The Lost Treasure of Annwn (17 page)

‘Well that's settled then, blue it is.'

Once Grandad's car and trailer had turned onto the road, Camelin swooped down from the tree opposite the open shed door. He swaggered past Jack and Elan and began an inspection of the inside of the shed.

‘Can't see what all the fuss is about. Why's it taken you so long to tidy this lot up?'

‘Before you say any more,' interrupted Elan, ‘we couldn't use magic to help.'

Camelin had a long grumble to himself before flying up onto the table and inspecting the plans.

‘Hmm! The Comet. I remember all the buggies from the past. Your grandad's used to win all the time. Of course this is all going to be a waste of time, it won't stand a chance this year.'

‘Whyever not?' asked Elan.

‘Because I know what's going on at Smedley's yard.'

Jack and Elan exchanged looks.

‘Aren't you going to ask me what I know?' grumbled Camelin. ‘I go to the trouble of setting up a spy network and neither of you seem in the least bit interested.'

Jack tried not to smile.

‘So… what's going on at Smedley's yard?'

Camelin puffed out his chest feathers and cleared his throat dramatically before he spoke again.

‘You do know who owns Smedley's yard? Frank Smedley's dad, you know, Tank. Well my source…'

‘Which one?' interrupted Elan, ‘Would that be Grubber, Grudge or Pippa?'

‘If you'd let me finish I was about to say… my sources, so it's all three of them, and Crosspatch, Bicker and Dazzle. They all came and told me the same story because Max and Tank have been over at Smedley's yard since this morning.'

‘And?' prompted Elan.

‘That's where their new buggy is.'

‘You mean they've finished it already?' asked Jack.

‘It's finished but the boys haven't built it… it's been made for them by two of the workmen at the yard.'

Jack frowned.

‘But that's cheating.'

‘Maybe they'll be disqualified,' added Elan.

‘Oh no they won't, Dazzle heard them laughing about it; seems Max's uncle is one of the judges.'

‘That's why they were so confident when they came to register,' groaned Jack. ‘We really don't stand a chance.'

‘We're not giving in,' said Elan.

‘I agree,' replied Jack, with more confidence than he felt.

‘Any news on the ambush?' asked Elan.

‘Oh plenty, they're all set for tomorrow afternoon. Snaffle saw Benbow carrying two big tins of syrup yesterday and Digger says he's been down to the shops and got two more this morning. That's four tins of syrup. It won't be enough to fill the bucket though.'

‘How do you know?' interrupted Jack.

‘Saige said it would take nine tins and she's always right.'

Elan laughed. Jack would normally have laughed too but this wasn't funny.

‘Please don't come to the match tomorrow, not unless you walk down with us. Grandad won't mind.'

‘It's alright, Jack, honestly, there's nothing to worry about.'

‘But there'll be five of them.'

The rumble of Grandad's car cut their conversation short. Camelin hopped down from the table and shuffled out of the shed before the car turned into the drive. Jack gave Elan one last pleading look.

‘Honestly Jack, it will be fine.'

 

Jack was woken early the next morning by something tickling his nose. He couldn't hear any buzzing but he didn't scratch it just in case it was the Dorysk. He didn't feel good. Not only was he worried about Elan's ambush, and his own problems with the gang, but he'd also had his bad dream again. Velindur was another problem he hadn't fully resolved and no matter how much assurance Nora or Elan might give him, he couldn't shake off his fear. His nose tickled again and he thought he heard someone whispering his name. He forced his eyelids apart and tried to focus on the end of his nose. A small white butterfly fluttered around his head, and he could see it was no ordinary butterfly.

‘Twink?'

‘Good morning Jack Brenin, please forgive my uninvited intrusion.'

Jack sat up; he was really pleased to see the little fairy.

‘You're welcome anytime.'

‘The others sent me; they're in the back lane watching two of those boys we chased from the meadow the other day. They've got rope around one of the branches of the beech tree with a bucket on the end of it. They were talking about you and Elan. We thought you ought to know.'

‘Thanks Twink, we already know what they're up to but I can't persuade Elan to keep out of their way.'

‘We'll keep a watch on them, I'll send the Dorysk if we need you.'

Jack didn't know what help he'd be but if Elan did get into trouble at least he could raise the alarm.

‘Thanks Twink, will one of you let Elan know?'

‘There's never any need to take news to Ewell House, not if the trees are involved, Nora will already have been informed. I'd better get back; I don't want to miss anything.'

Jack felt a bit better now he knew the fairies would be there to help. They wouldn't be able to stop themselves turning into bees if they thought the gang were doing something wrong. Most of them had run from the bees before and Tank seemed to have a big problem with them. Jack got out of bed and opened his curtains. He could see Camelin watching the house from the tree opposite. He opened the window wide so he could fly in.

