‘I’ll be able to see better from up here,’ the Mayor decided, climbing up on to the float to look for Auntie Suzy.
While he was peering at the crowd, Willow caught sight of an orange streak on the float. ‘There’s Croc!’ she hissed to Jack. ‘What’s he planning now?’
‘Something else to ruin the parade, I bet,’ Jack replied. ‘We’ve got to stop him!’
Willow was just about to jump on to the float herself and grab the naughty crocodile when the Mayor reached down and scooped him up. ‘Ahh! So your aunt has been here after all,’ the Mayor said to Willow, holding Croc. ‘She must have left me this Hoozle to hold – and what a fine fellow he is, too. A wonderful substitute for Wizard. Look at his lovely smile!’
Willow nearly got the giggles, imagining how furious Croc would be to hear the Mayor praising his ‘lovely smile’. The crowd cheered as the Mayor held Croc up to show them, and Willow was sure she spotted a sulky look in Croc’s eyes. She knew very well that he must be hating all of this. Being cheered by happy Hoozle-loving people was not exactly Croc’s idea of fun!
‘Sorry we’re so late!’ came a panting voice just then and Willow, Jack and the Mayor turned to see Auntie Suzy and Freddie running over. Auntie Suzy’s hair was tumbling out of its ponytail and she was red in the face, but she was carrying all three members of the Hoozle Council, and Freddie had Wobbly on his shoulders too. ‘We waited until the very last minute to leave,’ Auntie Suzy explained. ‘Just in case you showed up at the toy shop.’
The Mayor didn’t seem to hear Auntie Suzy very clearly over the noise of the excited crowd. He beamed at her and held up Croc. ‘Not to worry, my dear, we found the Hoozle you left for me,’ he said. ‘Very nice little chap, this. Extra cuddly!’
Willow didn’t dare meet Jack’s eye for fear of bursting out laughing. And if she wasn’t mistaken she was sure she’d heard a tiny growl of rage escaping from Croc!
Auntie Suzy looked from Croc to Willow, her eyes puzzled. Willow tried to indicate with a smile that it was all OK, and just part of a Hoozle adventure. Auntie Suzy knew all about the magic qualities of the Hoozles, of course, so she just smiled politely at the Mayor and said she was glad he liked Croc.
‘Now then, we’d better get this show on the road,’ the Mayor said. ‘And I’d like my two rescuers to come and stand with me, please.’ He held out a hand for first Willow and then Jack to climb up on the float with their Hoozles. ‘You two saved the day,’ he told them. ‘Thank goodness you found me!’ Then he turned to the crowd. ‘Are we all ready? Then let the Summertown Spectacular parade … BEGIN!’
A huge cheer went up as the Mayor pressed a button and the float began to move slowly along the road. Auntie Suzy and Freddie walked beside them, holding Wizard, Lovely, Grouchy and Wobbly. To Willow’s delight, she noticed that lots of people in the crowd were holding their own Hoozles too – a green zebra Hoozle, a pink hippo Hoozle, a black cat Hoozle with a long velvety tail, and many more. How
lovely to think that there were so many Hoozles living happily in Summertown!
Willow looked across at Jack with a big smile on her face, and made Toby wave his arm at Jack and Bouncer. Jack grinned back at Willow as he made Bouncer wave too. Now they both knew the special secret about the Hoozles. What fun, thought Willow with a rush of excitement. She couldn’t wait to find out what Hoozle adventures they would have together!