Thud in Trouble Read online

  ‘They’ll also make him go blind,’ said Jack.

  ‘What?’ said Robin. He looked at the sweets in Big Rock’s hand. ‘What are they?’

  ‘Poisoned,’ said Milo, ‘with something that will stop Big Rock from being able to see for hours.’

  ‘Just in time for him to be in the ring with Buster Gutt,’ added Jack bitterly.

  ‘But he nice man!’ protested Big Rock. ‘Said he come to give me a present.’

  ‘I told you he wasn’t to be trusted,’ snorted Robin. ‘I’ve told you before, never take sweets from a stranger!’

  ‘Why didn’t you stop him?’ Milo demanded of the old horse.

  ‘Because I’m not supposed to be here! I’m supposed to be in a cell,’ Robin reminded him. ‘I hid in the caravan.’

  Ben and Sally exchanged puzzled looks.

  ‘Yes,’ said Ben. ‘I thought your horse was in jail?’

  ‘It’s a long story,’ said Jack. ‘We’ll tell you about it later.’

  Suddenly Big Rock let out a cry of alarm. ‘Fog over eyes!’ he said. ‘Me can’t see!’

  ‘It’s happened already!’ groaned Milo.

  ‘What are we going to do?’

  ‘Me can’t see!’ repeated Big Rock nervously, and he stood up and took a step forward and then tripped over and fell to the ground with a crash.

  ‘Stay down, Big Rock!’ ordered Milo. ‘You can sit up, but don’t try and go anywhere. Robin, you stay here and look after Big Rock while me and Jack go and see the Judge to ask him if we can put the match with Buster Gutt off until tomorrow, when Big Rock will have his sight back.’

  ‘Maybe Ben and I can come up with something,’ said Sally thoughtfully.

  ‘What can you come up with?’ demanded Milo.

  ‘I don’t know, just at this moment,’ said Sally, ‘but I’m sure we can think of an idea if the Judge doesn’t let you put the match off. We’ll see you later.’

  With that, Sally and Ben hurried off towards the town.

  ‘Nice kids,’ said Robin.

  ‘Yes, but I can’t see what they can do to help if we can’t persuade the Judge,’ sighed Milo.

  ‘They may surprise us,’ said Jack, looking after Sally.

  ‘Yes, but they may not,’ snorted Robin. ‘In which case, Milo, you’d better make sure you persuade the Judge.’

  CHAPTER 9

  The Judge sat behind his desk and listened as Milo and Jack made their appeal for the match to be put off until the next day.

  ‘And you say that the fact that this Wrestling Troll, Big Rock, can’t see is because Murky, Buster Gutt’s manager, gave him poisoned sweets that made him lose his sight?’

  ‘Yes, your Judgeship,’ said Jack. ‘We don’t know exactly how many hours he’ll be blind for, but he should be all right tomorrow.’

  ‘That is outrageous!’ said the Judge, angrily.

  ‘Indeed it is, Judge,’ said Milo. ‘But that’s the sort of sneaky person Murky is. Not to be trusted!’

  ‘I am talking about your unfounded and false allegation against someone who is an old friend of mine,’ snapped the Judge. ‘Murky is a highly respected member of the Rampot Town Council! How dare you!’

  Taken aback, Milo and Jack stared at the Judge.

  ‘Then you won’t put off the match until tomorrow?’

  ‘Absolutely not!’ stormed the Judge. ‘This is obviously some trick of yours to get out of paying the fine. I’ve given you the chance for your troll to battle Buster Gutt for the prize money. If he doesn’t win and you can’t pay the fine, then I shall keep your horse in prison until the Town Council can sell it to get the money for the fine. And, because I think you’re the kind of people who are obviously sneaky and tricksy, I’m going to insist the guards are at the match today to make sure you don’t sneak off if your troll loses! If he does, I shall have the lot of you arrested. Now get out!’

  Jack and Milo trudged away from the Judge’s building, feeling gloomy.

  ‘We’ll have to make a run for it now,’ said Milo. ‘Once we’re at the wrestling match, we won’t be able to.’

  ‘Big Rock won’t do that,’ said Jack. ‘You heard what he said – he wants to fight Buster Gutt and beat him. If he runs away, Buster Gutt will call him a coward. And it’ll ruin his reputation as a wrestler. No one will want to book a coward for wrestling matches. It’ll be the end of Waldo’s Wrestling Trolls.’