‘You're awake early, thought I'd be sat there a while yet.'

Jack was about to tell him about Twink's visit but thought better of it. Camelin had obviously got some news of his own to tell and if it was the same news he'd be annoyed if he thought Jack already knew.

‘Has something happened?'

‘Aw Jack, you should have seen him, talk about laugh, I nearly fell out of the tree.'

‘Seen what?'

‘Tank, with the feathers!'

‘Feathers?'

‘You know, you can't have forgotten, Max told Tank to get a pillowcase full of feathers. Grubber came with his report this morning and he'd laughed so much he'd got hiccups, so I had to go and see for myself. You should have seen him. He had two cushions on the grass and a pillowcase. Grubber said when he ripped open the first cushion the feathers exploded out, and went everywhere. He's been chasing them round the lawn trying to catch them all. I arrived just as he picked up the other cushion… and guess what? Poof! He did it again. You'd think he'd learn from the first one. If he doesn't want anyone to find out what he's done he'd better hope there's a strong wind before his family wake up. Their lawn's not green anymore, he'll never pick them all up, there's just too many of them.'

Camelin bobbed up and down as he chuckled to himself.

‘Does Elan know?'

‘She will by now, there's not much goes on in Glasruhen they don't know about at Ewell House.'

‘They didn't know about the gang's buggy.'

‘That's not surprising; you'd know why if you'd seen Smedley's yard. There's not a living thing inside their fence. Chopped everything down they did, cleared the land, covered it with concrete, and then piled it high with old cars, motorbikes and other stuff. You don't even get weeds growing there.'

It didn't sound like the kind of place Jack would want to visit.

‘I'm worried about the buggy race.'

‘You worry about everything, it's the boy in you. Try to listen to the raven part and you'll worry a lot less.'

Jack knew Camelin was right; when he transformed he really did feel different.

‘I'll try to remember that, thanks.'

‘It sounds like your grandad's up, I'll see you later. I'll be sitting in that blabbermouth of an old ash tree this afternoon, you know the one I mean, don't you? I can keep an eye on the back lane and the cricket match from there.'

Camelin was gone before Jack could say another word.

 

There was a lot to do at the Cricket Club in preparation for the match. The visiting club were only travelling a few miles, which meant there'd be, what Grandad called, a good turn out. As Jack went back and forth with chairs from the pavilion to the grassy area, he scoured the trees for any sign of Camelin. He even took the rubbish out to the dustbins in the hope of finding him there but he was nowhere to be seen. Every time a small insect buzzed around Jack's face he peered hard to see if it was wearing a pair of glasses. He hoped Elan would change her mind and not leave Ewell House but she had seemed determined to come to the match.

At lunchtime, Jack wasn't hungry, the worry was gnawing at his stomach and the plate of sandwiches he was given didn't interest him at all. He asked to be excused and took his plate outside with his glass of juice. He leant his back against one of the trees. He didn't have long to wait. Camelin landed on a branch above where Jack was sitting.

‘Aw Jack! Are they to share?'

‘Come and help yourself but don't let anyone see you.'

Camelin dropped down behind the trunk and Jack passed a sandwich round.

‘Do you know what's going on? Has Elan changed her mind?'

Jack had to wait until he'd heard Camelin gulp before he got his answer.

‘Elan's coming over later; she's going to make the gang wait for as long as she can. I've been and had a look, they're all set up. Max, Danny, Techno and Benbow are in the field behind the hedge under the trees. Tank's on the other side of the back lane with his pillowcase full of feathers, he's hiding behind the widest tree trunk. You should have heard Max shouting at Benbow when he brought out the tins of syrup. They had a big problem prising the lids off. Max said he should have bought the ones in the squeezy bottles, not tins, but they got the lids off in the end and got most of it in the bucket. There's loads of syrup all over the grass and they've just left the empty tins in the hedge.'

‘Oh dear!' sighed Jack.

‘Are you eating that other sandwich?'

‘Not really but I've had a bite out of it.'

‘Not a problem, pass it round.'

Jack heard the familiar gulp that told him the sandwich was gone.

‘Do you want the cake too?'

‘Cake! I didn't see any cake!'

Jack reached into his pocket and brought out an individually wrapped chocolate roll. Camelin's head peeked from around the tree trunk.

‘Ah Jack, you saved me one.'

Jack smiled.

‘I know, I won't tell Nora.'

‘I'd better go, I need to get myself a grandstand view, it looks like the other team are arriving.'

Jack watched a coach turn off Forest Road and drive past the pavilion towards the car park. He took his plate back to the kitchen.

‘The team are here,' he told Grandad.

‘Do you want to come and do the scoreboard with me or would you rather watch the match?'