidonov third. The homeless Potemkin was the last to close his eyes, having previously crossed himself ...
When everyone opened their eyes, there was no car. Brother and sister were sitting in the sandbox. Nyura's knee was torn off, Yura somehow ended up with a mouth full of sand. And the young Skvortsov was already playing with a new toy with pleasure - he drove a tiny silver Lincoln into the garage.
- Give it back! - Yura held out his hand to pick up Barabashka.

I won’t give it, ”Skvortsov answered and, just in case, roared loudly, looking askance at his mother.
“Soldiers don’t cry,” my mother said, turning the page and continuing to read with rapture.
- Give it back, they tell you! Yura hissed menacingly.
Realizing that the car would now be taken away, the young Skvortsov gave a tear in the direction of his entrance. Of course, Yura and Nyura would have caught up with him in no time and taken away Barabashka. But Skvortsov Sr., who was heading home for dinner, blocked their path.
- My mask! My mask! yelled the son, hiding behind his father's wide riding breeches.
- Get up, calmly! the captain yelled at the children. - Around, step march! ..
Yura and Nyura retreated.
- A in next time ears up! - Skvortsov threatened and, taking his son in his arms, disappeared into the entrance.
- Think, captain-cockroach! Nura said.
The situation was extremely stupid and insulting.
- They live in what apartment, in the seventeenth? Yura asked.
- I don't know, but what?
- And what if Barabashka himself does not return ... Got it?
"Understood," Nyura said. - We will take it. Chapter Three
The day was unbearably hot, dragging on endlessly. When the first signs of coolness appeared, the homeless Potemkin got out of the basement and settled down on his favorite bench.
In general, Potemkin was very offended when he was called a bum. Because the HOME is a person without a specific place of residence. And Potemkin's place of residence for two years was the basement and courtyard of house number fourteen on Bozhedomka Street.
Potemkin came from an old noble family, and the manners of his ancestors were reflected both in appearance and in his behavior. He slept exclusively on fresh newspapers, which he looked through before going to bed. He wore shoes, albeit torn, but clean. And before getting an empty bottle from the trash can, he always put on white rubber gloves.

The residents of the house laughed at his noble origin, but treated Potemkin with respect. And they didn’t drive from the bench. How the descendant of the great field marshal came to such a life, no one knew. And the residents perceived it as a kind of attraction: not every yard has its own nobleman.
Only Skupidonov, who spent most of his time in the surrounding garbage dumps, fiercely hated the homeless, considering him his competitor. Although Potemkin did not lay claim to anything but empty dishes.
So, the bum was sitting on his bench and reading the latest issue of the Moscow News newspaper, when a silver Lincoln silently floated into the yard.
"Oh," thought Potemkin. “Yura and Nyura have arrived.”
Two people climbed out of the Lincoln with difficulty. They were similar, firstly, to each other, and secondly, to teenagers who were pumped for a long time with a special pump. Both in green jackets, both short-haired, they carefully examined the yard and opened the back door. Mother Tanya Ivanova got out of the car. And after her, the billionaire Gutalinov, the president of the famous Guta Bank, which he named after himself, jumped out with a rubber ball. Mom Tanya and Gutalinov disappeared in the entrance, and two bodyguards - Vovan and Tolyan - remained near the car.
Gutalinov liked the new secretary, and he even tried to court her. So when she blushed and stammered and told him about her problems this morning, he not only promised her two days off in the very near future, but also let her leave early from work. Not only that, he offered to give her a lift home, and on the way he also asked for a cup of tea.
“I need to know how my employees live,” he said.
Mom Tanya wanted to object that there was nothing interesting in this, but she did not dare to refuse the man a cup of tea.
Gutalinov was a smart man and understood: in order to please your mother, you must first please her children. Therefore, as soon as he entered the room, he joyfully shouted, like Santa Claus on the New Year tree:
- Hello children! Now we will drink tea with cake!
If the billionaire knew about the disappearance of Barabashka, he would not be surprised at the lack of stormy joy in the children. But Gutalinov did not know anything about Barabashka at all. Therefore, while mom was preparing tea in the kitchen, he rolled around Yura and Nyura in a kolobok and asked a bunch of questions:
- What is your name?
- Where do you study?
- What kind of computer do you have?
- Do you listen to your mother?
Yura answered in monosyllables, Nyura tried to keep up small talk.
“Your jacket is beautiful,” she said. The billionaire liked it, but still the conversation did not go well. Then he noticed a collection of cars on the shelf of Yurina, and it dawned on him:
- Do you want to ride in my car?
- What kind of car do you have? Yura asked.
- Now you'll see! - Gutalinov invited the guys to the window with a broad gesture.
Nyura looked out, saw a silver Lincoln at the entrance and said with a sigh:
- Today we already rode such a ...

The billionaire jumped in surprise. According to him, there were only three such cars in Moscow.
I wonder, he thought, if the president of another bank is courting my secretary?
But while he was thinking about how to find out from the children, mother appeared, and they sat down to drink tea.
And near the entrance, Tolyan and Vovan honestly served. One pounded the edge of his hand on the wall, and the other picked the asphalt with the toe of his boot.
Homeless Potemkin, who had been watching them from his bench for a long time, concluded that the young people were probably bored, and decided to start a casual conversation with them. He stood up, came closer and, nodding respectfully towards the Lincoln, asked:
- What, full automatic?
“Yeah,” Tolyan replied. - Two clips.
And he pulled out a Kalashnikov assault rifle from the front seat.
- Understood, - said Potemkin and stepped back to the bench.
Billionaire Gutalinov was finishing his fourth cup at that time. In fact, he hated tea, but he saw no other way to stay longer in this apartment. The guest tried very hard to please and incessantly talked about where he managed to visit. And he managed to visit Africa, Asia, Europe, the two Americas and even Antarctica, where he met New Year and shot champagne corks at polar bears... No, the billionaire wasn't lying, he just confused the Arctic with the Antarctic. However, what's the difference? The main thing is to have fun.
Fun, however, did not work, even despite the fact that Nyura was smeared up to her ears with cream, and Yura dropped a piece of cake on his pants. As a result, mother Tanya had to take both of them to the bath to wash themselves.
"Dear children," thought Gutalinov.
Left alone, he looked around and suddenly noticed shabby wallpapers, shabby parquet, ceilings with stains ...
“Yes,” the billionaire sighed, tapping his fingers on the wall, “the apartment needs renovation.”
He walked, tapped and thought that it would be nice to arrange a vacation for Tanya in the Canary Islands, and send the children to study in America ... But what? The president must take care of his subordinates! ..
But the neighbor of the Skupidonov burst into this string of bright dreams:
- Yeah! You play on nerves! My death...
"Ambush!" flashed through Gutalinov's head. Without hesitation, he ducked under the table and tried to cover himself with the tablecloth. Two cups flew to the floor, pouring unfinished tea over the white presidential trousers.
As you know, the president of a bank is a very dangerous profession. At every step - hired killers, racketeers, tax inspection. Therefore, Gutalinov was always extremely cautious. Po, realizing that a strange man in protective pajamas was not going to shoot or throw a grenade, the billionaire looked out from under the table and asked:
- And who are you, exactly?
- No, it's you - who? - retorted Skupidonov. At that moment, mother Tanya entered the room with her children.
- What are you doing here, Sidor Markovich? she asked.
“There is a stranger in your room,” Skupidonov reported.
"He's not a stranger," Mom said. - He is my boss - the president of Guta-Bank, Mr. Gutalinov.
“Ah, here it is, so how…” Skupidomov muttered and hurriedly disappeared.
- An unpleasant type, - said Gutalinov, dusting off his trousers.
“This is our neighbor,” Mom Tanya sighed.
“He complains about us all the time,” Nyura added.
- What a bad uncle!
Gutilinov was really terribly angry with his neighbor, who put him in such a stupid position - on his knees before the secretary Ganya, whom he had just begun to court. Plus, it's a terrible stain on your pants!
- Thank you, Tanechka, for the tea, and we will deal with this uncle. - The mood was spoiled. Gutalinov sharply pushed the door and dealt a crushing blow to the forehead of Skupidonov, who was peeping through the keyhole.
“They are harassing my death…” moaned the neighbor who flew off to the opposite wall.
“And with you,” Gutalinov said sternly, “the conversation will be tomorrow. For such behavior in a decent society ... rolled into the asphalt.
- What are you talking about? Tanya's mother was horrified.
- A joke ... - the billionaire was embarrassed. However, he made a firm decision to scare the old man. And provide a decent life for his employee.
Yura and Nyura lay in their beds, waiting for their mother to fall asleep, and for the twentieth time they refined the plan for the upcoming operation to save Barabashka. Everything was provided. Except for one small detail: they didn't expect to fall asleep before their mother.
They were not even awakened by a knock in the hallway. No, it was not Barabashka. It was the rather frightened neighbor Skupidonov who put the fourth lock on his door.Chapter Four
In the meantime, the following events unfolded in the two-room apartment of the serviceman Skvortsov.
The commander of a separate airborne platoon, Captain Skvortsov, after returning from work, took off his boots. There was nothing surprising in this: Skvortsov always took off his boots when he came home from work. But this time, in front of the barefoot captain, there were not two boots, as usual, but three. The captain was surprised, counted his boots, then his legs, then boots again. The third boot was clearly superfluous.
Just like Yura, Skvortsov concluded that one boot could not come, which means that somewhere there must be a second one. But the captain moved further in his reasoning: someone came in boots. And this someone was either an enemy or a spy. Which needs to be found and neutralized.
To begin with, Skvortsov went to the kitchen and interrogated his wife.
- Where is he? the captain asked sternly.
- Oh, dear, - the wife answered, without looking up from the book. He's on his way to the airport right now.
- So. - The captain understood that the matter was serious. - And who is he?
- Like who? James Bond. Agent 007.
“Just as I knew,” Skvortsov gritted his teeth. - But why is he in one boot?
- In one boot? The wife looked at her husband in surprise. - I haven't read this part yet.
You will never read this far! Skvortsov shouted and slammed the book in front of his wife. He was about to alert his platoon.
Coming in good location spirit, the captain went to wash his hands before eating. But he froze halfway: well, James Bond was not there. But where did the third boot come from then?
A second later he burst into the kitchen, his boot at the ready. The wife put cutlets on a plate, driving away annoying flies.
- What is it?! - Captain Skvortsov growled and with all his might he banged his boot on the table so that the cutlets flew to the floor, and the flies to the ceiling.
"I d-don't know," the wife whispered, and tears welled up in her eyes.
No, the captain did not suspect his wife of treason, But with her passion for reading and distraction, she could let anyone into the house. And miss!!!
The roar woke up a young son.
- Vovochka! - Skvortsov rushed to the crib. - Maybe you saw someone?
But the child was crying and did not answer questions. Then Skvortsov showed his son a personal pistol. The boy smiled - the gun always had a calming effect on him.
- Vladimir, think and answer your dad, did you see anyone in this apartment today?
“I saw it,” said Skvortsov Jr. - So small with a big mustache.
In fact, the boy wanted to say "with big ears", but since he did not yet know how to pronounce all the letters, he got "with a big mustache."
Captain Skvortsov began to feverishly go over his colleagues in his head: the most dangerous thing is when an enemy pretends to be a friend. But everyone in the platoon was tall and without a mustache... However, you can stick a mustache on, but what about the boot...
In vain did his wife constantly reproach Skvortsov for not reading books. Skvortsov read books. In childhood. And now, remembering the fairy tale about Cinderella, he decided tomorrow at the morning formation to let all his subordinates try on the boot. Just in case.
In the meantime, he locked the evidence in the closet, kissed his sleeping son on the forehead and went to the kitchen to eat the cooled cutlets. But he didn't get to eat again. There was a knock from the room. The knock came from the closet.
Aha!!!
Any other captain would have delayed the enemy without hesitation. But Skvortsov was smarter. And before decided to intercept valuable information. He put his ear to the closet and proceeded to decipher: "Vrlum ... drin ... fuck ... tah ... tah ..." - he got it in Morse code. “Mryak ... bryak ... chio ... chio ... himself” - it turned out according to the alphabet of Sorge. Captain Skvortsov a small seventy-four systems of secret knocks. But for each of them the same nonsense turned out ...
The lamb pounded without any system. He just wanted to be free.
Never before had so much trouble happened to him in one day. First they threw him out the window. Then he almost crashed into the sandbox. Then the inquisitive boy wanted to know what was inside the typewriter, and he barely managed to slip out into the hallway and pretend to be a boot. After that, they were beaten on the table, and to top it all, they were locked in a closet. Barabashka's patience ran out.
It also burst at Captain Skvortsov.
- Hands up! - shouted the captain, pulled the closet door on himself and ... he himself carried out his command.
The muzzle of a small but very real cannon was looking at him from the closet.
It is difficult to say how long the captain would have stood with his hands up if his wife had not entered the room.
- You are completely stunned, Skvortsov. Soon you will drag the tank home from work.
Without explaining anything, Skvortsov snatched his son out of bed, gave him to his wife and in a command whisper ordered him to go to spend the night with his neighbors.
Left alone, the captain cautiously examined the closet. The gun was in place. But the shoe disappeared without a trace. And then Skvortsov realized that the situation was even more serious than he had expected. He faced an invisible enemy.

