Nails hd already done his shooting and now he swam wonderfully moving fast and easily up and thirty-four lengths in four minutes Nutty wanted to laugh out loud with happiness
Notbad she said when Nails had finished But where have you been all this time
Nails locked angry I was sleeping in the shed in fireligh’s field last night and the I wouldn’t tell thm,so they locked out this morning Biddy came to fetch me because I told the police she was my mother Biddy was abit 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 notime to worry about that now there was still the running and the riding to do
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 wasthere. 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 Greycoat boys, Biddy said.
By now the parents 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 Greycoats now.They all needed all Hoomey was no longer the thin,miserable horse who had 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 Greycoats team looked worried and Nutty smiled happily.Then she saw Gloria and rode up to her.They cheated didn’t they ? Nutty said angrily and Gloria looked uncomfortable.
All four Greycoats riders did badly You ‘ve really got to go well Nutty told her team.We could bear 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 togo 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 coure 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 wood Away below her on the left she could see the main road with the cars shining sun But her way was to the right and down the hill There she had to stop got offher horse and open a gate,while an official timed her the official wasthe mother of one of the Greycoated. Team and her car was parked nearthe gate But Nutty did well and Midnight was offagain 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 he was he was going to stop before he heard the crowd shouting for him at the finish.
Just then Gloria hurried up to Nutt.They,re going to cheat again she said They’ve got a recording of God Save the Queen They’ve hidden it in the official’s car and when Spot has to stop at gate they’re going to play it and…
Spot will lie down Nutty finished.Don’t worry’she aid to 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.up one coming down the hill and others going up to meet it People were shouting andlooking serious.
Hoomey was in trouble,Nutty realized,and she knew that both Nails and jazz had to get clear rounds now But she could’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! Sid Nails.
Gloria’s got something that she uses to make her look brown.I’ll put that on my face and I’ll wear 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 blater 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 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 no 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 thik.Nutty hurried him on and he found it easier to jump than to refuse.
They reached the wood safely and from the top hill Nutty saw Nails going fast towards the finish.They could still win
As Nutty cme 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 happning and turned Spot towards the next jump.Then Bones and Hoomey suddenly appeared coming up the hill from the main roda 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 official 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 forget how important it was to Start the music,and hid under the seat! Nutty got off spot,went through the 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 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 looked a bit Uncomfortable. I thought it was the right thing to do but the traffic was a bit cross.But Nutty,Bones was 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 sas smiling,Nutty decided.Then she saw everyboby walking towerds them. There were all the parents,Biddy,the Greycoats teacher and Sam Sylvester-and Seb and his theam.
You cheated!Seb called out to 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 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 that the school would help next time, and Biddy told Nutty to forget about the money for the riding lessons.
The talking and laughing went on for some time as the adults discussed the day.And did you see old Bones,said Uncle Bean,Galloping down the main road? Even the police car couldn’t catch him! What a horse!’
And that was how it all ended.Nowinners,no losers.
Except that Jazz was invited by the Greycoats teacher to join a competition swimming team.And Jazz was very pleased about that because he really liked swimming.And Biddy offered Nails a job riding her horses,a room to sleep in and a home for firelight and her foal.Nails didn’t say much but he smiled.And Nutty knew that she had been a good captain.Perhaps one day she would be the captain of an Olympic riding team.And Hoomey – well Hoomey knew what he wanted in life now. Who said he had no ambition? The dreamy look was back in his eyes.He could be a famous rider,flying over the jumps on his horse like a bird of freedom
Perhaps tomorrow everything would seem different.But today…Today was all right.