8 winners and losers
Nails had already done his shooting and now he swam wonderfully moving fast and easily up and down the pool. It was a ten-metre pool and nails did thirty-four lengths in four minutes. Nutty wanted to laugh out loud with happiness.
Not bad she said when nails had finished. But where have you been all this time?
Nails looked angry. I was sleeping in the shed in firelight’s field last night and the police came and got me. They asked me where I ived and I wouldn’t tell them so they locked me up in the police station all night. I had to argue my way out this morning. Biddy came to fetch me because I told the police she was my mother. Biddy was a bit angry about that.
Nutty wondered what would happen to nails after today. Sleeping out in fields no real home to go to nothing to look forward to. But there was no time to worry about that now. There was still the running and the riding to do.
Greycoats went first in the running and nutty watched team angrily. We’re well behind after that cheating she said. And just look at them now!
Greycoats were running well. we’ve just got to keep going nutty said.
And they did. But it nearly killed nutty. Hoomey running in front of her grew smaller and smaller and nutty realized that she was probably the worst of them all. But she finished fell to the ground and lay there with her eyes closed. When she opened them again biddy was there. At last nutty was free biddy would tell them all what to do now.
You’ve all got to ride like crazy if you’re going to beat those Greycoast boys biddy said.
By now the parent had all arrived and were enjoying their day out. Uncle bean had brought the horses and Hoomey was looking at Bones with dreamy eyes. He was in another world again. Nails and Jazz looked worried.
Switchback Nails’s horse looked very big and strong and would not be easy for him to ride.
When nutty went to look at the scores she saw that her team had fallen well behind Greycoast now. They all needed clear rounds in the riding to have any chance of winning at all. Hoomey rode past on Bones and nutty suddenly realized that Bones was no longer the thin miserable horse who had come to them. His eyes shone and he looked more like a three-year-old ready to race and to win. Little hoomey would never be able to stop him nutty thought worriedly.
Greycoats began their riding and nutty was very pleased indeed when Seb fell into the first ditch. The rest of the Greycoast team looked worried and Nutty smiled happily. Then the saw Gloria and rode up to her. They cheated didn’t they? Nutty said angrily and Gloria looked uncomfortable.
All four Greycoasts riders did badly. You’ve really got to go well Nutty told her team. We could beat them but when they heard this the others looked more worried than ever.
The greycoats team were now having some kind of discussion and Gloria was with them. But it was time for nutty to go. She was riding first then hoomey and then nails and jazz. Nutty was afraid that jazz would not get round. Spot could do it with a strong rider but jazz wasn’t strong enough and nutty was worried.
The starter looked at his watch. Go! He called and nutty had a wonderful feeling of excitement. This was what she was good at and Midnight flew over the ground. The course seemed easy to nutty as they went over the jumps with no trouble at all across the next field over the big ditch and up into the woods. Away below her on the left she could see the main road with her cars shining in the sun. but her way was to the right and down the hill. There she had to stop get off her horse and open a gate while an official timed her. The official was the mother of one of the greycoats team and her car was parked near the gate. But nutty did well and Midnight was off again over the jumps and through the finish fast and clear.
Hoomey was waiting to go with his eyes shining as he looked at his wonderful Bones. Good luck! Nutty called and hoomey was away. Bones went off like an express train and there was no way he was going to stop before he heard the crowed shouting for him at the finish.
Just then Gloria hurried up to nutty. They’re going to cheat again she said. They’ve got a recording of God save the queen. They’ve hidden it in the officail’s car and when spot has to stop at the gate thhey’re going to play it and…
Spot will lie down nutty finished. Don’t worry she said jazz. You’re riding last so if hoomey and nails go clear then we’re all right.
Where is hoomey? Nails said worried. He should be out of the woods by now. He was going very fast.
Nutty looked towards the top of the hill. There was no hoomey! But there was something happening- people were running about wildly and one of the officials had his red flag up – red for blood which meant they needed an ambulance. But there were a lot of other flags too and then cars starting up one coming down the hill and others going up to meet it. People were shouting and looking serious.