Skvortsov had a lot of experience in capturing a wide variety of enemies. He detained terrorists, smugglers and agents of all foreign intelligence services. But he did not have to deal with invisibles, and there were no instructions on this subject. The captain decided to act at his own peril and risk.
Mentally breaking the apartment into squares, he entered into a deadly fight.
Skvortsov used all the known techniques of karate, kung fu, aikido, sumo, jiu-jitsu, sambo, fisticuffs, freestyle and classical wrestling, as well as special riot police techniques. But he crushed the air. And also the walls. As a result, in half an hour a small two-roomed flat turned into a large one-room apartment. However, the enemy deftly evaded all blows.
Or maybe he just left?
Looking around the battlefield, Skvortsov wearily sank down on the wreckage of the sofa. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't cry. And then Skvortsov fell asleep.
And a small cast-iron cannon sneezed and turned into an eared creature. Carefully getting out from under the boards, Barabashka slipped to the window, opened the sash and thought - the Skvortsovs lived on the fourth floor.

If I had known in advance, I would have spread straws, - he remembered grandfather's wisdom, turned into a pillow and jumped out of the window. At the same time, a miraculously surviving jar of cucumbers flew to the floor.
Awakened by the noise, the captain jumped up and realized that he had been fooled again. The enemy really left - alive, invisible and armed with a cannon. And then, taking out his signature pistol, Skvortsov went to the window and fired long and senselessly into the night sky.
Bach! Bach! Bang bang! Bach! Bang bang!..
"So what's the night?" - the dissatisfied residents of house number 14 were indignant in their beds.
One homeless Potemkin, who moved from the basement to the bench because of stuffiness, was pleased. Unexpected joy fell on him - a large soft pillow.
"That's nice," thought Potemkin, put a pillow under his head and fell sound asleep.
In the morning there was no pillow. But the bum was not upset.
“What fell,” he decided, “is gone.”

Chapter Five
Knock-knock-knock!.. Knock-knock-knock!..
It's hard to believe, but Sidor Markovich Skupidonov didn't jump out of the room.
The knock was repeated. But Skupidonov did not succumb to provocation. After Gutalinov's threats yesterday, he was firmly convinced that they were shooting at him at night. But in the dark they missed.
Knock-Knock!..
The door was opened by Tanya's mother, but she didn't see anyone. She shrugged and ran to finish her coffee. Mom was in a hurry to get to work. She decided not to wake the children: she wrote them a note, left sandwiches and flew out of the house like a bullet. Gutalinov did not like being late.
Yura and Nyura woke up at the same time. With the same thought: "Lamb!"
- What time is it? Yura shouted.
- Ouch! Morning already.
- Overslept ... - Yura almost cried. - We wanted to save Barabashka.
- Wow! They were going to rescue me… An interesting excursion! - Barabashka sat under the table and chewed the sandwich left by mother Tanya.
- Hooray! Nyura screamed and jumped out of bed right in her nightgown.
Yura, of course, was also happy. But the joy was mixed with annoyance at the fact that Barabashka managed to escape without his help.
- Just think, boot, - he said, as soon as Barabashka began to talk about his nightly adventures. - The boot was already there.
- So what? But then I turned into such a huge gun! And when he shot, there was nothing left of the apartment. Complete destruction. Kulikovo battle. - The drummer stopped. - You don't believe me? Go see for yourself.
- But I've wanted to ask you for a long time ... - Nyura looked at Barabashka, as if she were Michael Jackson. - Can you turn into everything, into everything?
- In everything?! Lamb's ears shook with laughter. - Oh, I can't! Yes, in order to turn into everything, do you know how much you need to study? A hundred years.
- A hundred years?!
- A hundred years is only in the first class. And also the second, third ... There is my grandfather - he finished all four classes! He can become whoever you want: if you want - a bicycle, if you don't want - a fly. But I tried to become a fly, so I fell from the ceiling. Grandfather says - biology because he did not teach. And I'm learning ... - Barabashka sighed. - I do not like.
- Nobody likes it, - Yura said knowingly.
- Why is it nobody? Nura was offended. - I, for one, love it very much. Mom says that if you don’t study in our time ...
- Mom says, by the way, that her Gutalinov cannot count without a calculator. The main thing in our time is wealth. For money, you can even become president.
- A fly? - asked Barabashka.
Nyura laughed, and Yura thought that they had been talking nonsense for so long.
- When will we look for the treasure? he asked Barabashka.
Remembering the treasure, Barabashka immediately assumed a mysterious air and said:
- Shh! We can't look for treasure here.
- But why?
- For technical reasons. - Barabashka softly knocked on the wall of his neighbor Skupidonov.
Familiar cries were heard from behind the wall, but the neighbor still did not dare to leave the room.
"Rule one," Barabashka said. - "The treasure must be looked for." Rule two: "The treasure must be looked for when everyone has gone to bed." Rule three: "When you are looking for a treasure, pretend that you are not looking for a treasure." Rule four...
Lamb knew about one hundred and forty-four rules for finding treasures. One of them read: "Turn the whole house over before looking in another." exact location Grandpa did not leave a treasure, so the search began from the attic.

The attic of the house reminded Barabashka of the basement of her native museum - thick layer dust and mountains of all sorts of unnecessary things, which Barabashka stroked with his hands and affectionately called "exhibits."
“Dust is a good omen,” said Lamb. - So, no one was looking for us here before us.
He put his ear to the wall and began tapping busily.
- Can we knock too? Nyura asked timidly.
- Knock! Knocking is a simple matter, as grandfather used to say. You need to have ears here.
- What, we don't have ears, do we? - Yura was offended.
The lamb looked at him so expressively that Yura blushed to the tips of what he had previously considered ears.
- Okay, so be it, knock a little. And then I will listen for three. There’s a secret here: where it’s empty, it’s thick there ... In the sense that where there is an empty place in the wall, there should be a treasure.
Having received permission to knock, Yura took advantage of it to the fullest. He pounded on the brick walls, and wooden beams, and by metal roof, alarming all the local pigeons and one stray crow.
- What's wrong with him? - Barabashka was surprised. - Wears like he has fire alarm worked. In our museum, how it works - everyone runs. You don't know where to hide.
- No, - said Nyura, - He just wants to find the treasure as soon as possible.
- Where's the rush? The treasure will not run away.
- Yura will run away. - Nyura leaned over to Barabashka and whispered: - He said that if he did not find the treasure, he would run away to America to earn money. Yura is the only man in our family.
- Why do you need money?
- So that my mother does not work, but sits at home. And we will also buy an apartment - a new, three-room apartment. With good neighbor.
- With a good neighbor, it's probably expensive ... - Barabashka thought. - Nothing, we will find such a treasure now - we will buy an apartment with three neighbors.
And Barabashka and Nyura set to work: Nyura will knock - Barabashka will listen, Nyura will knock - Barabashka will listen, Nyura will knock ...
- Stop! - The barabashka suddenly yelled so loudly that Nyura suddenly sat down on the dirty floor.
- What did I do? she asked fearfully.
- I found the treasure, - answered Barabashka.
- Where? Where is the treasure? Yura ran up.
Barabashka drew himself up and pointed with his finger at some place in the brick wall:
- Right here! Chapter Six
Fuck-ta-ra-rah!!! Meow-woo!!!
The treasure turned out to be a cat. An ordinary gray cat that fell into a ventilation pipe.
Fooled by the roar that Yura raised, dismantling the brick wall, and from a long sitting in captivity, she flew out of the hole as if scalded, scratching her savior.
- Here's a treasure for you, - said Yura and looked contemptuously at his sister.
- And what? - Lamb stood up either for Nyura, or for the cat. - Very much even a treasure. A good cat, as grandfather said, is a real treasure. In our museum, the mice ate the cheese first. Antique, thirteenth century! And then the mammoth's trunk was gnawed off. If the cat had not been brought in, only the horns from the mammoth would have remained.
- Not horns, but tusks, - Yura corrected him.
You say you don't like studying. - Barabashka slyly looked at Yura. - And he is just like our guide.
The cat sat aside and licked the fur.
- He sits, muzzle, washes, - Yura said gloomily, looking at his scratches. - She didn't even say thank you.
- She said, - Barabashka objected. - Twice. She once again apologized for the damage.
- How do you know? Nyura asked.
- I understand a little bit like a cat. Grandpa taught.
- And here you are lying! Yura was outraged. She didn't even meow once.
- But I'm not lying. - Barabashka was offended and showed Yura the figs. - Although you are literate, you don’t know that cats don’t speak with words, but with their ears, or tail, or back.
The cat stretched and yawned.
- And what does she say now? Yura asked.
- She says that I am very smart and good ... - Lamb was embarrassed. - Interpreter.
- What is her name? Nyura asked.
The lamb cautiously approached the cat and stroked it.
- Complicated name. Translated into Russian, it seems like Marianna Vasilievna.
The cat meowed in response.
Having washed her face, Marianna Vasilievna unexpectedly turned out to be seven-colored: white-black-red-gray with brown spots and different eyes - blue and green.
- Such a beauty! Here's to taking it home! Nura sighed.

