minute as we all tried to remember who was sleeping in which bedroom. Frankie groaned. “Imagine if we woke the M&Ms up by mistake. They’d just love landing us right in it!”
All of a sudden we heard a noise.
“What’s that?” gasped Lyndz, clutching my sleeve.
“Sounds like a car,” said Frankie.
“It is a car,” I hissed. “And it’s coming up the drive. Quick – get behind this bush. Now! ”
We crouched together behind the bush, huddled as close as if we were playing Sardines. “Oh no, this is a disaster,” whispered Fliss shakily. “We’re bound to get caught.”
“Who would come to the house at this time of night?” whispered Rosie. “You don’t think it’s a real burglar, do you?”
There was no way around it – you had to admit it was a weird time to be visiting. So far the car had been half-hidden by the trees thatlined the drive – now it came into full view, as it swung round in front of the house. I bobbed my head up, so I could see over the bush.
“It’s got a surfboard strapped to the roof,” I hissed to the others.
“A surfing burglar, then.” Fliss shuddered.
“It looks like an old car – pretty battered,” whispered Frankie, who’d bobbed up beside me.
The car’s engine stopped and the headlights flicked off. Then the driver got out. At first, I couldn’t make out anything except a vague shape – but the next minute the moon emerged from behind a cloud and a dim silvery light flooded the driveway. It revealed a familiar tall figure creeping over the gravel towards the house, evidently trying not to make any noise.
“It’s Aidan!” Frankie and I whispered together. Rosie, Lyndz and Fliss peered round the bush. Fliss sighed with relief.
“Do you think we could dash in through the door when he’s not looking?” said Rosie.
“How would he miss all five of us?” said Lyndz. “He’d have to close his eyes and count to twenty!”
“One of us could sneak in and hide till he’s gone to bed, then open the window,” Frankie suggested.
“He’s unlocking the door,” I said. “If we don’t do something right now, we’re going to miss our chance.” And without giving myself time to think, I raced out from behind the bush.
It was a mad plan. In order to reach the door before Aidan shut it behind him, I had to run as fast as my legs would carry me – there was no time for dodging from shadow to shadow.
Of course, Aidan saw me. For a split second, he looked seriously startled – then he recognised me and frowned. “What on earth are you doing?” he whispered as I reached him.
“We were having a midnight feast in the garden,” I panted. “Someone shut the window so we can’t get back in.”
Aidan put a finger to his lips. He didn’t wantto hear any more. I turned and beckoned to the others. Sheepishly, they climbed out from behind the bush and made their way towards us.
“Quietly,” Aidan mouthed as we tiptoed past him into the hall.
I half expected that he might want to wake the teachers straight away, but he flapped an arm in the direction of the stairs, meaning we should go up to bed.
We crept into our room and flopped on to our bunks.
“We’re really for it now,” whispered Lyndz. “He’s bound to tell Weaver in the morning.”
“But Aidan’s nice!” protested Fliss.
“However nice he is, it’s his job,” said Lyndz grimly.
“Do you think we’ll be grounded?” whispered Rosie.
“Cleaning, all day every day for the rest of the week – ugh,” groaned Frankie. “And I bet they’ll make us miss the Display Day too.”
I didn’t sleep very well – and I don’t think the others did either. In the morning, the mood in our room was a real downer. “When d’you think we’ll get the summons from Weaver?” asked Lyndz, leaning up on one elbow and rubbing her eyes. “Before breakfast or after?”
No one knew. As we got dressed, we expected a knock on our door at every moment. But we made it down to breakfast
All of a sudden we heard a noise.
“What’s that?” gasped Lyndz, clutching my sleeve.
“Sounds like a car,” said Frankie.
“It is a car,” I hissed. “And it’s coming up the drive. Quick – get behind this bush. Now! ”
We crouched together behind the bush, huddled as close as if we were playing Sardines. “Oh no, this is a disaster,” whispered Fliss shakily. “We’re bound to get caught.”
“Who would come to the house at this time of night?” whispered Rosie. “You don’t think it’s a real burglar, do you?”
There was no way around it – you had to admit it was a weird time to be visiting. So far the car had been half-hidden by the trees thatlined the drive – now it came into full view, as it swung round in front of the house. I bobbed my head up, so I could see over the bush.
“It’s got a surfboard strapped to the roof,” I hissed to the others.
“A surfing burglar, then.” Fliss shuddered.
“It looks like an old car – pretty battered,” whispered Frankie, who’d bobbed up beside me.
The car’s engine stopped and the headlights flicked off. Then the driver got out. At first, I couldn’t make out anything except a vague shape – but the next minute the moon emerged from behind a cloud and a dim silvery light flooded the driveway. It revealed a familiar tall figure creeping over the gravel towards the house, evidently trying not to make any noise.
“It’s Aidan!” Frankie and I whispered together. Rosie, Lyndz and Fliss peered round the bush. Fliss sighed with relief.
“Do you think we could dash in through the door when he’s not looking?” said Rosie.
“How would he miss all five of us?” said Lyndz. “He’d have to close his eyes and count to twenty!”
“One of us could sneak in and hide till he’s gone to bed, then open the window,” Frankie suggested.
“He’s unlocking the door,” I said. “If we don’t do something right now, we’re going to miss our chance.” And without giving myself time to think, I raced out from behind the bush.
It was a mad plan. In order to reach the door before Aidan shut it behind him, I had to run as fast as my legs would carry me – there was no time for dodging from shadow to shadow.
Of course, Aidan saw me. For a split second, he looked seriously startled – then he recognised me and frowned. “What on earth are you doing?” he whispered as I reached him.
“We were having a midnight feast in the garden,” I panted. “Someone shut the window so we can’t get back in.”
Aidan put a finger to his lips. He didn’t wantto hear any more. I turned and beckoned to the others. Sheepishly, they climbed out from behind the bush and made their way towards us.
“Quietly,” Aidan mouthed as we tiptoed past him into the hall.
I half expected that he might want to wake the teachers straight away, but he flapped an arm in the direction of the stairs, meaning we should go up to bed.
We crept into our room and flopped on to our bunks.
“We’re really for it now,” whispered Lyndz. “He’s bound to tell Weaver in the morning.”
“But Aidan’s nice!” protested Fliss.
“However nice he is, it’s his job,” said Lyndz grimly.
“Do you think we’ll be grounded?” whispered Rosie.
“Cleaning, all day every day for the rest of the week – ugh,” groaned Frankie. “And I bet they’ll make us miss the Display Day too.”
I didn’t sleep very well – and I don’t think the others did either. In the morning, the mood in our room was a real downer. “When d’you think we’ll get the summons from Weaver?” asked Lyndz, leaning up on one elbow and rubbing her eyes. “Before breakfast or after?”
No one knew. As we got dressed, we expected a knock on our door at every moment. But we made it down to breakfast
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