‘They had me fooled,’ said Ben. ‘Right up until I saw them in the hideout. Not Coo though. She saw right through them. The next thing I know she whispers some instructions, winks at me and pushes me off the ledge, right into Pickering’s hands!’
‘Ha! You should’ve seen your face!’ chuckled Coo, tossing her last bite of crumpet into the air and catching it in her mouth.
‘So, anyway,’ Coo continued, ‘I hid until the coast was clear then snuck back and listened to Ben doing his bit and telling Pickering and his mob about the curse.’
‘You were brilliant, Ben, acting scared and telling them all that CURSE rubbish! I almost believed you myself!’ Coo paused to slurp her tea. ‘After that, I picked up a few bits and bobs from the tree house and slipped into the museum before closing.’
‘Yes, yes, but come on, HOW did you do the curses?’ said Mr Pole. ‘I mean, it was you, wasn’t it? The gold isn’t really cursed, is it?’
‘I don’t know about the real Mummy’s Curse, Mr P.’ Coo grinned. ‘But the Ben Pole version certainly had a little help from me.’
She pulled some drawings from her bag and spread them out on the table.
‘Look, these plans will help explain. OK, so Ben told the Midnight Mob that there were three signs to show you’d been cursed, and he made sure they noticed them all. I just had to bring them to life.’
‘Ha! Well knock me down with a lemon jelly! You’ve done it again, Coo! AMAZING!’ said Mr Pole, patting her heartily on the back. ‘Absolutely marvellous! Um, so those boots in your bag over there, are they the Stretch’n’Fetch ones?’ he added, getting up and going for a closer look.
‘The tribe will be very proud of you, Coo,’ said the chief warmly.
‘I know I am,’ said Mrs Pole, leaning in to hug Coo and Ben and rub Herbert’s chops. ‘I’m proud of you all. And I must say, Coo, that hairy outfit was fantastic! A little extra touch to blend in with the exhibits, was it?’ she added. ‘It’s VERY lifelike.’
Coo glanced at Ben. ‘Yes, you could say that, Mrs P,’ she said, smiling. ‘Very lifelike.’
‘Anyway,’ said Mrs Pole, getting to her feet, ‘we had better go. It’s the Mummy’s Gold grand opening tonight, and there’s lots of clearing up to do. Coo, we’ll drop you and Ben off at the woods on the way, OK?’
‘Coo, Ben, I trust we will see you tonight?’ said Chief Umpopo.
‘We’ll be there,’ said Coo, shaking his hand.
‘WOOOOOOOOOAAAH! OOooopsadaisy!’ Mr Pole’s voice drifted in from outside.
‘Oh no!’ said Ben, rushing to the window. ‘Dad’s got hold of your Stretch’n’Fetch boots!’
‘DAD! CLICK YOUR HEELS!’ yelled Ben through cupped hands.
‘What was that, lad?’ said Mr Pole as he wobbled off down the garden and tripped over the shed. ‘Lick more eels? How’s THAT going to help?’
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Back at the tree house, Ben and Herbert lay stretched out on an enormous hammock in the autumn sunshine enjoying the peace and quiet. Mr Pole had been rescued, and had whizzed off to the museum with the others.
Ben chuckled when Coo strolled out from her hut to join them, a cup in each hand. She was back to normal. Her fresh thick beard blew gently in the breeze.
‘I’ll never know how you grow that thing so fast,’ he said, reaching for the ginger beer she offered him.
‘Practice,’ she replied.
‘So, Coo, how come you know Chief Umpopo?’ asked Ben, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her. ‘I’ve been wondering about that since yesterday.’
‘Oh that,’ said Coo hopping onto the hammock. ‘I get around, you know. I’m sure I told you, there was this one time I was floating down the Amazon river in a biscuit tin …’
Herbert rolled onto his back for Coo to scratch his belly while she spoke, and by the time her story was over, he was snoring gently.
‘Not a bad night’s work last night, eh, Ben?’ she said. ‘We saved the Mummy’s Gold for Chief Umpopo, your mum will get promoted for bravery, and my woods are crook-free again.’
‘Yeah. Not bad at all. Oh, did you hear?’ Ben sat up. ‘Apparently, there’s been a mix up. Pickering and his Midnight Mob have been sent to do hard time at the Peril Beach Correctional Institute for Unruly Girls! Tougher than any prison!’
‘Ha! Serves them right, after what they did to your poor Mr Travis,’ said Coo.
‘How come you knew they were men, back in the hideout?’ Ben wondered. ‘They had me fooled all along.’
‘Oh, there were a few signs, if you knew where to look,’ said Coo.
‘But mostly it was just one thing,’ she added.
‘Yes? What?’
‘They were TOO girly,’ said Coo, idly picking a dead leaf from her beard. ‘No girl is THAT girly!’
Ben giggled, lay back down and watched the yellowing leaves above blow in the breeze.
‘What was that thing made from?’ he said. ‘That shrivelled version of me? It looked horrible! It scared me half to death.’
‘Oh, that?’ Coo grinned. ‘Yeah, pretty ugly, wasn’t it? Well I suppose you have your dad to thank for that.’
‘No!’
‘Yup!’
‘His SAUSAGES?’
‘Ha! You’ve got it!’ said Coo. ‘They were the most mummified things I could find!’
‘Brilliant!’ said Ben, dabbing his eyes. ‘Just brilliant!’
Coo grabbed Herbert and got up, leaving Ben sprawled in the hammock.
‘Are you off somewhere?’ asked Ben, looking up and shielding his eyes from the sun.
‘No,’ said Coo. ‘This just seems like a good time.’
Ben sat up. ‘For what?’
Coo had one of those looks. And she was standing suspiciously close to a big lever.
‘It’s my latest thing,’ said Coo with a grin.
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’
‘Now?’
‘Why not?’
Ben couldn’t think of a good enough reason. It was just another day in