Dreaming, - said Yura. - Did you forget about your neighbor?
Skupidonov really hated animals so much that even cockroaches rarely looked into their apartment. And the neighbor at that time was still sitting in his room. But how much can a person endure? One, two, three. Well, four! In the end, Skupidonov's patience snapped, and he, forgetting about caution, rushed to the toilet. Coming out a few minutes later and making sure that there was no one in the corridor, he crept back into the room ...
I must say that Skupidonov had no free space. The walls were lined with rickety furniture and cabinets stuffed with junk. And one closet even stood in the middle of the room.
Sidor Markovich locked the door with all the locks and breathed a sigh of relief.
But in vain. Because in the middle of the room there was not one closet, but three!
"The end ..." - flashed through Skupidonov's head.
Hefty Tolyan indifferently tapped the edge of his palm on the old oak table, and his partner Vovan lazily picked the oak parquet with his toe of his boot. Both of them didn't say anything. Just one knocked, and the other picked.
- What do you want from me? squealed Skupidonov.
In response, Tolyan slashed with his palm so that the table split in half. And Vovan poked his toe so hard that together with the parquet, pieces of rotten flooring flew into the air ... And both bodyguards crashed down somewhere with a crash.
The operation failed.
The journalist Shchekotikhin, who lived on the floor below, was just beginning to write an article about the mafia. But when he saw Vovan and Tolyan who fell like snow on his head, he immediately stopped.
Vovan showed Shchekotikhin a huge fist, Tolyan said: "Got it?"
And in the attic there was a game of hide and seek. Favorite drum game.
- If I want, - he boasted, - no one will find me. Even my grandfather could not find me all day when he wanted to kick his ears.
Indeed, it was absolutely impossible to find Barabashka. First it turned into a brick. And try to find a brick among a whole pile of rubble. Then he turned into a bottle. Yura and Nyura searched for him for a long time and without success.
- Oh, you, - Barabashka laughed. - I was not a dusty bottle. I left a hint for you. You could have guessed.
“Just don’t turn into bottles anymore,” Nyura said. - And then the homeless Potemkin will find you and hand you over.
- Where?
- Where to go, - said Yura.
Then Barabashka disguised himself as a web, so cleverly that even an experienced spider could not distinguish it from a real one.
And then Marianna Vasilievna joined the game. And ruined everything. Whatever Barabashka turned into, she immediately found him and sat down next to him.
“I don’t play like that anymore,” said Lamb. She betrays me all the time.
- And why is she following you? Yura was surprised. - Does he also want to scratch?
"You don't understand anything," Nyura said. She loves him, that's all.
Marianna Vasilievna purred contentedly.
- Wow! - Barabashka respectfully looked at Nyura. - Do you also know cat language?
Of course, Nyura didn't know cat language. She just really loved cats. And so, when, after a while, Marianna Vasilievna meowed plaintively, Nyura immediately gave the exact translation:
I think she wants to eat.
We agreed that Yura and Nyura would go home and bring a package of milk or a jar of sour cream for the cat.
Having got out of the attic, the guys noticed how Skupidonov's neighbor left the apartment and, looking around in fright, began to go down.
Such a case could never again occur. Yura again rushed to the attic:
- Hooray! The neighbor is gone. You can search with us!
And the whole company, jumping over two steps, rushed down with the firm intention to find the treasure. Only Marianna Vasilievna refused to enter the apartment. And why - did not begin to explain.
The fifty-fifth rule of treasure hunters said: "Do not go far, do not dig deep, a chest with a treasure may be nearby." Fifteen minutes later the whole room was rattled and tapped. But to no avail.
- And your grandfather could not confuse anything? Nyura asked.
“Your grandfather could have messed it up,” Barabashka grumbled offendedly.
- Who is our grandfather?
- This. - Barabashka pointed with his finger at the picture hanging near the floor. The painting was called "Portrait of an Unknown Man" and hung so low because it covered a hole in the wallpaper.
- This is not our grandfather! the children shouted with one voice.
- Whose? - Barabashka was surprised.
- How do we know, - said Yura. - Mom said it was a copy of some famous painting from the museum.
- Yeah, from the museum...
The lamb respectfully began to look at the portrait and suddenly made a completely unexpected conclusion:
- And under it, we didn’t knock.
The painting hung on the wall separating the Ivanovs' room from Skupidonov's. The neighbor, as you know, was not there, and all three began knocking enthusiastically. The result exceeded expectations - three bricks, peeking out from under the torn wallpaper, suddenly failed, forming a hole in the wall ...
The hole turned out to be large enough to stick a hand or even a whole Lamb into it.
For the first time in his life, Yura regretted that he was not small.
- Good luck! - Nyura whispered and furtively waved after the Barabashka disappearing into the dark hole. Nyura knew that this is how real men who go to a difficult task are seen off to the cinema.

... The lamb returned with a treasure. He brought a bunch of all sorts of treasures. antique candlesticks, carved handles, golden rings, a horseshoe, a reddish dagger - all this lay in a crumpled metal bowl.
Yura looked at the treasure, unable to utter a word. He, of course, really wanted to find it, but it's one thing to want it, and quite another to see innumerable riches in front of him. And while Nyura was trying on bracelet-like rings and pestering Barabashka with a question whether this candlestick suits her, strings of wonderful dreams flashed before his eyes ... Here they are driving in their car along a sun-drenched freeway. Here they drive up to the chic McDonald's. And the waiter brings them a triple Big Mac and a large bottle of Coke on a golden tray...
- I wonder if this bowl is silver or platinum? Nyura asked Barabashka.
“Dusty,” Lamb answered evasively.
- That is OK. We will wash it and feed the cat from it. - Nyura thought about it and generously added: - With crab sticks. Chapter Seven
Marianna Vasilievna, meanwhile, settled down on a bench near the entrance. From the outside, it might seem that the cat was just basking in the sun, but she actually stood, that is, lay on the clock. Or, as Tolyan and Vovan would say, on the atas.

