Puppy Pie (32 page)

All this time, Cyril has been entranced by the charges being laid against him. ‘Oh, yes,' Cyril says giggling hysterically. ‘I will have beaten my ancestor, won't I?'

‘Yes, sir,' the sergeant says turning Cyril towards the waiting paddy wagon, the three farmers walking behind him. ‘Your name will be remembered forever in this district. Oh, by the way, when you climb in,' he says giving Cyril a not so gentle shove up the stairs of the paddy wagon, ‘you'll find a companion already waiting for you.'

‘Ah,' Cyril says as he looks into the dark interior. ‘Toby Roberts! How lovely to see you again. Good to have company, isn't it?' Looking out at the three farmers, Cyril says perplexed, ‘All I ever wanted was to be noticed. But nobody ever notices me. Or even remembers me.'

‘I wouldn't worry about that,' Harry replies stepping forward and looking him in the eye. ‘Nobody in my family will ever forget the name of Cyril Sprogg. I can promise you that.'

‘Really?' Cyril Sprogg laughs maniacally. ‘Really? Ah, music to my ears! That's what I wanted to hear. No one will ever forget me now. I'll never be forgotten again.' And with that, the police officer closes the door of the paddy wagon, climbs in the front and drives off, dust clouding their exit all the way to the front gate.

‘Did I hear anybody say “party”?' Harry calls out as he looks over at the farmers and then at the four stunned faces of the gang, now standing next to his happy wife, Helen and her best friend, Shirley Just then, Shirley turns to Helen and gives her friend a great big hug. ‘You know what this means, don't you?' Shirley says excitedly.

‘What?' Helen asks laughing and crying at the same time. ‘We've still got a roof over our heads?'

‘Yes, but more importantly,' Shirley says, almost hysterical with laughter. ‘No more Norah Sprogg as President of the CWA. Even she'd be too embarrassed to hang around Getalong now, what with Cyril behind bars.'

‘Do you think she knew about the Mites?' Lucy interrupts.

‘I think she knew,' Shirley says nodding sagely at the gang. ‘Remember when Lucy confronted her and told her she was the only blight on the farm?'

‘Yes,' Helen nods.

‘And remember she said something about “deserving everything you have coming to you”?'

‘Oh, yes,' Helen nods slowly, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

Just then, Gull interrupts. ‘And she also said, “my work here is done” after Lucy gave her an earful.

Shirley and Helen both laugh.

Shirley continues. ‘Well I think she knew, all right. And what's more, she may very well be joining Cyril at Her Majesty's Pleasure. In other words, prison.'

‘Oh! I pity those other women prisoners already,' Helen laughs. Just then, the gang hugs both women, relieved beyond measure.

Harry looks at Gull and his three offspring. ‘You know, if it wasn't for you four, the Folly would be completely lost. And as for you Gull,' he says tousling her hair, ‘we would have really been up the creek, and sold down the river at the same time. So, a Gull has saved the Folly yet again.'

Tom looks at his cousin in admiration. ‘You're a real legend, Gull. Because now, our brand new cousin will be passing on the story of the latest Gull.'

Gull beams at all her relatives while Useless nudges her for a pat. ‘Oh, Useless, if only you hadn't carried those mites all over the district.' Useless looks up at her and whimpers. ‘Still,' she says looking at him curiously, ‘I just have a feeling there's more to you than we'll ever know. I wish I knew why you like the Folly so much.' Wagging his tail hard, Useless jumps up and gives her a great big lick on her face.

‘He's just useless,' Tom says shaking his head.

As farmers surge forward and start cheering and clapping the three men on the back, Lucy, Tom, Jake and Gull rush back to give Harry a huge hug.

‘You're brilliant, Dad,' Tom yells beaming.

‘Of course, I'm brilliant,' Harry grins. ‘Did you ever doubt me, Tom? After all, I am your Dad.'

‘So that's where I get it from,' Tom says grinning, just before Jake, Lucy and Gull wrestle him to the ground, laughing and yahooing, getting louder and louder.

Ma smiles to herself, well satisfied with the way things have turned out.
Well done everyone. The Folly is saved, and so are we.

With that, she gives Useless a playful nip. And he jumps onto the prone gang in high spirits ready for the big party that Harry had promised the gang.

The End