Horrid Henry Robs the Bank (6 page)

“But Henry,” said Peter, “you just told me not to buy it.”

“You shouldn't listen to me,” said Henry.

“MOM!” wailed Peter.

Soon Henry owned Eerie Eyrie, Gryphon Gulch, and Creepy Hollow, but he was dangerously low on treasure. Margaret owned Rocky Ravine, Vulture Valley, and Hideous Hellmouth. Margaret kept her treasure in her treasure pouch, so it was impossible to see how much money she had, but Henry guessed she was also low.

Peter owned Demon Den and one dragon egg. Margaret was stuck in the Dungeon. Yippee! This meant if Henry landed on one of her lairs he'd be safe. Horrid Henry rolled, and landed on Vulture Valley, guarded by a baby dragon.

“Gotcha!” shrieked Margaret. “Gimme 25 rubies.”

“You're in the Dungeon, you can't collect ransom,” said Henry. “Nah nah ne nah nah!”

“Can too!”

“Cannot!”

“That's how we play at
my
house,” said Margaret.

“In case you hadn't noticed, we're not
at
your house,” said Henry.

“But I'm the guest,” said Margaret. “Gimme my money!”

“No!” shouted Henry. “You can't just make up rules.”

“The rules say…” began Perfect Peter.

“Shut up, Peter!” screamed Henry and Margaret.

“I'm not paying,” said Henry.

Margaret glowered. “I'll get you for this, Henry,” she hissed.

It was Peter's turn. Henry had just upgraded his baby dragon guarding Eerie Eyrie to a big, huge, fire-breathing, slavering monster dragon. Peter was only five squares away. If Peter landed there, he'd be out of the game.

“Land! Land! Land! Land! Land!” chanted Henry. “Yum yum yum, my dragon is just waiting to eat you up.”

“Stop it, Henry,” said Peter. He rolled. Five.

“Gotcha!” shouted Horrid Henry. “I own Eerie Eyrie! You've landed in my lair, pay up! That's 100 rubies.”

“I don't have enough money,” wailed Perfect Peter.

Horrid Henry drew his finger across his throat.

“You're dead meat, worm,” he chortled.

Perfect Peter burst into tears and ran out of the room.

“Waaaaaaahhhhh,” he wailed. “I lost!”

Horrid Henry glared at Moody Margaret.

Moody Margaret glared at Horrid Henry.

“You're next to be eaten,” snarled Margaret.

“
You're
next,” snarled Henry.

Henry peeked under the
Gotcha
board where his treasure was hidden. Oh no. Not again. He'd spent so much on dragons he was down to his last few rubies. If he landed on any of Margaret's lairs, he'd be wiped out. He had to get more treasure. He had to. Why oh why had he let Margaret be banker?

His situation was desperate. Peter was easy to steal money from, but Margaret's eagle eyes never missed a trick. What to do, what to do? He had to get more treasure, he had to.

And then suddenly Horrid Henry had a brilliant, spectacular idea. It was so brilliant that Henry couldn't believe he'd never thought of it before. It was dangerous. It was risky. But what choice did he have?

“I need to go to the bathroom,” said Henry.

“Hurry up,” said Margaret, scowling.

Horrid Henry dashed to the downstairs bathroom…and sneaked straight out the back door. Then he jumped over the garden wall and crept into Margaret's house.

Quickly he ran to her living room and scanned her games cupboard. Aha! There was Margaret's
Gotcha
.

Horrid Henry stuffed his pockets with treasure. He stuffed more under his shirt and in his socks.

“Is that you, my little sugarplum?” came a voice from upstairs. “Maggie Moo-Moo?”

Henry froze. Margaret's mom was home.

“Maggie Plumpykins,” cooed her mom, coming down the stairs. “Is that you–oooo?”

“No,” squeaked Henry. “I mean, yes,” he squawked. “Got to go back to Henry's, 'bye!”

And Horrid Henry ran for his life.

“You took a long time,” said Margaret.

Henry hugged his stomach.

“Upset tummy,” he lied. Oh boy was he brilliant. Now, with tons of cash which he would slip under the board, he was sure to win.

Henry picked up the dice and handed them to Margaret.

“Your turn,” said Henry.

Henry's hungry dragon stood waiting six places away in Goblin Gorge.

Roll a six, roll a six, roll a six, prayed Horrid Henry.

Not a six, not a six, not a six, prayed Moody Margaret.

Margaret rolled. Four. She moved her skull to the Haunted Forest.

“Your turn,” said Margaret.

Henry rolled a three. Oh no. He'd landed on Hideous Hellmouth, where Margaret's giant dragon loomed.

“Yes!” squealed Margaret. “Gotcha! You're dead! Ha ha hahaha, I won!” Moody Margaret leaped to her feet and did a victory dance, whooping and cheering.

Horrid Henry smiled at her.

“Oh dear,” said Horrid Henry. “Oh dearie, dearie me. Looks like I'm dragon food—NOT!”

“What do you mean, not?” said Margaret. “You're dead meat, you can't pay me.”

“Not so fast,” said Horrid Henry. With a flourish he reached under the board and pulled out a pile of treasure.

“Let me see, 100 rubies, is it?” said Henry, counting off a pile of coins.

Margaret's mouth dropped open.

“How did you…what…how…huh?” she spluttered.

Henry shrugged modestly. “Some of us know how to play this game,” he said. “Now roll.”

Moody Margaret rolled and landed on a Fate square.

Go straight to Eerie Eyrie
, read the card.

“Gotcha!” shrieked Horrid Henry. He'd won!! Margaret didn't have enough money to stop being eaten. She was dead. She was doomed.

“I won! I won! You can't pay me, nah nah ne nah nah,” shrieked Horrid Henry, leaping up and doing a victory dance. “I am the
Gotcha
king!”

“Says who?” said Moody Margaret, pulling a handful of treasure from her pouch.

Huh?

“You stole that money!” spluttered Henry. “You stole the bank's money. You big fat cheater.”

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“CHEATER!” howled Moody Margaret.

“CHEATER!” howled Horrid Henry.

Moody Margaret grabbed the board and hurled it to the floor.

“I won,” said Horrid Henry.

“Did not.”