From snippets of conversation, the cat immediately understood what was happening. And at any moment she was ready to warn her friends about the danger.
And the danger was rapidly approaching the entrance. Sidor Markovich Skupidonov was returning home from the police.
Seeing him, Marianna Vasilievna began to give signals - in other words, meow, or rather, even scream heart-rendingly. Her calls were heard by everyone in the house. Everyone who did not go to work or was not keen on searching for treasure.
Then, in order to buy time, the cat jumped off the bench and crossed Skupidon's road twice.
Sidor Markovich believed in omens. If a cat had crossed his path once, he would have spat three times over his left shoulder, turned around on his axis and walked on. But the cat ran across twice in a row... And he didn't know what to do in such cases.
And Skupidonov decided to make a "knight's move": he turned around and with the letter "G" - as in chess - walked around the house. The cat was still sitting near the entrance and clearly intended to repeat its maneuver. Realizing that he couldn’t get home just like that, Sidor Markovich went to extreme measures.
On the way from the police station, he looked into his favorite garbage heap. Where did he grab two bronze water taps and four tiles. One of them he decided to donate.
Marianna Vasilievna barely managed to dodge the flying ceramic product, and Sidor Markovich, with surprising agility, slipped into the entrance and tightly closed the door behind him.
"You won't take us with your bare hands!" - He triumphed, entering the apartment.
Once in his room, Skupidonov opened the closet to hide the trophies, and was taken aback ...
The cabinet has never had a back wall. But now there was a gaping hole in the brick wall against which he was leaning. Joyful children's voices came from the hole.
- Robbed! whispered Skupidonov.
Hearing the noise, Barabashka instantly turned into a worn penny.
- Aha!
The children turned around and saw the face of the famous Skupidonov in place of the portrait of an unknown man:
- Get it, doves! Fall asleep! Bandits, robbers, juvenile parasites!.. Red-handed!.. At the crime scene!!!
The rest happened as nightmare. Not wanting to listen to any explanations, the neighbor dragged his junk back into the closet, taking at the same time a worn penny. Then he brought the children to his room, locked them outside with four locks, and, having called the police, sat down in the corridor to wait for the policeman.
The situation was worse than you can imagine. Yura's legs, arms, lips trembled. He frantically searched for a way out, but there was no way out. I desperately wanted to scream.
"Don't worry, Yurochka," Nyura said. - We will explain everything to my mother ... After all, they will let her into our prison?
- What are we going to explain, fool? - not weathered brother. - About Barabashka?! Me too, treasure hunter. Climbed into someone else's closet. - Yura pulled the cabinet handle, but it was prudently locked.
“As he climbed in, so he got out,” a familiar voice rang out, and a nickel rolled out from behind the closet.
- It can happen to anyone ... - Barabashka spread his hands. - “I didn’t find a treasure - return it back,” as my grandfather used to say.
- "Grandfather, grandfather" ... - Yura mimicked gloomily. - And now they will take us to the police station.
“They won’t take it away,” Barabashka said confidently. - Why pick you up? The inventory is in place. You are in your room.
- How is it at home ?! Yura shouted. - Can't you see? We were locked up.
- Nonsense, - Lamb grunted and turned into a closet key. - Open up. And don't forget to put me in your pocket.
Barabashka found the only, albeit rather narrow, way out of the situation. AT regular time there's no way children could fit through such a small hole. But in a moment of danger, a person’s insides are so compressed with fear that Yura and Nyura themselves did not notice how they ended up in their room.
Unfortunately, the children did not see how much Marianna Vasilievna did to help them. Not only did she detain Skupidonov in the yard, she twice crossed the road in front of a nearby policeman. But district police officer Lomonosov did not believe in omens. He believed in the power of the law and in its justice.
Lomonosov went up the stairs and rang the bell to the apartment, where Skupidonov, trembling with impatience, was waiting for him.
- Robbed at last! Caught at the crime scene! Please make a protocol.
Seizing the district police officer by the button, Sidor Markovich in an ominous whisper began to tell him about the robbery, about the intrigues of the neighbors, lumping together juvenile delinquents, an underground billionaire, assassins, Pushkin and Lincoln.
- Let's figure it out, - said Lomonosov, moving away from the importunate victim. During this day, Skupidonov unscrewed the second button from his tunic. But Lomonosov did not know how to sew on buttons. - Well, where are your criminals?
Sidor Markovich opened all four locks and, letting the precinct forward, solemnly said:
- Here they are.
- Where?!
There was, of course, no one in the room. Not believing his eyes, Sidor Markovich began to search his living space. He ran on all fours like a sniffer dog that has lost its track, until he came across a piece of plywood covering a hole in the floor. The same hole through which Gutalinov's bodyguards fell.
"Escape," Skupidonov guessed.
Pushing the plywood aside and sticking his head into the hole, he shouted to the journalist, who was still sitting at the typewriter:
- Didn't juvenile delinquents run through here?

“Wow, juveniles,” thought Shchekotikhin, remembering Vovan and Tolyan. And just in case he answered:
- Nobody ran here.
Skupidonov looked bewilderedly at Lomonosov.
“You already told me about this hole today,” the district policeman said. - And on the fact of this hole, an assassination case has already been opened.
- That's right, - Sidor Markovich began to fuss. “Now we need to start a robbery case.” I will now show you another hole... In the closet... That is, in the wall!..
Skupidonov opened the closet door - there was no other hole.
If the district police officer Lomonosov had looked more closely, he would have seen that a piece of the wall was blocked with children's blocks. But his head was already so confused that he did not notice anything and in parting advised Skupidonov to see a doctor.
Looking just in case to the children who were peacefully playing with the remains of the cubes, the policeman made them a "goat" and left.
“Oh, if I had such children,” the district policeman thought warmly, “I would have a wife too! .. Otherwise I walk around with a torn button!”

Lomonosov's buttons were sewn on by his mother, Nina Nikolaevna, with whom he lived in a neighboring entrance. But the policeman hardly saw her because of the constant workload ... Shooting in the Skvortsovs' apartment, the attempt on Skupidonov, incomprehensible knocks at night - complaints, complaints, complaints ... Only two people did not complain at his station: a mother, patiently waiting for her son, and homeless Potemkin, who, apparently, was quite pleased with his fate.Chapter Eight
- Fu-u-u!!! - Yura and Nyura exhaled in unison when the door closed behind the district police officer. Prison no longer threatened them!
The first joy was followed by the second: Marianna Vasilievna suddenly appeared on the windowsill. Through the cornices and drainpipes, she finally reached her careless wards.
“Well, what are you? I scream, I give signals, I alarmed the whole house, but at least they have something! - All this fit in a short reproachful "mur-r".
- Oh, our pussy is back! Nura was overjoyed. - Yura, let's wash her, comb her hair, tie a bow ...
“Before tying the bows, it would be necessary to feed the animal,” Barabashka said gloomily, forgotten by everyone and therefore appeared in a bad mood.
“Oh, it’s true,” said Nyura. - Yura, please go to the kitchen and bring milk to Marianna Vasilievna.
Firstly, Yura did not like her mother's intonation in her sister's voice. Secondly, he did not really smile at the prospect of meeting in the corridor with a fooled neighbor. But the cat really needed to be fed, and Yura went to the kitchen.
His premonitions did not deceive him. Returning with a full bowl of milk, he, of course, ran into Skupidonov. Yura froze. But, to his surprise, the neighbor did not stop him, did not grab him by the ear and did not even ask: “Where are you, boy, carrying milk?” Sidor Markovich simply did not notice him. Carefully, as if he was also carrying milk, the neighbor swam to the exit. Following the advice of the district police officer, he was heading to another district police officer. To the doctor.
One of the main differences between well-mannered cats - as, indeed, people - is that they never immediately pounce on food.
- Help yourself, please. - Nyura moved the bowl to Marianna Vasilievna. - Of course, maybe you like Whiskas more ...
- Nonsense, - said Barabashka. - I tried. There is nothing good in it.

And, getting on all fours, together with the cat eagerly began to lap up the milk.
Yura and Nyura were taken aback.
- What are you? .. Do you want us to ... we will bring you another bowl?
“Don’t worry, I ate from the same bowl in the museum with three cats, and none of them got sick,” Barabashka reassured Nyuru and, having licked the bowl, lounged in the corner, full and somehow uninteresting.
The cat sat down next to him and began to wash.
There was silence.
"Maybe we can play something?" Nura suggested. - Hide and seek, for example. Or will we continue to search for treasure ...
“After a hearty dinner, as my grandfather said, you should sleep,” Lamb yawned. - And in general, we have a different routine: we sleep during the day, and at night we look for a treasure.
- Yes, there is no treasure! You lie everything! - Yura felt deceived. With the advent of Barabashka, dreams of wealth took on such a real shape that he already saw himself on TV in the "Club of Young Billionaires", And instead - a plastic car, a cat in a pipe, junk from a neighbor's closet ... He was fooled, but he believed.
Are you fooling us? Do you think we really are? Yes?
The cat stopped washing. Nyura looked at Barabashka with fear.
“I didn’t know you were so greedy,” he said sadly. - You probably only played with me because you need a treasure.
Barabashka's ears drooped, he spoke almost inaudibly and tried not to look at the children... Yura and Nyura were at a loss. |
- Well, what are you! Nyura was the first to catch on. - Treasure us, of course, need. But we just love you. Honestly!
- Of course, - Yura supported her. - Treasure on its own, and you on your own, you understand?
“I don’t understand,” said Barabashka. - Do you need a treasure or am I on my own?

Barabashka reminded Yura of his mother, who also always posed the question point-blank: either this or that ... But how to answer such a question?
“Ah-two! At-two! - came from the yard. The children looked at each other in fear: did a police platoon come after them?
And rushed to the window to see what was happening there ...
No, it was not the police. It was captain Skvortsov marching, minting a step, who decided to take up the upbringing of his son.
- Vladimir is already three years old, and he still cannot walk! he shouted to his wife, who minced beside him.
“Skvortsov, you are completely crazy,” objected his wife. “At first he broke the whole apartment, and now you say that our Vova cannot walk.
"He can't," the captain insisted. - Is that how they walk? Here's how to walk: at-two, at-two, at-two!
Skvortsov walked around the yard, lifting his legs high, and the young Vovochka paced behind him, trying to imitate his father in everything.
Looking at this unexpected parade, Yura and Nyura forgot about Barabashka for a while. And when they turned around, Barabashka was no longer in the room. Marianna Vasilievna was not there either.
“He must have been offended,” Nyura sighed. You shouldn't have said that about him, he's good...
I didn't say he was bad. It’s just that if you don’t know how to look for a treasure, there’s nothing to imagine. Yes, if I want, I will find the treasure faster than him. And without any rules...
Everyone went to bed very early that evening. The children were so tired from the endless incidents that they fell asleep without even having time to undress. And the doctor prescribed Skupidonov such sedative pills that it was easy to take out all the property from his room, including Sidor Markovich himself.
When mother Tanya drove up to the house in a silver Lincoln, all the windows in the apartment were already dark.
Billionaire Gutalinov really enjoyed drinking tea with his secretary. Besides, he felt embarrassed that he had broken her cups yesterday. That is why I decided to give her a present: I bought a small tea set, which I carefully wrapped in Guta-bank branded paper.
- What is it? Mom was surprised when Gutalinov handed her a bundle.
- This is for you, - the billionaire smiled enigmatically. - This is an old Chinese service.
- What do you! I cannot accept such an expensive gift from you.
Yes, it's not expensive at all. Trivia.
“It may not be expensive for you, but I still can’t accept it,” my mother said firmly, realizing that in this moment loses his job.
The billionaire tried to hand her the bundle almost by force. Then he promised to send by mail.
- Then, - said the proud mother Tanya, - I will throw it in the trash.

But billionaires also have their own pride.
- And then ... I myself will throw it into the trash in front of your eyes!
And Gutalinov tossed the bundle into the trash can with a pictorial gesture. Then he got into the car and left without saying goodbye.
At my mother's work, you could put a fat cross.
“Well, okay,” my mother thought, wearily climbing the stairs. - But the day after tomorrow I will take the children to the village. Whatever is done is for the best.”
With that thought, she fell asleep.
Late in the evening, the homeless Potemkin, who, according to the apt expression of Captain Skvortsov, was performing an evening check, found a beautiful bundle in the trash can, which contained a million dollars. Chapter Nine
Morning, as expected, began at dawn.
The sun was still shining from a clear sky. Leaves rustled in a light breeze. Sidor Markovich Skupidonov was cooking oatmeal porridge in the kitchen. Captain Skvortsov finished his exercises and began to water procedures. The journalist Shchekotikhin, having put an end to it, was about to go to bed. Any minute now, the compassionate mother of district police officer Lomonosov was supposed to come out into the yard and start feeding the pigeons that were waiting for her.

