sleepover time!”
We couldn’t wait to get into the barn.
“What did you mean about us having our own protection?” Fliss asked Mrs McAllister, who was leading the way.
“You’ve got Alfie, of course!” she smiled, flinging open the door. “He’s better than a guard dog!”
“Oh no!” Fliss groaned. “I thought he’d be gone by now. I can’t sleep with him in here!”
Mrs McAllister seemed a bit put out.
“Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to. His stable is full of the sound equipment which is being collected tomorrow morning. I couldn’t risk him going in there. Besides, he’s a touch lame at the moment and I wanted to stable him where I could keep an eye on him. That’s why he’s not down on Mr Brocklehurst’s farm.”
“So
that’s
why he wasn’t out in the field with the others earlier!” It all suddenly made sense.
“I just took him for a short walk around whilst you were eating,” Mrs McAllister explained. “And don’t worry – he’s been mucked out so he’s not too smelly, are you boy?” She gently stroked Alfie’s muzzle.
Looking at Alfie’s big beautiful eyes, I couldn’t understand how anyone could be frightened of him. And looking at the others, they seemed to be softening too – even Fliss.
“Right then girls, have you got everything you need?” Mrs McAllister asked us.
We nodded.
“The light switch is just over here, but I’ve left a couple of torches by your things in case you need them. You can use the loos by the stable block, but remember that the security lights will come on whenever you cross the yard. Right then, sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning!”
She closed the stable door behind her and we were left alone. With Alfie.
“I’m not sure about this,” Fliss shivered. “I thought we’d be able to use Mrs McAllister’s bathroom, not some crummy old toilets next to the stables.”
“Hey, less of the crummy!” I dug her in the ribs. “They’re brand new, they are. You should be more polite.”
“Well I say we should use them now, before we get ready to snuggle down for the night,” Frankie piped up.
“Good idea, Batman!” I agreed.
We all grabbed our toilet bags and headed across the yard. Mrs McAllister was certainly right about the security lights. They nearly blinded us!
“No danger of intruders here then!” said Kenny admiringly
“Don’t!” warned Fliss, who looked absolutely petrified.
The toilet block next to the stables was very clean, but …
“It’s F…F…FREEZING!” squealed Rosie.
“Aaargh! The water’s like ice!” complained Kenny.
Now we don’t usually spend long on washing and brushing our teeth at the best of times. But I think that night we were all done in about two minutes flat. We ran back across the yard and the security lights came on full blast again. This time the horses, who were all back in their stables, poked their heads over the doors and started to neigh and snort.
“Crikey, is this noisy or what!” grumbled Rosie. “I’ll never sleep with that racket!”
“Will you lot ever stop complaining?” I demanded as soon as we were back in the barn again with the door closed behind us.
“So-rree!” echoed the others.
“Come on guys, we’re supposed to behaving fun here! Let’s play a game or something to get us in the mood,” I suggested. “What about ‘last-one-on-the-haystack-has-to-kiss-Alfie’!”
We charged at the pile of hay in the corner, screaming and elbowing each other out of the way. I’ve never seen Fliss run so fast! You ought to have seen her plaits flying and the determined expression she had on her face! It made me laugh so much I couldn’t run. And then I got the dreaded hiccups. I collapsed on the floor, giggling and hiccuping.
“Kiss Alfie! Kiss Alfie!” the others chanted from the pile of hay.
I walked over to Alfie’s pen and tried to plant a smacker on his nose. But he was so scared by the dreadful noise I was making he turned away and
We couldn’t wait to get into the barn.
“What did you mean about us having our own protection?” Fliss asked Mrs McAllister, who was leading the way.
“You’ve got Alfie, of course!” she smiled, flinging open the door. “He’s better than a guard dog!”
“Oh no!” Fliss groaned. “I thought he’d be gone by now. I can’t sleep with him in here!”
Mrs McAllister seemed a bit put out.
“Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to. His stable is full of the sound equipment which is being collected tomorrow morning. I couldn’t risk him going in there. Besides, he’s a touch lame at the moment and I wanted to stable him where I could keep an eye on him. That’s why he’s not down on Mr Brocklehurst’s farm.”
“So
that’s
why he wasn’t out in the field with the others earlier!” It all suddenly made sense.
“I just took him for a short walk around whilst you were eating,” Mrs McAllister explained. “And don’t worry – he’s been mucked out so he’s not too smelly, are you boy?” She gently stroked Alfie’s muzzle.
Looking at Alfie’s big beautiful eyes, I couldn’t understand how anyone could be frightened of him. And looking at the others, they seemed to be softening too – even Fliss.
“Right then girls, have you got everything you need?” Mrs McAllister asked us.
We nodded.
“The light switch is just over here, but I’ve left a couple of torches by your things in case you need them. You can use the loos by the stable block, but remember that the security lights will come on whenever you cross the yard. Right then, sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning!”
She closed the stable door behind her and we were left alone. With Alfie.
“I’m not sure about this,” Fliss shivered. “I thought we’d be able to use Mrs McAllister’s bathroom, not some crummy old toilets next to the stables.”
“Hey, less of the crummy!” I dug her in the ribs. “They’re brand new, they are. You should be more polite.”
“Well I say we should use them now, before we get ready to snuggle down for the night,” Frankie piped up.
“Good idea, Batman!” I agreed.
We all grabbed our toilet bags and headed across the yard. Mrs McAllister was certainly right about the security lights. They nearly blinded us!
“No danger of intruders here then!” said Kenny admiringly
“Don’t!” warned Fliss, who looked absolutely petrified.
The toilet block next to the stables was very clean, but …
“It’s F…F…FREEZING!” squealed Rosie.
“Aaargh! The water’s like ice!” complained Kenny.
Now we don’t usually spend long on washing and brushing our teeth at the best of times. But I think that night we were all done in about two minutes flat. We ran back across the yard and the security lights came on full blast again. This time the horses, who were all back in their stables, poked their heads over the doors and started to neigh and snort.
“Crikey, is this noisy or what!” grumbled Rosie. “I’ll never sleep with that racket!”
“Will you lot ever stop complaining?” I demanded as soon as we were back in the barn again with the door closed behind us.
“So-rree!” echoed the others.
“Come on guys, we’re supposed to behaving fun here! Let’s play a game or something to get us in the mood,” I suggested. “What about ‘last-one-on-the-haystack-has-to-kiss-Alfie’!”
We charged at the pile of hay in the corner, screaming and elbowing each other out of the way. I’ve never seen Fliss run so fast! You ought to have seen her plaits flying and the determined expression she had on her face! It made me laugh so much I couldn’t run. And then I got the dreaded hiccups. I collapsed on the floor, giggling and hiccuping.
“Kiss Alfie! Kiss Alfie!” the others chanted from the pile of hay.
I walked over to Alfie’s pen and tried to plant a smacker on his nose. But he was so scared by the dreadful noise I was making he turned away and
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