Hoomey was in trouble nutty realized and she knew that boat nails and jazz had to get clear round now. But she could also see from the look of fear on jazz’s face that he couldn’t do it.
But she knew she could. Colin cheated she said and so will we! I’ll ride spot.
The others stared at her with open mouths. But you’re the wrong colour said nails.
Gloria’s got something that she uses to make her look brown. I’ll put that on my face and I’ll wear jazz’s turban. Our riding clothes are all the same and if I keep moving fast no one will ever know!
Nails went off to start his riding and the others hurried into the back of Uncle bean’s truck. A few minutes later nutty had become jazz.
I hope I don’t really look like that! Said jazz.
You hide here until I get back said nutty. And let’s hope that nails does a clear round!
Nutty ran out and got onto spot. She looked up the hill and saw nails going well on Switchback but there was still on hoomey. He must be still alive but where was he?
Then the starter called Go! And nutty was away. Spot surprised was galloping before he had time to think. Nutty hurried him on and he found it easier to jump than to refuse.
They reached the wood safely and from the top of the hill nutty saw nails going fast towards the finish. They could still win.
As nutty came out of the wood she saw the ambulances and cars and a crowd of people looking down the hill. She had no time to see what was happening and turned spot towards the next jump. Then Bones and hoomey suddenly appeared coming up the hill from the main road and galloping very fast towards the jump in front of her. Bones flew over the jump clearing it by about two metres and hoomey went up in the air and came down again still on bones’s back. Now they were racing towards the gate and nutty not far behind could see that bones wasn’t going to stop until he won the race.
The officials was standing near the gate but when she saw bones and hoomey racing towards her she ran back to her car. Her son who was sitting in the car ready to play God save the Queen for spot was frightened to death. He forgot how important it was to start the music and hid under the seat! Nutty got off spot went through the gate and was away before the official and her son had climbed out of their car. Hoomey had already disappeared.
Nutty rode on a wild hope growing inside her. But she had forgotten that jazz’s parents were there with biddy and the other parents. They would know that she wasn’t jazz! But she couldn’t stop to explain and rode on past them. She could feel biddy’s glassy stare and saw the mouths of the others fall open but she kept going and finished with a clear round. She rode straight to the truck where the others were.
Inside the truck nutty heard that nails had had a clear round too. We’ve done it she shouted. We’ve beaten them!
Jazz putting on his turban again was laughing. Have you heard? Hoomey rode two miles down the main road!
Not two miles! Said hoomey.
And because it was a main road he had to go down to the roundabout before he could come back.
What! Hoomey you didn’t!
Bones jumped over on to the road. I couldn’t stop him. Hoomey was white and shining when he spoke.
And you went round the roundabout?
Hoomey looked a bit uncomfortable. I thought it was the right thing to do but she traffic was a bitt cross. But nutty bones was wonderful!
By now nutty had cleaned her face and she felt wonderful too. We won! She cried. We won!
We cheated nails said.
So did they. It’s fair if you all cheat.
Nutty looked at nails. He was smiling actually smiling. It had been a great day for all of them nutty decided. Then she saw everybody walking towards them. There were all the parents biddy the greycoats teacher and sam Sylvester and seb and his team.
You cheated! Seb called out tto nutty.
Oh yes? Nutty said. Who cheated?
You rode twice.
And colin didn’t swim.
You can’t be sure about that. Nobody will believe you.
Well you can’t be sure that I rode twice.
Everybody could see it was you. It’s the way you ride. We’ll tell the competition officials.
And we’ll tell them about colin not swimming. And we’ll get someone to look at God save the queen in antony’s mum’s car by the gate.
Have you all gone crazy? Biddy asked sweetly.
The adults were all staring at the two teams some amused some not understanding. The greycoats teacher looked cross. If there’s been some cheating then there are no real winners or losers he said and you’ll all have to do the competition again next year.
That’s just what I think said biddy.
The eight competitors looked at each other and fell silent in horror. Nutty couldn’t believe it. The pain of all that running and swimming when you were half-dead…
But the adults loved the idea. They had had a nice day out and thought that tetrathlon sports were very good for young people. They all began to make plans. Sam Sylvester said that the school would help next time and biddy told nutty to forget about the money for the