But the smooth flow of the morning was broken.
Vovan and Tolyan burst into the yard. They overturned the garbage containers and began to rummage through them like hungry dogs.
Bach! Fuck-tarara! ..
The doves scattered.
Finding nothing, Gutalinov's bodyguards angrily knotted the drainpipe, jumped into the car and sped away with a screech of brakes.
From the windows, many residents of house number 14 watched this scene. But only one Skupidonov knew that a directional explosive had just been planted in the container. Sidor Markovich knew, and against whom it was directed. However, he remained completely calm - yesterday's pills still continued their action.
This morning the garbage bomb did not go off. But the pan with oatmeal, forgotten on the stove, almost flew up into the air.
Mom Tanya Ivanova woke up from the smell of burnt porridge and from the thought that today she did not need to go to work ...
However, at that time there was such a fuss in Guta Bank that it was difficult to call it work. No, no, no one robbed the bank. You could even say the opposite...

……She was sitting at the entrance to the basement, looking like she had been waiting for two weeks. Nyura even thought that Marianna Vasilievna could not only talk, but also read minds. The basement was always open, nothing of value was stored there. The property of the homeless consisted of a wooden bench, a table, a pack of newspapers, an aluminum mug, a cast-iron iron and a copper kettle. However, even this could not be seen until Barabashka, who could see perfectly in the dark, lit a candle that was standing on the table.
- Yes, a rich collection, you will not say anything, - Barabashka chuckled. He liked the cellar, however. - In such cellars, - he said, - family treasures are always found.
The duties were distributed as follows: Nyura held a candle, Yura and Barabashka tapped the walls, and Marianna Vasilievna sat at the entrance in order to give a signal in time if something happened.
In the dark, the cellar looked huge. And the farther they moved away from the entrance, the closer Nyura clung to Barabashka. It seemed to her that from around the corner a white rat was about to rush at her. Or something even worse will happen...
A booming echo flew from wall to wall. In some places it seemed to Yuryo that the sound had finally changed, and behind this brick the treasure was hidden! .. But Lamb silently shook his head, and they moved on.
And suddenly, when they got to the farthest corner, the basement, Barabashka said: “Stop!”. Yura froze. Then he knocked a few times to check. There was no doubt - in the place where a dark wet spot was spreading along the wall, emptiness was heard.
- Get the iron! - Barabashka commanded. - Candle closer! .. Let's go!
The damp brickwork was malleable. After a few blows, the iron clinked against something. And in the depths of the wall, a piece of rusty iron shimmered mysteriously.
“An old forged chest,” Lamb immediately determined. - Break!

Yura put all his strength into this blow. There was a roar, the sound of metal… And then an unpleasant whistle was heard.
The first to feel the danger was Marianna Vasilievna. Her fur stood on end, and she began to give alarm signals.
“It’s time to get off,” Barabashka whispered, looking at the cat, and the whole company rushed headlong into the yard.
As for the chest, Lamb was a little mistaken. One might even say that I was wrong. The mysterious piece of iron turned out to be a rusted gas pipe, from which gas was escaping with a menacing hiss...
BA-BAH!!!
The children barely had time to run to the entrance, as there was a deafening explosion.
- What is it? - Nyura asked in horror.
“I think we left a candle there,” Yura whispered. - Run home!
Fortunately, the explosion was not too strong, except for a few new cracks in the apartments upstairs, one broken chandelier and the Panama hat of the pensioner Lomonosova, who was about to feed the pigeons for dinner, was demolished by the blast. No other damage or casualties were observed.
The inhabitants of old houses are hardened people. Then the light goes out, then the ceiling collapses. And recently, firecrackers have also become fashionable. Therefore, no one attached much importance to the explosion. Skupidonov was sure that it had finally been torn apart by a garbage can; pensioner Lomonosova thought that another militant was on TV, and the serviceman Skvortsov, who came to dinner, decided that the exercises had begun, and began to urgently call the General Staff, but no one answered the phone there.
There was nothing special to burn in the basement. Therefore, when an hour later with a howl arrived fire engine, there was also nothing to put out - everything went out by itself. The valiant firefighters could only sympathize with the homeless Potemkin: he suffered the most - in a bundle of newspapers, which has now turned into ashes, the homeless neatly folded the numbers where he found references to his ancient Potemkin-Tavrichesky family.
Yura and Nyura watched what was happening in the yard from behind the curtains. They were afraid that as soon as they appeared in the window, they would immediately start pointing fingers at them: “Here they are - arsonists! Destroyers! Terrorists! What if someone saw them when they ran out of the basement?
- Listen, where is Barabashka? Nyura suddenly asked. In a panic, they did not notice how he disappeared and what he turned into.
"Don't worry," Yura muttered gloomily. - He jumped out first ... They always make a mess, and then they pretend to be a nickel ... “Treasure! .. Treasure! .. Honestly Lambs”! .. And he almost blew up the house and washed off. Rogue eared. Now I'll go to the attic, find it and ...
- Don't, Yurochka! Nora almost cried.
- Necessary! - firmly decided brother. - I will definitely go and ... I will say everything that I think about him!
Then the phone rang. It was mom. She said that she would return late so that the children would warm up the borscht themselves and that tomorrow they would not go to the village ...
The departure was delayed. But that didn't change anything. Yura no longer believed in treasure, miracles, or fabulous promises. From now on, he only believed in own forces and - on Saturdays - at Lotto-Million. It was in such a determined mood that he went to the attic.
- I'll tell him everything now ... I'll tell him everything ... - he muttered on the way.
Nyura trudged along behind him, secretly hoping that things would not come to bloodshed. And so that her brother would not think that she was at the same time with Barabashka, she took a bowl of milk with her.
But neither Barabashka nor the cat was in the attic.
- Marianna Vasilievna! Kitty Kitty! - Nyura called, putting the bowl on the floor.
Nobody responded.
- I don't have them! the girl sighed. On the one hand, it’s good, of course, that Yura has no one to quarrel with, but on the other ... What if something happened to Barabashka?
- And I'm sure he's here, - said Yura. - Just scared and hiding! Hear, Barabashka, get out!

Yura was carefully examining the attic and suddenly saw boots in the corner. The boot was old, almost falling apart, and bore little resemblance to the one that Lamb turned into. However, Yura perfectly remembered that there was no boot here ...
“I could think of something more interesting,” he muttered, turning to the boot. - Okay, let's turn back. I won't do anything to you...
The boot was silent and showed no signs of life.
- Ah well? Yura got angry again. - Then I'll lock you in a box, and you'll sit there until you become normal ...
It seemed to the children that the boot shuddered. For greater persuasiveness, Yura firmly took him by the top and ...
- Ouch! Nura whispered.
The boot turned ... But not into Barabashka, but into a little old man with long ears.
- Who are you? - Yura shuddered, continuing to hold the old man by the ears.
- Immediately put me on the floor! - he was indignant in a creaky voice.
"Sorry," Nyura muttered. - We're actually looking for Barabashka.
“I’m actually looking for him too,” the old man grunted, rubbing his ears. - I'm his grandfather! Chapter Eleven
Oh, how difficult it is to have a grandson who is not hearing! You teach him, you teach, you educate, you educate, you stand on your ears, but there is little sense. True, grandfather Baraban Barabanych stood on his ears not for the purpose of education, but to strengthen his own health and spirit: every morning he did special exercises and at his five hundred and sixty-seven years old he looked very good. And Lamb - he didn’t do morning exercises, and didn’t please the old man at all. Grandfather thought that his grandson would be smart, serious, positive - in a word, the pride of the family. So no - all went into it ...
The reputation of Drum Barabanych was so-so. He had, of course, both experience, and knowledge, and a solid appearance, but from time to time he will throw it out - all past merits are in vain. Either during a secular ball, he will dress up as a ghost, scare all the guests, then he will turn into a living frog and jump onto the plate of the French tutor. This is back in those old years when the palace was not a museum. And recently - about twenty years ago - he soaked such a thing that almost an international scandal did not come out.
An African general from a friendly country came to visit them. And he liked the helmet of Alexander Nevsky so much that they decided to make an expensive gift for the distinguished guest. And when in Africa the general was about to show off, instead of a helmet he found an old construction helmet in his suitcase.
Drum Barabanych did not like when the national treasure was squandered. Indeed, for this, the barabashkas lived in palaces and mansions, in order to protect treasures. True, in recent years eighty work became more difficult. The old owners were kicked out, and everyone who was not lazy began to be dragged out of the palaces. But Baraban Barabanych prevented these attempts even by children; taught them the same. However, the younger generation did not have the proper zeal. So the barabashkiy parents missed the old icon of the 15th century and are now chasing it all over the world. Such is the law of the drummers: until you return the loss - do not return!
And the old grandfather, in addition to his direct duties - checking the locks, tapping and scaring, - had to deal with the upbringing of his grandson. To give him education... Ehe-he!
For education, he took him to Moscow. Show the Tretyakov Gallery, and at the same time introduce them to relatives in the capital - with Tretyakov drums, and if you're lucky to get to the Kremlin - the Kremlin ones themselves. Painfully, a seductive chance turned up: a car with exhibits was sent from the museum to the exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Grandfather, of course, was tormented by doubts: how to leave the palace unattended? But all the most valuable things were brought to Moscow - only a stuffed mammoth and the boots of the hero of the revolution pierced by a stray bullet were not taken. And the old man made up his mind. Let the grandson see other museums, see famous paintings. Vasnetsov or Repin, for example, how Ivan the Terrible kills his son. Terrible picture! Drum Barabanych saw this scene with his own eyes, even when he lived in the Kremlin. Repin, of course, embellished everything a little, but Ivan the Terrible is similar, you can’t say anything.