  Milo sighed heavily.

  ‘What if Big Rock goes into that ring with Buster Gutt and loses?’ he asked.

  ‘He’ll still have his reputation as a brave wrestler,’ said Jack.

  ‘But with no money, and we’ll all be in a jail cell!’

  ‘Perhaps Sally and Ben will come up with an idea,’ said Jack hopefully.

  ‘Huh!’ snorted Milo. ‘If we can’t come up with anything, what makes you think they will?’

  They got back to the caravan and found Big Rock standing up. Robin rushed at him, bumped into the troll and knocked him over, and then retreated, only to rush at Big Rock again as soon as the troll had got back to his feet, knocking him over again.

  ‘What are you two doing?’ demanded Milo, horrified. ‘Robin, why on earth are you bashing into Big Rock? And Big Rock – I told you to stay sitting down! That way you won’t fall over and get hurt.’

  ‘Me listen,’ said Big Rock. ‘Me hear sound of hooves come near, then me dodge out of way.’

  ‘Big Rock reckons he’s got a plan!’ said Robin, shaking his head in disapproval.

  ‘Me listen for when Buster Gutt makes noises and me grab him,’ nodded Big Rock proudly.

  ‘Like you did just then when Robin charged at you?’ commented Milo sarcastically.

  ‘Five times,’ said the old horse, almost too triumphantly.

  ‘That different. Robin run on soft grass. No noise. Buster Gutt make noise on canvas in ring.’

  ‘You hope!’ sighed Jack. ‘Oh well, if you’re going to do this, Big Rock, we’d better go. The wrestling match is due to start in half an hour.’

  ‘I go!’ said Big Rock.

  And he stepped forward, tripped over a stone, and fell over.

  CHAPTER 10

  The Wrestling Hall in Rampot was packed, and everyone there seemed to be pals or supporters of Buster Gutt, judging by the placards that were being waved from the crowd: Buster Gutt Rules! and Buster the Best!

  Jack led Big Rock by the hand down the aisle from the dressing room, walking slowly so as not to make the big troll stumble. He noticed that guards had been stationed at all the exit doors. The Judge had carried out his threat. There was no way they were going to escape from here.

  ‘Buster Gutt!’ shouted the crowd. ‘Buster Gutt!’

  He was already in the ring, strutting around, waving and smiling at the cheering crowd. His manager, Murky, stood just below the ring, by Buster’s corner. He grinned as he watched Milo and Jack guide Big Rock’s hands to the ropes and then helped the big troll climb into the ring.

  ‘Having problems?’ asked Murky.

  ‘Please, Jack, turn into Thud and hit him!’ whispered Milo.

  Jack scowled at Murky, then turned his attention to Big Rock. The big troll held onto the top rope with one hand and waved, unseeing, at the crowd with the other. As the crowd booed Jack felt anger rising in him, but not enough to make him turn into Thud.

  ‘This crowd love Buster,’ said Murky, and Jack became aware that Buster’s manager had sidled over to stand uncomfortably close to him and Milo. ‘See that costume he’s wearing?’

  They looked at Buster Gutt’s costume. It looked like any ordinary wrestling costume: a leotard in bright blue with different coloured spangles on it.

  ‘Yes?’ grunted Milo. ‘What about it?’

  ‘That was a present sent to Buster,’ smirked Murky. ‘It came with a card that said, Wear this today. It will bring you good luck. From an anonymous admirer. That’s how much people in this town love Buster Gutt. They give him presents all the time: teddy bears, cuddly toys … ’

  ‘What about poisoned sweets?’ snapped Jack.

  Murky shrugged. ‘We were just doing a kind and friendly act, giving Buster’s opponent a present of some nice pebbles. How was I to know your troll would have an allergic reaction to them?’

  With that, he chuckled and walked away to Buster’s corner.

  ‘The rotten, sneaky … ’ growled Jack.

  ‘You sure that doesn’t make you angry enough to turn into Thud?’ asked Milo hopefully.

  Jack shook his head. ‘Sorry, Milo.’

  They looked up at the ring, where Big Rock was standing in his corner, holding onto the ropes, staring at … nothing.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ announced the referee, standing in the centre of the ring. ‘Welcome to the Heavyweight Challenge Match between our very own Rampot Champion Wrestler, Buster Gutt … !’

