Cliffhanger Read online

  'That's the ticket. Now. It's OK.

  Have a little rest if you like. It's not so bad now, is it?'

  Yes!'

  You can dangle t h e r e all day if you really want,' said J a k e .

  'No!'

  'Or you can get hold of t h a t old rope and walk yourself down, one foot at a 47

  time, easy-peasy. Mmm?'

  I peered up at him.

  'Can't you pull me up?' I begged.

  We're trying to get you down, pal, not up!' said Jake. 'You can do it.

  You're being ever so brave.'

  He had to be joking!

  'Stay there long enough and you'll get such a head for heights you'll become a trapeze artist,' said Jake.

  'I don't think!'

  'So just reach out —' Jake urged.

  I thought about it. My fingers were hurting terribly. My hands were so scratched and sore. I couldn't hang there for ever. Maybe if I let go and grabbed the rope I could get down. So I loosened my grip, I reached out suddenly, I tried to grab . . .

  I swung round and it was so scary I shut my eyes and caught hold of the rock all over again.

  I heard the others groaning. But Jake didn't give up on me.

  'Nearly. Try again. Go on.'

  So I tried again. I reached out. I 48

  made another grab at the rope. My hand was sticky with sweat but I got it – I held on to it – I had it safe!

  Well done!' Jake called. 'There! I knew you could. Just keep hanging on to it this time, eh? Now walk yourself down. One step.'

  I tried to move my feet. They were numb inside my boots. I made a teeny-tiny mouse-move downwards.

  'Great!' said Jake. 'Now another step.'

  My other leg moved. And I moved too. I was going down.

  We're back in business,' said Jake.

  'There we go. That's it. You're getting the hang of it now.'

  'I'm doing it!' I said, stepping myself down through space.

  'That's right. You're doing it, Tim,'

  Jake called. 'You're nearly halfway

  down. Doing just great. Carry on.

  Nice and easy. Good boy. Well done.'

  ' I ' m doing it,' I mumbled. 'I'm doing it. I'm doing it. It's awful. But I'm doing it!'

  'Come on, Tim!' Biscuits called up at me. He sounded much nearer now.

  'You're nearly there!'

  I carried on, quicker and quicker –

  and then suddenly I was at the bottom and Biscuits gave me such a thump on the back to congratulate me that I very nearly fell over.

  'You did it, you did it, you did it!'

  Biscuits sang.

  Jake was cheering me from right up at the top of the rock.

  'Well done, Tim! It wasn't so bad, was it? Do you want another go, eh?'

  I shook my head so hard my helmet wobbled.

  'Never ever ever again!'

  All the others managed it without making a fuss. Giles was especially good at it. I knew he would be.

  He went on and on and on at me

  going back to the Centre.

  You were so scared!' he said. You just dangled there. And you cried! Boo hoo, boo hoo, little baby.'

  He kept pushing and punching me too, when he thought Jake wasn't watching. Really hard.

  After tea Jake asked me to help him look for lost balls in the garden. Just him and me.

  I found a red ball right in the middle of the roses. Jake was pleased with me.

  Well done, Tim.' He patted me on the back. His hand stayed on my shoulder. You're finding it a bit tough at the moment, aren't you, Tim?'

  'They keep teasing me, saying I'm scared. Well, it's mostly one person in 51

  particular. In my bedroom. The one who isn't Biscuits.'

  Jake sat down and I did too.

  'Giles?' said Jake, throwing the red ball at me.

  'Giles!' I said, sighing, catching the ball.

  'You caught it!' said Jake.

  I threw the ball back. He threw it to me. I caught it each time. But Jake was giving me very easy throws.

  'You could try standing up to him,'

  Jake said, bouncing the ball.

  'Hmm!' The ball skidded into the roses again and I went to fetch it. I found a little wiggly worm too. It almost got run over by the ball, but not quite. I stroked it very gently.

  'I'm like this little worm,' I said, holding it in my hand. 'And Giles is like a great big blackbird. Going peck peck peck at me.'