All the way to Moscow, Barabashka behaved quietly and did not even stick out from under the tarpaulin that covered the body of the truck. Only occasionally sneezed from the unusual smell of gasoline. Grandfather was pleased, and when they finally entered the capital, he finally relaxed and lost his vigilance.
On Tsvetnoy Boulevard, the car got stuck in a traffic jam. The lamb looked through a hole in the tarpaulin and was stunned - next to the circus building stood a bald mammoth, alive and in a golden blanket. And around him crowded children with balloons in hand. The lamb had never seen an elephant in his life, and he, of course, wanted to take a closer look at it. And before the grandfather had time to blink an eye, the grandson turned into a blue ball and flew to the outlandish beast. However, he did not manage to fly to the elephant. A boy jumped up and caught him by the string.
Recollecting himself, Drum Barabanych turned into a bumblebee and rushed after him. But, having got into a crowd of balloons, he was confused: there were at least a hundred blue ones among them alone. Grandfather buzzed loudly, calling the frivolous grandson back. They shouted at him, waved off hats and bags, In general, they completely confused him.
In the meantime, the traffic jam dissipated, the cars started moving, and the car with the exhibits drove off. Baraban Barabanych had no right to leave treasures unattended. Desperate to find his grandson, he bit the balloon seller in anger and flew after the car.

And the grandson was flying in the opposite direction. Taking advantage of a gust of wind, he escaped from the hands of the boy, and after a few minutes flew into opened window house number 14 on Bozhedomka street ...
Drum Barabanych raised the entire metropolitan family to their feet. The Kremlin, Tretyakov, Imeny Pushkin and even the Polytechnic drums for three nights in a row pounded with a conditional knock in different parts of Moscow, but the Barabashka did not respond. Grandfather appeared every day in the area of ​​​​Tsvetnoy Boulevard and listened carefully to see if his missing grandson would show up somewhere. Under normal conditions, he would have spotted Barabashka even a hundred kilometers away, but in Moscow everything is knocking, thundering, seething, breaking down, being built - there are so many interferences!
Just as people recognize each other by their handwriting or by their walk, so lambs recognize each other by knocking.
And finally, today my grandfather heard something familiar. And when after that there was an explosion, he already knew exactly whose pranks it was.
Finding fresh footprints of his grandson in the attic, he calmed down, pretended to be a boot and began to wait for the return of the rascal to warmly hug him, and then kick his ears properly ...

Chapter Twelve

Ouch! - said Nyura, frozen on the threshold of the room. On the dining table on a golden tray, an old service shimmered mysteriously: cups, spoons, teapots, coffee pots, milk jugs - all made of pure gold and decorated with rubies and emeralds ...
- Treasure ... - Yura whispered. - Barabashka found! Real! Hooray!
So, after all, their dream came true. And now they can buy an apartment, and a car, and whatever they want, and take my mother to the Canary Islands or the North Pole, if she wants.
The tray was heavy. Yura raised it with difficulty. Ten kilograms, no less!
- How much do you think it costs? Yura asked his sister.
“I don’t know,” Nyura answered honestly, looking at her reflection in the coffee pot. - But he's very handsome. I think she'll like it.
- What do you say? Yura shouted. - Which mother? Have you thought of showing her the treasure? And if she finds out...
Yura imagined how they would have to explain to their mother where these treasures came from in the house. So, it will be necessary to talk about Barabashka and grandfather ... But they gave their word of honor. Here is Lamb - he kept his word ...
By the way, where is he? Nura remembered.
- Yes, strange, - Yura agreed. - He brought the treasure, but he disappeared somewhere. Maybe go to the attic?
The children rushed headlong upstairs, forgetting to lock the door; to your room.
The lamb did not appear in the attic. After listening to the joyful story of the children, Drum Barabanych frowned. Then he scratched behind his ear for a long time and finally asked:
- So, six cups, you say? And a golden coffee pot?
- Yes…
- Are there three emerald pebbles on the coffee pot?
"Yeah," Nyura said in confusion. - How do you know?
- Oh, I do not know! - Drum Barabanych began to groan, gasp and slap his knees. - Here's a rogue! Look what you threw away! In our museum, it was, after all, the most expensive exhibit.
- And what, - Nyura's eyes widened, - Barabashka stole it?
- Worse - sighed grandfather. - He turned into him. And how did he do it? To immediately turn into eighteen subjects - I have been studying this for a hundred years. Capable guy! he added proudly.
Well, that's all - dreams collapsed completely. But Yura desperately did not want to believe it.
- Aren't you confusing anything? he asked with last hope.

What is there to be confused about! Drum Barabanych sighed sympathetically. - Turn the tray over - there is a tag pasted: "Cymry Museum."
- And now what to do? Nyura was completely taken aback. Beloved friend Lamb turned into a treasure. And they still thought how much it all costs ...
- What to do? - Drum Barabanych carefully looked at the children. - I know my tomboy well. All in me. If he decides something, he will not back down.
- How to do something what? - Yura began to get angry.
And the grandfather seemed to tease him:
- Well, that's what you want. You can persuade him to try it or leave it at home and drink tea from it with coffee. And you can sell. Are you still going to sell the treasure?
- Treasure, not Barabashka! Yura shouted. - What do you think, we ... because of the money ... Yes, you! ..
And then Yura gave Baraban Barabanych something that mother Tanya could be proud of her son. Despite the harshness of some expressions ...
- Everything! Convinced! Joking! Guilty! I give up! - Drum Barabanych raised his hands up and turned into White flag.
- Well, you have jokes! Nyura said reproachfully. - And you're not ashamed?
- It's a shame, - said the white flag and blushed.
A minute later, Yura and Nyura with a red flag were descending the stairs in the firm belief that the three of them would quickly persuade Barabashka. They will tell him that they do not need any treasure, and that they love him very much, and his grandfather loves him too, and will no longer punish him, and they will take him with them to the village to his grandmother, if Baraban Barabanych agrees, and Marianna Vasilievna too will take along...
Having run into their room, the children were dumbfounded ... The treasure disappeared.
And from the corridor came a loud meow. Marianna Vasilievna was scratching under the door of her neighbor Skupidonov.

It wasn't like that at all.

Not the way they wrote about it in newspapers, magazines and scientific articles.

They wrote about aliens from outer space or from parallel worlds, about some kind of ghosts, poltergeists and other abnormal phenomena.

On TV, eyewitnesses were shown who actually saw nothing, but only heard. And what they heard, they could not explain.

Boom-boom-boom, knock-knock-knock, break - break, there-ta-ra-ram ...

PART ONE

Chapter one

"Boom-boom-boom" - may mean repairs in the entrance.

"Knock-knock-knock" - this is journalist Savva Shchekotikhin from the thirteenth apartment typing an article on a typewriter.

"Bryak-bryak" - this is a homeless Potemkin sorting his bottles in the basement.

And “tam-ta-ra-ram” is a serviceman Skvortsov explaining to his wife who is in charge in their house.

All this can be explained and even understood.

But how to explain something in between “boom-boom”, “knock-knock” and “break-break” three steps away from you, and even in complete darkness? ..

Yura, do you hear, again...

Well, I hear.

May I come to you? I'm scared…

Here's another! .. You're disturbing my sleep.

In fact, Yura, of course, did not sleep. Try to fall asleep when someone walks nearby, breathes and seems to knock on the walls with a hammer. Horror! But he - the elder brother - could not admit this to his younger sister, who was afraid of everyone, starting with the brutal killer Freddy Krueger and ending with the last little cockroach.

Meanwhile, "boom", "knock" and "blink" became louder and more impudent. It seems that the one who made these sounds felt completely safe. And in vain ...

Because the door suddenly swung open, and in the illuminated opening a neighbor of Skupidonov appeared in green camouflage pajamas.

It's not us knocking, - said Yura.

And who is knocking? Am I knocking? I'm knocking, right? shouted Skupidonov.

You don't knock,” Nyura said very calmly.

That's right, I don't knock.

And here is wrong. You should just knock before bursting into a room that is not yours. - It's strange, but Nyura was not afraid of her evil neighbor at all.

Rude?! - Skupidonov turned green and merged with his camouflage pajamas. Everything will be reported to your mother. And she will put you in a corner. It's clear?

But it's not us! Tell him Yura!

Yura didn't say anything. He looked in surprise at the corner in which he was supposed to be placed.

Without waiting for an answer, the neighbor slammed the door, and the room became dark again.

Did you see? Yura asked in a whisper.

What? Nyura asked in a whisper too.

There, in the corner ... Boot.

What boot?

How do I know which ... Now we'll see.

Yura rallied with all his courage, put his hand out from under the blanket and turned on the light. There was no boot in the corner.

He stood in the middle of the room. Big, black, pretty worn...

Ouch! Nura said. - Where did he come from?

From where, from where ... - Yura muttered. - From a camel.

It's not true, - Nyura was offended. - Camels don't wear boots.

What difference does it make what camels wear? You better tell me how he could be in the middle of the room. I just saw him in the corner!

Probably ... he walks? .. - suggested Nyura.

How can one shoe walk? Think! Only two boots can walk. Look for the second one.

They searched the whole room, but did not find the second boot.

And then a plan formed in Yuri's head.

Think boots! he said suddenly very loudly. - Let him go where he wants. Wherever he wants, let him go there. You never know what business they have, boots? And we will sleep. Yes, Nura?

I won’t sleep,” Nyura sobbed, not guessing the cunning plan. - I'll wait for my mother.

Yura wanted to hit her slow-witted sister properly, but instead he hissed affectionately:

Okay, Nyurochka, lie down with me. I will tell you three magic words, and you will immediately fall asleep. You'll fall asleep right away, okay?

A minute later, the children lay in the dark under one blanket and snored loudly. So loudly that they did not hear a slight sniffling, groaning, hurried short steps ... They heard only a heart-rending cry. Or rather, peep. Rather, something in between a heart-rending cry and a heart-rending squeak:

"Uy-yu-yu-yuSh"

And this “uy-yu-yu” was so not terrible, so plaintive ...

The children jumped up, turned on the light and ...

Here it should be said that Yura and Nyura Ivanovs, their mother Tanya Ivanova, their neighbor Skupidonov Sidor Markovich, as well as journalist Shchekochikhin, serviceman Skvortsov, district police officer Lomonosov and even homeless Potemkin - they all lived in a very old Moscow house. And in old Moscow houses, sometimes there are not only cockroaches, but also mice ...

