‘It looks like we’re going deep. Grab Herbert for a minute, will you, and come with me,’ said Coo as she stepped through a side-passage into a large cavern.
Coo beamed. ‘I grow them. They’re from all over the world. And there’s a few I whipped up myself,’ she added, proudly patting the trunk of the most gigantic blue mushroom Ben had ever seen.
‘They’re really useful,’ said Coo, pointing out a few favourites. ‘Those make good medicine, those ones inflate and float in the air, and those ones explode.’
‘It’s fantastic!’ said Ben.
‘A-ha! These are the ones I’ve been looking for.’ Coo stepped up to a fungus that looked like a giant marshmallow stuck to the cave wall, tore off two large pieces and threw one to Ben.
It felt cool and spongy in his hands.
‘Oh, great! I’m starving,’ he said, having felt hungry ever since his dad had taken over the cooking.
‘Oh crikey, don’t EAT it!’ said Coo. ‘It’ll bring you out in spots and you’ll not know which way is up for days! No, squeeze it hard, and shake it.’
Ben squashed it. He felt it pop and crackle inside and grow warm. Then he shook it hard with both hands and to his delight it burst into bright green light.
‘Ha-ha! That’s … that’s … AMAZING!’ Ben grinned, whirling the mushroom around his head and splashing the floor with glowing juice.
‘I call them Glowshrooms,’ said Coo, squashing and shaking her own one to life. ‘Not bad, eh?’
‘Now come on,’ she said, sticking the Glowshroom on to the tip of her spear. ‘There’s no time to muck about.’
Leaving the Mush Room behind them, Ben and Coo followed Herbert as he padded off into the dark. The path snaked and dipped through caves big and small, squeezing through cracks tight enough to make their ribs squeak, and through caverns large enough to comfortably hold a football pitch, a multiplex cinema and probably a bowling alley too, if you stood it up on one end.
Eventually, they ducked into a passageway that seemed to shrink with every step until the ceiling was so low that Coo and Ben were forced to crawl behind Herbert on their hands and knees.
‘He’s slowing down,’ said Coo. ‘We’re close.’
A moment later they emerged from the other end onto a narrow ledge.
Herbert stopped, turned to Coo and wagged his rump.
‘This is it!’ said Coo. ‘This is where Herb found the coin.’
Beneath them was a large cave. Faint daylight seeped in from a tunnel on the far side.
‘Well, it looks like someone’s been up to mischief!’ said Coo.
Heaped against one wall there was a big black bag, stuffed to bursting with gold coins that spilled across the floor, and stuck to the walls were photos, maps and plans of all the museums that had been burgled.
‘Blimey! It’s the Midnight Mob!’ gasped Ben.
Suddenly, a rock clattered along the tunnel opposite.
‘Someone’s coming!’ whispered Coo.
They ducked down low and peeked over the ledge.
CHAPTER TEN
Five shadowy figures came into view – four short ones and a tall one.
‘It’s the girls!’ hissed Ben into Coo’s ear. ‘Pickering’s caught the girls!’
Daisy, Petal, Primrose and Lovely Susan tripped and skidded down into the cave. Behind them came Pickering. His fake eye had slipped all the way round and it shone horribly white in the dim light.
‘We’ve got to help them!’ said Ben, getting to his feet.
‘Hold on!’ whispered Coo, clamping a hand around Ben’s mouth and pulling him back down. She sat as still as a hawk and watched from the ledge through narrowed eyes.
‘Light the lamps,’ ordered Pickering in the gloom, ‘I can’t see a thing.’
His voice was harsh now. Gone was the smooth chuckling professor who had seemed so friendly.
Yellow lamplight lit up the cave, casting flickering shadows across the rocky walls.
Ben, Coo and Herb sank lower.
The academy girls gathered around Pickering.
Then Daisy spoke. ‘Is it safe, professor?’
Ben shot a questioning glance at Coo.
Pickering checked the tunnel and cocked an ear to listen.
Silence.
‘Yes, all clear,’ he said.
Then he smacked himself on the back of his head, popping the ping-pong ball out into his hand.
‘Don’t worry,’ he said, holding it up. ‘I’ll keep an eye out for trouble.’
The girls all burst into horrible laughter.
‘Ha! It’s about flippin’ time!’ said Petal. ‘These knickers don’t half pinch!’
‘And these perishing shoes! Torture!’ Lovely Susan groaned. ‘I’ve got toes like mashed plums.’ Ben gawped in disbelief as they tossed their hats away and threw off their blazers and skirts. They kicked off their shiny little shoes and tugged their blouses over their heads.
‘Yeah, and my throat’s red raw from speaking like this all the time!’ squeaked Daisy, coughing a few times until her voice dropped to a low grumble.
‘Aaaah, what a relief! This itches like mad!’ Primrose sighed, snatching her hair from her head.
The girls were gone. Their disguises littered the cave floor.
Ben stared down from the ledge.
‘Crikey! They’re not girls at all!’ he whispered to Coo, unable to tear his eyes away.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘Well done, girls! Phase one is complete! It works every time!’ said Pickering triumphantly, putting on an eye patch. He twirled on the spot, flapping his hands and fluttering his eyelids.
‘No one ever suspects the Professor and his Academy Girls!’
The men rocked with laughter. ‘Ha-ha! Nice one, boss!’
‘And we mustn’t forget the oh-so-helpful Poles,’ said Pickering, clasping his hands to his heart. ‘Those dopes made it easier than ever for us to get a sneaky peek at the treasure and plan tonight’s little adventure. Speaking of which,’ he said, pulling a fresh bottle of rum from a crate, ‘we strike at midnight!’
He pointed at each of them in turn. ‘It’s the same as last time, lads. DODGE,