  52

  Jake seemed surprised that I liked worms so I told him about this pet worm I had once called William. I filled a shoe-box with earth and made him a special Wormotel but then Mum made a fuss and I had to empty the shoe-box into the garden – and

  William got emptied out too.

  'I'll tell you a secret, Tim,' said Jake.

  Jake said he was scared of worms!

  Always, ever since he was a little boy.

  And all the other boys teased him and threw worms at him to make him

  squeal.

  'So one day I thought this is nuts. I made myself pick up a worm and

  I threw it right back. And it was OK

  after that.'

  I wondered whether Giles was

  scared of worms.

  Jake said everyone's scared of

  something. Mice. The dark. Wetting the bed!

  I held the wiggly worm out and he squealed and made out he was dead 53

  scared. But he was only kidding.

  'I think you've been kidding all along, Jake,' I said. 'To make me feel better.'

  Jake laughed and said I was amaz-ing at sussing things out.

  I've sussed out one thing. I know what my friend Biscuits is scared of.

  Running out of biscuits!

  54

  Chapter Four

  Biscuits and I teamed up for the canoe race. Biscuits sat at the front. Our canoe tipped forwards. We swopped round which was exceedingly difficult.

  We got a bit wet in the process, but eventually I was squashed in the front and Biscuits sat behind me. Our canoe tilted backwards. We decided to put up with it. We agreed not to take the canoe race too seriously.

  Giles and Kelly took it very seriously indeed. Jake had paired them up in one canoe. Giles stuck his nose in the air at the thought of sharing with Kelly. Kelly held her nose at the thought of sharing with Giles.

  But they made a very speedy pair 57

  and they were soon racing ahead through the water. Laura and Lesley were nippy too, paddling away like crazy.

  'Come on, you Tigers!' Giles yelled, craning back at us.

  There were just two huge Panthers ahead of Giles and Kelly. They had arm muscles like cannon balls and were way out in front. Giles and Kelly paddled frantically, desperate to catch them up.

  'Nutters!' said Biscuits, wiping his brow. 'Phew! I don't think much of this canoeing lark, do you, Tim?'

  'Yeah. This isn't my idea of fun,' I said, paddling hard.

  'You can say that again,' said

  Biscuits.

  'This isn't my idea of fun,' I said.

  'You can say that again,' said

  Biscuits.

  58

  'This isn't my idea of fun,' I said, cracking up laughing.

  'You can say that again,' said

  Biscuits, spluttering.

  We were soon laughing so much we nearly capsized our canoe.

  Giles and Kelly were getting nearer and nearer the mighty Panthers.

  They drew close, maybe too close.

  The Panthers went a bit wobbly – and suddenly Giles and Kelly were

  ahead.

  We're in front!' Giles yelled triumphantly.

  'We are the champions!' Kelly sang, and she took something small out of her pocket and gave a victory wave.

  She waved a little too vigorously.

  The small something flew through the air and did a swallow dive into the river.

  Kelly screamed.

  'Theresa! Come back! You c
an't

  swim!' She sounded frantic.

  Giles was growing frantic too. He was shouting at Kelly.

  59

  'Sit down! You'll have us over. What are you doing?'

  Kelly twisted and turned, practically paddling backwards.

  What's up with Kelly?' asked

  Biscuits, blinking at her.

  'She's dropped Theresa in the

  water. You know. Her little Troll doll,'

  I explained.

  We knew all about Kelly's lucky mascot. Jake and Sally didn't.

  They heard Kelly yelling desperately and came whizzing over in their own canoe.

  'Theresa's drowning!' Kelly sobbed.

  'Where? Which canoe? There isn't a Theresa on the course! Kelly, who's Theresa?' they shouted urgently, Jake jumping up to dive to the rescue.

  'She's her stupid Troll doll,' Giles said disgustedly, as the mighty Panthers raced past towards the winning post.

  Jake sat down again, and he and 60

  Sally waved their hands and went Phew!

  'Please, Jake! Can't you dive in and look for her?' Kelly yelled. 'Oh, Theresa. Where are you?'

  'Hey!' said Biscuits, his eyes beady.

  'Look, Theresa's just bobbing past!'

  I looked – and saw a little purple blob floating off towards the bank.