So. In the mousetrap near the bookcase, the children found... No, not a mouse. And not a rat. Rather, it was a hare. That is, not that a real hare, but a strange creature with hare ears.

However, Yura and Nyura could not really see anything - Skupidonov's barefoot spanking was heard in the corridor.

There was no time to think. In one second, Yura freed the eared creature from the mousetrap, and without waiting for an invitation, it darted under the covers.

At the same instant, the indignant Skupidonov burst into the room.

What's going on here, I ask you? What do you think, I'm going to joke with you? BUT?

The children knew that Skupidonov did not know how to joke. They were silent, afraid of only one thing, that the neighbor would not pay attention to the strange bump on the bed. But that is exactly what happened.

Aha! - Skupidonov said triumphantly and with a sharp movement pulled off the blanket.

Skupidonov's small eyes grew large. And in children they just climbed on their foreheads: Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was standing in the bed. Short, bronze, with sideburns and a tag on his leg.

In the life of Sidor Markovich Skupidonov there was one, but a very strong passion - things. Especially the old ones. And so his hands greedily reached for the figure of the great poet.

Do not touch the exhibits! - there was a piercing female voice.

Skupidonov jumped back and turned around. However, I did not see anyone to whom this voice could belong. He fumbled around the room for a long time, and then suddenly turned sour and, muttering: “You will still finish playing with me,” went out.

Silence reigned in the room.

How beautiful he is! Nura whispered. She also loved things, but not all, but only very beautiful ones. And she really wanted to touch this brilliant uncle.

Do not touch! Yura shouted. - Did you hear what he said?

Who is he"?

Who, who - Pushkin! That is, this is not Pushkin, you understand? Actually, it's a boot. That is, this is not a boot, but one ... with ears ... - Yura got confused and began to get angry ...

In general, so, - he resolutely turned to Pushkin. - Get out! We've already seen you anyway.

The children honestly turned away and froze in anticipation.

Well, how long can I wait for you?

Sitting on the bed… How should I put it?.. Probably a boy after all. Only very shaggy and with long, like a hare, ears. He was of medium height: a little shorter than a boot and a little taller than Pushkin.

Caught, - the boy sighed and folded two figs from his fingers. - Well, then what?

And who are you? Yura asked.

I'm a lamb, - said the boy, frowning. - And this is not any tricks at all, but a trick against the evil eye. And there is nothing ugly here. My grandfather taught me how to fold them. And as grandfather said: grandfather will not teach bad things. Understandably?

It wasn't like that at all.
Not the way they wrote about it in newspapers, magazines and scientific articles.
They wrote about aliens from outer space or from parallel worlds, about some kind of ghosts, poltergeists and other abnormal phenomena.

On TV, eyewitnesses were shown who actually saw nothing, but only heard. And what they heard, they could not explain.
Boom-boom-boom, knock-knock-knock, break - break, there-ta-ra-ram ...

PART ONE

Chapter one

"Boom-boom-boom" - may mean repairs in the entrance.
"Knock-knock-knock" - this is journalist Savva Shchekotikhin from the thirteenth apartment typing an article on a typewriter.
"Bryak-bryak" - this is a homeless Potemkin sorting his bottles in the basement.
And “tam-ta-ra-ram” is a serviceman Skvortsov explaining to his wife who is in charge in their house.
All this can be explained and even understood.
But how to explain something in between “boom-boom”, “knock-knock” and “break-break” three steps away from you, and even in complete darkness? ..
- Yura, do you hear, again ...
- Well, I hear.

May I come to you? I'm scared…
- Here's another! .. You're disturbing my sleep.
In fact, Yura, of course, did not sleep. Try to fall asleep when someone walks nearby, breathes and seems to knock on the walls with a hammer. Horror! But he - the elder brother - could not admit this to his younger sister, who was afraid of everyone, starting with the brutal killer Freddy Krueger and ending with the last little cockroach.
Meanwhile, "boom", "knock" and "blink" became louder and more impudent. It seems that the one who made these sounds felt completely safe. And in vain ...
Because the door suddenly swung open, and in the illuminated opening a neighbor of Skupidonov appeared in green camouflage pajamas.
- Ah-ah-ah! he shouted in a terrible voice. - Do you play on nerves? Knock? Finish the game! Get through! Get through!
- It's not us knocking, - said Yura.
- Who's knocking? Am I knocking? I'm knocking, right? shouted Skupidonov.
"Don't knock," Nyura said very calmly.
- That's right, I'm not knocking.
- And that's wrong. You should just knock before bursting into a room that is not yours. - It's strange, but Nyura was not afraid of her evil neighbor at all.
- Rude?! - Skupidonov turned green and merged with his camouflage pajamas. Everything will be reported to your mother. And she will put you in a corner. It's clear?
- But it's not us! Tell him Yura!
Yura didn't say anything. He looked in surprise at the corner in which he was supposed to be placed.
Without waiting for an answer, the neighbor slammed the door, and the room became dark again.
- Did you see? Yura asked in a whisper.
- What? Nyura asked in a whisper too.
- There, in the corner ... Boot.
- What boot?
- How do I know which ... Now we'll see.
Yura rallied with all his courage, put his hand out from under the blanket and turned on the light. There was no boot in the corner.
He stood in the middle of the room. Big, black, pretty worn...
- Ouch! Nura said. - Where did he come from?
- From where, from where ... - Yura muttered. - From a camel.
"That's not true," Nyura was offended. - Camels don't wear boots.
- What difference does it make what camels wear? You better tell me how he could be in the middle of the room. I just saw him in the corner!
- Probably ... he walks? .. - suggested Nyura.
- How can one boot walk? Think! Only two boots can walk. Look for the second one.
They searched the whole room, but did not find the second boot.
And then a plan formed in Yuri's head.
- Think, boots! he said suddenly very loudly. - Let him go where he wants. Wherever he wants, let him go there. You never know what business they have, boots? And we will sleep. Yes, Nura?
“I won’t sleep,” Nyura sobbed, not guessing the cunning plan. - I'll wait for my mother.
Yura wanted to hit her slow-witted sister properly, but instead he hissed affectionately:
- Okay, Nyurochka, lie down with me. I will tell you three magic words, and you will immediately fall asleep. You'll fall asleep right away, okay?
A minute later, the children lay in the dark under one blanket and snored loudly. So loudly that they did not hear a slight sniffling, groaning, hurried short steps ... They heard only a heart-rending cry. Or rather, peep. Rather, something in between a heart-rending cry and a heart-rending squeak:
"Uy-yu-yu-yuSh"
And this “uy-yu-yu” was so not terrible, so plaintive ...
The children jumped up, turned on the light and ...
Here it should be said that Yura and Nyura Ivanovs, their mother Tanya Ivanova, their neighbor Skupidonov Sidor Markovich, as well as journalist Shchekochikhin, serviceman Skvortsov, district police officer Lomonosov and even homeless Potemkin - they all lived in a very old Moscow house. And in old Moscow houses, sometimes there are not only cockroaches, but also mice ...
So. In the mousetrap near the bookcase, the children found... No, not a mouse. And not a rat. Rather, it was a hare. That is, not that a real hare, but a strange creature with hare ears.
However, Yura and Nyura could not really see anything - Skupidonov's barefoot spanking was heard in the corridor.
There was no time to think. In one second, Yura freed the eared creature from the mousetrap, and without waiting for an invitation, it darted under the covers.
At the same instant, the indignant Skupidonov burst into the room.
- What's going on here, I ask you? What do you think, I'm going to joke with you? BUT?
The children knew that Skupidonov did not know how to joke. They were silent, afraid of only one thing, that the neighbor would not pay attention to the strange bump on the bed. But that is exactly what happened.
- Yeah! - Skupidonov said triumphantly and with a sharp movement pulled off the blanket.
Skupidonov's small eyes grew large. And in children they just climbed on their foreheads: Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was standing in the bed. Short, bronze, with sideburns and a tag on his leg.
In the life of Sidor Markovich Skupidonov there was one, but a very strong passion - things. Especially the old ones. And so his hands greedily reached for the figure of the great poet.
- Do not touch the exhibits with your hands! - there was a piercing female voice.
Skupidonov jumped back and turned around. However, I did not see anyone to whom this voice could belong. He fumbled around the room for a long time, and then suddenly turned sour and, muttering: “You will still finish playing with me,” went out.
Silence reigned in the room.
- How beautiful he is! Nura whispered. She also loved things, but not all, but only very beautiful ones. And she really wanted to touch this brilliant uncle.
- Do not touch! Yura shouted. - Did you hear what he said?
- Who is he"?
- Who, who - Pushkin! That is, this is not Pushkin, you understand? Actually, it's a boot. That is, this is not a boot, but one ... with ears ... - Yura got confused and began to get angry ...
- In general, so, - he resolutely turned to Pushkin. - Get out! We've already seen you anyway.
"All right," said a hoarse voice. - Just turn around.
The children honestly turned away and froze in anticipation.
- Well, how long will I wait for you?