  Once again, the crowd began to cheer and wave their placards and chant Buster Gutt’s name loudly. The referee’s voice could barely be heard above the chanting as he continued, ‘And the challenger, the Wrestling Troll, Big Rock!’

  ‘Hurray for Big Rock!’ yelled Jack, but his voice was lost in the cheering and chanting of Buster Gutt’s name.

  ‘Let the contest begin!’

  The bell went for the start of the bout, and Buster Gutt strode towards Big Rock, who had moved away from the ropes and was standing, head cocked to one side, listening.

  Buster Gutt put a leg behind Big Rock’s, and then pushed him, tripping the troll, who landed on his back on the canvas. Immediately, Buster Gutt threw himself on Big Rock, using all his weight to hold Big Rock’s shoulders down for a pinfall.

  ‘One!’ shouted the referee. ‘Two!’

  One of Big Rock’s hands shot up in the air, lift
ing his shoulder clear of the canvas. Big Rock threw Gutt off and rolled clear, but as he tried to push himself to his feet, Gutt charged him and hit Big Rock full in the back, sending him crashing head first into the corner post and tumbling down. Once again, Gutt leapt on the fallen troll, and this time pinned him down as the referee counted, ‘One! Two! Three!’

  The crowd went wild, cheering and stamping.

  ‘This is going to be a nightmare!’ groaned Milo as the referee ordered Buster Gutt back to his corner while Big Rock pushed himself back to his feet, his hands searching to find the top rope.

  ‘Keep stretching your arm, Big Rock!’ called Jack. ‘The rope’s just there!’

  Big Rock pushed his arm out further and felt the top rope, his hand closing over it.

  ‘We ought to stop it,’ said Milo. ‘It’s not fair to put Big Rock through this. I’m going to throw in the towel.’

  And Milo took the small towel from around his neck and was just about to throw it in the ring as the sign of surrender, when Jack stopped him.

  ‘No, wait!’ he said. ‘Something’s happening!’

  ‘You’re turning into Thud?’ asked Milo hopefully.

  ‘No – something’s happening to Buster Gutt!’

  CHAPTER 11

  ‘Ow!’

  Buster Gutt was wincing and wriggling in his corner, tugging at his costume.

  ‘Ow!’ he said again.

  He began to dance around the ring, jumping and hopping and wiggling as if there was some sort of small animal moving around inside his costume.

  Big Rock cocked his head to one side.

  ‘He’s listening,’ whispered Jack to Milo. ‘He can hear Buster Gutt moaning!’

  As Buster Gutt jumped around the ring, Big Rock suddenly stepped into his path and grabbed him with both of his strong arms and upended him, driving him head first into the canvas. As Buster Gutt collapsed, upside down, Big Rock fell on him.

  ‘One! Two! Three!’ called the referee.

  Big Rock pushed himself to his feet.

  ‘Here, Big Rock!’ called Jack. ‘Follow my voice!’

  He kept calling as Big Rock made his way towards him in his corner.

  Buster Gutt scrambled to his feet.

  ‘That wasn’t fair!’ he protested. Again, he whimpered ‘Ow!’ and began to jump around the ring, pulling at his costume.

  ‘Ow!’ someone in the audience called out, laughing as Gutt carried on jumping around, yelping, ‘Ow! Ow!’

  ‘Ow! Ow!’ mimicked the audience, and the laughter spread.

  Then Buster Gutt began to roll around on the canvas and scratch at himself through his costume.

  ‘What’s happening?’ asked Milo, astonished.

  ‘I think there’s something wriggling around inside his costume,’ Jack whispered back.

  ‘But how?’ asked Milo.

  Jack smiled.

  ‘I think maybe the person who gave it to him as a mystery present doesn’t like him as much as Murky thinks they do,’ he said. ‘The point is, it’s causing him to make noises. Every time he goes “Ow!” or starts scratching, Big Rock can work out where he is.’ He smiled. ‘Like now.’

  Buster Gutt had leapt to his feet and was hopping from one foot to the other again, shouting out ‘Ow! Ow!’ which was echoed by the crowd, who were jumping about themselves now, copying him and laughing openly at Buster Gutt’s antics.

  Big Rock stepped towards the yelping Buster Gutt, then stopped and listened, his head cocked to one side, to establish where Gutt was. Big Rock reached out and grabbed one of Gutt’s arms and, in one swift move, flipped Gutt up into the air, and then brought him crashing down onto the canvas.

  Flop!