  'It is Theresa! It's OK, Kelly,' I shouted. We've spotted her, Biscuits and me. We'll get her.'

  Yeah, we'll get her out for you, Kelly,' said Biscuits. 'Er . . . how do we get the canoe to go sideways, Tim?'

  'Like this? Mmm. No. Like this?'

  Our canoe wobbled dramatically as we experimented.

  'What are you two playing at?' Giles yelled. 'Finish the race first. We've all got to finish or we won't get any

  points. You can go back for her doll afterwards.'

  'She can't wait!' said Kelly.

  'Come on, Biscuits,' I said. 'Before she gets swallowed up by a fish or something.'

  We made for the bank as best we could.

  'You berks!' Giles yelled in disgust.

  'You weedy nerdy little cissies.'

  'I wish he'd get swallowed up by a fish,' said Biscuits. 'A socking great shark.'

  'He's going to get us later,' I said.

  'Oh, pooh,' said Biscuits. We'll get him.'

  'To the rescue. Super-Tim and

  Biscuit-Boy!'

  'Dan-de-dan-dan-daaaan,'

  Biscuits chanted.

  We reached the bank. Theresa was

  bobbing in the scummy shallows, her purple hair wafting like water-weed.

  I got my paddle and used it like a fish slice, scooping Theresa up in the air.

  She had never been a very pretty little doll. She'd now lost whatever looks she'd had. But Kelly was still thrilled to get her back. She hugged and kissed her. And you'll never guess what. She hugged and kissed me.

  Biscuits said he was very glad that I was the one who fished her out.

  When we were in the kitchens

  clearing up after tea, Kelly tried to tame Theresa's alarming new hairstyle with a small scrubbing-brush.

  Laura and Lesley sighed.

  'You're hopeless, Kelly,' said Laura.

  'Look, give her here, I'll do it.'

  She had her own little pocket hair-brush. Kelly held Theresa while Laura brushed and styled her purple tresses.

  'You're ever so good at hairstyles, Laura,' said Lesley.

  63

  'Keep Theresa still, Kelly,' said Laura.

  'She's shivering,' said Kelly. She peered round and found a scrunched-up J-cloth. 'Here. This will keep you warm until we get your little dress dry.'

  'Look, I could do with that cloth, Kelly,' said Giles, washing dishes at the sink. 'This one's all holey and horrible.'

  'Theresa's need is greater than yours, Giles,' said Kelly firmly.

  'You and that stupid doll.'

  'She's not a doll, she's a troll,' said Kelly.

  'We were winning,' Giles wailed.

  'And yet we ended up last because of you and Biscuits and Tim!

  He dug me hard with his elbow,

  right in my tummy. 'Why did you have to mess about for hours getting Kelly's stupid doll?'

  'TROLL!' Kelly shouted, flicking washing-up water in Giles's face.

  'Kelly! Cut it out,' said Giles, 64

  splashing her back. He splashed me too. 'And then you got your canoe stuck in the mud on the bank!'

  'It wasn't our fault,' said Biscuits, emerging from the food cupboard, his hand deep in a packet of Frosties.

  'Yes, it's not our fault we're not very good at canoeing,' I said.

  'The thing is, Tim, you're not good at anything,' said Giles.

  Kelly splashed Giles again.

  Giles splashed Kelly. He also

  splashed Laura by mistake.

  'Giles!' Laura squeaked. 'Look at my shirt, it's soaking!'

  'Oh, Giles, you've got Laura all wet,' said Lesley.

  'Tim's the one that's wet,' said Giles, splashing me again. 'Wet and weedy and pathetic.'

  'You shut up, Piles,' said Biscuits, 65

  flicking Frosties at him. 'You're the one that's pathetic.'

  'Yeah, Tim rescued Theresa. He's a hero!' said Kelly, and she splashed Giles.

  He splashed her back. Copiously.

  Laura and Lesley got soaked this time. So they splashed Giles back. He splashed me again. Biscuits emptied the Frosties all over him. We all burst out laughing because he looked so funny. I threw my wiping-cloth at him. I missed, but it didn't matter. We all started splashing and shrieking and then Jake suddenly charged into the kitchen and bellowed at us.