Sitting on the bed… How should I put it?.. Probably a boy after all. Only very shaggy and with long, like a hare, ears. He was of medium height: a little shorter than a boot and a little taller than Pushkin.
- Caught, - the boy sighed and folded two figs from his fingers. - Well, then what?
- And who are you? Yura asked.
- And why are you showing us figurines? Nura added. - It's not beautiful.
- I'm a lamb, - said the boy, frowning. - And this is not any tricks at all, but a trick against the evil eye. And there is nothing ugly here. My grandfather taught me how to fold them. And as grandfather said: grandfather will not teach bad things. Understandably?
There was nothing to argue against the "grandfather".
- Is Barabashka a given name or surname?
The drummer thought.
“Both…” he said. - And the third...
- What is the third one? Yura was surprised.
- "What, what" ... Are you a man? And your dad is a man. And mom is human. Correctly? And I am Barabashka. And my mom is Barabashka. And dad is Barabashka. And grandfather - Lamb ... - Then Lamb made a sad face, hung his ears and sighed deeply: - There was ...
- Where is your grandfather now? Nyura asked.
- And don't ask. The lamb twitched its nose. - Drowned. Terrible drama, an unpleasant incident!
Nyura was embarrassed, and Yura decided to change the subject.
“Listen,” he asked Barabashka, “did you knock?”
- And who is Pushkin, or what? - Barabashka instantly forgot about his drowned grandfather and perked up: - Did you like it?
- We liked it, - Yura exaggerated. - But the neighbor is not very.
Your neighbor doesn't understand anything.
Yura was embarrassed to admit that he also did not quite understand why it was necessary to knock at night. But then Nura came to the rescue:
- You probably wanted to scare us?
- More nonsense! - Barabashka was indignant.
- Then why? Nyura didn't let up.
- How is it why? We - drummers - are always knocking, - Barabashka said proudly. But apparently this was not enough for him. - And then ... and then ... - His ears trembled, and he switched to a solemn whisper: - I'm looking for a treasure!
Treasure! If Lamb knew what an important word he just said. After all, for half a year the most cherished dream of children was to get rich. Get rich and become rich. How they still did not know exactly, but they knew exactly what they would do after that. Yura will buy himself a video camera. And Nyura will buy powder with a mirror. And Yura will buy a Pentium computer. And Nyura - a diamond necklace and a manicure set with a mirror. And Yura is the six hundredth Mercedes. And Nyura is seven hundredth, with two mirrors. And they dreamed about their mother that she would never, ever work again, Nyura would let her wear her best dresses, and Yura would take her in his car on weekends to the Canary Islands.
Treasure!
Here is the opportunity to make the dream come true. How simple! They were going to wash cars, play Lotto-Million or hand over bottles, like the homeless Potemkin. And wealth, it turns out, is so close! ..
- And how do you know that the treasure is in our house? Yura asked Barabashka suspiciously.
- The military secret of the drums.
“Then you don’t have to give it away, since it’s a secret,” Nyura said.
- And I can give it out if you want. It was my grandfather who crucified me about the treasure. That is, no, it’s better not to tell, but write. In his last will, he wrote directly: “Look, Barabashka, do you know where the treasure is? ..”
- Where?!
- As where? In this… No. Like this: “On an old, old street ... in an old, old house ... in a brick-brick wall! ..” He said - and died. That is, he wrote - and drowned.
The children sighed in sympathy.
- And I got ready and went to look for the treasure, - continued Barabashka. - Because when I find the treasure, you know what I'll do?
And then he fell silent. Alert. One of his ears lifted, turned like a locator.
- Athas! Someone is coming. Everyone please leave the room!
The lock clicked on the front door.
- It's mom. Yura quickly turned off the light and crawled under the covers.
- Barabashka, will you come again tomorrow? - Nyura asked in a whisper.
- We'll see tomorrow. Not a word about me! Understandably?

Mikhail Bartenev, Andrey Usachev

Barabashka, or a big reward is promised

It wasn't like that at all.

Not the way they wrote about it in newspapers, magazines and scientific articles.

They wrote about aliens from outer space or from parallel worlds, about some kind of ghosts, poltergeists and other abnormal phenomena.

On TV, eyewitnesses were shown who actually saw nothing, but only heard. And what they heard, they could not explain.

Boom-boom-boom, knock-knock-knock, break - break, there-ta-ra-ram ...

PART ONE

Chapter one

"Boom-boom-boom" - may mean repairs in the entrance.

"Knock-knock-knock" - this is journalist Savva Shchekotikhin from the thirteenth apartment typing an article on a typewriter.

"Bryak-bryak" - this is a homeless Potemkin sorting his bottles in the basement.

And “tam-ta-ra-ram” is a serviceman Skvortsov explaining to his wife who is in charge in their house.

All this can be explained and even understood.

But how to explain something in between “boom-boom”, “knock-knock” and “break-break” three steps away from you, and even in complete darkness? ..

Yura, do you hear, again...

Well, I hear.

May I come to you? I'm scared…

Here's another! .. You're disturbing my sleep.

In fact, Yura, of course, did not sleep. Try to fall asleep when someone walks nearby, breathes and seems to knock on the walls with a hammer. Horror! But he - the elder brother - could not admit this to his younger sister, who was afraid of everyone, starting with the brutal killer Freddy Krueger and ending with the last little cockroach.

Meanwhile, "boom", "knock" and "blink" became louder and more impudent. It seems that the one who made these sounds felt completely safe. And in vain ...

Because the door suddenly swung open, and in the illuminated opening a neighbor of Skupidonov appeared in green camouflage pajamas.

It's not us knocking, - said Yura.

And who is knocking? Am I knocking? I'm knocking, right? shouted Skupidonov.

You don't knock,” Nyura said very calmly.

That's right, I don't knock.

And here is wrong. You should just knock before bursting into a room that is not yours. - It's strange, but Nyura was not afraid of her evil neighbor at all.

Rude?! - Skupidonov turned green and merged with his camouflage pajamas. Everything will be reported to your mother. And she will put you in a corner. It's clear?

But it's not us! Tell him Yura!

Yura didn't say anything. He looked in surprise at the corner in which he was supposed to be placed.

Without waiting for an answer, the neighbor slammed the door, and the room became dark again.

Did you see? Yura asked in a whisper.

What? Nyura asked in a whisper too.

There, in the corner ... Boot.

What boot?

How do I know which ... Now we'll see.

Yura rallied with all his courage, put his hand out from under the blanket and turned on the light. There was no boot in the corner.

He stood in the middle of the room. Big, black, pretty worn...

Ouch! Nura said. - Where did he come from?

From where, from where ... - Yura muttered. - From a camel.

It's not true, - Nyura was offended. - Camels don't wear boots.

What difference does it make what camels wear? You better tell me how he could be in the middle of the room. I just saw him in the corner!

Probably ... he walks? .. - suggested Nyura.

How can one shoe walk? Think! Only two boots can walk. Look for the second one.

They searched the whole room, but did not find the second boot.

And then a plan formed in Yuri's head.

Think boots! he said suddenly very loudly. - Let him go where he wants. Wherever he wants, let him go there. You never know what business they have, boots? And we will sleep. Yes, Nura?

I won’t sleep,” Nyura sobbed, not guessing the cunning plan. - I'll wait for my mother.

Yura wanted to hit her slow-witted sister properly, but instead he hissed affectionately:

Okay, Nyurochka, lie down with me. I will tell you three magic words, and you will immediately fall asleep. You'll fall asleep right away, okay?

A minute later, the children lay in the dark under one blanket and snored loudly. So loudly that they did not hear a slight sniffling, groaning, hurried short steps ... They heard only a heart-rending cry. Or rather, peep. Rather, something in between a heart-rending cry and a heart-rending squeak:

"Uy-yu-yu-yuSh"

And this “uy-yu-yu” was so not terrible, so plaintive ...

The children jumped up, turned on the light and ...

Here it should be said that Yura and Nyura Ivanovs, their mother Tanya Ivanova, their neighbor Skupidonov Sidor Markovich, as well as journalist Shchekochikhin, serviceman Skvortsov, district police officer Lomonosov and even homeless Potemkin - they all lived in a very old Moscow house. And in old Moscow houses, sometimes there are not only cockroaches, but also mice ...

So. In the mousetrap near the bookcase, the children found... No, not a mouse. And not a rat. Rather, it was a hare. That is, not that a real hare, but a strange creature with hare ears.

However, Yura and Nyura could not really see anything - Skupidonov's barefoot spanking was heard in the corridor.

There was no time to think. In one second, Yura freed the eared creature from the mousetrap, and without waiting for an invitation, it darted under the covers.

At the same instant, the indignant Skupidonov burst into the room.

What's going on here, I ask you? What do you think, I'm going to joke with you? BUT?

The children knew that Skupidonov did not know how to joke. They were silent, afraid of only one thing, that the neighbor would not pay attention to the strange bump on the bed. But that is exactly what happened.

Aha! - Skupidonov said triumphantly and with a sharp movement pulled off the blanket.

Skupidonov's small eyes grew large. And in children they just climbed on their foreheads: Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was standing in the bed. Short, bronze, with sideburns and a tag on his leg.

In the life of Sidor Markovich Skupidonov there was one, but a very strong passion - things. Especially the old ones. And so his hands greedily reached for the figure of the great poet.

Do not touch the exhibits! - there was a piercing female voice.

Skupidonov jumped back and turned around. However, I did not see anyone to whom this voice could belong. He fumbled around the room for a long time, and then suddenly turned sour and, muttering: “You will still finish playing with me,” went out.

Silence reigned in the room.

How beautiful he is! Nura whispered. She also loved things, but not all, but only very beautiful ones. And she really wanted to touch this brilliant uncle.

Do not touch! Yura shouted. - Did you hear what he said?

Who is he"?

Who, who - Pushkin! That is, this is not Pushkin, you understand? Actually, it's a boot. That is, this is not a boot, but one ... with ears ... - Yura got confused and began to get angry ...

In general, so, - he resolutely turned to Pushkin. - Get out! We've already seen you anyway.

The children honestly turned away and froze in anticipation.

Well, how long can I wait for you?

Sitting on the bed… How should I put it?.. Probably a boy after all. Only very shaggy and with long, like a hare, ears. He was of medium height: a little shorter than a boot and a little taller than Pushkin.

Caught, - the boy sighed and folded two figs from his fingers. - Well, then what?

And who are you? Yura asked.

I'm a lamb, - said the boy, frowning. - And this is not any tricks at all, but a trick against the evil eye. And there is nothing ugly here. My grandfather taught me how to fold them. And as grandfather said: grandfather will not teach bad things. Understandably?

There was nothing to argue against the "grandfather".

Is Barabashka a given name or a surname?

The drummer thought.

Both…” he said. - And the third...

What's the third one? Yura was surprised.

- "What, what" ... Are you a man? And your dad is a man. And mom is human. Correctly? And I am Barabashka. And my mom is Barabashka. And dad is Barabashka. And grandfather - Lamb ... - Then Lamb made a sad face, hung his ears and sighed deeply: - There was ...

Where is your grandfather now? Nyura asked.

And don't ask. The lamb twitched its nose. - Drowned. Terrible drama, an unpleasant incident!

Nyura was embarrassed, and Yura decided to change the subject.

Listen, - he asked Barabashka, - did you knock?

And who is Pushkin, or what? - Barabashka instantly forgot about his drowned grandfather and perked up: - Did you like it?

We liked it, - Yura exaggerated. - But the neighbor is not very.

Your neighbor does not understand anything.