  Once again, Big Rock dropped onto Buster Gutt, who struggled frantically, his feet and legs writhing and kicking as he tried to push the troll off him, but Big Rock kept him down, shoulders flat on the canvas, as the referee counted: ‘One! Two! Three! And the winner, by two pinfalls, is … Big Rock!’

  Jack and Milo helped Big Rock down from the ring and then led him by the hand to the dressing room. As the big troll made his way out of the arena, the crowd cheered, slapping him on the back in congratulations and calling his name: ‘Big Rock! Big Rock!’

  A loud roar of laughter made Jack take a look back at the ring, where he saw Buster Gutt trying to pull off his costume while Murky fought to make him keep it on, ushering him away from the ring towards the privacy of the dressing room.

  ‘Fantastic!’ beamed Milo as they reached Big Rock’s dressing room and went inside. ‘You beat him, Big Rock! You beat Buster Gutt and that cheat of a manager, Murky.’

  ‘Trolls got good hearing,’ nodded Big Rock.

  ‘I think it would be a good idea if you went and collected our winnings,’ suggested Jack to Milo. ‘Just in case Murky lodges a protest about the result.’

  Milo opened the door to go, and then stopped.

  ‘We’ve got a visitor,’ he said.

  It was Sally, and in her arms was her little puppy.

  ‘Come in,’ said Jack. ‘I’m afraid Milo’s got to go. Urgent business.’

  ‘I’ll see you later,’ said Milo.

  Sally came in and went up to Big Rock and touched his arm.

  ‘Are you all right, Big Rock?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘Fine,’ said Big Rock. ‘Eyes get better. Me see shapes.’ He bent down and peered at the little puppy. ‘Me see little dog.’ And the giant troll put out a hand and gently stroked the tiny puppy’s head. In response, the puppy put out its tongue and licked Big Rock’s hand.

  ‘Tickles!’ laughed Big Rock.

  Jack looked at Sally and gave her a wink. ‘It was you who fixed that costume, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Me and Ben,’ said Sally. ‘With a lot of help from my mum.’

  ‘Yes, I remember you said your mum mended clothes,’ said Jack.

  ‘It was what you said about making the bully look silly,’ said Sally. ‘I remembered this material Mum had that got all rough and prickly when it got wet. And I guessed that once Buster Gutt started wrestling he’d get all sweaty.’

  ‘So you got your mum to make a costume for him using that stuff.’

  ‘Even better than that,’ laughed Sally. ‘To make sure it worked, me and Ben went out and collected loads of stinging nettles and we threaded them into the costume. And once Buster Gutt started sweating … ’

  ‘It was like he was being stung.’

  ‘And everyone started laughing at him as he jumped around, and then Big Rock could hear where he was.’ Jack chuckled. ‘Thank you, Sally.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Big Rock. He patted the little girl’s hand very gently. ‘You beat bully.’

  CHAPTER 12

  The sight of Jack, Milo, Big Rock, Robin and Blaze walking into his shop made Mr Brown, the shopkeeper, look worried.

  ‘If you’ve come here to cause trouble, it won’t do you any good. We’re not scared of bullies in this town any more,’ Mr Brown snapped at them, and Jack saw that he had picked up a long-handled broom as a weapon, just in case.

  ‘We’re not here to cause trouble,’ said Milo. ‘We’re here to apologise for the mess our friend made of your shop, and to pay for the damage.’

  Milo took out his purse and counted eight gold coins into the shopkeeper’s hand.

  ‘Why … thank you,’ said Mr Brown. ‘I must admit, I never thought I’d get paid.’

  ‘We always pay our debts,’ said Milo. ‘But Thud didn’t damage your shop on purpose.’

  ‘I know,’ said Mr Brown. He looked around to check that no one was within earshot, then said, ‘But in a way, I’m glad he did. If he hadn’t punched Buster Gutt right through my door, the whole business of the way that bully terrorised this town would never have been sorted out. So, will you thank him for me?’

  ‘We will,’ said Jack. ‘And we’ve also come here to say thank you to your son, Ben.’

  ‘Ben?’ said Mr Brown in surprise. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because, without him, Big Rock would never have beaten Buster Gutt in the wrestling ring. And you’d all still be frightened of him.’

  ‘What did my Ben do?’ asked Mr Brown, intrigued.

  ‘Sting nettles,’ said Big Rock. ‘He pick sting nettles.’