  'What on earth are you lot playing at?'

  We ended up on our hands and

  knees doing an awful lot of mopping.

  66

  Chapter Five

  I found out!

  Jake and Sally had set this huge great obstacle race. We were all lined up in our teams: the Lions, the Panthers, the Cheetahs – and us.

  Giles was dead eager. Kelly was bobbing about, Theresa clutched in her fist. Laura and Lesley were giggling.

  Biscuits and I were groaning.

  'It's not my idea of fun,' I whispered.

  'You can say that again,' Biscuits whispered back.

  We kept this up all the time Sally was explaining what we had to do. It involved a lot of running. Lots and lots of running.

  We had to run to the paddling pool 69

  and fill our buckets with water and then we had to run – with the full buckets – all the way round the field to the slide and then – still with the buckets – we had to climb up it and slide down and then we had to run to the sandpit and stagger across – with the buckets – and THEN we had to run to the stream and at the other side of the water there were four thirsty baby big cats desperate for a bucketful of water. Well, that's what Sally said.

  'Can you go through it again, Sally?

  I wasn't concentrating,' said Biscuits, grinning.

  Sally pretended to clip him over the ear.

  Giles was dead set on getting the rules right.

  'So it's the team that fills the 70

  painted rubbish bin first t h a t wins, yes?'

  'They're not bins, Giles, they're babies. A baby lion, a baby panther, a baby cheetah, and we've got a baby tiger,' said Kelly. 'Doesn't it look sweet?'

  Giles screwed up his face in disgust at this whimsy.

  I thought t h e bins looked good. The Baby Lion bin was painted yellow, t h e Baby P a n t h e r bin was painted black, the Baby Cheetah bin was painted beige with black spots, and our Baby Tiger bin looked the best, painted orange with black stripes. They all had cardboard ears and beady

  eyes and the swing tops m a d e excellent movable mouths. J a k e demonstrated, making t h e m open their mouths to pant for water.

  J a k e j u m p e d over the s t r e a m to get to them. He's got long legs b u t it was still quite a stretch for him. And he wasn't carr
ying a bucket of water. But 71

  there were four drainpipes across the stream. It looked as if we were in for a very wobbly walk across.

  'And the team that fills the bin first wins?' Giles repeated impatiently, raring to go.

  'Not so fast, pal,' said Sally. 'The first team gets forty points, the second team gets thirty, the third team gets twenty. The last team only gets ten points.'

  'Guess who's going to be last,' I muttered to Biscuits.

  'But the Crazy Bucket race isn't just about coming first,' said Sally, smiling. 'We measure how much

  water is in each of the bins. That's just as important. You get forty points if your bin is the fullest. Then thirty, then twenty, then ten.'

  'It's starting to sound like a maths lesson,' said Lesley. 'I can't get the hang of it, can you, Laura?'

  'It's all much simpler than it

  sounds,' said Sally. 'Cheer up. It's fun!'

  Biscuits pulled a silly face at me. I 72

  pulled one back. Giles pushed us into place.

  'Come on, you lot, stop messing about. We're going to win, right?'

  Wrong!'

  'Look, try,' said Giles.

  'My dad always tells me to try,' I told Biscuits. 'And I do. But it doesn't work.'

  'Right everyone,' Sally called. 'Get ready. One. Two. Three. GO!'

  We all started running. Guess

  what. Giles got to the pool first.

  'Come on, you Tigers!' he bawled as he filled his bucket.

  Biscuits and I were nearly last at the pool. We filled our buckets right to the brim. We certainly weren't going to fill our baby big cat bin first, so we knew we had to bring our entire bucketful.

  It was hard going, running with a full bucket. We had to be ever so careful not to spill any. Some of the faster kids swung their buckets and sprinkled water all down their socks.

  Biscuits didn't spill any, but he was slower than ever. I jogged along beside him, proud that I hadn't spilled a single drop.

  And then one of the Cheetahs

  pushed past me, his bucket banging hard into my back. I staggered and fell headlong, spilling all the water in my bucket.