‘There’s no hurry, Mrs P,’ said Coo, strolling up to her as cool as a freshly refrigerated cucumber.
‘COO! Is that you?’ Mrs Pole squinted, looking more confused than ever. ‘What on earth are you two DOING here? And why are you dressed like that? What’s with the hairy outfit? I think you two have got some explaining to do, don’t you?’
‘Outfit? Oh yeah, my outfit,’ said Coo, nudging Ben and winking. ‘Well, it’s a long story, Mrs P, but in a nutshell, me and Ben here had to play a few tricks to save the treasure from the Midnight Mob.’
A pair of hands shot out from the shadows and snatched Ben by the collar.
Ben gurgled, half choking.
‘Yes, POLE! SURPRISE!’ screamed Pickering, backing away and dragging Ben along with him.
‘I knew it was all a fake! I TOLD YOU, DIDN’T I? It takes more than a schoolboy and a … a …’ He glanced at Coo. ‘A … well … a hairy one of THOSE to get the better of Percy Pickering! The TREASURE is MINE!’ he bellowed, his one eye swivelling madly about in his head as he spoke. ‘MINE!’
‘Stay where you are, Pickering,’ commanded Mrs Pole. ‘Let Ben go!’
‘Oh no,’ said Pickering, tightening his grip. ‘Ben is coming with me. He’s going to help me carry all this loot. Any tricks and he’ll WISH he’d been shrivelled by the Mummy compared to what I’ll do to him, so no funny business, got it?’
But Mrs Pole and Coo weren’t looking at Pickering any more. They were staring past him, at one of the statues.
‘Coo, love?’ said Mrs Pole, her voice a little shaky.
‘Ha! Nice try!’ scoffed Pickering, turning to glance behind him.
Pickering shrieked like a startled weasel, let go of Ben, and sprinted for the door.
‘He’s escaping!’ shouted Ben.
‘Not for long,’ said Coo, flipping a gold cup up off the floor with her foot and catching it in her hand. She threw it hard and fast. It hit Pickering THUNK on the back of the head and knocked him out cold.
Ben turned and stared wide-eyed at the statue.
It stepped forwards, looming out of the shadows.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next morning was bright and crisp. Autumn sun streamed in through the windows of Mr and Mrs Pole’s little house.
DING DONG!
‘I’ll get it,’ yelled Ben. ‘That’ll be Coo.’
‘Morning, Pole!’ said Coo, standing on the doorstep with Herbert by her side wagging his rump cheerfully.
‘No beard then?’ said Ben, looking Coo up and down. ‘Worried about startling Mum and Dad, eh?’
‘I don’t think they’re quite ready for it yet, do you?’ she said, stroking her smooth cheeks. ‘Maybe next time.’
‘Come on in. We’ve got a guest,’ said Ben, hanging Coo’s crown on the hallstand as Mr Pole strode past carrying a teapot and a plate stacked with crumpets.
‘Coo! Herbert!’ he boomed cheerfully. ‘It sounds like you all had a busy night! Crooks, police, arrests! I expect you could do with a crumpet, eh? Come on through.’
In the living room, sipping tea, were Mrs Pole and the living statue.
‘Hello, Coo,’ said Mrs Pole. She turned to her guest. ‘You’ve met Chief Umpopo.’
‘Hello again, chief!’ said Coo.
Chief Umpopo smiled one of those smiles that show ALL your teeth. He stood up and put his hands on Coo’s shoulders.
‘Hello, my friend,’ he said. ‘I came to thank you all for saving the Mummy’s Gold. Your quick wits and your courage will for ever be remembered by the Blue-foots.’
‘Happy to help, chief.’ Coo grinned.
‘Help yourself to some breakfast, love,’ said Mrs Pole warmly. ‘We were just talking about all the excitement last night.’
‘Oh, thanks!’ said Coo, dropping onto the sofa beside Ben, grabbing a cup of hot tea and deftly stabbing three crumpets with the tip of her spear.
‘You didn’t half give me a fright last night, Mr Umpopo,’ said Mrs Pole, smiling. ‘I really thought you were a statue come to life!’
‘I’m awfully sorry!’ said Chief Umpopo. ‘It all happened so fast!’
‘So how come you were there in the first place?’ asked Mr Pole, sitting back in his armchair and offering Herbert a bite of his buttered crumpet.
‘Well, it’s like this,’ explained the chief. ‘I was over the moon to hear that our Mummy’s Gold had been recovered. And to be invited along to the exhibition, before taking the treasure home to my tribe, was just too exciting! I couldn’t wait to see it, so I popped along to the museum yesterday for a peek.’
‘And you got locked in?’ said Mrs Pole.
‘Yes! What a nincompoop!’ The chief blushed. ‘I got carried away and didn’t realize it was closing time. I settled in for the night, feeling terribly embarrassed. But it got quite chilly so I slipped on one of the tribal costumes.’
‘And when the Midnight Mob burst in?’ asked Mr Pole, wiping butter off his beard.
‘Gracious! It was quite a shock, I can tell you!’ chuckled the chief. ‘I just stood still. As still as a … well, a statue! It was pretty dark in there. No one noticed me.’
‘Blimey!’
‘And then all of a sudden, there was the Mummy, and well, you know the rest.’
‘Speaking of which, now you’re here, Coo,’ said Mrs Pole, ‘please tell us, how did you do it? You know, bringing the Mummy’s Curse to life?’
Coo smiled her sidelong smile. ‘Well, it all began when Ben turned up yesterday, babbling something about Pickering and a gold coin …’ said Coo.
Everyone leaned forward to listen, quietly munching their breakfast while Coo explained how she and Ben had discovered the truth about the Midnight Mob, found their hideout and overheard their plans to steal the Mummy’s Gold.
‘So they tricked their way into schools in disguise, then wangled field trips to check out the museums and
