BERNIE’S seven brothers, led by Gurt and Loris, worked as if their lives depended on it. In no time at all, the remaining bricks and rubbish were gone, and Lottie, eyes shining, was running to and fro, telling them where the plants were to go. Wilf and Marjory carefully edged the paths with gleaming white pebbles, and every so often the three of them smiled delightedly at one another.
‘It’s already looking beautiful,’ Lottie said as the evening wore on. ‘I can’t believe how lovely it is!’
‘It’s absolutely gorgeous,’ Marjory agreed. ‘And it’s very nearly finished.’
Wilf stood up and stretched. ‘Do you think we should keep guard tonight?’
Marjory looked at Lottie. ‘What do you think?’ she asked.
‘Maybe we should.’ Lottie rubbed her nose thoughtfully. ‘I couldn’t bear it if it got spoiled again. But Ma and Pa’ll worry if I don’t come home…’
‘I’ve got an idea,’ Marjory said. ‘Why don’t you send Jaws home to tell your parents we’ve got an overnight project?’
‘Brilliant!’ Lottie beamed at her. ‘Jaws, off you go!’
‘And I’ll run and tell Gran,’ Wilf said. ‘I’ll be back in half an hour at the latest!’
‘Can you tell my mum as well?’ Marjory asked him. ‘You’ll be going right past my door.’
Wilf grinned. ‘Sure thing.’
The gardeners were just putting the final touches to the garden as Wilf came puffing back carrying a bag of buns and apples and cake. ‘Gran’s the best,’ he said proudly. ‘We can have a picnic while we watch!’
‘Oh!’ Lottie said. ‘That’s wonderful!’ And as Bernie’s brothers waved goodbye and hurried home to have their supper, she settled down on a bench with her friends to eat their picnic. Above them the moon sailed up into the cloudless sky, and the white flowers and cherry blossom glimmered. As Lottie sighed happily, and bit into an apple, her moonstone necklace shone brightly…
‘Oh!’
Lottie woke with a start. For a moment, she couldn’t think where she was; above her was cherry blossom, and behind the blossom the sky was a pale blue. Was it the morning? Looking round, she saw that she was snuggled up on a garden bench; Marjory was fast asleep on one side of her, and Wilf on the other.
What woke me? she thought, and she turned her head this way and that, listening.
Voices! She could hear voices… and they were coming towards the garden. Silently, she woke Marjory and Wilf. ‘Shhh!’ she warned. ‘Listen!’
‘Well, hurry up and find it! How could you have been so silly? It’s got our name on it! What were you thinking of? I told you to wreck the garden, not leave our stuff all over the place!’
Lottie, Marjory and Wilf looked at each other. Was it Aggie? Silently, they stood up and looked towards the corner of the school.
‘Shhh!’ Lottie whispered again. ‘Here she comes!’
But it wasn’t Aggie. It was Bruno who came hurrying round the corner with… his father! Mr Gnawbone, the deputy head!
Lottie stepped forward. ‘Is this what you’re looking for?’ she asked, and she pointed to the wheelbarrow.
As Bruno and his father both froze, she went on. ‘The letters A W are from Gnawbone, aren’t they? It all makes sense now. First there was the piece of paper in among the rubbish… and then there was the wheelbarrow… and you were a builder before you were a teacher. We thought that the A and the W were from “Claws” – Agatha Claws – but we should have guessed it was you and Bruno.’
Mr Gnawbone pulled himself together and sneered. ‘Oh, dearie, dearie me!’ he said. ‘Perhaps you and your friends aren’t so clever after all!’
‘We’re clever enough to catch you!’ Lottie said fiercely.
‘But not quite clever enough!’ said Mr Gnawbone, as he drew himself up to his full height and glared down at her. ‘Do you really think anyone’s going to believe three silly young wolf cubs like you? I went to a lot of trouble to get myself into this horrible school as a teacher. I had to write my own references, and pretend I liked nasty little wolf cubs, and join in that ridiculous Evening Howl every night. I’m notgoing to be beaten at the last minute! I’m going to buy that land and I’m going to build that road – and everyone who uses it will have to pay me money! I’ll make my fortune, and Bruno and I will be RICH!’
‘I’m afraid that’s where you’re wrong, Mr Gnawbone.’
There was a touch of cold steel in the voice, and Lottie held her breath as she saw Madam Grubeloff sweep towards them from behind a clump of trees.
‘Did you really believe that I would allow a dreadful road to ruin our school?’ the head teacher went on. ‘I’ve had my suspicions ever since you came here – the way you treated the pupils, your ignorance of school traditions, the fact that you never joined in the Evening Howl… but you were clever enough to lie low for quite a while. Now, however, your plans have been uncovered – and I’m certain that when the owner hears about them she will want to give the garden to us.’ Madam Grubeloff flung out her arms. ‘Just look! This is the most magical Bloom Garden ever!’